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Ask Angie (and all): What's My Type?

karen13

Veteran

I've mostly lurked here for the past year - I've learned tons and seen far too many wonderful wardrobe items! Inspired by all the recent posts assessing style, closet and process, I have resolved to step up my style by trying to be more involved. So for starters, I'd like to know what my actual body type and modifiers are

Over the past 18 months, I lost about 20 lbs that I had been carrying for 25 years, and largely kept it off; my body type seems to have changed dramatically.

Looking in the mirror, my shoulders look wider across than my hips. If I hold a yardstick up at the same distance from my body they are about 16" straight across visually, vs. about 12.5" for my hips These photos are take from about my bust height.

I wear about 2 number sizes larger in tops/dresses than bottoms. I often have gapping on button-down blouses, but the waist/hip area is too big when I buy the size that fits my shoulders and upper bust. YFL taught me I have been wearing a bra band 2" too big and a cup 2 sizes too small. My waist measurement is usually 1-2" larger than the one that corresponds to my hip size, but I still have problems with waist gap in a lot of jeans sized by my hip measurements - weird? Maybe because I am shortwaisted?

I have a muscular lower body - particularly my calves, which are "powerful" and low attaching. I cross country ski a lot, and hike in the summer. I have not worn skinny jeans since I was in college (many moons ago!). My calves are a fit challenge as pants often seem to catch on them and bunch at the knees in my new pants size.

I'm 5'2" and almost always need petite tops as I am short-waisted, but sometimes find petite pants a tad too short.

So what is my body type? Modifiers? I'm gonna get serious here. I will be coming back for lots of education when I get this sorted out and will be trying to post some WIWs, since I have learned so much from those of others.

Thanks so much for all the sharing and support the YFL gives - Karen

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Body Type

15 replies

Latest reply was from karen13

rachylou

Veteran

I think you are a very subtle IT...

anne

Veteran

Yes I agree. IT but with a strong secondary type of hourglass.

Anonymous

I also think you are an IT with secondary hourglass traits.

Greyscale

Veteran

You look basically my shape and I consider myself a slight IT. So that's my vote. (I guess these days I've shifted towards hourglass with some new bottom curves so I'd be curious to do this same exercise in fitted clothes.)

And hooray for strong calves.

Runcarla

Veteran

Hourglass with IT tendencies! You DO indent at the waist.

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

We are very similar in shape--leg twins for sure! I've always thought that I was strongly hourglass, but recently began to wonder if there is IT in the mix. Have someone help you to get accurate measurements with a tape-measure--knowing the actual numbers will be extremely helpful when clothes shopping.

karen13

Veteran

Wow and thanks to everyone who has commented. I thought I might be IT, but never thought of hourglass. So interesting to have unbiased looks at my pics, untainted by self perception. And they do look different from the mirror. YFL provides a valuable forcing function. - this is an uncomfortable but excellent exercise.

I have always skimmed over hourglass guidelines as not applicable. I think I have been hung up on my circumference measurements, where my waist is about 8" smaller than my hips, and 7" smaller than my bust , and thought you had to be about 10" difference for hourglass to apply.

rachylou, anne, SarahF and greyscale - thanks for the assessment - I guess there is some consensus.

Runcarla - thanks for pointing out that waist indent - I have really not noticed it. I don't have many outfits that define my waist, because it sits at my ribcage, and there isn't much space between ribs and hips.

Emily K - The measuring thing is so hard. I try to be very carefully about keeping the tape straight, but I should enlist DH. Please post some WIWs or die so I can see what you are finding to work!

Everyone - I'd welcome suggestions for tops and styles that might be conventionally flattering - I don't really wear skirts or dresses and I'm sensitive about my (lack of) height so don't want to look shorter.

Thank you all so much for helping!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

WELCOME, and congrats, Karen. You look AMAZING. Fabulous calves.

I think you're like me - a straighter hourglass, but with a much stronger shoulder line.

Greyscale

Veteran

I think you'd look good in mid/high rise jeans (though it can take some time to find the right pair!). And I think you should find a pair of skinnies! A cropped, structured jacket that hits right at your natural waist could be great too. It's hard to suggest things without knowing more about your style.

If you do want dress ideas, I think sleeveless shift dresses are flattering on narrow-hipped figures. I like how they set off my shoulders and drape nicely, and I think it would work the same on you, but I like less-feminine silhouettes and that might or might not be your thing. I wear a lot of sleeveless button-down shirt dresses, sometimes shorter ones as tunics over jeans. And you'd also look good in a tank dress with a relaxed, less body-con fit.

Basically I suspect you can rock a lot more silhouettes than you think you can.

karen13

Veteran

Thank you Angie - hourglass never occurred to me. I think IT/rectangle resonated because I have always hated puff sleeves, I rarely like bateau necklines on me and my waist measurement seems large compared to my hips and bust. I have read all the hourglass guidelines now and am trying to figure out how to highlight a waist that is so high and not that small.

Any other modifiers that you see? I think my neck is on the short side.

Greyscale, I appreciate the specifics because you are right - I have not tried many different silhouettes. Skinnies are a challenge because of my calves - I hate the knee bunching I get, but maybe I need to try different fabrications. I need to make a solo trip to the big city shopping destinations to experiment, and take photos rather than rely on the mirror. I will look for button downs that have darts, or princess seams, now I realize my bust is relatively large for my size. Since I rarely tuck, I get a a lot of unattractive extra fabric at the waist and hips to fit my bust without gapping in a straight button down.

