Style Your Body Shape

One of the things I really want to achieve with this site is a resource where you can find good information, for free, on how to dress for your shape, so that other people like me, who didn’t know an empire line from a kitten heel, can, from scratch, develop their own style. Some people don’t want to know how to do it though, they just want to reap the benefits. To be told these are the things that will fit you. Choose what you want. If that describes you then check out myShape.com.

myShape.com is a personal shopping website. They have defined seven body shapes which they’ve labeled M, Y, S, H, A, P, E, which is kind of creepy, but probably quite functional. Remember shapes are arbitrary and only there to categorize and it doesn’t matter what shape or size you may or may not be if the result is looking and feeling fabulous.

When you join up there is an extensive questionnaire to go through including lots and lots of measurements including some that I would never have even thought of taking. The idea being that the more they know about you the better fitting the clothes they suggest will be. From the measurements you’re categorized into one of the seven body shapes.

My shape is M. There is only a small amount of information about how they categorize body shapes and what will and will not suit that particular shape. It’s not a teaching site - it’s a shopping site. There are two options; shop your personal shop which has only clothing in a size and style that will definitely fit you or shop the entire collection.

I was pleasantly surprised by the stuff in my collection. The majority of the items would suit someone my shape with only a couple of real misses (like a turtleneck jumper - a woman with breasts like mine just can’t carry off a turtleneck) and there were definitely things there I wanted to buy. Unfortunately they only ship to the US and Canada so I was out of luck. I still log in now and then to see if there’s anything I like enough to bother tracking down and to keep an eye on what’s out there.

myShape.com is a good option to style your body shape, but keep coming back to my site. I’ll miss you!

Good shopping,

LISA

Susana Monaco skirt - $47.40 from JBandme.com

I’ve had quite a few queries about pencil skirts and pear shapes so wanted to address that. I love this awesome pencil skirt and it’s definitely something that I might wear and I’m a pear shape. But then not all pear shapes are created equal. Technically I am a pear shape in that I’m bigger on the bottom BUT the majority of weight is around my hips and if I gain weight it goes to my inner thighs and hips. For me a pencil skirt is a good way to disguise my thighs but make use of the curves of my hips and bottom.

If you are a true pear shape in that your widest part is around the outside of your thighs a pencil skirt will not work for you. A pencil skirt highlights the curves of the thigh and in the case of the true pear it’s a question of getting your thighs back into proportion with the rest of your slender frame. A minimizing strategy is a far better option.

So … who does suit a pencil skirt? If you have a big bootie - think J Lo or Kim Kardashian - then the pencil skirt is ideal for you. Anyone with an hourglass frame it will play up your figure. If you’re extra curvy definitely try a pencil skirt, or the close cousins the straight or fluted skirt, to play up those curves. If you’re slender a pencil skirt will work to make the most of the curves you have.

AVOID - if you’re pear shaped. Also avoid if you have extra in the middle as you need to offset that extra on the lower half and a pencil skirt won’t help. The same applies if you’re bigger on top. You both need to add volume to your lower half and this isn’t the best option.

Good shopping,

LISA

This is a list of things that will make you look bigger. I’ve tried to concentrate of things that we unintentionally wear not realizing the effect they will have, so I haven’t mentioned the obvious things like a downy parka or a thick knit sweater - because, well, duh! Weed these things that will make you look fat out of your closet.

1. Elastisized Waistbands The problem with elastisized waistbands, at least for everyone but those with boyish figures, is not only the way the material puffs out instantly creating more volume where most of us just don’t need it but also the instability of the garment. If you have any sort of curves the waistband will move either up or down as you go about your day. The band is going to find the slimmest place to sit and again, unless you have the boyish figure it’s going to be a lot higher than you want. Basically it just doesn’t fit properly. A tighter band that does sit where you want it doesn’t work well either. Unless you’re toned all the way around the midsection you’re going to get the ’squished bread’ look, which is very unflattering. Keep the elastisized waistbands on your gym clothes.

2. Pleats Pleats that fall from the waistband of your pants and skirts create volume. Their mission in life is to create a better fit, to follow the curves of the body more comfortably and stylishly. They highlight. Since they sit on your hips and tummy they will highlight your hips and tummy. It’s like wearing glad wrap, so unless your hips and tummy are so fabulous they deserve to be highlighted give pleats a miss.

