All Bits... Body Shapes

Hello! As you can read in my presentation, fashion is a passion of mine. I don't have any title, but I like to think I have a gift with this kind of thing, and in this little piece, I will explain why. Therefore, to introduce you to my first topic, I want to open up a little more about my story.

Being a teenager in early 2000 with no exposure to the beautiful side of fashion left me struggling to find my own space in this aspect of life. My mum never paid much attention to details, colour coordination, and valorization, so I went with what I did not know, and I followed what was fashionable among teenagers.

Besides, my mum was not so open to many trends and ideas, so I was not allowed either, and frankly, thank God for that!

I remember wanting too much to wear low-rise jeans, and I was not allowed.

I was so attracted to the entire emo trend because I felt a connection with emo music, but I never wore too many dark clothes or dark makeup.

I was exploring my ideas with restrictions and with external influence, so I guess that even if I wanted to express myself with clothing, I did not have the resources to do it.

My exploring did not also happen because the internet was not full of beauty and fashion bloggers.

As soon as I started to understand what was on-trend throughout Disney Channel Movies and TV Series like Gossip Girl, fashion began to be more and more interesting, but I felt left out.

I have never been the "skinny girl" type and has puberty hit, I was eating my feelings and growing without noticing it, and of course, the result was that I was not doing justice to my self at all. I was so insecure about my presence that I thought for the longest time I was supposed to be the chubby girl, the plump woman, and I could not apply Fashion rules to my body. I have never felt represented by fashion because back then, the utopian ideal of the perfect body was so unilateral and unaccessible.

In the next part of my journey, in the first part of my 20's, I realized what I do need to stress on my body to appear, for myself and myself only, the best version of my self. Inside and out.

I cannot agree more of the fact that physical appearance is not as important as what anyone as inside of them, but, as Ellen Degeneres said, "Beauty is about becoming comfortable in your own skin. It's about knowing and accepting who you are". And we are mind and body at the same time.

In this article, I want to talk about something that helped me embrace my persona on a 360° level, which is realizing what my body shape is.

I will now describe one at one the five body shapes and share with you some bits and bits of advice to give justice to your figure and rock it.

Whatever your body shape may be, our aims are fundamentally the same:

• Balance your proportions

• Put the focus to the positives

• Mask any challenging areas

The Triangle Type

Celebrity Example: Khloe Kardashian

You have a Triangle Figure if:

• Your shoulders are less broad than your hips

• You usually buy a larger size on your bottom half

• You buy a smaller size on your top

• You have fuller hips, bum, and thighs

• You have a more narrow upper body

Your Goal is… Draw attention to your upper body & help to minimize your lower body.

2 Quick bits to shine:

• A big YES: jackets & coats with details like structured shoulders. Choose tops with attractive sleeves & wide or off-the-shoulder necklines. Big and eye-catching earrings are perfect for you.

• Keep it simple on your bottom half: A-line skirts that fall just below the knee and slightly flared, dark wash jeans and darker trousers are perfect to even your hips

The Inverted Triangle

Celebrity Example: Kate Middleton

You have an Inverted Triangle Figure if:

• You have broader shoulders than hips

• You have little definition between your waist & your hips

• You have a smaller bottom half than the top half

Your Goal is…Draw attention to your lower body & help to minimize your upper body.

2 quick bits to shine:

• A Big NO: any clothes that add dimension to the upper body. Keep this area simple and avoid necklines that widen the shoulders, details like ruffles and oversized collars

• A big YES: Look for slim V necklines & fitted tops. Define the waistline and hips with belts and tailored styles. Choose A-line, full, or pleated skirts to add width to the lower body and wear slightly flared or boot-cut trousers.

The Rectangle

Celebrity Example: Hilary Duff

You have a Rectangle Figure if:

• You have quite a straight rib cage & a flat bottom

• You have tiny waist definition

Your Goal is… Create the illusion of curves, define the waist & add femininity to your figure.

2 quick bits to shine:

• A big YES: boot-cut or flare trousers that give shape. Jackets that define the waist will help create a flattering silhouette. Wrap-over tops, dresses, and bias-cut skirts can help to add curves.

• A big NO: any shapeless item of clothing, you need to create an illusion

The Curvy Figure

Celebrity Example: Lizzo

You have a Curvy Figure if:

•You have balanced hips and shoulders

• You have no definition at the waist

•You carry weight around the tummy & upper body

•You have a generous bust & rounded shoulders

• You have shapely legs

Your Goal: Achieve more of an hourglass shape by elongating your figure, and enhancing & defining

your natural waist.

2 quick bits to shine

• Big YES: tops with wide ‘V’ lines. Straight, long tunics that taper at the waist tops & jackets with structured shoulders. Trousers medium rise that is long and fluid, preferably in darker colours. Flowing fabrics feminize the figure

• Big NO: sleeveless tops, baggy trousers, horizontal stripes and everything too tight

The Hourglass

Celebrity Example… Kim Kardashian

You have an Hourglass Figure if:

•Your shoulders and hips are a similar measurement

•You wear roughly the same size on top and bottom

•You have a clearly defined waist & are curvaceous

• You have an average to full bust

Your Goal is… Make the most of your fabulous figure & emphasize your feminine curves

2 quick bits to shine:

• Big YES: Pencil skirt, figure-hugging dresses, which define the waist. Coats should always nip in at the waist, define the shoulder & flare at the hip. Boot-cut jeans with a medium waist and slight stretch to the fabric. Experiment with waist-defining belts

. • Big NO: don’t hide your beautiful waist behind shapeless styles!. Avoid masculine, boxy, shapeless, or baggy styles. Preserve your balanced silhouette by avoiding styles that over-emphasize either bust or hips.

Until next time, always remember to shine...

Aniya