DEFINING STYLE: HOW TO DRESS FOR YOUR SHAPE 

a part, share, or number considered in comparative relation to a whole

Whenever I’m dressing someone, be it myself or a client or a friend, one of the very first things I study are their proportions. You see, sizes and numbers

don’t matter, but if you want to create a balanced impression, proportions definitely do. Once you understand them thoroughly, choosing flattering clothes is almost child’s play. Necklines, the length of sleeves and hemlines, the shape of the shoulders, skirt style or pant legs – everything has to do with proportions. I made this little illustration to get you started:

The best way to do this is to strip down to pretty much nothing, or at least something fitted, then stand in front of full-figure mirror (and please, throw any negative thoughts about your wonderful body out the window). Study how the areas from my illustration relate to each other on

If you want, you can use a measuring tape to see how the numbers relate to each other, especially if you think it is hard to simply

it. I, for instance, have a bust of about 41″/104 cm, a waist of 33″/83 cm and hips of 44″/111 cm – but here’s the thing: the actual

are not what’s important here. You can’t tell, for instance, if a bust of 41″/104 cm is “large” or not purely based on the number; you need to see it in comparison to the width of the shoulders, the waist and the hips.

This is where those numbers can make things easier. In my case, we can see that my hips are slightly wider than my bust, for instance, and we can also see that my waist is smaller than my hips and bust. With a little effort and practice, though, you’ll definitely be able to see the proportions without any measurements. With that in mind, I suggest you skip the measuring tape if you tend to obsess over measurements and sizes and such. Remember, the actual number or size doesn’t matter, only how they relate to each other.

Some of the relations are easier to see than others. One of the trickier ones is between your upper and lower body (no. 4 and 8 in my illustration). The girl in the illustration is built rather like me, so her torso is rather short. If she had a long torso, it would probably look more like this:

According to my experience, people with defined waists usually have an average or short upper body, whereas the longer torso will usually be straighter. If you’ve often complained that you have a never-ending

, you might simply have a short torso, making the distance between your waist and where your butt ends, larger than if you have a longer upper body.

often plays rather dramatically with proportions, especially in magazine editorials (so there’s a tip if you need to look more edgy/avant garde/make a statement!). Still, what most people think looks best is when there is balance between the upper and lower body, and between the shoulders and hips. Most bodies aren’t perfectly balanced, but there are plenty of tricks to create that illusion. Allow me to – yet again – illustrate, with one “right” and one “wrong” outfit for our girl:

wrong, no? The outline for the body is the same for both looks, so what exactly is it that makes them so different? The most important answer, I think, is lines. Allow me:

The mind is a funny thing, you see. When you see a line, your eye and mind automatically follows it, and this movement kind of

the line, making it, in a way, longer. Most of us knows that horizontal stripes will make something look wider, and that vertical lines do the opposite, but there are much more subtle uses of lines of which we can take advantage.

In the “right” outfit above, you can see how both the necklace and neckline of the top create a V, which makes the torso longer, prevents the dreaded uniboob, and also lengthens the neck. The flowy bottom of the skirt prevents a harsh line that cuts of the legs, and even the shoes have a V-opening to elongate the legs even more. The belt blends in with the skirt, so it doesn’t create a harsh line, but still draws attention to the waist.

In the “wrong” outfit, the top is… well, Cookie and I simply couldn’t think of

body that would look good in this. The high neckline shortens the neck considerably. The raglan sleeves make the bust look huge (especially paired with all that ruching), and it certainly doesn’t help that they cut off the arm at its widest point. The wide cuff bracelets divide the arms even more. From the bust down, the top hides the waist completely, and ends at the widest point of the hips. This line is even more enhanced by the shorts and their cuffs. The boots continue to create horizontal lines, chopping up the legs and making everything wider and shorter.

You might also have noticed that the “right” lines for this girl have a slight curve to them, whereas the “wrong” ones are all very blunt. Still, what’s wrong for Illustration Girl (and me), might be right for someone else. Here’s the thing: you need to know what you want. I want an even smaller waist, clean lines without fuss, to make my neck appear longer and prevent that uniboob. But

might want your hips to appear wider, or to make your arms look shorter, or to make your bust larger, and that means you’ll have to find the lines that help you achieve that.