TIP: A paneled and pleated skirt, like the one pictured, or one with inverted pleats that start below the stomach are great options for those wanting to conceal their stomach.

3. Horizontal Stripes Horizontal stripes trick the eye into thinking ‘wider’. The smaller and closer together the stripes the more pronounced the effect. A wider stripe still has the same effect, though not so pronounced. This is actually a shame because horizontal stripes are a classic - think Audrey Hepburn. Certainly wear them, BUT, keep them in proportion. If you’re a small person go for a small stripe. If you’re a large person go for a larger stripe. If you’re big busted or plus size, skip it altogether.

TIP: Horizontal stripes are an excellent way for pear-shaped people to add volume to their upper body and offset wider hips.

4. Metallic and Shiny Clothes Shiny or reflective clothes … um, well, they reflect. The effect is to make whatever they’re covering look bigger. So when you reach for those satin pants or that gold jacket be aware of what the overall effect is going to be. Actually this is a great way to get proportion back into your shape. If you’re bigger on top opt for the satin skirt matched with more subdued top or a shiny camisole matched with black pants if you’re bigger on the bottom. 5. A Small Handbag If you’re a big person and you go with a small handbag it’s not the handbag that’s going to stand out. Comparisons will be made and since your body is approximately 30 times larger than the handbag the size of your body will be emphasized, even if you’re not particularly big in the first place. Your bag should mirror your size. If you’re smaller and wear a bigger bag - same comparison, different conclusion - you will seem small.

TIP: For best effect your handbag should be the opposite of your shape. If you’re a curvy person go with a more structured handbag like the one pictures. If you’re angular go with an unstructured tote.

6. Zips, pockets, ruffles, feathers, fur Anything extra added onto clothes is going to draw the eye and make the piece of body it’s covering look bigger. So if you have big boobs then no ruffles or flounces or anything extra other than what you already have. The same if you got lots of booty - keep things calm and minimal there. Added extras are best kept as the province of the slender or used to remedy proportion issues, and then only very sparingly. Anyone who is plus sized should avoid like the plague. Color and texture are better options.

Baggy Clothes I just wanted to finish with a word about baggy clothes. You can instantly make yourself look slimmer by wearing fitting clothes. If you’re big and you wear baggy clothes rather than conceal it simply highlights how big you are. If you’re small it will highlight how small you are. Wearing fitted clothes will make you look slimmer but you will also feel more confident. Trust me, it works.

Good shopping,

LISA

One of the things that I’ve found to be really important is to keep an eye on what other people are wearing and when I see something that I like I steal it. One of my favorite casual outfits to wear was inspired by a picture I once saw of Uma Thurman. Not that I look like Uma Thurman in any way shape or form; in fact it’s pretty safe to say I’m the anti-Uma. The point is take inspiration from every where and then adapt.

The is a casual but classy look that America Ferrera seems to be fond of, probably because it’s simple but elegant.

Why It Works?

America is an hourglass shape and is curvy, well, curvier than most actresses. She’s also short. Overall her goal will be to work with her curves without over emphasizing them and create the illusion of length in her legs. And, like all curvy women, and petite women for that matter, she needs to keep it simple.

SHOES

A curvy lady needs a curvy shoe; in this case the peep-toe is perfect to complement America’s body shape. Note that there are no straps around her ankle or over her foot which would breakup the lengthening line of the shoe.

Petite ladies need to be careful with heels. Certainly opt or a heel, even select flats with a little lift to help extend the length of your leg but keep a heel small and in proportion with your stature or you can look off-balance.

Steve Madden Tetra Pump $38.47 from Endless.com.

PANTS

To give the illusion of being taller it’s important to elongate the leg. This has been achieved here with use of a belt sitting higher than America’s natural waist. Combined with the skinny leg jeans it makes her legs look longer than they really are and America tall and lean.

The dark wash of the jeans does a good job of camouflaging that America’s thighs are curvy. Notice how the dark blue does a better job than the black. I wouldn’t recommend straight leg jeans for anyone with larger thighs; rather opt for a wide leg but go with the darker wash.

