Just in case you didn't catch that - within 7 seconds of meeting someone, 81% of the information you use to create a first impression is based solely on dress. That's crazy!
And not only do looks matter when meeting other people, there are studies upon studies of how your look affects your behavior. I saw research where they studied people in the workplace, and the people that put forth the effort to look good that day actually had a faster typing rate, learned and retained information better, and had better communication and social skills.
I could go on and on as to reasons why you should choose to look good... but this post is going to be long enough anyways. So just trust me. (Also sorry for all of the boring facts and figures - on to the fun stuff!) Now that you know the importance of dressing well, how do we go about doing it?
First things first - you have to know your body type and embrace your body type. You need to dress for the body you have, not the body you want. So take a minute to give yourself a hug and love yourself. Awww!
This picture shows how dressing correctly for your body really helps you look better.
There are 5 main body types: Pear, Inverted Triangle, Rectangle, Apple, Hourglass. Notice that there is not a type for plus size or petite, or tall or short. You can have every body size in every body shape. And I really want you guys to know that if you read a rule about your body type, and you know that you have a piece of clothing that breaks that rule but you look amazing in it, THEN WEAR IT! Confidence is HUGE when it comes to dressing and how you look. As long as you feel great in what you are wearing, you will look great. :) Just try to have fun with it.
Also, as you read through these if you are still confused on what body type your are, here is a link that will help you figure it out -
On to how to dress!
Pear!
- Just like the shape of a pear, you are larger on the bottom half of your body.
- If you gain weight you typically gain it in the thigh-to-hip-area first.
- Your upper body is smaller including smaller breasts and shoulders.
Because you are larger on your bottom half, we are going to try to emphasize the smaller upper half of your body. You aren't going to want to add more volume to parts of your body that already have enough volume and you are going to want to draw the eye to the smallest parts. You are also probably wanting to even out your body. How do we do that? Here's how!
Do:
- A-line skirts
- Bootleg or wide-leg pants
- Light colors on top and dark colors on bottom (dark draws your eye away, and lights draw your eye towards)
- Boat, square, and cowl necklines
- Big chunky fun necklaces and scarves (this will add more volume and draw your eye to your upper body)
- Jackets that hit right above the waist (so as to not add volume to your hips)
Don't:
- Skin-tight skinny jeans
- Ruffled skirts or pants
- Big chunky bracelets (this will draw the eye to your lower body)
Inverted Triangle!
- The opposite of the Pear, you are larger on the upper half of your body.
- When you gain weight you typically gain it in your arms and chest.
- Your lower body is smaller including a smaller butt and thighs.
Because you are larger on your upper half, we are going to try to emphasize the smaller lower half of your body. You aren't going to want to add more volume to parts of your body that already have enough volume and you are going to want to draw the eye to the smallest parts. You are also probably wanting to even out your body. How do we do that? Here's how!
Do:
- Full skirts with lots of volume (think a flirty, twirly skirt)
- Skinny or wide leg pants (just make sure to balance out your top with whichever you are wearing)
- Blouses and tops that have a waistline
- High waist-ed pants and skirts (you are one of the body types that can really rock this style)
- Dresses with a cinched waist
- Fun chunky bracelets (drawing the eye to your smaller lower body)
Don't:
- Boat and crowl neck tops
- Tops that are ruffled or have a lot of appliques
- Shoulder pads (you don't want to add more volume to the biggest part of your body)
- Bulky scarves and necklaces
Rectangle!
- Your bust, waist, and hips all have generally the same measurements.
- Your smaller arms and legs are your assets.
Because your body has generally the same measurements, we are going to emphasize your smaller legs and arms and create curves using clothing. Just like with any body shape, the Rectangle can be very athletic or plus size or anything in between, but we are going to make you look just as feminine as those shapes with more curves. How do we do that? Here's how!
