Discover how your body is proportioned and how to flatter your body proportions
One of the common issues with many tops is that they are too long and end on an unflattering point, or just are not proportionally great for you. I talked about ruching up the sides in this blog post where you can sew or use shirring elastic to do so. Today I want to share…
Hey Imogen! I’ve read a lot about body shapes on your site and I’m already much wiser! But something still confuses me: I am petite (5’4”), very (!!!) short waisted and also a distinct A shape. And what I’ve learned about dressing these three characteristics seem to conflict. For example, a short waisted women should…
Learning to use the illusion of lines in your outfits gives you the opportunity to change how you appear. There are a few different kinds of lines, horizontals (find out how to use them here), verticals, diagonals and curved lines. Each has its own effect on your appearance. Taking outfits photos means trying a few…
Whether you were genetically blessed in the gams department or not, most of us wouldn’t mind creating the illusion of even longer legs. You can still have legs for days with a few simple wardrobe tricks. It’s all about creating a visual illusion with your outfits…. 1. Keep your skirts shorter, to just on or above…
I’ve been asked once again to share with you how to measure your body proportions, so I made a new video to help you figure out where you are proportionally longer and shorter. Just remember, when you’re measuring. 1 head length (top of head to base of chin) – use this length to determine…
Hi Imogen, I´m a big fan of your blog, and I´ve read all of your books 🙂 I hope it´s alright if I ask you some style advice 🙂 I´m a petite (5´2´´) figure of 8 with a balanced, short mid body. I have slightly warm coloring, dark blond hair and blue green eyes, and…
I was asked by Ingrid of Norway how to choose a flattering coat length, and I know all you in the Northern Hemisphere are getting to grips with colder weather, so here is a quick guide. Longer coats work best on longer people, shorter coats on shorter people. Of course if you live somewhere that…
Over the past few years, one winter style that remains a staple is the chunky knit sweater. They are usually not only chunky but also pretty boxy too. The reality with any texture, if you’d describe it as chunky, it will make you look chunky. This is why over the years I’ve removed from many…
How can I define my short waist, which also happens to be the slimmest point of my body, along with arms/wrists, without totally screwing up my proportions? I’ve recently been watching some old Tim Gunn (Guide to Style) which I downloaded onto my iPad and have noticed that his three main ingredients to style are:…
The fastest, easiest way to make yourself look taller and legs longer is to push up your sleeves. Yes, it’s a very simple trick. If you’re wearing a jacket and like to do this for more casual occasions, but find they keep sliding down, then pop a rubber band (not too tight) around the sleeve…
Hi Imogen. I’d like to ask you about a certain style that has been around for quite awhile now. Being a tall H I’m glad I don’t have to tuck in my blouses. I’m from the tucked in generation (in my 50’s) and I keep on seeing jackets that end way above the hem of…
Following on from last weeks video on how to measure your body proportions. Here is a short video that shows you a couple of ways to use the Golden Mean (golden ratio, Fibonacci series) to dress in a proportioned manner that is flattering. The golden mean is a ratio that appears in nature and we…
Following on from my video on how to measure your body proportions yesterday, I want to share with you more ways to flatter your proportions. Here are some posts I’ve written about some of the more common proportional issues. 8 Top Tips to Dressing a Short Waist Short Legs, Long Rise How to Define Your…
Body proportions are actually more important than body shape, they create the balance that our brain so much enjoys. I’ve made this short video to help you figure out your body proportions so that you can use this information to find how how to dress so that you look taller or shorter, slimmer or curvier…
Hello–thank you for the wonderful website. It made me think while reading your advice on Column of Color–could you address the fashion rule of thirds for everyone–research does not reveal that much and I’d like it specifically geared toward what constitutes 1/3 and 2/3 with our outfits. Thanking you in advance! So what is the…
Checking out some photos of Kate Middleton (The Duchess of Cambridge) the other day I came across this pic with her wearing an Alexander McQueen knit dress. And I realised that it looks all wrong as the proportions don’t work for her body. Kate’s waist is a few inches above where the blue knit waistband…
I just wanted to let you all know that I’m over at You Look Fab today with a guest post on how to dress a large bust, so head on over and leave a comment! Thanks Angie for asking me!
One of my readers commented on a post about common issues with fit: I’ve had problems with certain tops bunching in the back, too. What’s up with that? Most bunching comes from your body shape being not related to the shape that the garment was cut for. Too much fabric in an area that doesn’t…
Australian Marie Claire magazine did a survey of men and women, polling which Australian clothing size from 6 to 16 was sexiest. (For those in North America/Canada, an Australian 12 is a US size 8, and for those in the UK and Australian 12 is a UK size 14). Interestingly, the results said that an…
Yesterday’s post on using a column of colour had lots of comments and a few queries which I thought I’d answer today. Pearlaceous said… I understand the principle behind this, Imogen, and this is what I actually do when I wear black jeans or trousers, but how do I make it work with…
Image and Style Books – The Triumph of Individual Style by Carla Mathis The other day I did a review of The Little Black Book of Style – which I wan’t hugely impressed with. I was asked what books I did think were worth the money, I’ve already done a review of Christopher Hopkins Staging…