Avoid a costly fashion mistake by following these tips on how to dress according to your body type.
Have you ever planned on going to an event and wanted to have the perfect outfit ready to go, but always struggled trying to pick what to wear? The key is knowing how to dress for your body type when picking out clothes. Everybody type is built differently and is unique in its own way.
Looking our best is important to both men and women who want to put together an outfit. When you know what types of clothing fit your individual body type, you can look great and make the most out of anything you wear.
Interested in finding out more? Here is a listing of five tips to help you dress for your body type and wear clothes that flatter you.
Learn Your Body Type
Our bodies are built in different ways that take on different shapes and sizes. For women, this can mean having a body shaped like an hourglass or a pear, and others like a rectangle or inverted triangle. For men, it’s the same thing, with some men having bodies built like a trapezoid or inverted rectangle too.
Looking at your own body and seeing what shapes it resembles is the first step in seeing what type of clothes are a good fit. This can be done by looking at a mirror and seeing for yourself. This includes those who adjust or change their body through body laser sculpting, different clothes will fit different people.
Clothing items like cotton shirts or wools might work for one type of body, but for others, a nice vest may fit more to their body type. This is different for every person and can help a lot when you know your body type at first.
Dressing to Proportion
Our body proportions are very important when dressing up. The rule of thirds is a golden rule when putting together an outfit. Human beings find things broken down into thirds as a beautiful proportion to our eyes.
Picking out a full outfit and putting it together should follow this same approach. Your upper torso, midsection, and legs are all portions of your body. Having items that fit well within these proportions, and not breaking it up, will make your outfit more appealing to others as they see you.
Wear Only Items That Fit
It’s never a good idea to wear something that doesn’t fit. Any clothing that is too large or too small can be restrictive and uncomfortable to wear. Always try to wear items that fit as close to your size as possible. Remember, fit is everything.
This can be frustrating at times, for both men and women, especially when options for clothing are limited. But putting in the extra effort to get clothes that are close to the size and right for your body type will yield much better results in the long run.
Dressing to Look Slimmer
Did you ever want your outfit to help you look a bit slimmer? There are ways to do so with clothing choices that can help your body image look shed weight visually. A lot of it is done by making your body look more elongated.
Wearing stripes on outfits can help with this, as well as shapewear that fits close to your body type. Clothing like this can help make a visual line or give the illusion of your body looking longer.
This is further enhanced if you stand up more straight and have a good posture when standing.
Keeping Brands in Mind
Everyone loves to wear those big name-brand clothing when possible. But sometimes that cool shirt or pair of pants from that name-brand might not fit your body shape too well. This is because some brands have different size ranges that vary from region to region.
Always keep in mind when purchasing new clothes that sizes in North America tend to be wider than clothes in European countries.
Depending on if you’ve gained weight or grew recently, you’ll have to take that into account when picking out clothes that were made in different places. Sometimes mixing and matching will put together an outfit that works best for how your body is structured.
Looking Your Absolute Best When You Know How to Dress for Your Body Type
And there you have great tips on how to dress for your body type and make yourself look great when you go out. If you want to know more about body image and tailoring your body type, make sure you visit the rest of our website.
How to Dress According to Your Shape
While you can always buy the clothes that are fresh off the runway, the truth of the matter is some will fit you – and some will not. Why? It’s because of your body shape. Avoid a costly fashion mistake by following these tips on how to dress according to your shape.
Ballerina
As the name suggests, the ballerina body type comes with long, lean muscles – ala dancer, of course. As for the height, you tower above all – like the famous supermodels out there. If you have a ballerina body type, then you need to know how to dress according to your shape by looking at the outfits of Victoria’s Secret Angel Karlie Kloss.
- Wear semi-loose menswear bottoms and balance them with tight-fitting tanks and crop tops.
- Go crazy with the frou-frou and embellishment! With your lean stature, you can definitely pull these off.
- Further, lengthen your stance by wearing a high-neck top.
Hourglass
If you have an hourglass body shape, then congratulations! This symmetrical shape comes with a full bust, tiny waist, and round hips. Like Kim Kardashian, you can make the most out of your body with these tips on how to dress according to your shape:
- Show your midsection! A peek of your tummy can further accentuate your sexy waist.
- Balance it out. Should you decide to wear an oversized item, make sure to bare other parts of your body.
Apple
As the name suggests, an apple body type exhibits a ‘rounder’ upper and smaller limbs. When it comes to how to dress according to your shape, remember to wear clothes that draw attention to your stomach and hips, not your bust. Be as stunning as apple-shaped Tyra banks by following these tips on how to dress according to your shape:
- Create the illusion of a smaller top by wearing a dress with diagonal lines and prints.
- Miniaturize your bust by wearing long, streamlined jackets and toppers.
- Wear a slim-fit, full-shaped dress. Make sure that the waistband traverses the widest part of your tummy.
Pear
In a nutshell, the pear body shape is characterized by hefty hips, thighs, and butt. The chest and shoulders, on the other hand, are remarkably small. Although this is the case, you can be a fashion maven like Beyonce simply by following these tips on how to dress according to your shape:
- Wear an off-shoulder top. It can create symmetry between your tiny top and voluptuous bottom.
- Top it off with a bomber jacket. The volume it creates can balance out your hefty hips.
- Be ethereal in a mermaid dress. The wide ends can help taper your round backside.
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at BlueFashion. She has been steering the website’s content and editorial direction since 2013. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra’s expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
