How to Dress for Your Body Type (Part 2)

Numbers don’t lie. About 80% of the time the majority of women only wear 15% of their entire wardrobes. According to my calculations, the chances of you relating to these statistics are extremely high.

All numbers aside, you shouldn’t be ashamed of the clothes just sitting in your closet. There are so many women with the same dilemma. Between you and me, there are just too many choices in clothing stores. How are we supposed to know what will look good? This predicament motivated Laura to create a program designed to help customers build a full wardrobe they’ll love wearing.

The goal is to put together 30 to 40 outfits with only 15 pieces that mix and match. After answering a few questions about your style, your profession, your favourite colour palettes and your silhouette, our in-store style consultants will help you personalize a new wardrobe using a tried-and-true formula of staple pieces (see below).

In part one of our advice on how to dress for your body type, we established that it’s important to familiarize yourself with your silhouette to shop for cuts that flatter you best. Plain and simple—when we don’t know what looks good on our figures, we wind up with never worn purchases in our closets.

So, how do you dress a V, I, A, X, H or O silhouette?

V Silhouette
You have amazing shoulders—don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! Being a V silhouetted woman myself, I understand that sometimes it’s hard to dress a broad upper body. The trick is creating balance in your silhouette. In this case, choosing clothing that brings more attention to your waist and lower body is key.

To be sure you’re complementing your V body type, stay away from boat necks, shoulder pads and thin straps. Opt for adjusted fits that accentuate your waistline, U, V and asymmetric necklines that work to elongate your torso and finally vibrant coloured pants or skirts.

I Silhouette
Your silhouette is similar to the models you see in magazines—just your luck! With shoulder, hip and waist measurements that are almost identical, don’t be afraid to wear voluminous fabrics to add curves to your silhouette while accentuating your waistline.

Avoid straight lines and shapeless form-fitting cuts. Instead, try shoulder-padded blazers, wide bell sleeves and flared skirts or straight leg pants to add dimension to your looks.

A Silhouette
Your best asset is definitely your hips! The key to embracing them while dressing is to—again—create balance. When you’re shopping, you want to make sure to choose pieces that highlight your upper body without adding volume to your natural curves.

Avoid printed pants and ample pleated skirts. Instead, opt for A-line skirts that drape perfectly over your lower body, printed tunics to create the illusion of more narrow hips and  jackets that fall just above your waistline.

X Silhouette
Since your silhouette is well balanced with shoulders and hips that are almost equal in width, you can wear just about anything. However, as an X silhouetted woman, you’ve been blessed with a small waist. It would be a shame to hide it with bulky fabrics.

Boxy jackets and ample dresses without a belt? Forget it. The best way to flatter your silhouette is with pencil skirts, bustier-inspired tops, surplice necklines and wrap dresses.

H Silhouette
Like the women with I silhouettes, your widest body measurements are similar—making it easy to dress. The only tricky part is defining your waist. It will take a little more work to accentuate your discreet curves.

Wide leg pants and pieces with a rectangular shape are not your best bet. Look for styles that cross or knot at the waist and have structured cuts like fitted blazers and flared skirts.

O Silhouette
You have a lovely full silhouette and dressing stylishly is simpler than you think. A common mistake is trying to hide the widest parts of your figure. The best way to dress your body type is actually embracing your curves with fitted cuts and fluid fabrics.

Fine prints, straight cut dresses and sculpting fabrics will not give you the desired effect you’re looking for. Instead, flatter your silhouette with empire waists, surplice necklines, ¾ sleeves, straight skirts and jackets that fall just below the hips. You’ll look and feel ravishing (even though we know you already are)!

Whether you follow these tips or not, remember the most important thing is that you like what you’re wearing. People will notice when you feel confident and comfortable in your clothes. These fashion rules are not set in stone and should be interpreted to fit your personal style. For a truly successful shopping experience, combine our tips with your preferences and you’ll come out with impeccable looks that suit you!

Happy shopping!

 

Adapted from French by Kylee Ross