Body Language
You can either look at it as a blessing or a curse — your body shape can change several times in your lifetime. You may start out as a chubby toddler, morph into a lampayatot teen, and suddenly change into a curvy adult. Or you may experience all this shape-shifting in the span of one year. The body is an amazing thing; we mold it as much as it molds us. For the many different individuals that we become in our lifetime, here’s a guide to appreciating and celebrating our bodies, no matter what shape we might get ourselves into.
Pear
You have a defined waist and tend to gain weight in the hips and thigh areas. You have thin arms compared to your legs. Highlight: tiny waist. Minimize: hips and thighs.
Do
Wear light-colored tops and dark bottoms to balance your shape.
Show off your tiny waist in belted dresses and tops.
Wear A-line skirts that skim your hips and thighs to blur the width.
Don’t
Wear blousy tops. These will make you look bigger than you really are and hide your tiny waist.
Tapered pants. These will exaggerate your hips and thighs.
Apple
This body shape has the tendency to gain weight in the stomach and breast area. The legs always stay thinner than the rest of the body. There is no defined waist and the hips are quite narrow.
Highlight: legs and bust.
Minimize: stomach area.
Do
Create the illusion of hips with full or A-line skirts.
Wear darker tops to minimize the stomach area, and light-colored bottoms to add volume to your bottom half.
Go for wide-leg trousers or flared jeans to create the illusion of hips.
V-neck tops. These will show-off your cleavage and slim your top.
Don’t
Skinny jeans or pencil skirts. These will only accentuate your big torso.
Skin-tight tops. Wear body-skimming tops instead to create a smooth silhouette.
Hourglass
Body measurements are proportional and there is a defined bust, waist and hips. When you gain weight, it is distributed quite evenly throughout your body.
Highlight: proportional shape.
Minimize: tendency to look overly sexy.
Do
Celebrate your shapely frame in body-skimming clothes that celebrate your curves.
Belted tops and dresses. These will show-off your proportional frame.
Slim pants and skirts. These will lengthen your frame and streamline your silhouette.
Don’t
Skin-tight outfits. Clothes that are too tight and short might make you look vulgar, instead of classy and sexy.
Shapeless dresses and tops. These will hide your assets.
Ruler
You’re not very curvy and can either be slim and narrow, or athletic and boyish.
Highlight: trim frame.
Minimize: lack of curves.
Do
Wear tops and dresses with feminine details like ruffles to add volume and curves.
Belted tops and dresses with full skirts will make you look curvier.
Soft and feminine cuts and fabrics will soften your frame.
Don’t
Skin-tight clothes from head to foot. Your lack of curves will only be exaggerated.
Ultra-menswear inspired items. You need feminine pieces and elements to make you look more womanly.
Full-figured
You are voluptuous and womanly and might need help in streamlining some areas of your body.
Highlight: shoulders, collarbone and cleavage.
Minimize: love handles, full arms and legs.
Do
Show a bit of skin. An off-the shoulder top, or a skirt with a bit of a slit lets you show flashes of skin without making you feel self-conscious.
Monochromatic, body-skimming outfits. Monochromatic colors will blur your body outline and make you look slimmer.
Control-top panties and body slimmers. The right underwear can shave off inches in minutes.
Don’t
Overly loose tops and dresses. Big clothes will not make you look slimmer. The extra fabric will actually make you look bigger.
Skin-tight clothes. Anything too tight will just highlight your problem areas.
