A side of apple? And dressing sideways...

catgirl

While we're discussing appleness, I am not at all an apple from the front, more of a secondary rectangle. But from the side there are days when I look slightly preggo... is that an apple? Can we discuss sideways dressing?

12 years ago

Body Type

23 replies

Latest reply was from Kate

Ana

(website)

Veteran

This is a really interesting question, AG and I've wondered about it from time to time, too. From the front I'm an hourglass with strong shoulders, but from the back I feel that I am much more of an inverted triangle. I think it's because I tend to carry my body fat on my upper back and on my tummy, which gives me hourglass curves from the front, but makes my upper back look bigger viewed from behind. When I'm at my "fighting weight" I think I'm much more of an inverted triangle from the front.

12 years ago

Nakidra

Veteran

Don't we all have days where we look preggo? I honestly have to say that I rarely put that much attention to what I look like from the side. If I happen to catch a glimpse of myself from the side and I don't like it, I may take another look. But I think you're on to something ... people see us from all different angles but we tend to focus on what we look like from the front and the back. I always take a peek at what I look like from the back because that is important. My husband always jokes that I'm always" checking out my own A@*" - He's right ... I gotta look good from behind!!

12 years ago

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Lol, Nakidra! That's a great point. Sometimes I won't buy clothes from stores that have no 3-way mirror. I have to be careful about the way things look from the back on me, because an item can be deceiving when viewed only from the front.

12 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

Nakidra, that's exactly it. I'll often feel great from the front and then realize the side view is horrifying (often with blazers or fitted sweaters). I really don't enjoy it and am wondering if there's specific ways to address side-apple!

12 years ago

(website)

Veteran

I never wore fitted dresses for exactly this side view reason! But then a few years ago I came to the realization that not fitting at the waist for an hourglass was making me look like a rectangle from all angles. So I try and ignore the 'side tummy' with the idea that the curves from the front or back are more eye catching lol!

12 years ago

Mochi

Veteran

(just had to remark that this is one of the best thread titles I've seen here)

12 years ago

rae

(website)

Veteran

I am an hourglass (that tends toward rectangle with weight gain) from the front. From the side, I have a defined S-shape that just gets more pronounced with weight gain. From the back, I feel a lot like Ana and suspect IT! How confusing...

I'm hoping that the rules that apply to the front view easily translate to the back and side - no harsh lines, volume, or brights on the areas you'd rather detract from. I guess it would only get tricky if you need to, say, minimize the bust from the front, but enlarge it from the side? Though I don't know why that would ever come up IRL. o_0

12 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

So my dilemma is anything that flattens the belly also flattens the booty, which is where I need more padding. If only I could shift it all around! This is why I like waist surrendering - it works from all angles.

12 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I think it's kind of funny that from the front and back, I'm a pear-ish hourglass, but from the side I look more like an IT! Boobs but no belly & no booty. LOL So I avoid anything too ruffly/voluminous over the chest. And I can usually pull off back pockets with flaps on my jeans.

12 years ago

Diana

Veteran

I am a pear from all sides, no question about it, but I definitely prefer my front/back view where the secondary hourglass is more obvious. From the side I have a little belly pooch that I hate. Plus my deplorable slumpy posture is really obvious from the side (sorry Mom!)

BUT I think we should all remember that most of the time when people see us from the sides our arms will be in the way and obscuring some of the stuff that looks weird!

12 years ago

Aida

Veteran

I'm a lot like Rae: technically-IT-but-mostly-hourglass from the front, S from the side, IT with VERY defined waist from the back; basically straightish from front, angular from back, curvy curvy from side. Una I fully admit to dressing my sideways view Part of my issue is that my back is really curvy (swayback or something?) so it sticks my tummy waaaay out, AND my stomach instantly puffs up as soon as I eat/drink/think whatever. If I'm having a poofy day, I will make adjustments to minimize said poof, and if it's particularly poofy I will avoid some things like tucking etc.

