How to determine your body shape

Fashion is about celebrating you and feeling good in your own skin. We created this guide not only to help you learn about your body shape, but also to help you understand which styles and brands suit your body. Before we begin, let's get one thing straight: body shape depends on bone structure and genetics, not weight. You can have any body shape at any age, weight, or size. All bodies deserve to be celebrated, and understanding your silhouette is only the first step.

How to determine your body shape

Although measuring tapes can provide a more exact formula for determining your body shape, the numbers you record can easily be accompanied by unnecessary self-criticism. Instead, we're going to use a much faster and more practical method that requires only you, your fabulous body, and a full-length mirror.

Look straight into the mirror and start observing your proportions. Every body's shape is based on three precise points: your shoulders, waist, and hips. Draw an imaginary line between your shoulders and hips and mentally note where this line falls. If you have trouble visualizing it, it can be helpful to take a quick photo in a mirror to refer to. Ask yourself the following questions, then read the body shapes below to see if your answers match.

• What is the widest part of your body—your bust, waist, or hips?
• Which parts of your body give you the most trouble with fit?
• On which part of your body did you first notice weight changes?
• What styles are/are not typically flattering for your body shape?

Understanding your body shape

Regardless of your size and body shape, there are three important things to remember to find styles that suit your silhouette.

Flattering your silhouette is first and foremost about finding balance. Use your bust, waist, and hips to your advantage! Accentuating certain parts of the body draws attention away from others. Let the part of your body you prefer (and your confidence) shine!

Use shapes and lines to draw the eye where you want it. Pay attention to where a garment touches you and the placement of key details such as seams, pockets, and embellishments. The right lines can help elongate your legs, create an hourglass waist, and even give your butt a rounded appearance. Yes, please!

Pay attention to colors and prints. The eye is naturally drawn to bold prints and bright colors. It is essential to consider the scale of a print. Large prints and horizontal lines add volume, while small prints and vertical lines reduce it. Use these elements to your advantage to draw attention away from the parts you like least and direct it toward the areas you want to accentuate.

The Hourglass Body Shape

Characteristics of an hourglass silhouette

• The bust and hips are approximately the same width
• Your waist is well-defined
• You probably have a fuller bust and a rounder butt.
• You may describe yourself as curvy.

How to dress an hourglass silhouette

If you are lucky enough to have balanced curves, show them off! Highlight your feminine silhouette by accentuating the narrowest part of your body: your waist. Wrap tops and dresses are your new best friends, as they cinch at the narrowest part of your body. Opt for high-rise bottoms to elongate your legs and accentuate your small waist. Avoid boxy and low-rise styles that hit at the widest part of your body and hide your hourglass silhouette.

• Buy a good bra
• Choose clothes that highlight your curves
• Opt for simple, streamlined clothing that does not overwhelm your silhouette.
• Avoid drawing attention to your hips and shoulders to maintain the natural balance of your silhouette.
• Avoid straight and boxy cuts that hide your waist.
• Avoid shapeless and loose clothing, as well as embellishments that draw attention.

Define the waist

Anything that draws attention to the waist helps highlight the body's balanced proportions.

• Accentuate the waist with belts or fitted clothing.
• Wear darker colors at the waist, such as a dark belt.
• Avoid straight and boxy cuts that hide your waist.

The Triangle Body Shape

Characteristics of a triangle silhouette

• Your hips are wider than your torso
• Your waist is defined and narrower than your hips.
• You may have narrow shoulders.
• Your hips and thighs are the first places where you notice weight changes.

How to dress a triangular silhouette

Highlight your defined waist and narrow upper frame! Rebalance your hips by drawing attention upward with printed or structured tops. Opt for looser cuts and dark washes for your lower body, which, combined with a high waist, will make your waist look tiny and your legs incredibly long. Avoid clothes that fall at the hips or have volume there, as they draw attention to your widest part.

Tops and shirts for a triangular silhouette

The goal is to balance the silhouette by adding volume to your upper half.

• Boat, round, or sweetheart necklines add volume to the shoulders.
• Blouses or shirts with shoulder embellishments, (such as ruffles, for example).
• A blazer with shoulder pads.
• Tops and jackets with prints.
• Jackets and blazers should fall below the hips or above them, never at them, as this draws the eye to that area.

Generally, clothing with prints on the upper half, embroidery, lace, or in light or bright colors.

What pants suit a triangular body best?

Opt for basic, solid-colored clothing without frills, pockets, embellishments, or details.

• Straight-cut or fitted pants are best
• Mid-rise or high-rise jeans and pants that define the waist
• Low-rise jeans widen the hips.

It is best to avoid skinny jeans and leggings.

The best skirts for a triangular silhouette

• Straight A-line cut, including pencil-style skirts, provided they are not tight.
• Well-structured A-line skirt that highlights your waist

Avoid mermaid skirts, ruffles, or frills around the waist and hips.

The Inverted Triangle Body Shape

Characteristics of an inverted triangle

• The shoulders and bust are wider than the hips.
• The upper body is where you notice the first weight changes.
• You have a smaller lower body
• You consider your shoulders wide

How to dress an inverted triangle?

When you opt for clothes you like, the primary goal is to create the illusion of a balanced hourglass silhouette, where your shoulders and hips are proportionate, and the bust and waist are defined. Generally, you should opt for cuts and styles that balance your broad shoulders while adding a little volume to your hips. You can also play with colors by wearing darker colors on top and lighter colors on the bottom.

