You look super in that outfit, so if that is what you call working around your body type, I say go for it!

I guess I would just say, clothes are just clothes and so it's fine to try anything one wishes--no real rules or laws in the sense of REAL ones. But if I can tell that a certain style or cut looks much better, I'm vain enough to stick with that rather than follow a trend.

I have really enjoyed Angie's posts that talk about how to interpret certain looks to still fit with body type--that may be the fringe or envelope or borderline aspect that's been referenced--something that nods to a different style but remains "appropriate" for body type, age, occasion.

It all reminds me of the straight-hair/curly hair thing--women with straight hair often get perms, and those with curly hair use flatirons or blowouts. There are so many curvylicious garments and styles I can't wear, won't ever look bombshell, can't wear 95% of the dresses in America, apparently. Then there are things I can wear that some people "can't". It just is what it is.

I went through my What Not To Wear phase and enjoyed a lot of the shows that were available on youtube. What I really noticed was dressing to body type in the main basic garments really did make the person look more fab--not trying to fight it. Then there was more leeway in accessories, color, texture--sure, there might be a best proportion, best colors or something for those items but there was a lot of room for variety and creativity.

So I am on team body-type-formula with some room to grow and play--acceptance without total resignation, is how I see it. "Try things on" is what helps--that way I've found things that fit my body type that I didn't think would at first glance, or that didn't used to (hello maturing process!) , so has opened up some more variety and room for trends.

Yes I dress around my shape. Right now I feel I cannot partake in the cropped pants trend due to my height. I mean I can do it but it never looks that good on me. Also, with all of the oversized tops (which I love) I have to select them carefully with the right neckline because I am not small-busted. Finally, I have never been able to pull of skinny jeans with flats due to my curvy legs. I have thighs, they are the widest part of me.

... And you look fantastic. The unexpected touch of the slightly colored tights is brilliant!

You look wonderful! I love the skirt, the color blocking on it is perfect. And the jacket plays really well with your coloring. Lovely outfit on you!

I am learning to dress my shape. Most of my life, I have wanted to be a tall slim rectangle. I am a short rounded hourglass. I love the classical elegance that goes with the former, I am still learning how to dress the latter.

The blogesphere has really helped as you can finally see women of all shapes and sizes looking fab. It has helped me to see how other women with my shape dress and look fab

Yes! I know exactly the straight menswear pants you mean and I also have given up on that look. I reluctantly gravitated towards bombshell because that is the figure I have. I'm learning to love it as one element of my style. I spent years wanting to be tall and narrow and clothed drapily. It doesn't work for me.

I have been relearning how to dress my body after losing 5 sizes and it is hard if you are working against your body type at any size...I say go with cuts/styles that look best on your body and bring in color themes and excessories that are a closer match to your personal style.

Great thread!

Everything JR said.

Also, I saw the nod to David Kibbe as well, that was what I originally came to say. I've only read snippets I could find on line and the premise seemed frankly ridiculous--that by evaluating the breadth of my shoulders, the curve of my cheeks, the straightness of my brows or fleshiness of my lips I could get any kind of input to my style persona, as in elements of my personality! And the illustrations of course are really weird being from the 80s. But when I added it up I was surprised how closely the outcome (and its predicted flattering elements) fits my style--for example I love bold slightly-off geometrics like zebra and painted-looking stripes or plaids...

Also the text part made more sense than the rest did. I am tall, angular, but not athletic looking. I look best--in fact look most feminine--in looser-fitting menswear inspired styles (or items stolen from hubby's closet). And like Kibbe's text said, I went through my 20's trying to wear feminizing influences like ruffles or gathers because I thought I had to offset my angularity, but instead I just felt silly in them.

Now I have a boho streak that would love to wear ethereal styles, but I can't get away with it any more than I can get away with pale lipstick, or hold a curl in my hair for over 15 minutes. So has my shape influenced my style? For sure.

Ah, yes, Kibbe must be taken with a LARGE grain of salt. Sveta was the one that turned me on to him.

Trying to get too specific with that kind of thing is the wrong direction, I think. But I do think the idea that you need to work with you personality AND your body shape is a solid one.

Another "everything that JR said"!

Even as a teenager, I realized I looked ridiculous whenever I tried to emulate what my petite, blonde girlfriends wore. I was a tall, angular, athletic brunette with an IT's broad shoulders, well-developed calves, and a size 10 shoe. Girly looks like ruffles and dainty accessories were so at odds with my personality and body shape that even tactful sales associates would burst out laughing. A cross-body bag looks so right on me but hand me a designer handbag and I look like I don't know what to do with it. And I'm a total clutz with a clutch. It took a long time until I realized, when I wore things that made me happy because they felt good on my body and suited my personality, that I was expressing my own personal sense of style. I didn't "find" my style, as much as recognize that it had been there all along.

Oh wow Jenava, that color combo is pretty brilliant. I must keep it in mind! I adore the skirt, anything houndstooth makes my heart flutter ^^ I quite like this outfit on you, it does feel a bit less romantic than what I'm used to but the muted colors tie that side back in really well.

I think that to a degree we probably all temper some of our style preferences based on our bodies since that's the canvas after all. I hear you on some of the sharp lines (and how hard the 50s challenge day was, bleh); from the front and back I'm sharper around the edges but curvy on the insides, and to throw a wrench in the whole thing I'm all curves from the side. I find some things worth the effort of fighting my shape, and others not so much. It takes energy to fight though, so it's usually best for me to pick my battles There are also things that are "appropriate" for my body that I just don't feel good in. I tend to gravitate AWAY from bombshell (except for evening, apparently) because I don't enjoy the attention it garners even though I have the shape for it. Because of my half-straight-half-curvy shape, I do find that I gravitate towards that same type of balance in my clothing.

Yes, this really is what I'm getting at, exactly...gaining weight and seeing the some of my old things look bad now (squishy mid-section, for example) is making me re-evaluate my style. That was the thing that made me realized (well, I think instinctively I already knew) that my body shape probably has a bigger influence on what I like, style-wise, than I give it credit for!

Ahh, Jenava, you already know I am frustrated by being forced into "soft" clothes because that is what fits.
Wearing sportswear was my answer for a long time, because yoga pants & capilene fit me, and I certainly didn't mind portraying that I was athletic, or on my way to a hike.
I feel like it is harder to convey my professionalism using clothing, given my round shape. I think you do it beautifully.

Yes, my body shape definitely influences my style. I adore the look of dresses and skirts but very few work on my pear shape without making me feel shy (too much cling). So I stick with mostly jeans and trousers. I don't own any skirts at the moment. And I rarely wear my dresses.

I like blazers and none of my blazers work with the dress styles that look best on my body shape (wrap dresses work well for me but I need a very cropped blazer or cardigan to layer with them). So I just stay away from skirts and dresses.

My shoes also dictate my style a bit. Some outfits just don't work to my eye without a heel, even a little one. And I stick with flat shoes. Most flat shoes have a slight rugged vibe to them, and my style reflects that.