Once you understand how it’s usually all about creating balance, and doing this with optical illusions, a whole new world tends to open up. Personally, I think the most important idea is to create the right lines in an outfit, but there are some more things you can do to trick the eye, making areas look larger/come towards you, or smaller/shrink away. Here are some examples:

1.A dark, plain top and a bottom with a busy, colourful print will enlarge the hips.

2. The color gradient that pales towards the top will make the shoulders seem bigger. The wide, shallow neckline widens the shoulders, and the decor draws attention to the widest part of the shoulder.

3. A busy pattern with strong contrasts will make the whole dress (and thus the body) seem larger. This pattern also accentuates the hourglass shape, because it follows the same lines, just in a more exaggerated manner.

4. A sweetheart neckline with sparkly decoration will draw attention to the bust.

5. A patterned top and plain skirt in a darker colour makes the hips seem smaller.

6. All the lines on the upper body go from up close to the neck and down towards the waist, which will make the shoulders more narrow. The lapels are very narrow, which also makes the upper body more narrow. The gold buttons draw the attention away from the shoulders.

7. The white, slightly unusual collar draws the attention up towards the face and collarbones. The rest of the body becomes more of a background due to the dark colour and the body-skimming shape.

8. A deep v-neck that starts close to the neck will make the bust appear smaller. Lace details draw the attention away from the bust area.

As you can see, there are more “tricks” for drawing attention

something than to hide something. I’ve seen some people who seem to want to hide

about their appearance, but as there is nowhere to direct the attention, nothing is really hidden anyway. Whenever I work with someone’s style, I always focus on bringing attention to the positive, because if you do that, the bits they’re less pleased with will automatically become a background.

When people become conscious of the concept of proportions and lines and optical illusions, there are some who at first find it a bit restrictive.

I can’t wear patterned skirts anymore? I shouldn’t wear belts because my waist isn’t my best area?

dress in whatever you desire, no matter if it’s “right” or “wrong” for your shape. But if you’re struggling with your wardrobe, if you feel like nothing you put on makes you look the way you want, then perhaps thinking about proportions and lines can change that. Because once you know how to work your proportions, you’ll always know how to achieve the shape you want. It’s a bit like magic, really.

Defining style, Illustration, Style, When This Was a Fashion Blog

dressing for your shape, lines in an outfit, proportions, short or long torso, style for all shapes

Du skriver så bra! (Beklager kjedelig kommentar, ville bare legge igjen et pip for å vise at jeg likte innlegget!)

Kjære Tine Katrine, i min bok finnes det ikke noe som en “kjedelig kommentar”, jeg blir overlykkelige for alle sammen! Så takk for at du tok deg tid til å legge igjen noen ord 🙂

Thank you so much for this information. My waist is larger than my hips and it is so hard to find any info on body sizes that are straighter or larger on top. Again this it’s very helpful!

This is super helpful! I have become painfully aware of my proportions because the large amount of time I spend wearing only bootyshorts and sports bras in rooms with mirrored walls. (Ah, pole dance <3) One of the things I've learned is that despite my tall frame (I'm 176cm), and long legs, I have a very short torso. The problem with that combo is that I can't wear anything with a high, defined waist like the option in your first "right" picture, because it makes my legs look freakishly long. The best options for me are tops that end a couple of inches below the top of my jeans, as it makes my legs and torso look more proportionate. I haven't quite figured out how this translates to dresses yet, but at least I've realized that there's no point in me trying on highwaist jeans or babydoll tops without looking like a giant:P

See, I _knew_ I had some readers who’d already figured out some of this already, well done! As for dresses for you, I think (thought it’s a bit hard to say when I haven’t met you in person) it would be helpful to look for dresses without a clearly defined line across the waist. Dresses with a seam where the top part meets the bottom, for instance, might have the seam too low for your body, so look for something without that seam. Dresses with vertical elements on the top part (such as lines/a pattern/seams in that direction) will also create the illusion of a longer torso – a bit like the top part of this: http://www.asos.com/Warehouse/Warehouse-Panelled-Pleat-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2692007&cid=8799&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=200&sort=-1&clr=Nude

