Dressing Challenges - which is your body shape?

What are your considerations in choosing an outfit for the day?  Is it the events you will be attending, the weather, the people you will be meeting or simply your mood??  For me, the first consideration would be the type of Body Shape I have before the rest of the above considerations.  I need the outfit to fit me well first!  I have written on First Impressions, so let us look at how we can create an impactful first impression through dressing to your bodyshape!

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There are different school of teaching on how we classify the different body shapes.  However, below are quick tip for each bodyshape you can equip yourself with!

1.       Hourglass

Your asset is the waistline!  Always choose an outfit/top/jacket with indentation at the waist area.  If the top flow straight down pass the waist, you will seem bigger than what you actually are.

2.       Figure of Eight

Your asset is the waistline too and you have the slim legs that make many women green with envy!  Your high hip bone is crucial in determining where your skirt/pants sit.

3.       Rectangle

Your asset is the broad and strong shoulders.  Emphasize on the collars and jewelries you place here as this is where you want people to look.

4.       Triangle

With narrow shoulders and broad hips, wear outfits that can buff up your shoulders such as puff up sleeves and detailing near the shoulders so as to create a balanced look with the hips.

5.       Inverted Triangle

With broad shoulders and narrow hips, wear bottoms that create volume at your hips.  You will look like an hourglass!

6.       Oval

This bodyshape can be challenging to dress but following a technique or two conscientiously will totally distract others from your shape!  Use column of colour where you can start off with a solid coloured dress or top and a long vest on the outside.  The column of colour created at the centre slims you down and divert attention from the sloppy shoulders, rounded waist and full tummy/hips.

 

So don’t do injustice to yourself!  Any clothes will look good on you as long as it looks like it’s tailor made for you!  You can also contact Image Professionals to give you more indepth and customized analysis of your bodyshape.  It’s knowledge for life that you will be thankful for!

About the Author : Sherrine Teoh is the Principal Image Consultant with Image and You Consultancy.  She runs regular training for corporations and institutions as well as Individual Consultations on Personal Grooming, Dressing and Social Etiquette.  She is also Mrs Singapore Queen of Hope 2012, Mrs Asia International All Nations 2012 and Mrs Photogenic 2012 (Mrs Asia International).