Well dressed people always dress according to their body type. Despite seasonal trends and despite what you like and what you don’t like, that which you choose to wear needs to be flattering for your shape at all times. Maintaining “a sense of balance” is key to a happy life – the same principle applies to dressing:

Creating a balanced body shape is fundamental to having great style.

The reality is that very few people have perfectly proportioned bodies. We can either mope around and wish that we had a different body; or we can dress appropriately and streamline our lovely bodies to create balance! But before that you’ll need to ascertain which body type you tend towards irrespective of our height. There are 5 main body types:

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  • Pear – when the width of your torso is smaller than the width of your hips. You’ll constantly want to balance the difference between the top and bottom part of your body
  • Hourglass – when you are well proportioned with a shapely bust and defined waist. You’ll always want to strive to look taller and slimmer
  • Rectangle – when you are well proportioned and relatively lean but lack curves. You’ll want create a bust and those curves to keep you feminine.
  • Apple – when you are well proportioned but with a little bit of extra around the middle. You’ll want to create shape and disguise your midriff
  • Inverted Triangle – when the width of your shoulders and torso is wider than the width of your hips. You’ll want to soften your shoulders and perhaps your bust line, and add volume to the lower part of your body

Once you know which body type you tend towards, you’ll need to know how to select clothes that bring you balance. This is not seasonal knowledge. Once you have it, you’ll be able to apply it for a good length of time. I have plenty of information to share on dressing for each body type and I’ll be sharing it in future posts. In the meantime, balance your beautiful body and celebrate!