You can also “flip” the concept around, and look for dresses with horizontal lines on the bottom, to visually shorten the legs, like the bottom of this: http://www.asos.com/House-of-Holland/House-of-Holland-Americana-Tee-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2667991&cid=8799&sh=0&pge=1&pgesize=200&sort=-1&clr=Americana

Your post made me stop what I’m doing (working) to read it properly in its entirety AT WORK… this does not happen often. What you have written and drawn is so helpful and amazing because it’s illustrative (it also helps that our body shapes are similar) and often just reading about this topic is confusing. This must have taken you a long time to put together – so thank you! I am definitely going to reassess my wardrobe with a different mindset when I do my next cull 🙂

Haha, let’s just hope your boss doesn’t see this 😉 Really, though, I feel honoured, thank you! Good luck with your next culling 😀

this was a fantastically detailed guide. i love it! thanks so much.

Wow! You are the best when it comes to well-thought posts. I have a question, though: where does the torso start? At the waist/navel like in the picture?

Also, do you think you could talk a bit about other body types? I know you are trying to train our eyes so we can make the right choices by ourselves 😉 , but your comments are so spot on…so much better than anything I could conjure.

In this context, the torso starts at the waistline, yes 🙂

I might do some posts about specific body types in the future, but the priciples in this post can truly be applied to any body type. Take the last illustration, with the different ways to enlarge/reduce areas – not all of these actually _flatter_ the illustration-girl’s body shape, I just used hers so I wouldn’t have to draw twenty different body shapes (even _my_ patience seems to have its limits 😉 )

If you’re impatient, just read this post thoroughly and then spend some time experimenting with creating lines using your own clothes. I’m sure you’ll figure it out much quicker than you think! *cheering*

What a great explanation! Your illustrations are great, they have a clear link to the text, and it’s all very well written!

Thank you so much, Hilde! It’s so nice to see that you still read my blog 🙂

Wow this kinda explains why I like certain outfits and cuts, though I could never pinpoint why before, I just looked better in them. Now it makes sense. Like a magic trick explained.

Thank you very much for taking the time to draw illustrations and share this with us. To be honest, the first time I started reading fashion blogs when I realised I wasn’t happy with my style of then, I was hoping to find someone like you, who knows what she’s talking about and gives good advice on how to flatter my silhouette and find a style I’d feel good in.

Instead, in most fashion blogs I used to follow (popular and heavily sponsored), girls would all dress the same, in trend, as if they all liked the same things and no matter their body shape. Those whose body didn’t look the way the fashion world wants you to look had a harder time pulling it off. And since I don’t look that way either, I couldn’t find any usueful inspiration whatsoever.

Anyway, sorry for the long comment, but, even if I love the blogs I’m following now in terms of inspiration and debate, you’re actually the first that provides the advice and ideas I was initially looking for in the blogosphere. I found my style in the meantime, but better late than never! Bottom line is, I love your blog (and I write a lot, sorry).

“Like a magic trick explained” – I might have to quote you on that to my students, if you don’t mind 😉

I used to look for information on this, just like you. Somehow, no books or blogs I found seemed to discuss the topic thoroughly, they’d just stick to a few standardized phrases like “don’t wear tops with horizontal stripes if you’ve got a large bust”. It drives me mad when magazines attempt to write about this, too, because they never write anything I haven’t heard a zillion times already.

My theory is that in order for advice about this to actually be _useful_, you have to explain WHY that striped top MIGHT not work. If the reader knows that horizontal stripes will enlarge an area, then they’ll know why _some_ large-busted gals will want to avoid them. But that also means that some large-busted women can wear striped tops without feeling like they’re breaking some huge, secret fashion law. I think it’s _interesting_ to create optical illusions with clothes, but I truly don’t think everyone _have_ to do that. If you love striped tops, wear striped tops!