Do:
- Scoop neck and sweetheart necklines (to add a feminine curve)
- Longer jackets that go to or past the hip
- Collars, ruffles or gathering on chest
- Layer clothing (you can afford to add some volume)
- Dresses with cinched waists
- Skinny and boot cut jeans
- Peplum tops and dresses
Don't:
- Box-y shirts
- Unevenly distribute volume (you can make yourself look like a pear or inverted triangle if you don't do it correctly)
- Clothing that is saggy on parts of your body (your butt or bust)
An extra tip: Androgynous style (clothing that seems like it can be worn on a man or woman) can look really great on the Rectangle. Just keep it feminine with colors, patterns, and jewelry.
Apple!
- You have a larger upper half of your body, including more weight in your stomach.
- When you gain weight you typically gain it in your stomach, chest or arms.
- Your hips, thighs, and legs are the smallest part of your body.
Because you are larger on your upper half, we are going to try to emphasize the smaller lower half of your body. You aren't going to want to add more volume to parts of your body that already have enough volume and you are going to want to draw the eye to the smallest parts. You are also probably wanting to even out your body. How do we do that? Here's how!
Do:
- 'V' necks
- Dresses with an empire waist (let the fabric drape over the largest part of your body rather than hug it)
- Bootcut and flared jeans
- Dark on top and light on bottom (dark draws the eye away and light draws the eye towards)
- Fun chunky bracelets
- Gathering on stomach
- Drop waist dress (Think Great Gatsby! You are a body type that really pulls of this style)
Don't:
- Blouses and tops with ruffles
- Really tight tops
- Bulky scarves, necklaces
- Shoulder pads
Hourglass!
- Your hip and bust measurements are relatively the same and your waist measurement is smaller.
- You typically gain weight in your chest and butt before anywhere else.
- The smallest part of your body is your waist.
Because your largest parts are your bust and hip, you are going to want to emphasize your smallest part, which is your waist. You are going to want to accentuate your body without going over-board.
Do:
- Dresses with cinched waists or belted
- Skinny or straight jeans
- Jackets that come down to your hip
- Scoop neck, or cowl neckline
- Structured pieces
- Keep it simple
Don't:
- Baggy clothing (this will hide your smallest part, your waist, and only show the largest parts)
- Bulky fabrics
- Wear skin tight all of the time (this can be fine for going out at night, but it's not appropriate for the work place)
Tips for looking taller:
- Stay away from horizontal lines as these will cut you off.
- A pointed toe shoe will elongate your legs
- Clothes that are too long for you will make you look shorter. Keep your clothes tailored.
- Vertical lines will elongate your body.
Tips for looking thinner:
- Like we said with each of the body shapes, emphasize your smallest part(s).
- Although you may feel smaller in clothing that is too big for you, you actually end up looking bigger. Wear the correct size for your body.
- Wearing dark on a body part you don't love (for me it's my thighs) will draw the eye AWAY from that area. Then wear a light or bright color on a body part you love and that will draw the eye TO that area.
The most important thing for any of these body shapes is to have fun with what you are wearing. Mix things up! Take a little extra time in the morning to make sure that what you are wearing REALLY looks good on your body. If it doesn't, see if there are some simple changes you can make that will make a difference.
I hope that this post has helped some of you out there. If you are still confused or have any questions go ahead and email me. I am also willing to help by going through your closet with you and showing you how to put pieces together in a way that looks best on you. Once again, just email me and we will talk about specifics. (Reminder that if you were in the class I taught about this on 04/10/14, I will do this for free for you.)
Go ahead and comment with any stories, extra tips, or if you think that I am completely wrong and am burning years of work that feminists have done. (Side note - I do consider myself a feminist in most regards, I just also think that you can look good while doing it. I'm a lipstick feminist)
Also I will be doing a post on How to Dress for Success probably next week and another one on something else between then and now (if there is something in particular that you want to see, let me know. Especially you dudes because I know that this post is very geared towards womens). Have such a fabulous day!