For example today is a rather poofy tummy day, but I wanted to wear my midi skirt which has a very thick elasticized waistband, paired with a tucked turtleneck. I adjusted how high up I have the skirt based on my side view to minimize the poof; too high and my tummy sticks out past the waistband, too low and it lumps around it. So I have it centered just over the widest part (with my tights' waistband centered right under the skirt band) and it minimizes the poof nicely :}

EDIT: the arm argument doesn't work for me; when my arms are down they obscure the curve of my back which makes me look even BIGger from the side ><

12 years ago

Sara L.

Veteran

Interesting topic! I generally think I look better from the side than the front. I'm wide from the front (I have absolutely no boobs, think sub-A, and still sometimes have problems zipping dresses due to the width of my rib cage) but thin from the side.

12 years ago

Vildy

Veteran

For me, it mostly depends on dairy food.
Anyway, my whole wardrobe concept revolves around dressing from the side view at all times. I can look verrrry thick at waist level and below, from the side. From the front or back I can look and feel graceful but that side view, like a Dalek.

12 years ago

Veteran

I also appear apple from the side and IT from the back and front.

I dress for the front since that's the angle most people view me. Of course I adjust for unavoidable apple-y days, but for the most part, I choose to make the side view less important. If I allowed the side view to rule, I'd never have fun with fashion. : )

12 years ago

Elly

Veteran

that is a natural female curve----- it allows the sacral vertebrae to tip inward and helps women to carry a heavier load on the pelvis with less strain while walking upright. Even when a woman tightens her core and behind, the curve remains.

Very very thin models have this curve. Some women don't, but generally the almost concave, straight-up-and-down posture that is sometimes seen as "ideal" is actually a sign of sexual immaturity (teen models) or less-adaptive pelvis and spinal structure (not the most ideal for having children).

12 years ago

Anonymous

@Elly, I need to print your comment right next to my mirror!

12 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

Thank you, Elly! You beat me to it! My position on a slightly round belly is "That is how women's bodies are shaped."

12 years ago

ironkurtin

Veteran

Elly, thanks for that!

12 years ago

Jonesy

Veteran

Interesting thread, Una! I think I am the same from all angles: bigger on top (shoulders, back, and bust) and narrower on the bottom (relatively narrow hips and thighs, flat bum).

12 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I seem to be a little bit of an anomaly. If people only saw me from the side, getting dressed would be a lot easier!

12 years ago

Anonymous

Lucky you, Janet! I definitely have a "side of apple" even though I'm not brave enough to post side pictures when I'm having a bloated day or right after eating!

When my tummy is flat, I feel like a million bucks and love my side view. Anytime late in the day or around holiday parties I really have problems! Last night we went to a party and I was so bloated and uncomfortable that I changed my whole outfit to wear a "floating away from the tummy" blouse under my blazer. It wasn't festive at all and I didn't even want to take pictures. I was wishing I had the magic dress that everyone talks about! It seems like I deal with this every year about this time. Maybe I will finally "get it" and buy my festive clothes to accomodate it.

12 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

Elly, that is a lovely point. And it's very therapeutic to know I'm not the only one with the instant bloating when I eat or drink. I never understood how my bikini-wearing friends could look exactly the same right after eating a burger, fries and a milkshake - where the heck did it go?

Nevertheless, my spare tire is not from a nice curved back - it's just excess pooch. And I know it's not healthy to carry weight there for women. At the same time, I can't say I've ever made a truly concerted effort to defeat it. I'm going to make that my goal for the next six months and sign up for a core class. Maybe that will teach me whether it's worth the effort!

12 years ago

Kate

Veteran

Add me to the team! I spent the entirety of my teens, and my 20s before YLF, worried about how huge my tummy was. It kept me from realizing that I was actually an hourglass with a rather small waist just a couple inches above the area I was so worried about!

As Elly points out, we have a whole lot of important body parts crammed in there, plus I'm short waisted, so I'm pretty certain that I'll always look a little pregnant from the side.

I have made a concerted effort to loose some some of my extra padding on my tummy at various times over the last decade, and when it's gone I wear the same size pants (my hips don't change), the same size skirts (my waist doesn't change because it's above my rib cage), and my rib cage sticks out more. So I've decided to focus more on core strengthening exercises than "belly shrinking" ones. No more crunches, it's all about planks, side planks, warrior III pose, wall sits, etc. It's amazing how much of a workout you can get from just holding a position!

12 years ago

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