The Shape of Things - How to dress for your body type

Dressing well is effortless when you understand your silhouette. Forget the "rules", Your style should be defined by your own comfort and confidence. Use your proportions simply as a guide to balance your look and find designs and fabrics that sit perfectly on your unique shape.

Here is a quick breakdown of the most common body types and how to style them to achieve the best results.

1. The Pear Shape 
•    The Silhouette: Your hips and thighs are wider than your shoulders and bust, often with a well-defined waist.
•    The Styling Goal: Draw attention upward and balance your lower half.
•    What to Wear: Ruffles, statement sleeves, or bright prints on top. Pair them with A-line skirts or straight-leg pants that skim past the hips.
•    What to Avoid: Tight bottoms or hip-level pockets that add extra bulk.

2. The Apple Shape (Round / Oval)
•    The Silhouette: Your upper body is fuller, carrying weight around the midsection, often with slimmer legs and arms.
•    The Styling Goal: Elongate your torso and highlight your legs or shoulders.
•    What to Wear: V-neck and scoop-neck tops, empire waistlines, and flowing A-line dresses. Monochromatic outfits or vertical stripes also create a seamless, lengthening effect.
•    What to Avoid: Stiff, bulky fabrics or ultra-tight clothes wrapped tightly around the middle.

3. The Hourglass Shape
•    The Silhouette: Your bust and hip measurements are roughly even, matched by a narrow, clearly defined waist.
•    The Styling Goal: Accentuate your natural waistline without adding unnecessary volume.
•    What to Wear: Wrap dresses, belted coats, high-rise trousers, and form-fitting fabrics that follow your curves.
•    What to Avoid: Boxy cuts or shapeless, baggy garments that hide your frame.

4. The Rectangle Shape (Banana / Ruler)
•    The Silhouette: Your shoulders, bust, and hips are relatively uniform, with a less-defined waist.
•    The Styling Goal: Create the illusion of curves and dimension.
•    What to Wear: Peplum tops, layered jackets, ruffles, and belted waists to break up a straight silhouette.
•    What to Avoid: Excessively clingy, featureless fabrics that emphasize straight lines.

5. The Inverted Triangle
•    The Silhouette: Your shoulders and bust are noticeably broader than your narrow hips.
•    The Styling Goal: Add subtle volume to your lower half
to balance out your broad upper frame.
•    What to Wear: A-line skirts, wide-leg trousers, and wrap dresses that draw the eye downward and soften the shoulders.
•    What to Avoid: Heavy shoulder pads or boat necklines that exaggerate shoulder width.

Which style guideline do you most relate to? 

This season, the store is packed with all new, hand-selected, styles, designs, fabrics and sizes to meet the needs of our diverse clientele. We love and celebrate each one of you and want you to look and feel your best. 

Did you know...You can make an appointment, or just simply stop by, and one of our highly trained staff members will work with you, one-on-one, to help you create the Fall wardrobe of your dreams! Actually - you're likely to get more than one staff member helping you. Our team love to get involved! 

Give us a call on (902) 624-6177 and let's make a plan to get you ready for Fall! 

What are you looking forward to this season? Any special events coming up that you need a new outfit for? Let us know in the comments.