Fashion Science 101 – Understanding What Suits Your Body Type Perfectly

Happiness comes in all shapes and sizes and so do bodies and figures. After ages of internalizing the social expectations of how women are supposed to look and what the ideal body type for women is, the most important question that needs to be asked is how does any woman have control over the natural body shape one is born with? With the implications of constantly being pressured to look a certain way, mental health is massively sacrificed and there is an increase in the cases of food disorders.

Over the last 5 years, there has increasingly been a more conscious effort and awareness on the body positivity movement and the ‘unlearning’ of social notions of the perfect body for women, accepting, embracing, and celebrating EVERY shape of the body. And, with the gift of fashion, we get to explore, experiment, and style garments to understand what kind of clothes accentuate our bodies.

After hours of surfing and reading through articles about the various body types and how stylists have incorporated certain garments to accentuate specific body types. Here is a guide on understanding what your body type is and what would suit your body type/form perfectly. Fashion Science 101.

1. Rectangle / Straight body type

If your waist measurements are about the same as your hip or bust, and your shoulders and hips are about the same width, you have what’s called a “banana” or rectangle body type.

    STYLING    

• Tops:  One of the biggest perks of having a rectangular body type is that you get to choose which assets you want to play up. If you’re looking to create the appearance of curves, you’ll want tops that accentuate your top half and give shape to your waist. Go for V neck, sweetheart neck, and round neck tops to accentuate your collar bones and wear tops with voluminous sleeves and a fitted front
•  Jeans: It would be ideal for Rectangle body types to wear high waisted jeans or lowers to give the illusion of a longer torso and loner legs. Go for high waisted flared jeans, straight/cigarette cut, or wide-legged bottoms that would give the illusion of an hourglass body and make you look taller.
• Dresses: Rectangular frames are blessed with a body type that would look lovely in fit and flare, A-line dresses. Stylists believe it is this body type that carries off A-line dresses the best. Go for something that is fitted at the top and flares from the waist to the bottom. Make sure to experiment with puff or balloon sleeves and patterned collars that would bring the attention to your collar bones. If you have it, flaunt it!
• Shorts/skirts: High waisted shorts till above the knees or skirts that are either form-fitting or flared till the knee or below look beautiful on your body frame.

2. Triangle / Pear body type and Spoon body type

Your shoulders and bust are narrower than your hips. You have slim arms and a fairly defined waist. Your waist slopes out to your hips that are wider when it comes to pear or spoon body types. Styling tips would be similar to this body type.

     STYLING    

•   Tops: Choose clothes with sweetheart neckline, scoop neckline, or square neckline; all these necklines broaden the upper body. A neckline with some (or a lot of) embroidery can do wonders for this figure. A V-neck generally slims – so avoid this for a triangle-shaped body. But a plunging V neckline can still be good.
•  Lowers: Go for lowers that are uniforms like straight leg jeans or formal pants. Avoid extremely flared bottoms or too skinny jeans.
• Dresses: Choose a style of dress that will closely fit the upper body but allow the skirt to freely fall over your hips. A fit and flare dress is a good choice, empire style dresses, and even shorter tie up dresses, make sure it accentuated the smallest part of your waist and flair from that point onwards. You could even go for strapless fit and flare dresses.
• Shorts/ skirts: Wear short flared skirts or high waisted formal shorts till above the knees.

 3. Hour Glass or Top Hourglass

If your hips and bust are nearly equal in size and you have a well-defined waist that’s narrower than both, you have an hourglass body type.

If your bust is slightly heavier than your hips then you have Top hourglass shape. Your legs and upper body are probably considered proportionate.

Your shoulders may be slightly rounded, and you most likely have a rounded buttock. Form-fitting or tailored clothing has traditionally been designed with this body type in mind.

    STYLING   

• Tops: Necklines must not unbalance the natural silhouette of the hourglass body by either visually widening the shoulder line or adding unnecessary volume to it (e.g. through embellishments). Slightly rounded styles are great, such as the oval, deep oval, rounded, or jewel necklines. Because they are not extremely wide or narrow, they don't draw any attention to them. Lower and wider necklines - such as scoop or sweetheart necklines, will show off your bust. Go for fitted sleeves rather than wider or more voluminous sleeves since that would accentuate your hourglass shape and blend in with the structure.
• Bottoms: Hourglass body types can pull off any style of lowers, skinny or flared, straight or crumpled at the bottom (jogger style). Be sure to accommodate high waisted lowers since that is where your body is most narrow/ thin.
• Dresses: On days when you feel like flaunting your form, go for a body con number that is either till your knees or ends right above, and on days when you feel more girly or feminine, go for A-line dresses or the mini fit and flare dresses and embrace your hourglass figure.
• Shorts/ skirts: Go for high waisted shorts or skirts. Pencil skirts would look great.

