After working with hundreds of women, I have discovered that most of us fall into one of four body type categories…and there are certain styles and designers that work for some and not others!

Last year, Wardrobe 911 conducted a body type survey in which over 100 women responded with their measurements and perceptions.  Combined with the measurements I had from an additional 200 women who attended my body type workshops, I discovered some interesting things.  The verdict?

Most women are either rectangles (41%) or hourglasses (40%).  The rest are triangles and of those, only 4% are inverted.  It was amazing to me that the perception out there was that a lot of women were triangles (aka pear-shaped.)  What was also uncanny was that 67% of the women that were triangles, thought they were hourglasses!  This misunderstanding happens a lot with my clients as well.

I started putting together a body type calculator in 2006.  After a few years of developing tons of calculations and tweaking them relentlessly with real data, I have come up with a not-quite-100-percent-but-really-really-close-to-being-accurate-all-the-time body type quiz.

There is something to be said for meeting someone in person and determining their body type.  The quiz doesn’t get it right all the time but it should help you as you try and determine what works best for you.  Most fashion experts completely ignore the shoulders in determining silhouettes — InStyle’s body type calculator is a perfect example.  They cannot be ignored and the quiz takes them into consideration.  Make sure you take the right measurements as you go through it.  I hope you find it helpful!

A Reader Asks:

I’d love to see a “What to Wear” for the mom on the go with no waist, lol.  Seriously, after 3 kids, and 35 years of gravity tugging at me, I’m thin, but my waist is gone, and I feel like I look very rectangular (wide hips, boobs, square shoulders, long thin legs, short-waisted, skinny arms, and no waist). ARGH!!

Wardrobe 911’s Style Prescription:

After having a few kids, you’re still lean, but the waistline may not be as defined as it used to be.  Never fear!  There are many ways that your clothing can enhance or hide your midsection, as well as show off those great skinny arms and long legs.

There are many styles that can make you look like you have a waist but this scoop neck blouse layered over a tank is one option that hides your waistline because it flows straight down giving the illusion of one clean line and camouflaging your modest mid-section.  The u-neck is super flattering for large-busted gals and since your arms are thin, a little puffed band detail on the sleeves won’t have you looking like a linebacker (not a good idea for inverted triangles.)  Wear the top untucked to give the illusion of a longer waist and pair it with casual chic pants that are clean-lined.

To stay warm, try this stylish fleece jacket that has pockets on the bottom and a wide neckline.  This will trick the eye that your waist is narrower than it is when you belt it (or not!) The jacket is by a new line called Nightcap which is sold at shopbop.com – it’s a bit pricey but a good investment if you plan on wearing it a lot.

Because you’re a mom-on-the-go, you’ll need comfortable yet stylish footwear like these trendy gladiator sandals.  Don’t forget a large tote like this one by Boyy for all your mommy gear like baby wipes, snacks, and organizer.

Please Lucky Magazine, for the love of God …

STOP

dishing

fashion

advice.

Don’t get me wrong — I do love their magazine because they show the most recent styles out there from the designers.  But the fact that they now think they can provide body-friendly tips for fashion styles is beyond me.

I’ve already made my notes on the left in red but let me just expand a bit.

1. Slash Pockets
They say slanted but every designer/seamstress I’ve dealt with calls em slash — more fun to say, I guess. I guess the reason they think they make your waist look slimmer is because these can widen your hips.  These pockets pucker open no matter how thin you are.  Sew them down.  It costs $5 to have it done and it makes a world of difference.

2. Calvary Pockets
These are hard to find.  The scoop pockets which are more common do just the same thing.

3.  Straight Pockets
I  h-a-t-e these pockets.  They are ugly.  They pucker if you have an ounce of fat in front.  Like the Calvary, you won’t see a lot of pants with these pockets.  Thank your lucky stars.

4.  Patch Pockets
These are definitely look at me!  So why would they say that these thin your thighs??  These draw attention to the hips!  Great for Rectangle and Inverted Triangle body types but if you are a Triangle or Hourglass, stay away from this style.

Shoulders are great for lots of things:  standing on shoulders, holding shoulder bags, playing ‘head, shoulders, knees & toes’ with the little ones, even giving the big, cold shoulder.

But when it comes to style and your shoulder type, do you know what to wear?  There are 4 types of shoulder widths: average, broad, narrow and sloping.  Here’s how you can make the best of those magnificent shoulders of yours:

Average:  If you have an average shoulder width, you are probably a rectangle or hourglass silhouette.  Highlight away and show off those shoulders! You can essentially wear any neckline.

Narrow: Most gals who have narrow shoulders are triangles. Your goal is to widen your shoulder line by adding horizontal lines and strapless tops. Look for tops and jackets with shoulder pads or wear some shoulder pads underneath those cute sweaters of yours.  You want the dolman shoulder pads (at left) — they cover the end of your shoulder and extend the width.

Sloping: Sloping shoulders are when the shoulder angles down and can be found on triangles and some hourglasses and rectangles.  You should follow the same tips as the narrow-shouldered sisters but you can also add rounded and ‘ultra-thin’ shoulder pads that don’t cover the end of your shoulder.

Broad/Square:  You’ll find inverted triangles and some hourglasses with broad or square shoulders. No shoulder pads for you gals!  Instead, go for halters, low cowls and deep v’s — these highlight as well as “minimize” your shoulder width.

Shoulder Pad Shopping – check out Fashion Forms and Kathleen Kirkwood

So you have an important meeting coming up and you want to look good.  Here’s a suggestion for inverted triangles (where your shoulders are bigger than your hips) and even rectangles:

• Eggshell white textured pencil skirt (the light color expands the bottom half ever so slightly)
• Eggshell white cashmere turtleneck
• Fitted black blazer (all gals should have one in their closet)
• Black d’Orsay pumps (these are by Christian Louboutin)
• Fun black bag (YSL tote shown)
• Hermes scarf (or any colored scarf) to add some color and polish – this also helps bring attention up to your face
• Diamond hoop earrings

The look is very classic and polished with a little bit of hipness added (pun intended.)

A quick post today as I am out all day shopping and doing research.  Will have lots to report tomorrow!

In light of all the 16-year models that grace our fashion magazines and celebrities bowing to the plastic surgeons out there (eg Ashley Simpson’s nose!), I think we need a reminder about our body image .

99% of the women I have worked with (both large and small) hate something about their bodies.  They focus on one body part, like their hips, and don’t take into consideration their entire silhouette.   The female body is absolutely gorgeous.  If you stand in front of a mirror and look at your entire body, not your individual parts, you will see and appreciate how all your curves (and bumps & lumps!) create a beautiful silhouette.

I’ve noticed that when women understand what silhouette they have (hourglass, triangle, inverted triangle, rectangle) and how to dress it, their body image soars.  Learn what works and what doesn’t work for your silhouette and you’ll feel more in control about how you feel about yourself.  Including our “friend”, Bobby Trendy.

This company supplies dress forms to designers and top fashion brands so what they create has a direct impact on if something is going to fit you in the dressing room or not. Some of the forms they supply are custom (based on the designer’s fit model) and some designers use the company’s standardized forms.

What were the ground-breaking silhouettes??  Hourglass, triangle (they called it “spoon”), inverted triangle and rectangle.  Other noted learnings were that not a lot of women were hourglass silhouettes — more triangles.  Not that any of this is new news, but I am glad that the industry is FINALLY getting it.  Yah for us!!