Shop for your shape

Every woman comes in a unique package, and even though we are all different shapes and sizes, many problem shapes are shared. There should be no such thing as a problem, only a solution. Let’s discuss some solutions to keep front and forward so that when shopping, you shop for your shape.

CURVY

• Make various pieces of shapewear your new best friends.
• Black and dark backgrounds are every girl’s next best friends. Repeating patterns on a dark background flatter.
• Avoid billowing garments with gathering; they will make you look large.
• Look for styles that fit well and skim the body.
• Choose showy jewellery and feature earrings to draw the eye upwards.
• Add height with shoes – a heel, wedge or platform will lengthen the leg which is a plus for curvy shapes.
• Wrap dresses are the most slimming style of dress.
• Wear a tunic over pants.
• Buy straight-leg slacks, pants and jeans without pockets, tabs or detail around the waist and hips; but do choose to have pockets or preferably faux pockets on the backside. Straight-leg pants will keep you looking in proportion.
• An all-through colour is very slimming.
• A single-breasted jacket not buttoned and showing a narrow strip of shirt flatters the curves.

BUSTY

• Avoid crew neck tops which accentuate a big bust. Choose V-neck and open neck tops. Keep a few buttons undone on blouses and shirts.
• Have tops and sweaters lightweight – no chunky cable knits for you!
• Buy the right bra. Shop where a professional can assist so that you have the exact size for around the back where the real support comes from as well as the exact cup size.

FLAT CHESTED

• Drew the focus upwards with bodice/blouse/sweater embellishment and three-dimensional detail (buttons, sequins, embroidery, pintucks, fringing, lace).
• Add a push-up bra to your shopping list. A wonderful way to balance hips and bust.
• The push-up bra will give you a cleavage, so take the plunge (to coin a phrase) and look for low necklines.

LONG WAISTED

• Keep jackets, sweaters and tops cropped – to the waist or shorter depending on the style, to balance proportion and elongate the legs.
• Buy high-waisted jeans and pants to give the illusion of a shorter upper body.
• Adopt horizontal stripes.

SHORT WAISTED

• The tried-and-true trick – vertical stripes will do it and lengthen the look of the upper body.
• Ditto for v-necklines.
• Go for jeans and pants with a low-cut waist. There are jeans to suit all body shapes, so look, look, look until you find the right waistline.
• Add a belt to accentuate the low-slung waistline.
• Give your body some definition using that low belt or a gently defined, dropped waistline.

TALL

● Draw attention to your face with a polo neck. The polo neck is often recommended to give the illusion of height but can also draw the eye to emphasise the face. Perfect hair and make-up will bring it off.
● Keep skirts about knee-length. Tall girls won’t look half-and-half.
● You too can adopt horizontal stripes.
● Buy straight-leg or boyfriend style jeans and pants – great on long legs.
● Love your height and enjoy showing off in bold prints and patterns.

SHORT

• Wear high-heeled or wedge-heeled shoes and boots. Wear platform soles. Try to get at least an inch in lift from flat shoes, sandals and thongs. When I say high-heels, I don’t necessarily mean stilettos or super high-heels, but always an inch-and-a-half to two inches at least. Try inserts worn inside boots, specially designed to add height. Only suitable for boots.
• Nude coloured shoes elongate the look of the leg.
• Never wear shoes with a strap of any sort. The line of the leg and foot should be uninterrupted.
• The length of jeans and slacks should be as long as possible to make legs look as long as possible. High-waisted slacks and jeans also elongate the leg.
• Wear skirts mid-calf or just above the knee in length, never knee-length and match your belt colour to your garment colour to avoid the half-and-half look.
• An all-through colour will make you look taller – say black skirt or slacks plus a black top and rely on accessories and jewellery for interest and impact.
• Short jackets are best. Waist length or at least above the hip. Makes the legs appear longer.
• V-neck styles make one appear taller, and a V-neck is especially flattering on a swimsuit; even better if a few stripes follow the line of the V-neckline.
• Talking of swimsuits, high-cut legs elongate the legs beautifully but also exposes lots of thighs, so take care to check in the mirror before wearing high-cut legs in public.
• Keep hair puffed a little on the crown. Not flat or smooth on the scalp.
• Embrace the svelte look – not too many layers of loose clothing and scarves flapping about your body. Close-fitting, simple clothes give the older woman better lines than the loose, layered look.

LARGE HIPS

• Buy A-line skirts.
• Again, draw the eye upwards – gorgeous collar, fabulous jewellery.
• Try on a jacket that curves in at the waist then out again over the top of the hips. Could look wonderful; might not. Experiment.
• Choose pants and jeans that fall from the hips and sit close to the body.

SOFT TUMMY

• Invest in shapewear to suit.
• Be sure that clothes skim and are not too tight.
• Seek out low-waisted skirts and pants and high waisted/princess-line dresses
• No belts at the natural waistline – only below.

BIG BOTTOM

• Have jackets that ease over and cover the bottom. Avoid short jackets.
• Buy lower waisted pants and jeans that sit nicely over the hips and bottom as they fall.
• Make sure that all interest is concentrated above the waist – jewellery and embellishment.
• Straight, body skimming dresses flatter.

SKINNY

Spend up on more elaborate fashions – wide belts, chunky fabrics; skinnies can get away with nearly anything, so do it.

Accentuate your fine frame and fine features by looking delicate in:

• Baggy jeans.
• Slouchy sweaters.
• Gathered and pleated skirts – sunray pleats this season.
• Cosy belted coats.

LESS THAN PERFECT LEGS

• Embrace all styles of trousers; jeans, slacks and ankle-tied filmy summer pants.
• Black tights are good under skirts and dresses, but not footless tights.
• Ditto long boots.
• No ankle straps on shoes and remember that a low-cut vamp elongates the leg.
• Mid-calf length skirts and dresses.

When listing fashions for your autumn shopping spree, note on your list the styles that will suit your shape and so streamline the day. I understand that pyjamas are now designed to be worn out and about, so if all else fails, go with the catwalk action and have a P.J. day! Mind you; I wouldn’t do this myself.

What do you think of Margaret’s tips?  What advice do you give to dressing to your shape?

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