Body shape help

Orphiel

Hallo all

I need help with working out my body shape please. I put some photos on flickr here and would really appreciate it if you ladies could give me some advice, I am unable to look at myself objectively! Measurement wise, my bust is 39 inches, waist 31 inches, hips 39 inches if that helps, although I know it gets more complicated than that
I always thought I was kind of hourglassy, but recently I'm feeling appley, although I am incredibly paranoid about my belly, had a baby in February so feel a bit flabby and frumpy in general. I own too many jersey tops that cling to the underside of my tummy and make me look huge, trying to kind of rethink my wardrobe on a tiny budget, booo (baby again, grr!) V grateful for any help

Pics are here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7.....hotostream
Sucking in belly sideways: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7.....otostream/
Not sucking in belly sideways! http://www.flickr.com/photos/7.....otostream/

Thanks to all,
Meg

12 years ago

Body Type

12 replies

Latest reply was from Orphiel

catgirl

Veteran

Hmmm, from the front you actually look rectangle to me, though your measurements say hourglass. Bust and booty could be what's giving you your measurements. Let's see what others say...

Bravo for posting pics - you look really good. It's never as bad as you think!

12 years ago

Orphiel

Active Member

Thank you I looked at the descriptions of rectangle and they all say 'athletic' instead of 'pudgy' so I thought that was probably not me, haha.

12 years ago

Aziraphale

Veteran

I see rectangle, too. I know what you mean about the descriptions for "rectangle", because they tend to describe Cameron Diaz -- but she's only one type of rectangle, the tall skinny kind. I'm a rectangle myself, but for years I thought I wasn't because I don't have a flat chest.

Have you checked out Imogen's body shape posts? They are helpful. I think you might be what she calls an H shape:

http://www.insideoutstyleblog......pes-h.html

Angie's system is a little different, but also works. Angie says people generally have one dominant body type -- pretty pear, racy rectangle, adorable apple (they've all got cute adjectives attached) -- and then often a secondary body type. According to Angie's description, I'd say you're a primary rectangle, with hourglass tendencies. You might have had more pronounced hourglass tendencies before pregnancy, (as we all know, pregnancy can change your shape somewhat, although you can usually reclaim something very close to your former shape), but just to be clear, you are NOT huge! I think you look great.

12 years ago

Orphiel

Active Member

Elisabeth, I think you've maybe hit the nail on the head because I always thought I couldn't be a rectangle because I have GG boobs. Looking through some of the advice for dressing, especially the H shapes one from Imogen, that looks really like the things that suit me, which is probably why I haven't been able to make sense of it until now!
Also thanks for the nice comments about body shape, I feel a bit silly being so weird about my stomach, especially since I was lucky and actually my body hasn't really changed shape that much since pregnancy, but I find it hard to get un-obsessed, if you see what I mean.
I'm going to read some rectangle stuff, then get you guys to give me advice on what to buy as well, haha Have persuaded a friend to come round and give me opinions on outfits in my wardrobe as well!

12 years ago

Orphiel

Active Member

Follow-up question, as I'm trying to work out now what to wear, I'm not sure about where the waist actually is on tops, or how to define it without wearing tops that hit it?
Also, if I wear a skirt, then wearing a top that hits my hipbone always seems too long and a bit bulky. Am I wearing the skirt too high up?

12 years ago

Aziraphale

Veteran

You're not being weird about your stomach -- I was the same way after pregnancy. I hated my squishy postpartum baby belly, although I was expecting it so it wasn't a big shock. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it went down little by little for a whole YEAR after each baby was born, until it was eventually basically the same as it was before. The main difference now (my younger child is nearly five) is that the skin over my belly is a little looser than it was pre-pregnancy, but shape-wise, it's as flat as it was. I should add that I don't do crunches or ab work (I'm really bad about that; I know I should exercise my core). Just doing regular life things, and going running or hiking, is what made the belly go down.

About the waist on tops, I'm not sure I understand your question. If a top were to hit me at my actual waist -- the narrowest point on my torso -- it would be way up above my belly button, and I'd be showing about eight inches of midriff. Needless to say, I don't do that! Most of my tops have some built-in shape that more or less conforms to my natural curves, but the hemline of the tops are never higher than my high hip point, and often much lower.

As for waistbands and hemlines: my skirts all come up higher than my pants. Most hit just below my belly button, or on it. My waist is even higher than that. The tops that work best with skirts have shorter hemlines than the ones that work best with my pants, which are all relatively low rise (waistband well below belly button). Does that make sense?

