Misc observations about body types

This week we went to see a production of Sondheim music. All the singers were dressed head-to-toe in black. I ended up analyzing their wardrobe choices throughout the whole event. Does anyone else do this? It's akin to how being a literature major ruined reading for me for awhile.... or how taking a film class ruined going to films for awhile... hee hee. You end up analyzing instead of enjoying!

Anyway, all the female singers were different body types. I got caught up in analyzing what they chose to wear to dress their different body types, given that all of them were required to dress head-to-toe in black (with sparkly chandelier earrings). I think all the women did an excellent job, which would have been heartily YLF approved.

1) The inverted triangle - had very very strong shoulder line. You could tell she lifted weights; her shoulders and arms were amazing. She chose an assymetrical gown that really played up her amazing shoulders. The dress was looser/fuller in the hips for balance.

2) The pretty pear - chose a black dress in an a-line shape, skimming over her hips. She reminded me of Tanya in a ballroom dress.

3) The hourglass - played up her tiny waist line with a sash.

4) And there was a woman who had Maya's body type, as she's described it! She wore nicely fitting pants with an off-the-shoulder sweater. All the focus was drawn up to her gorgeous shoulders, neck, face (not her chest). I thought to myself, wow, Maya needs a top like that.

We also recently saw a dance production at a local college - imagine about 50 women in body suits and tights doing tap, hip hop, ballet etc. Once again I spent the time marveling how many different body shapes there are among us women. It seems that hourglass is the most common shape of all, but even then there is such variety among this shape. Virtually every possible body typ ecombo was represented, from short waisted to long waisted to long legged to short legged, from tall to petite to chesty to muscular to curvy etc etc.

This is an annual production so we have seen it many times and I always end up marveling about this, even before YLF. I always walk away thinking that no matter what shape we are, each one of us is truly beautiful. There really is no single "ideal." I think it helps that I'm seeing them in movement, doing something they love.

Anyway, if you are ever feeling bad about your own body type, go see a dance production like this. I guarantee you will feel better.

16 years ago

Maya

Veteran

Fascinating stuff. I'm curious about my body type twin. I don't think I have seen anyone so far that really shares my shape, except for Myra from family matters :p and she isn't much help as far as how to dress. I like tops with wide necklines, but off-the-shoulder tops are sometimes just too sexy looking to suit my personal style. Too bad you couldn't snap a few pictures

chelle

Active Member

I've also thought about this...most recently at a choir concert. I remember thinking that it is too bad it takes us so long to accept and understand our own shape. So much wasted time longing for another figure!

tarzy

It's amazing how we assume that there is something wrong with us because we don't fit into clothes off the rack. But when you look at all the different bodies, how could we all fit the same shirt or pants? I wish I could really get it into my head that clothes off the rack are just a start, and tailoring makes a lot of sense. (I just wish it wasn't so expensive!)

hanna

(website)

tarzy, i am currently reading clinton kelly's 'freakin' fabulous' and he says exactly the same thing - that with so many variations and so many different body types, how can we possibly expect things off the racks to fit EVERY person? boo to retailers and the media for making us think any different :(.

much as i agree with the notion... it's hard for me to wrap my head around taking garments in to be altered. yet another mindset that's going to take some fixing!

shiny

Maya, I think you had a sweater this winter that was quite similar. Pink? My recollection is fuzzy, except that i remember Angie suggested you pull the collar down for an off-the-shoulder look. You don't have to go *too* off the shoulder - no need to expose bra strap; this woman did not. It was, mmm, more of a boat neckline? I am so bad at describing and YES I really wish I could've snapped some photos! Before posting this I did some searching to see if the event had been photographed, but alas, it hadn't.

Anyway this woman had sloped shoulders - which you have said you have. They were quite lovely, shown off this way. The inverted triangle woman would not have looked anywhere as good in this neckline, no matter how muscularly amazing her shoulders.

Also this woman had very thin arms and legs. The top had long sleeves which really accentuated her delicate, thin arms. She was also more of an apple shape with an undefined waist, but the length of the top hit just right, and the pants were just right too, plus that neckline... you didn't dwell on the mid-section at all.

As for too sexy... she exposed less skin than any of them. Her chest was largest too. But she was tastefully dressed. The overall effect was that the eye was drawn up to her shoulders, neck, and face.

Tarzy, Hanna... I'm right there with you!! I do agree with Clinton and I think the off-the-rack mentality has really screwed with a lot of women's heads (including my own).

Yep you're right Shiny. That's one of my favorite sweaters. I found it difficult to wear that way because it kind of restricted the movement of my shoulders and arms. If I moved them up or out the big cowl would pop off my shoulders and just scrunch up in the middle anyway. I have no idea if that made sense but when you think about how it drapes over the shoulders you can probably imagine what I mean. I do like that look though.

Boat necks would be very pretty on me (if I do say so myself) if it weren't for my chest Unfortunately they usually are just too high-necked. Something like this is probably workable, though in a different fabric:

http://www.tobi.com/product/15.....r_id=18766

Hmm, you definitely have me thinking now. BR currently has TONS of tops with fantastic necklines and sleeve details that would look really good on me. If there is one thing I can pull off that many women can't, it's sleeves that draw lots of attention to the upper arm. Mine aren't toned or anything but they are very dainty. Of all the times to be on a shopping ban

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