Er… sorry, got a bit carried away there. My point is that I completely agree with you, I’m super-glad you found my blog and love it, and also: nobody has to apologize for writing long comments to me, I love hearing what you all have to say 😀

Oh, we understood you, Maria. And I dare say that I suspect that’s why most of us enjoy reading your blog. It’s your style girl.

This whole post is magic! Thank you so much for taking the time to put it together, it’s amazing <3 I'll definitely be looking differently at my wardrobe next time I have to get dressed. The best part is that now I totally know how to pull it off if I feel like accentuating the bust area one day or hips the next!

I love it! I was actually having a discussion with a friend over this a few days ago. I said that my waist was my ‘one good thing’ (meaning when I dress I focus on my waist because I love it) and she misunderstood and thought I basically said ‘I am horrible and the only good thing about me is my waist”. I absolutely love this! Like everything else you write.. <3

Haha, oh, misunderstandings like those, yeah, I’ve caused a few of those myself! I’m glad you love the post, thank you <3

Denne her skal bokmerkes og leses igjen og igjen til det sitter! Her lærte jeg SÅ mye! Håper du kan lage flere slike innlegg med forskjellige kroppstyper, som feks V-kropp.. brede skuldre og smale hofter. Yes please!!! 🙂

Hurra! Som jeg skrev til Martina i en kommentar lengre opp her, så er det mulig jeg lager poster om spesifikke kroppsfasonger etter hvert, men prinsippene i denne posten kan absolutt brukes på _alle_ fasonger, selv om illustrasjonen min er veldig timeglassformet 🙂

Når det gjelder å balansere en kropp med brede skuldre og smale hofter, så prøver man vanligvis å skape en omvendt V (nesten en A, altså) – man ønsker altså å lage linjer som er smale øverst, og som blir videre nedover. Skjørt som blir videre fra midjen og ned, f.eks. sirkelskjørt, er et typisk eksempel på dette. Du kan også se på nr. 6 i den siste illustrasjonen i posten her.

Chiming in with the rest here hon – this is WONDERFUL!!!

Geeze, I was just reading a magazine with “advice for dressing for your shape” but I never know what my shape is! This is very well explained and makes so much sense. I’m going to be going through my wardrobe and seeing how it all fits into this. Thank you.

You should do some example with pants, it’s so cold out now skirts are too chilly for me!

Oh, those magazines. I understand that they can’t write a hundred pages about all this, but their advice doesn’t tend to be very helpful. It’s like you say, how can you “dress for your shape” unless you first _understand_ your shape?

I’m glad you liked the post! As for pants, I might do that if I feel ambitious one day, but all these illustrations are a lot of work, so I make no guarantees 😉 Just remember that it’s all about creating lines, so a body with wide shoulders and narrow hips will look even more like a “V” in skinny jeans and tight pants. Likewise, a body with narrow shoulders and wider hips will look even more so in full-legged trousers.

(and a tip: if you double your tights, or wear a slip underneath your skirt, they can actually be much warmer than pants!)

I’ll have to look into tights, I wouldn’t have thought to double up tights. I’m assuming a wool tight would be smarter in the winter, and probably a heavier fabric for a skirt as well?

Your blog is making me wish I had hundreds of dollars to buy myself lots of pretty clothes. 🙂

Thank you for so much valuable information, in such easy to understand writing. <3

You know, I never really thought about it before but I guess I have a short waist (it nips in and I have larger hips in proportion!). Fantastic post, it serves as a pretty good guide for what will and won’t look good, I’ve read so many dressing for your shape articles in the past which haven’t been so great, and lately I’ve been trying to streamline my wardrobe to what suits me and is simple, so this is pretty timely I gotta say! x

That’s great to hear, jamie-lee, thank you 😀

Thank you for a great post! I started to read your blog just a while ago, and I’m loving it!

I’ve been struggling with my wardrobe for years now, today’s trends are so against me and my body type )))

Will try to figure how to conceal my super skinny and not-so-long legs, longish torso, wide shoulders and non-existing waist ))))

Would much appreciate more posts on this topic.

You’re welcome, Anna, and welcome to my blog as well 🙂 Many of today’s trends look awful on me, too, but fortunately trends have become a bit more diverse than they used to be, so there’s a better chance of finding _something_ that can work.