As to my style - definitely try to figure that one out. I like your style a lot, although it is edgier and more black/gray than I can wear. I'm not very frilly. I wear lots of gear as I live a mountain ski resort town and work from home. I almost never wear dresses or skirts due to an irrational discomfort with showing my deathly white limbs (I seriously don't tan!) and my powerful calves. There is a practical consideration as well - I sunburn at the drop a a hat and at 7000 feet of altitude I prefer to cover rather than goop on sunblock. But I'm going to try to push my comfort zone here a bit moving forward.

Thanks to everyone for there help - and feel free to post further thoughts and suggestions! I am working on some WIWs for more specific advice.

Greyscale

Veteran

You might look at La Pedestrienne's posts here. She's outdoorsy too, and I like her casual French-inspired style. And I hear you on the sunburn and ghostly legs! (Though I basically like my deathly white limbs - comes from spending so much time around goths in my formative fashion years. )

Also, skinnies have gotten less skinny over the years. I have two pairs that really hug my legs, but most of mine are a bit more relaxed, which I prefer. So maybe you'll have luck on your shopping expedition.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I've got really white legs too, and have ( mostly) learned to live with them. I've very occasionally cracked in the summer and applied some self fake tan to them, but made sure it was a really light gradual sort so it didn't go orange and I still looked like me. It helped to read a magazine article mentioning the "pale princesses" Cate Blanchett, Keira Knightley and Nicole Kidman. Of course they are all so gorgeous and I couldn't emulate them... But looking at their photos it made me feel a bit better. Sally of Already Pretty blog has done an interesting post about being pale as well. There's a lot of pressure to be tanned, despite skin cancer! Some people feel it's their right to yell at other people " Get a tan !" So rude when you think about it...

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Welcome! Our body types are similar. I also joined YLF after losing considerable weight and shifting body type to a degree -- as a younger person I saw myself as pear shaped, although I was probably an hourglass even then, and anyway, now my shape appears more athletic even if within the same general category.

Angie typed me as a slim hourglass/ rectangle blend, similar to her. I also have a strong shoulder line but I'm not an IT because my shoulders are square vs. broad -- my arms are slim even when working out a lot. There is width (looking from the front) but not bulk in that area, if that makes sense. I'm also small- busted. If you are larger busted it makes sense that you might consider IT as a modifier since you might encounter those fit issues. So definitely read up on those guidelines for a few pointers.

Like yours, my calves grab ahold of many skinny jeans -- I look for the measurements of the leg width and often what is billed as a "slim straight" will feel better on me, though as Greyscale says, the shapes of the jeans have changed over the last few years, with fewer calf-sucking skinnies. My theory is that sometimes they grab and grip because of placement -- i.e. when one is short the curve of the fabric is in the wrong place at times. I have a tough time finding knee high boots because my calves are not just short (I am 5'4"), they are also proportionately short (even for my own height), which means they are not to scale for most boots.

I'm also short-waisted with a long rise for my height. Mid-rises may work best but a high rise is not out of the question -- you just have to find the right ones.

Looks as if you might be right -- a short neck might be a modifier.

Also, while the hourglass guidelines will be helpful, they will only take you so far. You may not want to dress in conventionally feminine ways that highlight the waist. You may prefer to downplay that. I would look as well at rectangle guidelines -- not because you are a pure rectangle, but because as a slim, athletic hourglass you may find more in common with those descriptors than you think and the recommendations may fit your style better.

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

Coming back to this post with observations from your post featuring all the jeans/outfit photos. I noticed that none of your shirts featured much shaping around the middle. For me, that's kind of a deal-breaker. I look for T's (long sleeve is my preference) that are more body-con (as long as they provide coverage and thicker material so they don't appear provocative), T-shirts described as "fitted" or seamed such as athletic T's often are, with princess seams, and woven shirts that feature a dart at the bust (always!) and princess seaming, if available.

I may not be all that short-waisted, but I always dress as though I am because the bust feels like it crowds the waist, style-wise.

I'll start posting some WIW's eventually--I'm camera averse always and especially so because I still have about 15 lbs. to lose and don't feel my best.

And! I admire your bravery for jumping in and sharing pictures!

karen13

Veteran

greyscale (thanks for for the point to La Pedestrienne) and Jenni NZ - fellow vampires! Angie's post last year about taking a stand with my summer body really resonated with me and I wore a skirt without hose for the first time in decades. Granted it was a long midi/maxi, but it was a step. I have tried self tanner when I was going on a cruise, and it does take the unearthly glow off, so it is a good strategy to ease in.

Suz - thanks for the detailed pointers and it really helps to know who in the forum shares my shape. I love your style and your haircut was an inspiration for me to go much shorter last year. I would have typed myself an inverted triangle with hourglass secondary, so will check out those guidelines as well.

And I'm not imagining my calves - yesterday my Pilates instructor basically told me to sit out the calf exercises because I don't need stronger calves! I'm thinking it is that time of the season - I have skied so much more this year with my improved fitness and all the snow.

Emily K - you are right - I almost completely lack waist definition in my tops, especially the knits. As I have come to terms with having fuller bust for my size, I have noted that darts and princess seaming are much better. I wish I could find darted tee shirts. Feel free to point me at some of your favorite silhouettes. And it was not easy to share the photos, but so worth it for all the wonderful advice. A picture is worth a thousand words, and I am finding that many of us don't even use the right words in self-describing.