Help me determine my body type & what to wear

I was never quite able to determine my body type, tough I do know that I’m somewhere between a pear and hourglass, but not which is the primary type.
I’m 5′6″, 110 lb, 33-25-37. I have a smallish chest (32 bearly B), very small and defined waist, and quite curvy hips. Actually, the majority of the curves are the lower hips/upper tighs, and I do have small, but noticable saddle bags. My shoulders tough are straight and defined (so called hanger shoulders), and equall width as my hips.
I am also long waisted (long torso, long arms, long neck) and have short legs (31″ inseam with flats). My calves are really skinny ( at largest part still smaller than my knees, I think some people call this chicken/turkey legs).
Would I primarily be hourglass with small chest (hourglass primary, pear secondary) or pear with whide shoulders (pear primary)? None of T&S body types seems to quite fit me.
And what would be the main guidelines for clothes to wear? What I'd like to achieve is hide my saddle bags, elongate my legs ( shorten the torso), accentuate my waist and make my chest look bigger.
My favorite outfit is 3'' wedge shoes, dark bootcut jeans, a wrap top/sweater in a pretty color over a cami and fitted jacket/coat. Don't know if this is right tough.
Sorry for the loong post and thank you in advance!

18 years ago

Doozy

(website)

Member

I'd say bootcut jeans are good on everyone. Well, just make sure the flare isn't ridiculous, right?
I am sort of around the same as you, I am 135lb, and I measure 36-24-36. I'd say you're likely a pear. Have you looked at any "what not to wear" books? I swear that they are like a clothing bible, and they really show what looks good on every body type.
If you're looking to make your upper body look larger and more in proportion to your lower body, I would try wearing a top with some volume to it, something with some nice, big sleeves. That or tops that drape and look like a tunic. Along the same likes, tunics will do wonders to even out a body, as long as you're pairing these items with a nice slim jean or pant. Whenever you do volume on the upper half, it's best to keep things really form-fitting on the bottom. If you're looking for length in the leg and to hide saddlbags, I'd say that again, the tunic will camoflauge nicely, and a lot of spring 2008's large floral patterns will add nice interest to your top half, distracting from the bottom.
To get a longer leg, it's best to try and create a colour pallete that will go to the floor. What I mean is, if you're wearing say, a red blouse with a little volume, try a skinny black pant, some black nylons, and a black pump. Then the bottom half of you will appear longer. If you wanted to wear your boot cut pants though, I'd just make sure that with the high heel, that the bottom of the jeans go over the shoe and almost touch the floor on the back of the heel. Nothing makes someone look like a stump more than when their pants end much too high. Thats the great thing again about skinny jeans though as they aren't expected to touch the floor, so maybe pair a nice, voluminous top with some skinny jeans and a nice pair of ankle boots or pumps. Yum!

Nicole

Veteran

It's difficult to classify a body type w/out actually seeing what you look like--but it's probably best not to get hung up on a label anyway. You sound relatively tall and quite thin, with a curvy bottom. I suspect your tiny waist might be making your hips/thighs look bigger than they actually are. You can visually make your figure more proportionate, by keep your bottom half simple (no pleats, no puffy pockets, nothing too flared or ruffled) and add some volume to your upper half with flowy fabrics, collars, layers, chest pockets, scarves.

Watch out what kind of pockets are on the back of your pants. Flaps and oversized or angled pockets will just draw the eye. Slit pockets (like on Chinos) or no pocket at all will help keep things simple. Pinstriped pants can do wonders, just make sure the stripes line up on your rear end. I also think people who are smaller on top look great when they add geometric pattern (like colorblocking) to their top half.

And when you go shopping, especially for pants/skirts/dresses...try on at least one thing that you don't think will work with your shape. You just may find that perfect cut that you otherwise would pass over.

mayapple

Active Member

Hmm, you don't sound like an hourglass at all to me, though of course we can't be sure without knowing what you look ilke. But hourglasses are defined as having equal bust and hip measurements, and your hips are quite a bit wider than your bust. I think you sound like a pear to me. What you're wearing sounds fine. A wrap top sounds great since you have such a small waist, and bootcut jeans are pretty much universally flattering.

I used myshape.com and it really helped me figure out my body type and gave me a good idea of what clothes would look good on me (and what wouldn't). I'd recommend it if you have ten minutes and a measuring tape

Dancingstar

Thank you for your replies.

mayapple, the reason I'm confused is that I have broad shoulders ( as wide as my hips) and while some places define the hourglass as having equal bust and hip measurements, some other ones define it as equal shoulder and hip measurements and pears as having narrow/sloppy shoulders compared to the hips ( the book 'The science of sexy' is one of them). I have also used myshape.com and I do come out as "S" shape which I think is their equivalent to hourglass.

Nicole, your advice is great. I've been doing some of that and the rest I'll certainly try.

Doozy, I'm afraid that tunics in general look awful on me ( make my legs appear even shorter). I tend to wear tops the hit around the top of my hipbone.
Volume on top works only on sleeves, I need some kind of the waist definition or look like a rectangle/stick. I am yet to give skinny jeans a try. I am afraid they will accentuate exactly what I'm trying to hide. But next time I'm at a store, I'll try them on ! Thanks for the leg lengthening advice, I'll try those ideas out!

Angie

Fashion Stylist

I'd say that you TEND towards a pear more than any other body type, but because you're slim, you get away with items of clothing that an hourglass would wear (hourglasses do not need to be busty). I'm an hourglass and I'm not curvy, but I’m not quite straight enough to be a rectangle. In fact, the top half of you would get away with what a rectangle would wear. It's perfectly fine to be a mixture of a few body types.

Your favourite outfit is universally flattering. Heels slim down curves which is why the extra 3 inches make you feel fab. Of course, your pants need to be the right length! For those of you that have kept up with this site, you're use to my mantra on perfect pants lengths. The only long pants that do not need to skim the surface of the ground are skinnies. If your pants or jeans are the correct length, you can pop any colour heel underneath to elongate your legs. This packs a nice punch to your outfit.

I've written loads of blog entries on your body type. If you do a search for "pretty pear" on youlookfab.com , you'll get a whole slew of info. Here are a few to get you going.

http://youlookfab.com/2007/12/.....ody-types/

http://youlookfab.com/2007/08/.....r-in-2007/

http://youlookfab.com/2006/10/.....r-curvies/

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