Silver Sienna Straight Leg Jeans $75-00 from Jbandme.com.

Belt

It’s usually not a good idea for petite women to wear a belt as it breaks up the line of the body. In this case it works because it actually helps elongate.

A thin belt is better for curvy women although be careful if you’re extra curvy as it can give the impression of a loaf of bread squished in the middle.

Matching the belt to the shoes gives a polished look.

Merona Skinny Belt $19.99 from Amazon.com.

Top

This V neck top draws our eyes up to America’s gorgeous face and also gives the illusion of slenderness by dissecting the body.

The top is voluminous which disguises any lumps and bumps and the belt cinches in the waist giving an hourglass look.

Notice where the hem of the shirt hits America’s waist. She looks slimmer on the left and this is a combination of the wash on the pants and the place the top finishes. The eye is drawn where the fabric ends and on the left that is slightly lower and flows more smoothly into the pants. The way the hem curves also complements her shape and gives the illusion of slenderness. But beware; the outfit on the right probably looks better from the back as it will showcase the curve of her bottom which will be disguised by the shirt on the left. It’s all a matter of which part you want to show and which you want to conceal.

Where the sleeves finish is also helps each outfit. On the left the eyes are drawn again to the hem of her shirt which helps the eye flow downwards and contributes to the slimmer image. On the right the sleeves finish at her waist again emphasizing that hourglass look.

Vince Short Sleeve Tunic $93.00 from Labelspree.com

Who will this work for?

This is a style that will work for, obviously, anyone petite and curvy. It will work for the taller and curvy as well but watch the placement of the belt as you could end up looking freakishly long legged.

If you’re very curvy then try matching the belt to the shirt - it will still define your waist but be more slimming as well.

It will work for someone with a little extra in the middle as the voluminous shirt can hide a multiple of sins, however opt for a bootleg or slightly flared jeans instead.

If you’re a rectangle go for a wider belt.

AVOID if you have big breasts or you’re pear shaped. There are better options.

Good shopping

LISA

Whilst cleaning out my computer I found this review that I wrote of What Not To Wear by Trinny & Susannah. I decided to post it because it’s quite funny but also because this was the first book I read when I began this journey and its interesting to see where I was then.

13/2/2008: Trinny and Susannah have a very popular TV show, What Not To Wear, where they take some woefully dressed woman and make her over. I’ve seen one episode of the show and enjoyed it thoroughly. They emphasise dressing to your best right now, big bums, thunder thighs and saggy boobs included, and hopefully successfully disguised.

The book sets out the rules of clothes to wear to showcase your body to best advantage if you’re sadly afflicted with a fashion resistant area of your body such as an enormous arse or no breasts to speak of. As important it sets out what clothes to avoid which I found to be particularly useful, if only to enable me to condemn my entire wardrobe.

Chapters include big tits, no tits, big arms, big bum, no waist, short legs, flabby tummy, saddlebags, short neck and thick ankles and calves. Clearly the book is targeted at women who have issues with their bodies. However, it’s not done in a way that’s critical or judgemental, rather focusing on real women who have real issues and promoting the idea that despite that any woman can still look fabulous. The outfits are shown in full colour and it really is easy to see the difference the cut and shape of clothes can make to where the eye is drawn and the overall appeal of an outfit. The writing style is straight to the point and often funny as well as practical and always clearly explains why or why not to choose a particular style of clothing.

I loved this book. As someone who’s spent quite a considerable amount of her life with a crap wardrobe because I’ve been waiting until I lost ‘the weight’ its an absolute godsend to learn some guidelines on how to look good without shrouding myself in a caftan as some manufacturers of plus sized clothing seem to think is mandatory. Now I have a much clearer idea of what to buy and what to avoid.

On the downside the authors are English and so unfortunately are the clothes shown, which does me no good at all as I’m not likely to be able to pop down the high street and find what they’re wearing. This applies to type of clothing as well. England is miserably cold ten months of the year so their outfits include jackets, boots and sweaters which aren’t really practical wardrobe inclusions for someone who lives in Australia.

I also found that the book raised as many questions as it did provide answers. Firstly I wouldn’t know an empire line or bias cut if they jumped up and bit me. Secondly I found that, as someone with multiple afflictions, some of the clothes to avoid to disguise one area included clothes to use to disguise another, leaving me confused about what to do.

