Here we have one version of a V body shape (inverted triangle) body. You will notice that her shoulders are broader than hips, but there is not a lot of curve through the body either. Some Vs are significantly wider than their hips, others are just a bit wider (like this example). How to dress…
X body shapes (hourglass figures) have defined waists, but their shoulders and hips are the same width (unlike the A who has wider hips than shoulders). There is a longer straighter slope from waist to hips (unlike the high shelf-like curve of the 8 shape). You can see that the X shape has a much…
Today I have a couple of examples of A body shapes for you. You will notice that they can be more or less obvious, but that the low hip is where the widest point is (rather than the high hip of the 8 shape). Their shoulders are narrower than their hips (shoulders are taken from…
On to the next shape – today we have an H body shape (rectangle body shape). What you will notice is that there is not much definition between the shoulders, waist and hips, sure there is a little curve here and there, but not a really defined waist curve. Here is another H – you…
Have you got a high “shelf” like hip? I often think of this as the Barbie Doll body shape – it’s what I call the 8 shape and is one of the two hourglass shapes (the X shape is the other hourglass shape). What you notice with an 8 shape is that there is a…
If you’d describe your figure as boyish, with little in the way of curves you are most likely an I body shape. (Not sure of your body shape? Take the Body Shape Calculator Quiz here). I body shapes tend to have similar width shoulders and hips with a fairly undefined waist. They are very lean…
Most O shapes that I’ve met tend to feel self-conscious about their stomach area, so here are some tips of what not to take into the dressing room if you are an O Shape. 6 Styles of Clothes or Clothing Details to Avoid if You are an O or Apple body shape Dresses or tops…
One commenter asked “who can wear a boyfriend jacket” ;that my friend is for the V shape. But what should a V shape avoid? Puffed sleeves Lots of shoulder detail Boat necks Wide lapels Straight skirts (if you are very broad shouldered) Shoestring straps Too much waist shaping if you don’t have a defined or…
Not sure of your body shape? Read up on the Body Shapes Explained posts to help you find it. How to Find the Right Top for X Shape Best to avoid looking at clothing with these features: Lots of horizontal detail across the hips. Patch pockets on the hips Tops that don’t show off your…
Nancy K put in a request (and yes I’m doing all the body shapes) for an 8 shape – so here are some guidelines. If you are an 8 Shape (high hip and bootylicious) you are best to avoid trying on garments that: Flare from the waist – such as dirndl or circle, or any…
Reader’s question: “Which tops and jackets to make a busty H-shape body with high hips and short, waist, long legs look good?” Flattering tops and jackets for H shape body What are the features that an H Shape should avoid taking to the change room to stop depression setting in when on a shopping trip?…
I always find that I want to make shopping a pleasant experience. So with a little knowledge you can be prepared to assess a garment before you try it to see if it has a chance of flattering your figure. If you have an A (pear) shaped body, which many women do, it’s that lovely…
A couple of days back I was named the new Plus Size Women’s Style Life Tips Guru! So because I don’t have enough on my plate, I thought I’d add this one more writing assignment into my life. I’m starting to think I should have taken the journalism course when I was at university rather…
There are many tricks you can do to visually increase the size of your bust (I don’t think that exercise we used to do when I was 13 really worked – remember that “I must, I must, I must increase my bust” with the corresponding arm waving). Though maybe it did for me? How am…
Hi Imogen! First, just let just say that I’m so thrilled to have discovered your fantastic blog! I have a very small natural waist, a feature that I of course would like to highlight. However, I’m always cold at work, and by the time I pile on all the layers I begin to look like…
Blogger Metscan asks: One more suggestion for you Imogen. Could you do a post telling what rules you won´t break ever? It would be so much fun. Thanks ! It was interesting thinking about this topic – what rules would I never break? I know there are definitely rules that I wouldn’t break when dressing…
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…
I posted last week that I was excited to see that Elle MacPherson Intimates had brought our a range of bras up to a G cup – so today I went for a test drive – unfortunately the hype doesn’t live up to the reality. What I noticed first was that for a larger cup…
After my post on Highlighting Your Assets, some commenters seemed to have trouble working out what their assets are, they’ve spent so long being told about and focussing on their ‘flaws’ but never ‘assets’. I see everything as an asset, and don’t believe in flaws. It’s just that some assets you may want to highlight,…