Good luck on experimenting with lines and such – and I’m sure I’ll write more posts on this from time to time 🙂

Av alle ting jeg kan tenke på nå tenker jeg på om jeg burde kjøpe et mønstret skjørt fordi jeg er hoftefan, eller om jeg burde la være siden jeg har gått ned i vekt i det siste og hoftene er det første som lider av vekttapet? Tøft liv, ass.

Uansett, fantastisk flott innlegg! Skal studere dette nøye og ta en titt på garderoben min og prøve å bli kjent med den på ny, om that makes any sense. Du er så uendelig flink med dette. Dette er uten tvil yndlingsmotebloggen min 🙂

Vel, mønstre kan være med på å “forstørre”, særlig hvis mønsteret er stort, så kanskje det blir dobbelt positivt for deg? 🙂

Og takk for en kjempefin kommentar, den lever jeg lenge på!

Igjen har jeg lært masse, av superflotte du, om ting jeg har lurt på veldig lenge.

Your fashion posts are nearly always very informative and a lot of fun, but you just took to a whole new level girl!

This post alone explains and clarifies so much about my own clothes and how they fit. I never really though about the lines an outfit creates, but does it ever make sense now!

I can’t even imagine the amount of work you put into the drawings of your model, let alone the detail in the outfits. I feel privileged to have read this post.

Also you may have been tapping into my mind, since I have been longing for a black/navy dress with a white peter pan collar and there you have it on your drawing! I approve of this mind meld. Now if only I could GET such a dress…

ASOS.com, lady! I stumble across them there ALL the time!

That’s me, I always have to outdo myself 😉 And isn’t it lovely when things suddenly make sense in a whole new way? Causing that sure is reason enough to spend some hours drawing silhouettes. Thank you for letting me know how much you appreciate it!

As for that peter pan dress, I agree with Maja, ASOS is pretty much overflowing with them, and I’ve seen quite a few on Etsy as well 😀

Huuurra! Dette var et innlegg sårt trengt for en som ikke er helt inn i mote, men liker å kle seg ordentlig. Selv er jeg en av de med “neverending” bakende og høye hofter, og en midje som strekker seg hele 5 cm opp fra hofte til bryst. Var så veldig fint med illuastrasjonene dine!

Hurra! Jeg blir så glad av å høre sånt, takk 😀

I LOVE these posts, and your illustrations are so beautiful! I’ve been reading closely and following your tips and exercises and I now have a much clearer picture of what state my wardrobe is in. However, I’ve ended up with two very different style directions on my pinterest account (which is also evident in my closet), and I just don’t know how to merge them! Any advice on what to do when your heart is set on two style directions that just don’t go together? (I actually get comments from my friends that I’m so indecisive in my wardrobe that sometimes I look like a different person from one day to the next – not a good thing!)

Thank you, Julianne 🙂 And that’s a very interesting dilemma! I’ve actually had the same one for a while, trying to merge Maria the Rebellious Musician with Maria the Elegant Fashion Consultant. I think I’ll have to write a post about the subject – perhaps I could even use you as an example? It was you who gave me the inspiration, after all. If it sounds interesting, just send me an e-mail (to lostinaspotlessmind (at) gmail.com) and describe your issues a bit more, and I’ll see what I can do.

Thanks so much for clarifying a few things for me. You look so good in your outfits! Can I check with you? (I feel like I’m talking to a doctor after office hours!) I’m 159cm tall, 56.5kg in weight, with short torso, broad chest, low-set boobs (36 or 80B), fleshy upper arms, medium neck, nice collarbones, slim wrists and ankles, thighs slightly longer than calves, and hardly any waist to speak of. I go for V-necks or scoop necks. I shouldn’t wear a belt, right? (Sorry if I shouldn’t have asked.)