So, whilst I found the book very helpful, I also found it’s only a first step. I would certainly recommend it to any woman who, like me, is a little tentative about what suits them and what doesn’t.

Find a link to buy the book here.

So now that we know what to avoid if over 40 what should we be doing?

I’m 39 and until quite recently I used to borrow clothes out of my teenage daughters wardrobe. I’ve always loved clothes but was ‘too fat’ to have them myself so bought for my baby instead. It never occured to me to try any of the stuff on until one day I needed a pair of jeans and found that hers fit like a glove. Much to her very vocal disgust I began borrowing her clothes. Then I read a wonderful book What Your Clothes Say About You by Trinny & Susannah and realized dressing like a teenager is … well, lets be kind and say lazy.

So what should someone of my age be doing? Well there are five simple things to keep in mind.

1. Act Your Age

Just because your teenage daughter’s clothes fit is not a good reason to wear them. Oooh, my bad. Teenagers are pushing boundaries, examining who they are and who they want to be, and that is never more apparent than in what they wear. Trends are inspired by, carried along and aimed at teenagers and those in their 20’s. A women over 40 is more in touch with who she is. She knows what she likes, what she doesn’t and experimentation is not so important as getting on and living her life. It shows in our faces, the way we carry ourselves and the things we do. We’re interesting! And again, this is reflected in our wardrobes. We may have a ‘uniform’ that we constantly wear, but it’s not really a uniform so much as our signature look. Define what that is for you and expand it.

2. Accept You’re Vital, Beautiful and Sexy

Being over 40 is not the end of your life; in fact it’s not even close. It’s only in our late 30’s that we come into our full beauty and into our 40’s we really hit our stride. It’s definitely not time to pack away the sexy underwear. So … step away from the sensible clothing, or at least combine them with totally impractical but very sexy cerise heels. Split up your sweater sets, reintroduce color and femininity back into your daily rotation and enjoy being a mature, sexy woman. Don’t dress old!

3. Get Out Your Checkbook

Darling, that’s not a knock off, that’s the real thing! Let’s face it ladies the real difference between us and our younger sisters is money. Generally speaking we have more money coming in and correspondingly more disposable income to spend on clothes. We’ve also had more time to accumulate some truly fabulous pieces which form the backbone of our wardrobe. This is the proverbial ‘we’ because if you’re anything like me this does not describe your situation at all, but don’t worry there are ways to fake it but that’s another post. The main idea is that when you’re over 40 spend a little more on those really special pieces and a lot less on trends.

4. Get Classical

The key wardrobe element for a women over 40 is classic pieces. Think Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis, Catherine and Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren - whomever best reflects your personal style. Elegance is the goal. That means simpler, more enduring cuts, less embellishment, and richer, more sumptuous fabrics. Don’t go overboard or you’ll look like an overstuffed chair but a beautifully cut velvet jacket over a silk camisole combined with a well fitting pair of jeans will look fabulous and would overwhelm someone younger. But, be aware, getting retro inspired is a double edged sword for someone over 40. Make sure you go back far enough.

5. Polish, polish, polish

The older you get the more polish is going to be important, but that doesn’t mean that you always need to be ‘done up’. Actually it’s better to go with a more natural look, it’s more well, natural, but also effortless and confirms the impression that you’ve totally confident and have it all together. Keep your hairstyle modern and well trimmed and colored, your makeup barely there (which actually takes longer to apply - go figure) and pay attention to the little background things like moisturizing and plucking eyebrows. Attention to detail is vital. Then make it look as if you’ve done nothing at all.

So there you have it, five must-do’s for the over 40’s. I would just like to add that clothes, style, at any age is about expressing ourselves. I met a woman the other day who looked fabulous. She was wearing brown, straight leg cords with a cream, lace-edged camisole under a fitted denim jacket with a gorgeous vintage marcasite necklace. She was 73 and looked every inch of her age and really sexy to boot. She was a former model and what she was wearing expressed how she felt about herself and clothes. If you’re a person who’s worn jeans every day of your life for 50 years then giving up jeans because you’re older is not something you want to do. Equally if you’re 50 and have never worn jeans, ever, then suddenly taking up wearing them is not you either. Your style should reflect who you are, but what I really want to get across is that being over 40 does not mean you need to sacrifice wearing clothes that you love or expressing how sexy and beautiful you are.

