Dressing to flatter your body type...
At Belle Diva, we know that beauty and style come in all shapes and sizes! While it’s important to wear whatever you love, we can help make sure you aren’t missing a trick when it comes to making the most of your unique body shape.
Let’s take a look at what to embrace, and what to avoid…
How to know your body shape:
Before you decide what to wear, it's helpful to identify your body shape. Here are the most common:
Pear (triangle): hips wider than shoulders, narrower top, more weight in lower body.
Apple (round): more volume in the midsection, less waist definition, possibly broader torso.
Inverted triangle: broad shoulders and/or bust, narrower hips.
Hourglass: bust and hips are roughly balanced, with a defined waist.
Rectangle (or straight): bust, waist, hips all fairly similar; little natural waist definition.
To determine which you are, stand in front of a mirror (or have someone help): check the width of shoulders vs hips, see whether your waist is narrower, and observe where clothes tend to cling or drag. Also note how you like to highlight or downplay parts: do you want to balance wider hips, or soften broad shoulders, etc.
Still unsure? Pop in and see us and we can help decide!
Dressing for your shape in autumn/winter
Cold weather means layers, coats, knits, scarves, and the wrong choices can overwhelm your shape or hide what you want to show. Allow us to share some styling tips by body shape, including what to embrace and avoid, especially in coats, jackets, and accessories this autumn.
1. Pear Shape
Goal: Balance out the upper body so more focus is up top, avoid emphasizing the widest part (hips/thighs).
Embrace:
Jackets/coats with structured shoulders or detailing (puff sleeves, epaulettes, shoulder seams) to add volume up top. Our new in Marc Aurel puffer coats spring to mind!
A line or swing coats that gently skim over the hips; coat length just above or mid thigh instead of ending at the widest part of the hip.
Darker colours or monotones for trousers/skirts; lighter or more colourful for top layers.
Handbags that draw the eye upward: smaller to medium cross body, shoulder bags that sit above the hip. A structured handbag from Tissa Fontaneda, could work well to draw the eye upwards.
Statement necklaces from Talis Chains can also add interest to your neck area, creating balance and a touch of sparkle!
Avoid:
Jackets ending exactly at the fullest part of the hips—this can accentuate width.
Extremely voluminous coats around the bottom (pleated or flared excessively), unless balanced above.
2. Apple Shape
Goal: Create waist definition, elongate the torso, avoid bulk around midsection.
Embrace:
Single breasted coats or jackets with vertical lines (long buttons, open fronts, long scarves) to create a lengthening line.
Tops that hit just above the belly or drape softly.
Layering: long cardigans, scarves, vests can help. Something gorgeous from Tricot Chic’s knitwear range, given their expertise in luxurious knits and soft finishes, can be draped so as to not cling to the midsection but offer texture and elegance.
Choose handbags that are mid sized, avoid overly wide styles or bags that add bulk around the middle. Our Valentino range are just the ticket and come in a range of sizes.
Avoid:
Double breasted coats that add bulk at the centre, or anything too fitted across the stomach.
Cropped tops and jackets that stop at the midriff or belly line (they tend to cut across the widest part).
3. Inverted Triangle
Goal: Soften broad shoulders and create balance with the lower body.
Embrace:
Bottoms with volume (wide legs, pleated skirts, A line skirts) to give visual weight down below. How about the stunning Joseph Ribkoff faux leather wide leg culottes?
Necklines that help break up the shoulder line (V necks, draped fronts).
Jackets that are single breasted, gently tailored without heavy shoulder pads. Maybe something like Marc Aurel’s ecru lightweight coat could be your star autumn purchase as it’s not too bulky in the shoulders.
Handbags with soft shapes, or ones that hang lower on the body: cross body, slung over the hip, rather than stiff box bags that add width up top.
Avoid:
Very structured, padded shoulders.
Boat necks or wide boat neck sweaters that accentuate shoulder width without balancing down.
4. Hourglass
Goal: Highlight your waist; maintain balance between bust and hips.
Embrace:
Belted coats, wrap styles, trench coats that define the waist.
Fitted jackets (but not too tight). For example, we have a stunning Joseph Ribkoff winter white peplum jacket which would look stunning on an hourglass figure!
Our statement Valentino belts are a sure fire way to emphasise your waist and can be worn with a variety of outfits.
Skirts or trousers that follow the natural line (not too billowy unless styled carefully).
Avoid:
Oversized boxy coats that swallow the waist.
Straight shapes that make your figure look more rectangle like.
5. Rectangle / Straight
Goal: Create curves, add definition, avoid looking too boxy.
Embrace:
Peplum jackets, ruffles, frills, hip detail, belts to cinch in at the waist.
Elisa Cavaletti have produced some beautiful, winter coats and jackets with plenty of detail. Many of these are in the on-trend combination of winter white and grey for ultimate elegance.
Layering with scarves, knits, maybe a jacket from Tricot Chic with interesting texture or fur trim that adds dimension.
Choose jackets mid hip or slightly below, avoid extremes in length that make you look longer without shape.
Avoid:
Very straight, shapeless outerwear with no waist definition.
Very long coats that go almost to ankle that may overwhelm a straighter silhouette.
Fabrics and Colour:
Autumn is the ideal time to experiment with dressing for your body shape.
Colder weather calls for more layers and the perfect opportunity to use texture to your advantage. Wools, faux fur trims, plush knits, bubble leather can all add interest and warmth, drawing attention to those areas you wish to emphasise (and away from those you may not!)
Contrast: Dark bottoms + lighter tops (for pear shapes), or colourful scarves/hats to draw attention upward. Reverse this to balance out an inverted triangle, with patterned trousers or statement footwear to emphasise your bottom half. Our Andia Fora trainers always make an impact!
Layering:
Use layering to create vertical lines: long cardigans, open coats, scarves.
As always, the team at Belle Diva is ready and waiting to help style you confident. Whether you need a personalised style consultation, help identifying your body type or just fancy perusing our gorgeous clothes, footwear and accessories, we look forward to seeing you!