Discover the different body shapes and how best to dress your body shape to flatter
Reader Question: Please could you do a post about choosing shrugs, wraps and pashminas for the different body shapes? My particular problem is being short with an O body type or Apple shape. Should I use longer or shorter shrugs etc. to balance my proportions? Also With pashminas, I tend to wear as a thicker…
Carol Karl and I talk jewellery again in this video, all about selecting jewellery to harmonise with your body shape and features. Body Shape and Jewellery Choices What body shape tells us, where to put horizontal lines and vertical lines, what the silhouette should be ideally. You can find out more about the impact…
Reader Question: “I‘m turning 40 this year though I still feel 30 I have an 18 month old baby and I just feel like my style is a huge mum rut since dropping my breastfeeding down to once a day I noticed the weight start to creep in around my tummy and I’ve always been…
It is not uncommon for women to experience a shift in their body shape as they age, particularly during menopause. As women lose estrogen, they tend to gain weight in the upper body, resulting in less-defined waists. This can lead to a shift from an 8 shape to an H shape or even an O…
No matter your size, shape or age, most women have issues sourcing clothes that they love, that suit their colouring and that fit and flatter. The further you are away from “manufacturing standards” the harder it becomes and then along with this, you may have heard that there are things you can’t wear, such as…
Fashion trends are constantly changing, and new silhouettes are key to staying current. However, it’s important to stay true to your own personal style without feeling left behind. For example, if you’ve been wearing skinny jeans or pants for years, and now wide leg pants are coming back in, you may wonder how to adapt…
In This Video Cancer, a Mastectomy and Weight Gain 0.08 Right now Iām struggling with my style Iām having chemo and then breast surgery- so thin and straw-like hair, weight gain from chemo and a future flat chest are taking over my style at present and I lack energy ā any tips? 8 Tips on…
Reader Question: “Where is the best place for a V-shape body to wear brooches? I’m especially interested in areas in the portrait since the brooch can help with both value contrast and colour contrast.” Most women when getting dressed focus on the body parts they like least. This is completely the wrong way of going…
Want a quick snapshot of the best posts of 2022 here on Inside Out Style? Then you’ve come to the right place! In this post I’m sharing some of my best colour and body shape figure flattery advice from the past year. Come Alive with Colour How to Layer in Winter (or Any Season) Using…
Reader Question: I struggle with the intimidation and non-approachable effect created by being tall, high contrast, and a fairly classic dramatic personality. I dress in medium to low contrast and more muted colours to be approachable and less intimidating but it feels less me. What do you suggest to dress to look more approachable? How…
One of the many benefits of my 7 Steps to Style program are the monthly Q&A sessions. We get together on Zoom and I answer member’s questions so they get the support and information they need to keep on improving and defining their own personal style. This was the question of a fabulous member,…
Reader Question – I often choose great outfits which don’t look good on me. How can I make better decisions? We can love an outfit on the mannequin. We can love it on the salesperson. We can love it on one of our friends. You are not the mannequin. You are not the salesperson. You…
The choice of scarf comes down to personal preference. A scarf might conceal or draw attention away from body parts that you don’t particularly like. If you have a pear shape and want to add more balance to your ensemble, for instance, you can wear a vibrant scarf to attract attention up to your face…
A collection of lovely handbags is a wonderful idea if you enjoy variety and dress for different occasions (from everyday casual, and business attire to evenings out). However, having a collection can mean spending a lot of money (though these days there are many places you can purchase quality handbags at affordable prices, from thrift…
What are the keys to creating flattering outfits for the I shape body (otherwise known as the rectangle. celery, banana)? The I shape has similar width hips and shoulders and doesn’t have a particularly defined waist. It’s a slim shape, with narrower shoulders and hips and the owners of them may often describe them as…
What are the keys to creating flattering outfits for the V shape body (otherwise known as the inverted triangle or cone shape)? The V shape has broader shoulders than the waist or hips. If you want all the details grab your Body Shape Bible here. You most likely have an undefined waist (your rib…
What are the keys to creating flattering outfits for the O body shape (often described as the Apple shape or Oval Shape)? The O shape can have similar width shoulders and hips or their shoulders may be narrower than their hips, but they have a rounded waistline curving outwards both at the front and sides. …
Reader Question: How do I create my own figure flattery guidelines when I have to take into consideration my body shape, my body proportions and my body variations? This is what I call the body equation and here are tips on how you can put together your own set of personalised guidelines, as you are…
What are the keys to creating flattering outfits for the 8 body shape (it’s one of the two hourglass body shapes)? The 8 shape can have similar width shoulders and hips or their shoulders may be narrower than their hips, but they have a defined waist. If you want all the details grab your Body…
Reader Question – Iām an o-shape and I find that jeans just never stay up or if I belt them really tight, they hurt. I find it impossible – any tips? All of us have different shapes, sizes and styles so finding the perfect pair of jeans can be a massive task with an overwhelming number…
Balance is the concept of visual equilibrium. When we talk about dressing for your body shape and body proportions, what we are trying to do create visual balance. There are 4 main principles of co-ordination that influences how you achieve balance with your outfits. These are: Levels of Refinement Principle of Volume Related Shapes Related Lines When…
