How to dress your body type

With all the fashion options out there, it can be hard to know what looks good on you. Most bodies fall under these categories; apple, straight, hourglass, straight/athletic, or round. With all these choices, it can get confusing how to dress your body in a flattering and appropriate way.

An “apple” shaped body is shaped like an apple or inverted triangle. This means that your shoulders and/or chest measurements are larger than your hip measurements.

According to Youbeauty.com, when you dress your top half you should wear V or cowl-neck lines to help minimize the srong look to your upper body. Also avoid ruffles, wear something fuss-free. Draped fabrics or flutter sleeves give you a feminine feel.

Your body shape is one of the only ones that can pull off a flapper style. One example of a dress style you can wear is a drop-waist style.

When it comes to bottoms you should look for something flowy in order to offset the fuller upper body. Pants should be boot cut or wider legged, not skinny jeans. Also, when wearing skirts, think flowy and fun. Same goes for the bottoms of your dresses.

A straight/athletic body is exactly how it is described. You have a very asymmetrical shape that often times is referred to as boyish.

When it comes to a ruler or straight body your top half should avoid boxy or straight lines. You can pull off wearing halters, boatnecks, and off the shoulder shirts. With a more athletic style of body, a thin strapped tank top looks good adding a jacket or a blazer with soft shoulders and that aren’t boxy or cropped.

Bottoms for your body should be high-waisted pants and wide-legged pants. These both can add curves and volume to your asymmetrical body. You can pull off a boyfriend jean as well as long as you add a feminine touch to your top half.

When you wear a dress go for a fun wrap style to give your body angles, and non straight lines across your body. This accentuates your natural curves.

Hourglass figures may cause temptation with revealing too much of your curvy body. Try to remember that there are ways to be attractive without crossing the line into awkward.

When dressing the top portion of your body think simple and clean. Scoop neck lines and three-quarter sleeves look stunning on your curves. Try not to layer your clothes too much. It can be unflattering to your body shape. Belts at the waist accentuate your smatter stomach and waist area. When wearing a jacket try to find a more fitted look or a poplin, which flairs at the waist.

When dressing this body type your bottoms should show off your silhouette. Boot-leg jeans look great on you since they are fitted at the top and flare out slightly at the bottom. Skinny jeans also look good on your body since it accentuates your natural curves. Just remember not to buy them too tight. Any skirt or dress that ends just below the knee or right at the knee makes you look feminine and appealing without revealing too much.

Pencil skirts in these lengths are just one of the flattering styles to try. Pencil skirts accentuate your smaller stomach. They also smooth out your hips, giving the illusion of smaller hips.

Round bodies have smaller shoulders and slender legs that give you a graceful look. One thing to remember is this body type doesn’t need to cover up and wear extremely baggy clothes.

When addressing the top half of your body remember that you should try to add structure. One way to do this is to wear a jacket or blazer that has some form of structure to it. This creates lines that can create the illusion of curves. Try wearing draped tops, a cowl neckline or a flutter sleeve which give you a nice feminine feel.

Dresses should give you an illusion of curves and draw the eye towards your slimmest sections. Asymmetrical and wrap dresses give you a fun feminine feel while accentuating your best features.

When it comes to your legs, a nice slim straight leg or even a boot cut shows them off. These styles of jeans/pants are both comfortable and flattering to your body. Pair all of these a nice pair of heels. This elongates your figure and show off you your legs.

These are just some tips of how to dress your body type and to help make you feel better in your skin. Following these tips may help you feel better when facing the world.

For more information on how to dress for your body type, go to www.youbeauty.com/body-fitness/dressing-for-your-body-type.

Cheyenne Jones is a Colony High senior who loves fashion.