*laughs* I’m definitely no doctor, but I’ll see what I can do! And you readers can ALWAYS ask me things, it’s never a bother at all 🙂

The general idea with a belt is to draw the attention to your waist-area, so if this isn’t something you want to do, then belts might not be the best idea. That being said, I don’t think we all _need_ to dress in a way that creates/enhances that “ideal” hourglass shape, so if you like belts and wish to wear them, you have my wholehearted blessing to do just that! Also, it sounds like V-necks/scoop necks are an excellent choice for you. Beautiful collar bones deserve to show off, and a V-neck should create nice lines for your torso 🙂

Thank you very much, Maria. Luckily you didn’t say, “Call my receptionist and make an appointment!” 😀

Am about to embark on editing my wardrobe – shudder! – you’re such an inspiration. And, yes, I love your waist, too. But I find belts uncomfortable to wear – besides, where is my waist! – so I won’t indulge in them. Because of you, I’m also experimenting with arty nails. 🙂

You’re welcome, Jyll! I don’t always have the energy to answer comments like these (at least, it might take me a while), but I try to help you readers out when I can 🙂 Best of luck with your wardrobe editing, I’d love to hear how it goes!

I’m A Semi-Retired Designer from all over the world and I’m thrilled that someone else feels as I do about dressing for curves!!!!! The majority of the population is not bone thin and we should be dressing the 94%. I am a 5’9″ 219 lb Amazon now over 40 when I was young I tried to be the 125 lb

thin that the others said I “Should be”. Now I say LOVE your curves and dress them! I loved designing for curves it was more fun!!!It made me a rebel but that was fine it got me a lot of clients too.

I have Pinned you to my sewing board and my friends love you!! Keep up the Great Work!!!!!!!

Such a positive and bubbly comment! Thank you so much, Lady Red 😀

I’m really sick to see so many wonderful woman worrying ’cause they don’t fit in the “standard” set by fashion. And so many other that look bad in their outfit because they don’t know how to dress in a way that favourishes them.

Thank you for your kind words, Raquel 🙂

I love your blog ……….! Congratulations, have fun and learn a lot. Keep it up. Greetings from Argentina.

Hi Claudia from Argentina! Thank you for commenting 😀

What a beautiful and wonderful example of why proportion is important. Thank you for sharing!

Tenk at jeg ikke har funnet din blogg før nå! Tusen takk for en fantastisk blogg full av innsikt og sunn innstilling til kropp og stil. Og så fant jeg ut at du er NORSK….. så morsomt.

Velkommen, Jorunn, jeg er glad du fant bloggen min og likte den så godt 😀 Og ja, det er alltid gøy å finne bloggere fra samme land som en selv.

ville bare si det at det virker som at vi to har nesten samme kroppsfasong.

jeg sliter med å kle meg selv opp til tider og velger som oftest klær som skjuler formen min på grunn av min egen usikkerhet, rett og slett, jeg sliter litt med å kle meg bra og se på meg selv som selvsikker, noen flere råd?

Usikkerhet/selvtillit/selvfølelse er en ganske stor “greie” som gjerne kommer fra mange ting. Jeg har grublet på en bloggpost om dette i det siste, så hold øynene åpne – frem til da kan du få noen tips:

1. “Du er hva du spiser”, eller, hva du LESER/SER PÅ. Jeg styrer bevisst unna alle typer blogger/blader som inneholder masse tips om kosthold og trening, fordi jeg vet at de alltid får meg til å føle meg værre. Til og med Instagram-feeder til venner av meg må jeg innimellom ignorere/scrolle forbi, fordi de poster ting jeg vet gir meg kjipe tanker. Så ut med sånne ting som gir deg dårlig magefølelse, bytt de ut med ting som er fine for ALLE kropper/typer utseende, eller (enda bedre) som fokuserer på andre ting enn kropp. Jeg merker også at jeg blir mye mer kritisk om jeg ser mye på TV-serier hvor “alle” er pene og perfekte, og dét er det mest interessante ved dem (bytt ut Gossip Girl med Doctor Who!).

2. Hvis du skal prøve/kjøpe klær: det er aldri deg det er noe galt med, alltid klærne. Husk dét. Det er ikke din jobb å passe klærne, det er klærne sin jobb å passe deg. Om de ikke gjør det, vekk med dem.

