You won't know until you try. Wish there were an easier answer!

I have tried, and It always looks terrible :( But I cant seem to give up on it, since I love the look so much. I guess the questions I'm really asking are "Will a lightly tapered skirt really be more flattering than a regular pencil skirt?", and "Is there a way to style it so that it will work for me?"

OH, and a related question I've been meaning to ask... Does everyone agree with me that big busted and small busted pears are completely different when it comes to figure flattery, and are you a little annoyed at how most of the advice out there is gear toward the bustier type? Angie's advice on this subject is a refreshing change from the norm. In fact the pretty pear post is the reason I started following this site.

I'm not a pear but I prefer a slightly straighter pencil skirt personally. I haven't had much success with tapered styles. You will need to post pics of you in a tapered skirt so we can see what might be working or not working. It's hard to tell without a visual.

I have actually always seen a lot more advice for small-busted pears than full-busted pears. Most stylists have very boxy, rigid rules that basically assume if you have a full bust AND full hips, you must be an hourglass. So there is no such thing as a full busted pear. As far as I have seen, Angie is the only person who really makes all these differentiations.

One of the reasons I feel that most advice for pears is focused on those with big busts, is that almost every article on the subject within the last 5 years is accompanied by pictures of Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez. Just TRY to find one that doesn't :) Even Trinny herself could only think of one example of my body type (the "bell") in Body Shape Bible, Hillary Clinton! lol. Beyonce may look great in a tight short sequined sheath, but I definitely don't, and it's not just because she's gorgeous. The real reason is that they have a lot in common with hourglasses, the "ideal" body shape, and can wear a much wider variety of clothes than I can. Ugh...

Mochaccino,

I only have a minute here, but just wanted to say that I think Angie does say Pears should go for straight pencil skirts, not tapered.
I have a pearish type bottom half, and have only managed to wear straight pencil skirts.
I don't share your opinion on advice for pears being only for the full busted - but perhaps we have just been reading different material.

I am small in the chest myself, and I do feel some frustration sometimes about that too. Although my waist is 9" smaller than my hips, it is only 5" smaller than my bust, and I do find that certain fashion advice just won't work for me because of that.

Thanks, Anne. You hit the nail on the head. You're after a pencil skirt that hangs straight from the hips and does not taper in. A pencil skirt that tapers in creates curves – which is an item that I wear to create more curves on my hips.

Forum member Eva is a very pretty pear with a small bust and she ROCKS the right pencil skirt like there is no tomorrow. I hope she chimes in.

How coincidental! I happen to be wearing my new brown tweed pencil skirt today. It is from Express and has a flirty flip in the back like this one, http://www.express.com/catalog.....egoryId=23

Mochaccino, you should try it. In addition to the straight skirt, my recommendation is to wear something that balances the top. My skirt is actually more pencil than straight so I really select the top carefully. For example my cream sweater has a broad cowl collar. (Angie, maybe I will show you today and you can opine.) If you wear something that emphasizes narrow shoulders (like I have) then the pear shape will be more obvious. As a note, I have had to take in the waists on all my pencil skirts. I hope you try it!

Eva - that skirt looks lovely!