How to dress for your body shape

Stylists look at our clients differently I’ve written about how to look at your body shape (for women) like a stylist. The key is to dress for your bone structure or frame and to consider proportions. When you do this, you don’t focus on what is “wrong” with your body – like we tend to do as women. Let’s take it a step further…

Regardless of your frame, you always want to follow the universal style rule which is create an unbroken visual line. We all want to do this whether we know it or not. Essentially this means you dress to look taller and leaner vs. shorter and dumpier.

So you don’t know how to do this other than to wear black and high heels? It’s OK. Here are some tips to get started.

Universal ways to create the unbroken visual line for your body shape

Elevate your waist – by this I mean, use accessories like belts, gathering of fabric, draping, patterns or other stylistic effects to make your waist appear higher than it is or even just at your natural waist. Due to the popularity of low-rise pants, we have forgotten wear our real waists are. By accentuating them at the true waist, you can visually lengthen your legs making you appear taller.

 

Continue your leg – by this I mean do not cut yourself off at the ankle with thick straps, chunky shoes, or cuffs on pants. Avoid the “high water” look which is when your pants are too short on the leg AND flare away from the leg. Look at the color of your shoes, I am HUGE fan of nude or flesh colored shoes because they make your leg look longer. Are you wearing dark colored chunky shoes or streamlined, lighter colored shoes? Do your pants make you appear shorter or taller?

Monochromatic dressing– this does not mean wearing all black. Consider blue. Wear navy trousers with a turquoise shell. Consider your maroon skirt with a fuchsia blouse. It means wearing the different tone (color + gray) or shade (color + black) of the pure color in the same outfit. When you wear the various tones, shades and tints of a pure color in one outfit you able to create the clean unbroken visual line by using color.

 

If this seems daunting or you want help, I’m here for you. Feel free to contact me to learn more about how I can help you achieve the style you want with the body you have.