12 years ago

Orphiel

Active Member

Yes, I put it badly, what I meant was the difference between defining a waist (good) and drawing attention to it (bad). And yes, your skirts and tops explanation does make sense, thanks. I might have to buy some more skirts anyway, since I only have one, I've just found out, since chucking away a lot of things that don't fit me!
I think I'm getting the idea more, but not having much success with actually finding good examples, maybe that is the problem!

12 years ago

Aziraphale

Veteran

Ah, I see. OK, I know this one -- I'm a slender rectangle, and giving the impression that I've got more of a waist than I actually do is one of my main figure flattery goals. To suggest a waist where there isn't much of one, look for tops that are tailored to curve inward at the waist using darts and/or princess seams. Princess seams are awesome. Tailored woven shirts will follow your curves while skimming over any lumps, so they tend to be more forgiving. Stretchy knit tops can be cut to curve in at the waist without darts and seams, but they also tend to be clingy -- they'll cling to the curves you don't want to show as well as the ones you do. I wear clingy knit tops a lot, but I tend to wear them more with skirts, because the skirt waistband will come up over my lower belly and smooth it out. My upper torso is very lean, so it can cling all it wants there without a problem!

Don't put a belt right on your waist. That will pull all the focus right there. Put it lower, on your hips. If it dips down a little in the front, all the better. Detail above or below the waist, and sleekness through the waist, should work. You want to suggest a waist, without drawing a line right across it (which visually widens it).

Also, I find that skirts that add volume to my lower half are good. As long as there are no gathers right up at the waistband, a fuller skirt tends to make my waist look smaller just by comparison. A-line, or skirts gathered at the basque, are good. Pencil skirts work for me too, but are better with a longer tailored top.

Another look that works well is skinny jeans with a longer, looser top. Either I surrender the waist entirely, and put the focus on my legs, or else the top is slightly tailored to suggest a waist, but is not too fitted.

Hope that helps!

12 years ago

Orphiel

Active Member

Wow, thanks, that is amazingly helpful. I also google image searched a lot of the terms so feel more confident in what they mean.
I need more voluminous skirts because also they balance out my large bust, which makes me nervous about wearing skinny jeans and the like as well, but I may experiment with empire line tops and big boots, so as to minimise stomach and maximise weight at the bottom, if you see what I mean.
I have never had any success with belts, but might give it a go with a cheapy to see how it works
If it is not too cheeky, can I ask your opinion on a skirt and a jumper, which are the things I have very little of?
I thought this skirt would be good for volume and also detailing towards the bottom: http://www.etsy.com/listing/63....._faveitems
and I am totally unsure about this jumper because it is cowl neck and kind of not tight at the waist, but also a bit shapeless and might make me look rubbish.
Yers, I need to have more women friends in real life...

12 years ago

Orphiel

Active Member

Oops, forgot link, here it is http://www.etsy.com/listing/87....._faveitems

12 years ago

Aziraphale

Veteran

Ooh, that skirt is lovely! And yes, I think it would look really good on you. The gathers below the basque should add volume in just the right place. I'd wear it with a sleek top that isn't too long. The jumper is great, too, but I'm not sure about all that fabric around the neck. You'd have to try it on to see. The model wearing it has almost no bust, which makes it hang differently than it will on you.

You know, I forgot to mention: one thing that helps to balance out a full bust is a vee neck top, or a button-front shirt that has been unbuttoned into a vee shape. You don't need to see cleavage. Just having a triangle of skin showing at the neckline makes the boobs look less like one big shelf, and more like separate entities with a valley in between.

Going beltless is often the easier option for rectangles. It's easier to rely on shaped clothing than to try to figure out where to put the belt so that it's flattering. I'm a newbie to belts myself. I'm still figuring it out.

And yes, I understand what you mean about the boots. I often add chunky boots to add visual weight to my bottom half. A long, loose button-front shirt, unbuttoned into a vee and with the sleeves rolled up to my elbows, with skinny jeans and boots, is a silhouette that works for me.

Oh, thought of one more thing: I often wear a darker colour on top, and a lighter or brighter colour, or a pattern, on the bottom. You know, like a black top with a gray and white plaid skirt.

12 years ago

Orphiel

Active Member

Yay, thank you, I am totally trying that shirt thing.

12 years ago

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