Dressing a Spoon body shape. - YouLookFab Forum

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Dressing a Spoon body shape.

JanuaryMoon

Hello!

So I have finally figured out my body shape and it seems that I am a spoon. None of the traditional shapes seemed to fit but the spoon seems to be the one. I have a bit of weight so am a chubbier spoon and I have no idea what would suit me. Any other spoons out there with some advice? Or anyone else who’s knowledgeable on body shapes?
I would love some guidance as I just don’t feel myself or know how to shop for myself.

I have a short waist, high hips, and hip dips which I find makes things really difficult. I find I need fitted tops otherwise I look like a shapeless blob but then I have to wear black or navy to hide all the lumpy bits. I’m really just very lost.

Body Type

16 replies

Latest reply was from Joy

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Hi January Moon and welcome to the forum! Lots of help here. I just had to Google a spoon body shape though, never heard of it! That revealed it can also be called an 8-shape, or just a version of a good old-fashioned pear. It’s my shape! In the old Trinny and Susannah book called “The Body Shape Bible”, I think they called it a Bell, if you want to Google that also.
I also have high hips and hip dips and have just learned to dress them I guess. I am sorry you are feeling bad, please check some of the blog archives for Angie’s advice for pears. Hopefully we can help you but some of it is learning to not put yourself down too much maybe... which has been a gradual process for me so certainly not criticising you if you do that.

anne

Veteran

Hi JanuaryMoon - could you give a link as to what you mean by spoon? Angie has lots of info about dressing for body types but she uses different language so I'm not sure which will fit you. Maybe you mean what she calls an inverted triangle

How to Dress the Inverted Triangle Body Type
70 Dressing for Your Body Type

You can see all her body type posts here

https://youlookfab.com/categor.....body-type/

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I think given that a spoon is bigger on the bottom it wouldn’t be inverted triangle but closer to pear. I just checked the Trinny and Susannah method, could be bell as I mentioned but also skittle is similar.
I feel sure we and of course Angie could help and you definitely don’t need to only wear black and navy!

Anonymous

I'm guessing a spoon is like an 8 shape with a straighter top half? I'm an 8 shape and it's definitely a challenge. Skirts and dresses are much easier than pants. Tapered pencil skirts and straighter maxi skirts work. A line is fine if longer and the fabric is thin to collapse back on the body. Nothing with any detail around the hip. Pants are very problematic if I'm not at my smallest (even then not great). I live in ponte in winter. Shorts are my nemesis. Long lines are best on me-low contrast, nothing that adds strong horizontals anywhere.

kkards

Veteran

Thank you all for posting, i was thinking a spoon was someone with a really big head and shoulders and then tapering off, with really skinny legs. Definitely got that wrong LOL

The Cat

Veteran

I, too am a Spoon, with high hips and hip dips. The Spoon is also called the 8 shape body. And this is NOT the same as a Pear. Imogen Lamport at insideoutstyleblog.com has cleverly pointed out the differences and offered helpful advice. Here are a couple of links:

https://insideoutstyleblog.com.....pes-8.html
https://insideoutstyleblog.com.....odies.html

You will find additional articles if you search for "8 shape" at that website.

The Cat

Veteran

To all who are in doubt regarding body shapes,
I recommend the article "Body Shapes Explained" at insideoutstyleblog.com. Here is the link: https://insideoutstyleblog.com.....+explained

JanuaryMoon

A spoon can also be called a figure 8 but that seems more like an hourglass to me which isn’t right. And I’m not quite a pear either. Spoons have high hips which create a “shelf” and tend to gain weight more on the lower belly rather than the hips/thighs/butt, and also the upper arms. We have shapely lower arms and legs as well.
I’ll attach some pictures. None are mine, they’re all from Pinterest.

I think my post was a bit dramatic I am just after some guidance I guess. I have had a look around the blog and forum but being an unconventional type there isn’t much there.

You’re right suntiger. Dresses and skirts are easier for me but then I need to find a top that goes with the skirt which is hard when I need something fitted but also not fitted because then I look lumpy. And definitely no horizontals!

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Anonymous

I'm definitely and hourglass 8, but here's an example of something that works well for me- flowy top with hem interest + tapered skirt. Non-tapered knee length skirts just make me look like a big block!
Really good with flowy skirts are shorter tops with princess seams and a curved hem- but they've been absent from retail for a long time.
Jane's figure is quite like that. She wears a lot of fitted jackets, waistcoats with skirts. Hopefully she'll chime in!

Liz

Veteran

HI JanuaryMoon --welcome! Can you give us some more information that may help with recommendations? For example, what types of clothing have you been trying or wanting to wear but that leave you thinking, "I just don't feel myself"? And, what's your lifestyle like? For example, are you looking for clothing to wear to a formal or casual office, or are you wanting casual clothes because you're chasing toddlers all day?

rachylou

Veteran

I feel fabric is an important thing. There are fabrics that... can’t hold themselves up in a sense. They sort of vacuum on to every lump, bump, and curve. You could be a size 0 and put on a 14, and they still show the lace of a bra in relief.

anne

Veteran

Khards. You and me both. The word spoon is used differently in different places that do body type systems. That's why I needed clarification!

Gigi

Veteran

The Cat beat me to it--I was going to refer you to Imogen Lamport, who calls this the Figure 8 shape. Yes, Figure 8 is a type of hourglass. It is my shape. And I agree it can be tricky!

I wear a lot of fitted tops with jeans. The most flattering jeans on me are straight crops or kick flares (flares that are cropped). Bootcuts are also good. I wear skinny jeans on occasion, but I find they look better with a looser, flowy top rather than a fitted one.

Tapered pencil skirts look good. Fit-and-flare dresses are good as long as the flare isn't too voluminous. Straight midi (=just below the knee) skirts are good.

I generally try to wear my jeans a little snugger in the high hip area because that can help shape the excess fat in those parts so that you have more of a true hourglass "X" shape.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

This is truly a lightbulb moment for me - I've entered my YLF profile info as either a pear or an hourglass, but never felt like either shape fully represented me. I think I may be an 8 shape as well - complete with the hip dips, higher 'shelf' & carrying weight in both my rear & stomach (a 'deep' side profile).

So in that respect, I completely agree with Imogen's advice on hip dips specifically:
https://insideoutstyleblog.com.....-dips.html , especially the importance of heavier or non-clingy fabrics (a la @rachylou) & the use of peplums or flared skirts to get around that 'define-the-waist-(but-not the-hip-dips-or-stomach)' conundrum.

As a result, I now live in pussybow blouses, peplum wrap tops or boatneck 3/4 sleeved tops (draws the attention upwards) tucked into gently flared maxi skirts. Long over lean also works with a longer cardigan & a half/ faux tuck of my top into bootleg or straight legged trousers.

Does that help you too? The other thing I've found I look smashing in is an off-the-shoulder/ Bardot or sweetheart neckline top tucked into a fishtail/ trumpet/ mermaid skirt (so long as it's a heavier or more opaque fabric). But this is a pretty specific silhouette that I find difficult to pull off casually, lol.

The Cat

Veteran

Zaeobi, I am glad to hear you have been able to identify your body shape and have found helpful advice. I, too, never felt that Hourglass or Pear was quite me. Many stylists and others don't offer advice for 8 Shapes / Spoons, but when I found some who did, I easily recognized myself and found myself nodding along while reading the descriptions of what works and what doesn't for this body shape.

Joy

Veteran

A spoon sounds a bit like a pear shape. You might read Angie’s hints on dressing a pear.
https://youlookfab.com/2014/02.....type-2014/