Dressing for your body architecture: Type B Body Type (Hourglass)
To start you need to determine your individual body’s architecture. Although you may go up and down in sizes throughout your lifetime, your natural body silhouette remains the same, simply scaling in its natural proportions. There are basically six body types, which we will refer to as A, B, C, D, E, and F. Body shapes D, E, and F are the same basic proportions as A, B, and C but represent plus-sized figures.
Type A and D: The width of your shoulders and torso are smaller than your hips, with a clearly defined waistline. Think of a triangle.
Type B and E: The width of your shoulders and hips are similar, and your torso is smaller, with a clearly defined waistline. Think of an hourglass.
Type C and F: The width of your shoulders, torso, and hips are similar, with only a slight waist definition. Think of a silo.
Tips for dressing for a Type B body:
Tops:
Your best styles are soft, simple blouses that are softly fitted or bloused, wrap tops with deep V crossovers, halter tops with V necklines, and cotton or jersey knits. Blouses with detailed seaming, darts, designer shaping, open necklines, and soft sleeves are the most flattering for your womanly shape. Avoid tight fitted clothing that appears to cling. Fine gauge sweaters, midweight cotton knits, firm matte jerseys and knits, and soft, skimming cottons or blends work well. Avoid fabrics that are sheer or are too light and tend to cling to the body. Also, avoid overly busy patterns or excessive embellishments. The busier your bottoms are, the more simple and subtle your tops should be.
Jackets and Coats:
Your best styles are single-breasted jackets, wraps, and belted, nipped, or waist-cinched jackets. You want to accent your small waist and hourglass figure. Avoid straight jackets which will appear boxy and add dimension, making you appear heavier. Belt jackets, cardigans, and coats when possible to accent your waist. Jackets and coats with notched collars look the most flattering, framing your face and enhancing your breasts. Look for styles with minimal details or patterns. Look to add flair with the selection of simple patterns, flattering colors, textured fabrics, sleek leathers, or supple suedes. The busier your bottoms are, the more simple and subtle your tops should be.
Skirts:
Your best styles are pencil, trouser, circle, A-line, sarong, and tiered skirts. Look for pencil skirts with small waistbands that hit at your natural waist and are slightly tapered at the hemline for a curvy silhouette. You want to select fabrics that are heavy enough to hang properly by skimming the body and not clinging to your curves. Look for trouser skirts with front zippers, worn at the low waist, and shaped straight to the hemline. You want to select crisp fabrics such as cotton, denim, soft suede, etc. which hang properly and do not cling to your body. Circle and A-line skirts are best for medium height to tall girls. They should have a minimal waistband, hit just below your natural waist and worn either with a skirt/blouse tucked in, or belted. Sarong skirts can be worn short, to the knee, or just above the ankle. Tiered skirts work best for taller women and appear best in black, navy, or other darker tones. As a general rule, keep your skirts simple and play up your tops to draw the eye upward to your face, which should be the focal point. If you wear a strong color, print, or embellished style on the bottom though, keep your top simple so that the two do not compete with one another. Complete your vertical line with a shoe or boot with at least a 1-1/2″ height. This gives you a longer, leaner appearance.
Pants & Jeans:
Your best cut is has a low waist, flat front, minimal waistband, minimal pockets or decorative stitching, and a straight but full leg. The waistband can hit at varied heights, depending on your preference in look and comfort. It you have a long torso though, avoid very low waisted pants or jeans, because they will throw off your proportions. Your pants or jeans should allow for ease through the hip and thigh and gently skim the body. They should not feel snug. You can also wear different leg cut styles from straight to flared. Darker colors work best: black, brown, navy, dark denim, etc. Firm fabrics with a flattering shape best suite your shape. Complete your vertical line with a shoe or boot with at least a 1-1/2″ height. This gives you a longer, leaner appearance.
Capris and Shorts:
Capris should hit between the low calf and ankle length. They should have a minimal waistband that hits below your natural waist, with a flat front and straight leg. They should skim through the hip and thigh without clinging. You can typically wear short skirts which accentuate your shapely legs, but take in to consideration, the wider the thigh, the longer the shorts should be. Avoid shorts that hit mid-thigh, which will shorten your leg line and widen your overall appearance. It’s best to select something either a little shorter or longer depending on your body’s proportions.
Dresses:
Your best styles are dresses that are nipped or belted at the waist, cut on the bias, or sculpt the body naturally (i.e. tank dresses). You want to look for selections that provide torso and hip/thigh skimming with clean lines to show off your curves. Shorter lengths that hit at or just above the knee to show off your legs are the most flattering. Deep V or oval necklines will flatter your bust. If you have a very full bust, look for dresses with built-in additional support and vertical seams which shape the torso. Complete your vertical line with a shoe with at least a 1-1/2″ height. This gives you a longer, leaner appearance.
