I recently discussed colour theory with a friend who wasn’t familiar with the concept. I told her which category I thought she fit into, and she disagreed. The next day we went shopping, and after trying on items in colours that previously worked for her as a blonde, she conceded that as a brunette, they didn’t flatter her in the same way. Now deep, warm neutrals and rich jewel tones make her pop, whereas previously a bright blue was her go-to shade.
Ultimately, if your calculations tell you fuchsia is off the table but you feel great in fuchsia, then wear it! The purpose of the exercise is to identify what flatters you and give a jumping-off point, not to make you feel worse. There might be a dress you love, but when you’re going to wear it, you know you have to put in some time for industrial light and magic (a little extra bronzer and such) to make it pop. If it makes you feel good, who cares?
Body Shape
This is one of my favourite topics because it’s so misunderstood. One of my best friends, Emma, is a plus-size blogger, and we realised pretty early on that although our sizes are very different, our body shapes are actually very similar. We hold weight around our middles and more generally on our upper bodies, so although the sizes of our clothes may be different, the silhouettes and styles we choose to dress our shapes with are the same.
There are some very basic guides out there to help you figure out your ‘shape’ that I’ve found useful. I realise that not everyone will feel that they tick a certain box, but it should help you (even vaguely) find a starting point for what styles will suit your body.
It’s possible that you’re never going to love your body completely every single day, but most of us can at least try and love a good portion of it at all times. We all talk about our ‘problem areas,’ but what about the ‘solution areas’? I, for example, am an ‘apple.’ I carry my weight up top and have described myself on more than one occasion as the equivalent of two stolen cars that have been welded together. I have wallowed in the summer that I don’t want to have my tummy out in a bikini, and I’ve had meltdowns in fitting rooms over every sweatshirt being so cropped it can’t cover my muffin top…but my legs, my legs are good. By focusing on my frustrations with my midsection, I am effectively feeding my own mental trolls. In the same way you’d do for a friend, look for the good and accentuate that, not just in clothes, but in your mind. If you’re a pear, chances are you have a fabulous waist and a Beyoncé booty that many of us envy. Athletic and petite ladies may long for curves while those with them wish they had a straighter figure. It’s natural to want what you don’t have, but hopefully learning to dress the shape with which you’ve been blessed will go a long way to helping you learn to love it.
Also, while we’re talking about shape (and Beyoncé) do you remember when we thought she had a huge bum? Scratch that, do you remember when we thought JLO was bootylicious? Just as fashion follows trends, so do body types. It’s currently cool to be curvy but thin—which is not what was in when I was at school. I’d like to say it’s just another mental hurdle we have to cross, but it is out there in the world. Stores preferring a certain shape makes it difficult to shop for what suits the remaining 90 percent of us, and it just sucks. Thankfully, the plethora of online stores allowing us to search by style (thank you, ASOS) and length do help…but we’ll get to shopping later.
Right now, we all think we know what shape we are, but it’s difficult to be objective about your own physique. If you have a tape measure handy, I would suggest you take your measurements to make this step simple. Measure the fullest part of your bust, the slimmest part of your waist and the widest part of your hips.
Here are some very basic rules for dressing according to the traditional body shapes. Take them as a guide if you’ve yet to find styles that suit your body. I’m using the names we’re (probably) all familiar with so that you can Google accordingly for inspiration.
Triangle/Pear
If you’re widest at your hips, you’re a triangle/pear. You likely have a small waist which you want to accentuate. These tips are aimed to balance your shape, but if you want to go full on body-con, go for it!
Celebrities Who Share Your Shape
•Beyoncé
•Jennifer Lopez
•Kim Kardashian
Wear
•Shoulder pads
•Boat or square necklines
•Hip skimming tops or jackets
•Fit & flare or A-line dresses
•High-waisted items
•Strapless dresses
•Vertical stripes
Avoid
•Patterns and detail below the waist
•Figure-hugging skirts
Inverted Triangle
If the widest area is your bust or wide shoulders, you have an inverted triangle/athletic shape. You should be looking at outfits that draw attention and add volume to your lower half and soften your shoulders.
Celebrities Who Share Your Shape
•Renee Zellweger
•Jessica Simpson
•Angelina Jolie
Wear
•A-line skirts or dresses
•V-neck tops
•Asymmetric necklines
•Fitted trousers
•Maxi skirts
•Long sleeves
•Patterns below the waist
•Dark colours above the waist
•Vertical stripes
Avoid
•Boat necklines
•Shoulder pads
•Pattern and detail above the waist
Rectangle/Banana
Your shape is straight with no discernible curves. This is literally a supermodel shape, and there’s little you ‘can’t’ wear, so I’ve tailored these tips to creating the illusion of curves.
Celebrities Who Share Your Shape
•Kate Moss
•Jennifer Garner
•Gwyneth Paltrow
Wear
•Belts to accentuate your waist
•Peplum tops and dresses
•Ruched tops and dresses
•Asymmetric cuts
Avoid
•Anything that will add significantly more volume to the upper or lower body, since your proportions are naturally balanced
•Anything fitted that doesn’t fit you
Oval/Apple
If you carry your weight