Body Types.....What on Earth to Wear? PART 1

Apples, pears, can we cut all the fruit and figure this out already?

35 percent of my readers aren’t sure what body type they are, and 40 percent do but don’t know what to wear.

The remaining 25 are lost in both areas, but it’s OK.

I’m about elevation, so my goal is to have you a little more comfortable when picking what to wear the next time you’re shopping. Let’s get into it!

There are a ton of body types right? So I’m going to simplify it as much as I can, and you can follow me for more tips and tricks on how to get deep into your inner style when it comes to your body type, OK?

I’ll go ahead and say this: everyone that’s not hourglass, stop dressing like you are one. The mermaid silhouette is modern and cute, but it’s not for everyone. And if you let this go, you’ll save yourself a ton of stress and money in the girdle section. I don’t care how many waist trainers you buy, start dressing for your body type.

Some body types change! Many of us gained weight in the pandemic, but then some of us oddly lost 60+ pounds. Insane right? Gained or lost, you may have a new body and need to know how to dress it, right? My assistant was one person who said “Yeah, I don’t know how to dress for my body type, I dress according to the mannequin.” This had me dying laughing, but also realizing y’all really need help.

SO here I am!

This week I want to help you identify your body type, by accurately describing each of them to a T! Then, next week, we can break down the tips for dressing each one. Sound good? OK!

LOLLIPOP

Don’t get this confused with straight. This is for my top heavy gals that don’t have the hips to match. You also don’t want to confuse this with diamond. Lollipop body types also suffer from a larger stomach than hips, long legs, and short torso....hard right? But believe it or not lollipops, there is a style just for you. I’m no lollipop, but I am tall, and the options for people with long legs are endless.

PEAR

This is probably one of my favorites. I want to make sure that I’m clear: whether you are a size four or a size 24, you can have a pear shape. It’s most commonly defined as having narrow shoulder width, smaller bust and waist, but then wide hips, bottom, and thighs. But one difference—versus the diamond—is a longer, more slender neck. All the fullness begins after the waist. I’m no pear, but I admire the body type with more below the waist than above it.

DIAMOND

This one isn’t commonly heard of, but is definitely real. Diamonds, like pears, have narrow shoulders and smaller breast, but they have larger hips and thighs. They don’t necessarily have that round bottom like the pear does, so where a pear accentuates that waist to hip ratio, a diamond focuses more on the top and neckline area.

STRAIGHT

Some think this is the hardest body type to dress, but it’s not! The legs are the best part and the biggest asset for this body type, no matter how tall. The legs are slender in this body type, but the bust line and waistline are almost exactly the same width, and to make things harder in that area, a larger rib cage with no defined waist is added in the mix. Seems hard right? Again you can be any size with this or any other body type, it’s just important to know what to do with it.

HOURGLASS

Today, this body type may be defined as a “brick house”, but like the others, you cannot wear everything with this body type. This body type normally doesn’t have a very large bone structure, but has full top, full hips, and protrudes on the back side.

ROUND

So this body type has big bust, full back, wide rib cage, but small hips and legs. Don’t get it confused with the lollipop! The legs work for the advantage of the round figured person.

INVERTED TRIANGLE

Broad shouldered, and the bust line and waist line are pretty average for their size but the hips are narrow and legs more slender. You’ll see women with this body type often pose with one leg in front of the other to give more of a vintage look to whatever they are wearing. These are wise, wise women!

OK. So, you should get it at this point. I found the easiest way to identify my body type is by taking the ones I most resemble and then use the process of elimination. Stay tuned for next week’s column where I give the BEST tips and tricks for each type.

Until next time!

Yours in Fashion,

Danietté