4. Inverted Triangle/ Apple Body Type

     If your shoulders and bust are larger than your relatively narrow hips, you have what’s known as an inverted triangle or “apple” shape

        STYLING   

• Tops: Go for peplum tops or wrap tops that will make your upper body look curvier, less uniform and your waist seem tinier. Go for V necks or sweetheart necks that would accentuate or bring focus to your collar bones.
•  Lowers: Go for high rise boot cut, flare, or wide-legged jeans. Black leggings would be suitable too since the color makes one look narrower, and the fit will make you look thinner.
• Dresses: Go for Empire waist or tie up styled dresses that showcase the thinnest or narrowest part of your waist. You could even go for off-shoulder and this would expose some stellar collar bones. Go for a silhouette that drapes to your body softly and isn’t too clingy since that would create unnecessary folds that don’t look flattering.
• Shorts/ Skirts: Opt for a high waisted number that is short/mini (above your knees) and flared at the bottom. Don’t go for anything too clingy since that could create folds on the fabric or may synch on your thighs too tight, making them look heavy. However, a short high waisted mini skirt or shirts would look wonderful.

5. Round or Oval body Type

Your bust is larger than the rest of your body, your hips are narrow, and your midsection is fuller, you have what’s usually called a round or oval body type.

   STYLING   

• Tops: Go for waist synching tops, peplum tops, tailored tunics, tie-ups with scoop neck, round neck, sweetheart neck to give the illusion of an hourglass. You must experiment with various styles in sleeves, puffed, balloon, or bishop sleeves.
• Bottoms: Opt for Wide-legged bottoms or High waisted flared pants to make you seem taller.
• Dresses: Choose something with plunging necklines, V necks, or round neck dresses that flare at the end and are fitted at the waist. A fit and flare, A-line cut dress or kaftan style tunics.
• Skirts/ shorts: High waisted formal shorts that are just above the knee, or flared long skirts look extremely feminine and suit your body type.

6. Diamond Body type

If your hips are broader than your shoulders, a narrow bust, and a fuller waistline, you have what’s called a diamond body shape. You may carry some weight on your upper legs and may have slender arms.

   STYLING   

• Tops: You need to specifically look for garments that accentuate your bust, waist, and your shoulders. So try to look for V neck, round neck, or deeper neck tops, with flutter sleeves or off the shoulder, peplum tops that accentuate your waist. You could go for longer tunics that synch at the waist.
• Bottoms: Go for belly bottoms, pants with legs that fall straight from the widest part of your hips, black formal style trousers.
• Dresses: Look for dresses with balloon or flutter sleeves, that are deep neck, fit, and flare dresses that synch at your waist. A-line dresses that are easy breezy and fitted till the waist and flared after.
• Shorts/ skirts: Go for high waisted shorts, that flare towards the end. Flowy full-length skirt would look beautiful on you.

7. Athletic body type

If your body is muscular but isn’t particularly curvy, you might have an athletic body type. Your shoulder and hip measurements are about the same.

   STYLING   

• Tops: An athletic figure looks best when they’re drawing attention to their muscular arms, defined shoulders, and showing off their waist. Wear halter neck tops, Scoop/ round neck/ strapless tops, etc. If you’re on the curvy side of athletic, play up what you love: your shoulders, your collarbone, and/or your arms. If you’d rather downplay your shoulders or elongate your neck, choose a narrower neckline like crew, cowl, or V-neck.
• Bottoms: Wear formal styled straight pants, Flared, bootleg jeans, and try to wear silhouettes that accentuate your hips.
• Dresses: A-line dresses, below the knee, maxi styled dresses with deep necks would look amazing on you. You could even try a fit and flare dresses, that are synching at the waist.
• Shorts/ Skirts: Wear mini skirts that are fitted/ pencil skirts will also look great. If you have a shorter torso, then go for mid-west shorts, A-line skirts with shorter hems would look great on your body, giving a taller and curvier body shape illusion.

In case you need more help with understanding and being sure about what body shape you have, here is a video to guide you:

Here was the guide on understanding what your body type is and the kind of styling that would suit your personal shape.

Always remember, the best garment you could carry is confidence, regardless of what clothes you put on! Be sure to experiment with different styles, cuts, lengths, and patterns to get more perspective on what suits your individual self better.