Here are some of the best clothing styles that will highlight your best assets and camouflage your flaws:

Tops

Did you know that the right neckline can minimize your broad shoulders? If you can opt for deep and narrow necklines, you should avoid wide necklines such as square, plunging, and boat necklines, which only make the top of your body look heavier. Also avoid heavy details, prints, and thin straps that will only accentuate your broad shoulders.

Blouses and tops with U, V, plunging, or asymmetrical necklines

• Japanese-style or kimono-style long flared sleeves
• Wide and thick-strapped tank tops
• Peplum tops
• Solid-colored dark tops
• Jackets that fall past the hips

Pants

The style of your pants should visually widen your hips to balance your broad shoulders. Wide-leg pants are perfect for adding volume to your lower half, as are flared pants that visually elongate your legs. On the contrary, you should avoid narrow-cut pants, but you can opt for cigarette pants or straight-leg pants.

• Wide-leg pants
• Flared pants
• Tapered pants
• Palazzo pants

Dresses

As for dresses, opt for those that flare from the waist to the hips, which will balance your broad shoulders. Pay attention to the neckline, patterns, and pleats.

• Fitted or belted dresses
• Pleated skirts and gathered-waist dresses
• Dresses with slightly flared hems

Enhance your broad shoulders with open necklines that draw attention to your beautiful face. Look for styles that define your waist and add volume to your hips to balance your proportions. The illusion of curves compensates for the width of your shoulders, so don't hesitate to wear tops and belts that cinch the waist. Avoid pairing voluminous tops with tight bottoms, which exaggerate the narrowness of your hips.

The Rectangle Body Shape

Characteristics of a rectangular shape

• The bust, waist, and hips are approximately equal.
• Your waist is straight rather than curved
• You are probably taller than others
• You may have an athletic build.

How to dress a rectangular body shape

Your balanced proportions are ideal for creating the illusion of an hourglass shape, so opt for styles that add volume evenly to your bust and hips. High-waisted cuts and belts help define your midsection and accentuate your long legs. You will look stunning in structured and fitted clothing, but avoid cuts that are too tight.

Dresses and skirts for a rectangular body shape

• Flared styles. Fitted waist cuts and A-lines
• With a belt or tied at the waist
• Ruffles on the shoulders
• Puff sleeves

The best pants for a rectangular body shape

• Culotte-style pants
• Flared jeans.
• High waist
• Open-pleat pants, to slightly widen the hip.

The Oval Body Shape

Characteristics of an oval shape

• Your waist is equal to or wider than your hips and bust.
• Your waist is not defined
• You have a fuller bust
• The abdomen is the first place where you notice weight changes.

How to dress an oval body shape

Use lines and silhouettes that create an illusion to your advantage! Look for pieces that draw attention away from your midsection and elongate your silhouette. Opt for small prints the size of a palm or smaller for a slimming effect. Avoid short cuts and voluminous ruffles, which can make you look shorter and wider.

Tops

Volume is generally concentrated in the upper part of the body, so the goal is to elongate the silhouette. Elongate your silhouette by playing with different clothing lengths, wearing V-necks, creating vertical lines with your clothing, and avoiding large, overly colorful prints; stick to solid colors.

Pants

The main thing is to balance the voluminous areas. Try straight pants, bootcut pants, wide-leg pants, or palazzo pants. These pants are all very flattering because they balance the midsection and lower half. They are also perfect for creating curves on the hips, by skimming the midsection and creating the illusion of a rounder shape.

Dresses

Opt for straight-cut, empire-waist, and asymmetrical-line dresses, such as one-shoulder dresses or diagonal hems, for example. Choose long or knee-length dresses, and avoid dresses that are too tight or too short.

You can sculpt your body shape!

But not change it. That being said, you can have the dream body that suits you with exercise, a balanced nutritional diet, but also with accessories that offer moral support, comfortable support, and hold the back while sculpting your curves.

Shapewear

We would be remiss not to mention some of our favorite shapewear as essential elements for creating a smooth silhouette! These garments work wonders and can help you lose several inches from your waistline. They also lift the bust and eliminate love handles, allowing you to easily achieve that hourglass waist. The advantage is also that shapewear can be hidden under clothing when you want to go out. Shapewear has this huge advantage of hugging your body, and that with almost unmatched comfort. On the other hand, they are less effective than a corset when it comes to permanently slimming the waist.

Corsets

You can further increase the slimming power with one of our corsets for sale, designed to offer maximum shaping of the entire abdominal area. Although they produce similar effects to latex shapewear, boned corsets use laces and steel bones to offer a personalized fit and dramatic slimming of up to several inches. We offer comfortable and sexy corsets. Latex corsets compress your silhouette, all while maintaining comfort. The definite advantage of a corset is not only its durability over time, but also its ability to make your waist semi-permanently slimmer.

Full-Body Bodysuits

If you want to slim and control your entire figure, and your hips while tucking in your belly and smoothing your waist, these shapewear items for body types are faithful everyday allies, they are probably a solution. You will get the same effects as with a full-body bodysuit in a comfortable and breathable material that you can incorporate into your everyday wardrobe, whether it is casual, elegant or professional. We offer a few among our collection of corsets.

 

Related: Average waist size for women