Good shopping.

LISA

I’ve been doing a little research and here is a list of seven things any women over the age of 40 should keep in mind when selecting a wardrobe.

1. Covering Up

Nothing says past-her-use-by-date better than being swathed head to toe in baggy shapeless clothes. So, no baggy cardigans allowed, no shapeless polyester frocks and no boxy t-shirts. They are old lady clothes. Being over 40, or over 50 or even over 60 is no reason to give up looking hot. I met a women the other day who looked classically casual and down right sexy and she was 73. She looked it too. There was no attempt to hide her age but she certainly didn’t look dated. She looked fantastic; like a elderly Grace Kelly, all classic understatement.

2. Elastic Waistbands

An elastic waistband will immediately make you look ten years older than you are. It will also make you look fatter, a double whammy, so it’s really confusing why so many people buy them. Manufacturers make them because people buy them; STOP buying them! I don’t want to here any cries of ‘but they’re comfortable’ because a well fitting skirt or pair of pants will be as comfortable, possible even more so, and will look fabulous as well. Pleated skirts have the same effect if you have even the faintest hint of a spare tire around the middle.

3. Any Revival Trend

One of the latest trends to hit the shops is a blouse tied at the throat, a signature look for Margaret Thatcher circa the 80’s. In those days it was the height of sensible, steady good sense but now it’s a sign that you’re hip and well dressed. Go figure. Sadly that’s for everyone under the age of 40. If you were an adult the first time the trend hit forget jumping on it a second time. Rather than look modern you will just look like the women that time forgot ie old.

4. Missing Modernizations

What’s a trend and what’s a modernization? A trend will be in and gone faster than the latest pop song. Sometimes the way we wear things start out as trends but then they become evolutions. For instance, nothing says late 90’s more than a pant hemline that finishes above the shoe. The modern style is that hem lines finish about 1/2 an inch above the ground covering most of your shoe. Another example of an evolution is wearing colored shoes rather than matching your shoe to your hemline. A black outfit with black shoes will instantly age you and it’s also kind of drab. Pair it with a pair of bright colored heels and you’ll instantly look modern and chic.

5. Pleated pants with tapered legs

I have no idea when this style was popular but it’s just unflattering to practically everyone, regardless of body shape. It’s not a question of fit rather of style, or more specifically lack of it. For everyone but a select few they will make you look bigger than what you are, or for the slender, you’ll look positively anemic. To me this style says “I’ve given up looking good; now I just want cheap, comfy pants”, which is not a bad thing but there are other, more stylish ways of saying it. For almost all body shapes a flat front, straight leg pant with a side zip is going to be more comfortable and, since it’s a classic, instantly chic.

6. Red and Black; Black and Pastels

Red and black together is a very matronly look. Red’s are usually vibrant and pep up an outfit but when paired with black it seems to leach the liveliness away and become staid and frumpy. Like a football uniform. It can be transformed immediately by adding a neutral color - for instance a black skirt with a red shirt and a camel jacket.

Similarly pairing black and pastels is aging, which is bad news for curvy women as the majority of plus size clothing tends to be black and/or pastel. Black actually works best with other shades of black, but if your wardrobe is mostly black then look for brights, white or other neutrals to pair it with. Match your pastels together or pair them with neutrals and denim.

7. Long Skirts and Clumpy Heels

A long skirt, mid calf or longer, is predominantly the most unflattering length because it hides your shape. Combined them with clumpy heels and your ankles will look like twigs set in concrete supporting a big blob of color; a cartoon stick person. Those long skirts look better paired with a finer heel that will showcase the turn of your ankle and your foot. Clumpy heels are best paired with a delicate, feminine skirt to toughen it up. Together they just say “old maid”.

The best length of skirt is just below the knee, particularly if your legs are heavier, as it shows the curve of your calf which is thinner than the rest of your leg.

Check out these tips of things to do over 40 for ideas how to look sexy.

Good shopping

LISA