It is only normal that, at the start of winter, we all feel a little…
How To Ensure Clothes You Order Online Fit Your Body Shape Well
We know there is nothing worse than ordering clothes online only to discover they don’t look so great on! The style doesn’t suit; the dress clings in all wrong places… the scenarios vary. To minimize the chances of this happening, read on for our handy guide on dressing for your shape.
Before considering what to look for when shopping for women’s clothes, you need to know what body shape you have. Are you a pear? Or do you have an hourglass figure? If you look online, you will see that most sites tend to split body shape into a mere three categories – apple, pear, and hourglass. Whilst you may loosely fit into one of these categories, in order to give you more specific advice regarding what to shop for, we are going to use the following seven categories – the inverted triangle, the pear, the apple, the rectangle, the lean column, the full hourglass and finally, the neat hourglass. This should help you get a more precise understanding of your figure and how to dress for it appropriately. You will be amazed by the difference this can make.
Inverted triangle
So, let’s begin with the inverted triangle. You have this body shape if you are larger on your top rather than your bottom. Look in the mirror whilst just wearing your underwear. Do you have a straight ribcage? Are your shoulders wider than your hips? If so, you are likely to have an inverted triangle body shape. You will also have a squared and straight shoulder line, a flat bottom and flat hips, and barely any definition between your hips and waist. If you are this shape, when shopping for women’s clothes online at the likes of THE ICONIC, keep patterns and details to the bottom half of your body. If you wear fussy tops, you will make your top half look even bigger than your bottom. Wide belts and other details can help to create the illusion of a waist. Don’t go for narrowing hemlines, such as skinny jeans and pencil skirts, and stay away from Bardot tops, halterneck tops, and big straps, as these will make you look broader.
Pear shape
Next, we have the pear shape. This is essentially the opposite of an inverted triangle, in the sense that your bottom half is bigger than your top half. Other characteristics of this body shape include a defined waist, full hips and/or thighs, a small bust, and your shoulders being narrower than your hips. When buying tops, jackets, and coats for this body shape, you need to ensure they finish either above or below the widest point of your bottom and hips. Accentuate your waistline with fitted styles, such as wraps and empire line clothing. Shoulder pads and puffed sleeves work well for making your shoulders appear broader. You should avoid dropped waistlines and narrow shoulder lines. It’s also advisable to keep it simple around the thigh and hip area – no patterns, details, or pockets.
A bodycon dress is good for this shape. A bodycon dress is a dress that hugs the figure from top to bottom. These dresses are available in various styles and lengths, yet most of them are made from a polyester and Lycra blend. This is because the combination of the two materials ensures that the dress has enough elasticity to smoothly hug the figure, making these dresses flattering.
If you have never bought a bodycon dress before, you may feel a little bit at a loss regarding where to start. The first ingredient you need when wearing this type of dress is confidence. A woman wearing a bodycon dress gives off a bold statement of body confidence and self-esteem. But, don’t fret, your body is not going to be totally ‘exposed,’ as the material is slimming, and you can always go for a dark shade if you are feeling a little bit shy about wearing a bodycon dress.
There seems to be the misbelief that most bodycon dresses are designed for women who have a small frame, but that is not the case. These dresses can be very sexy on those with a curvy figure. Nevertheless, if you want to create an illusion of a smaller waist, all you need to do is find a bodycon dress that features navy or black panels at the side. A lot of pregnant women also wear bodycon dresses so that they can show off their baby bump.
Another tip for wearing bodycon dresses is to keep the jewelry to a minimum. You want the dress to be the show stopper, which is why you need to choose a few careful accessories. The jewelry you select should complement the dress, not overpower it. Moreover, if you want to transition from day to night with ease, you should go for a dark or neutral bodycon, as they are suited to pretty much all occasions.
Apple shape
Do you have an apple body shape? If you have rounded shoulders, a full tummy, and an average to big bust, then you are likely to be classified as having an apple shape. Most people with this body shape also have good shaped legs! So, what sort of clothing should you look for if you are an apple shape? Some things you should avoid are as follows – gathered skirts, lots of fabric around your stomach area, detail around your bust and tummy area, and sleeves that finish next to your bust. Double-breasted jackets and belts should be avoided. Instead, clothing with splits at the waist looks beautiful on this body shape. You should also buy garments with silhouettes that are fitted under your bust. If you want to go for clothing with details and patterns, make sure they are either below the hip line or above the bust.
Rectangle shape
The rectangle shape is characterized by little waist definition, a straight shoulder line, a straight ribcage, and wearing the same size on your bottom and top half. To create gentle curves, you should go for unstructured jackets and clothing with details around the hip and bottom. When shopping for women’s dresses online, those with simple straight lines work well, as do shift dresses and kaftans with splits at the waist. You should stay away from droopy and fussy clothing, as well as details at the waist, boxy jackets, and straight lines from head to toe. So, if you want to wear a pencil skirt, don’t team it with a straight jacket. In fact, crossover skirts work beautifully on this shape.
Lean column
Let’s move onto the lean column body shape. This is very similar to the rectangle shape, although you will have a smaller frame, i.e. narrow shoulders, narrow hips, and a flat bottom. People with this body shape also have a small chest. Like the rectangle shape, you will have little definition, and you will wear the same size on your bottom half as your top half. If this applies to you, the women’s clothes online you should be looking for include the likes of skinny jeans, A-line skirts, mini dresses, and trench coats. The good news is you can pretty much go for any neckline. You should look for tops that will add volume, such as layered tops and wrap tops. Stay away from figure-hugging garments, dropped waistlines, and shapeless jackets. Clothing with heavy and bulky textures should also be purchased with caution.
Full hourglass shape
Next, we have the full hourglass body shape. Do you have a full bust and bigger thighs? Do you have rounded hips and a rounded bottom yet a small waist? If so, this is your body shape. When it comes to women’s fashion online, you don’t want to buy styles that will hide your waist; you should show it off. Straight shapes should be avoided. Stay away from high necklines and anything that will add additional volume to your bust, thighs, and stomach area. Fitted styles work well, especially when buying jackets and coats. When it comes to jeans, go for classic styles, such as straight leg and bootcut. If you are looking for a dress, wrap dresses look beautiful, as do empire line dresses. Tops with shoulder pads can also work well on a full hourglass body shape.
Neat hourglass shape
Last but not least, we have a neat hourglass shape. As you have probably gathered, it is quite similar to the former shape. You will have curves, but rather than having rounded hips and a rounded bottom, they will be neat. You will also have a defined waist and bust. Don’t hide your figure if you have this body shape; styles that do this will only add extra volume to your waist. Classic feminine shapes work beautifully, and you can be flexible when buying the likes of jeans, dresses, and coats. Some clothes that will work well include the likes of wrap tops, waistcoats, belted jackets, and pencil skirts. This is the most flexible body shape to dress for, so you can’t go too wrong so long as you follow the lines of your figure.
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