It is widely regarded that all women can be categorised into one of four different body shapes. Known as apple, banana, pear and hourglass, they all have their negative and positive aspects and to feel as confident as possible and look your best, it is important that you not only know what body shape you are, but what clothes work (and do not work) with your shape.
If you are an apple shape, for example, then as tempting as it can be to wear baggy clothes to hide your stomach, do not fall for this temptation. Instead, wear something like a tunic t-shirt or a top with a lower neckline than you might usually go for. Team this with an attractive necklace, wide legged trousers and chunky or strappy heels. Remember, you have got the legs, so make the most of them.
For those with a pear body shape, as the general shape is simply a reverse of the apple (this time being small on top and large from the waist down), you simply reverse the points that you would take note of if you were an apple shape. Therefore, aim to wear dark colours on your legs, as these can have a slimming effect and brighten up everything from your hips upward. In addition, try to refrain from blocking your body in two, such as with a tight belt that makes the divide between your smaller upper body and larger lower body more prominent.
Banana body shapes tend to be boyish in their looks and can be relatively unshapely. However, long, slim legs are a plus for most banana shaped women and therefore it is these that you need to focus on. Knee length skirts and trousers that fit under your waist are recommended, whilst almost anything that does not focus largely on your breasts will generally work on top.
Whilst the curvy shape of the hourglass figure can be appealing to many, it can be tempting to cover the curves up when looking for women’s clothes. You should refrain from doing this, as it will make you look a lot worse than you think. Choose items that show off your waist and chest and balance yourself out by having trousers that flare (in whichever way) at the bottom.
Now, whilst these four shapes may be the primary shapes, a lot of women feel that they do not fit comfortably into any of the four shapes and are more of a combination of two or even three.
Understanding this, the celebrity fashion and style gurus Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine (of Channel 4s What Not To Wear program) put together a list for the Daily Mail in 2007 and came to the conclusion that there were in fact 12 different body shapes. Including additional body shapes such as lollipop, goblet and vase,
Whichever body shape you are, it is imperative that to look your best you fully understand the positive and negative points that your body has. Do not feel negative because you may have large thighs or upper arms that you simply cannot tone, but instead accentuate the positive areas of your body, detracting from those points that you are not as comfortable with.
Fashion and self confidence go hand in hand. Simply wearing the most fashionable clothes around is not often enough and you have to feel confident with them. This can be a difficult thing to achieve, but by understanding your body shape, you should be able to find the best women’s clothes for you, boosting your confidence immediately.