Body type? - YouLookFab Forum

I'm sure you get these sort of posts, but anyways, here goes:

I'm petite (about 5 foot 3), with very square shoulders. I measure 41-31-41 (in inches). However, from the front I look kind of inverted-triangley because of my big, square shoulders and ribcage, but I still have a waist and hips. They're just not quite caught up to my shoulders, if that makes sense. Most of my "curves" are front and back rather than side to side, so I actually have a decent-sized rear and chest. I also have very muscular thighs and calves, with tiny ankles and small knees.

I need some tips on how to achieve some sort of balance through dressing. The main problems I have are that:
-I'm not very tall, so pants are always too long for me
-I have big differences in the thicknesses of my legs and body, so for instance, in jeans, my ankles are always swimming in material
-My shoulders are just way too huge and are probably what I hate the most. It's gotten to the point where I can't wear blazers because the width that I need in the shoulders only comes in plus-sized clothing--and I am way too small for those.
-A lot of clothing is too small in the bust/butt, and there's too much fabric in the waist

Help? D:

13 years ago

rute

Veteran

Welcome! Can you post a photo? It's easier to see by a photo..

Lotus

Active Member

@Rute-I unfortunately don't have a camera right now, or I would D:.

Suz

(website)

Pics would really help here. But if you can't, have you read Angie's blog posts on inverted triangle and hourglass shapes? Those might give you a place to start and things to consider.

The pants problem isn't really much of a problem. You simply need to hem the pants. At 5' 3" you MIGHT be able to fit petite sizes, but you will have to experiment with those to see; sometimes the rise is too short. You might find that if pants are the correct length your ankles won't seem to swim in fabric, or you might consider legging style jeans tucked into boots (during weather when that's possible). Boots would help to balance things.

How wide are your shoulders? Can you measure those? (Measure across the shoulder blade all around your arms on top of the bust.) The problem may be more the combination of wide shoulders and generous bust. Generally, for jackets, it is best to get them to fit the shoulders and then alter elsewhere.

Alterations around the waist may also be needed to make things fit right. I know, it is frustrating to think about all the changes needed, but very few of us actually fit clothing right off the rack. It's not YOU, it's the clothes! You might like to look at a blog called Alterations Needed for some thoughts about how and when to alter. http://www.alterationsneeded.com/

But some brands and styles will work more easily than others, for sure.

Hope this gives you a start!

Arrgh, alterations! I supposed now's as good a time as ever to learn how to do them.

My shoulders are about 42 inches. And what do you mean by a legging-style jean?

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