How do I dress my hourglass without looking frumpy or too revealing?

taramissue83

I am looking for help with outfit ideas for dressing my shape. I am pretty sure i'm an hourglass for the most part, my friends say i'm built sorta like jessica rabbit, lol! Bust: 38, Waist: 26, Widest part of hips and bum: 38, 5'10" tall. I like to be stylish and current but am always caught in this push-pull of dressing. An hourglass is supposed to show off their waist and curves a bit, but i don't want to look like i'm trying to be too revealing either (i have a super conservative office job). Then i try to dress the other way to counteract this and end up looking super frumpy. how do i fix this? are there any stores or brands i should try that cut clothes to kinda work with this? it seems everything is either tight and revealing or blowsy and frumpy. any suggestions at all would be greatly appreciated!

7 years ago

Body Type

8 replies

Latest reply was from binkle

Liz

Veteran

Welcome!

Can you give us a bit more info so we can understand what kinds of looks feel frumpy or blowsy to you? Maybe you can attach some street-style pictures or finds: "I'd like to look like this, but feel like I end up looking like this"

(By the way, just because you're an hourglass, there's no "should" or "have to" about what you have to wear.)

7 years ago

binkle

Veteran

With similar proportions, I've found that wearing too boxy jackets can make it look like I'm a walking refrigerator box! The fabric will fall away from bust and butt, and look boxy and tent-ish. So I've found that structured jackets with a little fit - some waist definition, but not snug, help. Or softer drapey fabrics like wrap sweaters. Unfortunately, I can't name a specific brand - I just keep trying different styles. I'm currently on disabilityalso, so haven't been "work" shopping for a while, but I'll try to think about it for a bit nd come back of I find something that shows what I mean.

7 years ago

Sal

Veteran

Hi Tara

You do sound like an hourglass and there are challenges around dressing this shape - but it is a lovely shape made for dresses!! Angie has posted guidelines and there was a funny thread a few years back I will link to.

I am also an hourglass, but not quite so much of one (my hips are a similar size but my waist has thickened as I have got older drat!!)

I think tailored looks will be great - jackets that nip in at the waist, smart ankle crop pants with a little ease in them. Shirts are a challenge with gaping but softer blouses or lovely knits are great. I wear a ponte knit dress successfully too.

https://youlookfab.com/2014/03.....type-2014/

https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....glass-when

I do agree that a dress or skirt can look quite different on an hourglass than on an IT or rectangle shape, and often more "bombshellish".

Cheers
Sally

7 years ago

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

Hahaha! Good link, Sally.

"You know you're an hourglass if you have all the top half issues of an IT AND all the bottom half issues of a pretty pear." --bioya

And people assume we are "so lucky" to be hourglass-y.

7 years ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Tara, I think Binkie and Sally have you well sorted with their advice and the links. I'm guessing that when you try to wear items that aren't fitted, you are getting that kind of muumuu feel. The trick is to find things that are in between a total waist-surrendering, body-obscuring look and things that feel too revealing. I think you can aim for a skimming but not tight fit, what Angie calls a "fluid" fit, as distinguished from a tailored fit, which is closer to the body, or a body-con fit. As Liz says, it would be good to know what kinds of styles appeal to you. Just off the bat from your comment about a super conservative office, I would suggest Classiques Entier at Nordstrom; they seem to have some beautiful professional pieces that are nicely fitted. I'm only a slight hourglass, but I do find their pants are often well shaped, not too straight through the hips and thighs.

7 years ago

Jeanie

Veteran

I have the same type proportions and it can be tricky in the office. My favorite office brands are Banana Republic, Ann Taylor or Loft and some H & M. I've found that it seems to look best if I find things with some waist definition (belted cardis, belted or tapered jackets, tailored sheaths, etc). As the others said just keep the pieces nicely fitted and not to snug. For tops, as Angie says, look for shells, blouses and sweaters that have v-necks as it will visually reduce the chest. I like to wear turtlenecks in the winter and often pair them with a blazer just to add a bit of structure over the clingier fabric of the turtlenecks. If you wear a crew neck shirt or sweater you can add a blazer or cardi with a v-neck and it will visually elongate you and take the focus off the chest For dresses, I like sheath dresses as they are usually nipped in at the waist but still have enough structure to help balance out the curves. If you shop at Nordstroms you might try using one of the personal stylists as they usually good at know how to balance proportions.

7 years ago

The Cat

Veteran

In addition to the comments above, you will find great advice for identifying and dressing different body shapes on the Inside Out Style blog, for example here:

https://insideoutstyleblog.com.....-quiz.html

And here, specifically for the X shape (hourglass):

https://insideoutstyleblog.com.....glass.html

6 years ago

binkle

Veteran

Yes to Banana Republic. I have a blazer, a few years old, that has enough fit for definition without too much over emphasis. Tahari and Lafayette 148 are also nice but rather $$$$. I do miss the good old days of Ellen Tracy and Dana Buchman.

6 years ago

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