Body Type : A key styling ingredient

Yes! Choosing the right outfit depends on a lot of things and Body Type is right among the top. Learn more and never go wrong with your style!

Consider a scenario where you just bought a trendy red top online and are excited to don it! But what a disappointment, as soon as you try it on, it doesn't look charming on you! And you feel like your body could be better! Well, girl, the problem is not your body but the fact that the garment is not made for your body type! Yes, we all have a body type, which is essential in choosing our clothing types. There is a whole secret science behind this. And this secret is all about balance - balance in the entire look! A proportionally balanced silhouette is what you should be aiming for. It's about appreciating your body and creating the illusion of a balanced silhouette.

Let's cut things short and find out which body shape you fall into and how to balance it up!

Pear/Triangle Body Shape

This body type has proportionally bigger hips than the bust. Thus to bring balance, the focus needs to shift to the upper half of the body, and the lower half needs to be tricked into looking smaller.

This can be achieved by dividing your body into segments, and then addressing each to create an overall balance. Let's dive into the practicalities of the same:

Neckline - Choose wider and open necklines - sweetheart neckline, square neck, and boat neck will work best for you as they emphasize your shoulders and neck area.

Silhouettes - choose detailed topwear - topwear with bold colors and patterns. Puff sleeve tops, padded shoulder tops, and high neck tops bring the focus to the upper half of the body.

Bottomwear - Keep the bottom wear in darker shades.

Must Avoid – Avoid wide-leg bottoms, as they will make the bottom half look heavier. Also, avoid extra details, such as pleats, bold and bright-colored bottoms.

Inverted-triangle Body Shape

Wide sharp shoulders/ bigger busts than the hips define this body type.

Here the trick is to make the upper half of the body look narrower and the lower half wider. The ideal guide would be as follows:

Topwear - Wear tops that focus on the waist rather than shoulders, such as - peplum tops, tired tops, wrap tops.

Neckline - Deep necklines suit this body type, such as V-neck, plunge neckline, scoop neck.

Bottomwear - Wear wide-leg bottoms, A-line skirts, and pleated skirts that have added volume.

Must Avoid - Crop tops with fitted sleeves and wide necklines such as boat neck. Printed and patterned top. Also, avoid skinny and slim-fit bottoms as they emphasize the hips and legs.

Apple Body Shape

This body shape has a proportionate silhouette. Thus wear outfits that help the proportion look balanced. To enhance this body shape, find silhouettes that create a long vertical line.

The power pieces for you are:

A-line tops

Flowy dresses

Relaxed, boyfriend button-ups

V-neck anything

Use sharp silhouettes as the outer layer - long overcoats, trench coats.

Must Avoid: Boxy silhouettes, fitted silhouettes, and silhouettes that break the body into two halves.

Rectangle Body Type

This body type is not particularly curvy.

If the aim is to make it curvier, it can be done by creating an illusion of a waist. Thus specific silhouettes can be used to create this effect; find out below:

Tops - peplum, tiered, and tops with elasticated waist help create and accentuate your waistline.

Layers are your best friend - use flowy outerwear; these will flatter your body shape: peacoats, long overcoats, wrap coats, trench coats, or any coats with curved fit and belt on.

Sleeves - If you want to show your slender arms, wear a halter neck, strappy tops, or sleeveless. If you want to keep them covered, wear ¾th sleeves in dark colors.

Avoid - Avoid structure pieces and cropped garments as it emphasizes the mid-section of the body. Also, avoid details on the shoulders, making the body look disproportionate.

Hourglass Body Type

This body type is on the curvier side - the bust and hips are the same sizes, and the waist is proportionally smaller and defined.

Although most consider this body ideal, certain garments and silhouettes would look the best. Find out below:

Tops - Fitted silhouettes are your best friend - crop tops in jersey fabric. Silhouettes that emphasize your waist - peplum tops and wrap tops.

Neckline - almost all necklines look good on them, but sweetheart neck, boat neck, and scoop neck look best on them.

Bottoms - High-waisted bottoms look good on you. So do wrap, pencil, and sheath skirts.

Must Avoid - Avoid boxy silhouettes as they do no good to your curves. Also, avoid thick fabric; instead, choose flowy, soft fabrics that hug your curves nicely.

We hope these tips have been helpful! Ready to add pieces to your wardrobe that flatter your body type? Well, we have got the next step ready for you! Yes, Hopnob is here to style you out of the garments you already have, considering your body type. Sign up now! It's FREE! Click to join!