3. Om du, som meg, sliter med å finne klær som passer: finn noe som passer de største/bredeste punktene dine (f.eks. hoftene), og sy ting inn der det trengs (f.eks. midjen), eller få dem tilpasset hos en skredder/snill mamma/onkel/venn som kan sy. Det er SÅ verdt den lille ekstrautgiften når du ser hvor flott kroppen din kan være i klær som er riktige for den!

4. Finn selvtillit i ting som ikke handler om utseendet. Verden i dag er veldig opptatt av å banke inn i oss at utseendet er det eneste som teller, og det er umulig å ikke bli påvirket av det. Ergo må vi kjempe enda hardere imot. Jeg føler meg bedre når jeg føler meg smart, kreativ, omsorgsfull og morsom, og disse egenskapene holder seg mye lenger og er generelt mer nyttige enn å se ut på en spesiell måte.

This is great– especially since you used the same drawing in each example. It really illustrates how the color, lines and pattern can accentuate the right (or wrong) parts of our body.

Thank you, Lynn! That was what I thought, too, that the different clothes/cuts needed to be on the same body for the differences to really show 🙂 The only thing I regret about this post was labelling the two main examples “right” and “wrong”, as I no longer feel we NEED to dress in the most flattering way possible. In fact, I might even write a new blog post about that – thank you for sparking the idea!

Such a great write-up. Love all the information you shared… so helpful. Thank you!

I’m glad you found it helpful, darling 🙂

Thank you for this post! Thanks for taking the time to draw pictures!

I have a long neck and very long torso, with narrow shoulders, narrow waist (65cm), small bust (84cm) and short legs (75cm legs, with 92cm torso to top of head) with a bum that sits low due to my longer torso than legs…. I get really unhappy when things that fit most, don’t fit me, or look really awkward on me. I am usually an Australian size 6 (US size 2) in tops, and they are NEVER long enough, and I take a size 8 in pants which are always too long/or don’t fit because I have a narrow waist with large hips (93cm hips). My measurements, in relation to proportion, are way off normal sizing and I do stress about this alot. The one thing I have found that works is wearing ‘Cue’ dresses – an Australian brand – they are bell-shaped, so my long torso and short legs are hidden, and small waist accentuated. I’ve never really found anything else that works – but thanks to you I might try halter tops which might work with my narrow shoulders.

Thanks heaps for sharing, you’re great 🙂

Sounds like you’ve been thinking about this a lot – I did/do, too, as it’s just so incredibly frustrating when shops just don’t seem to make clothes for you. Dresses sound like a great solution, and skirts that sit at your natural waist should also work well (tuck in tops if you want to accentuate your waist). I’m so glad you found my post helpful, best of luck, Chels 😀

I am excited to have stumbled upon this article via the Curvy Sewing Collective (another stumble upon this afternoon). The exercise of going through my closet with a clearer vision of truth will be fun. I should print this article to keep myself on point and not be like the person who looks in a mirror and then walks away and forgets what she saw. Perhaps the antidote to it all is really getting the concept down pat (for me).

My mid section is ridiculously out of proportion to the rest of me [full B = 40″; B under arms = 38″; waist = 39″; hips = 46″]so I need to understand how that affects the way I want to look. I have been guilty of wearing the rectangular skirt, like in your example, thinking I did not want to accentuate my large middle section. Decent compression wear may be my new best friend to address that issue. Hmmmm?

Hi Lyric! I’m glad you liked my post 🙂 As for dressing you mid-section, there are many more options than shapewear/compression wear (which would be horribly uncomfortable to wear on an everyday basis). If you want to make your hips appear more narrow, darker colours, vertical stripes, one colour from the waist down, and jeans/trousers with a slightly higher waist can really trick the eye. As for skirts, you might want to try a full skirt, perhaps a circle skirt that’s also gathered around the waist. Sounds counterproductive, I know, but with a truly full skirt, nobody will be able to tell how much of the volume comes from your body, and how much is just the skirt. I carry much of my width on my hips as well, and I find full skirts to work wonderfully 🙂

Thank you for taking the time to comment, and good luck on your closet clean-out!

Mind blown! Your explanation on a short torso is me to a T, even though I’m taller than the average woman. I’ve been working hard on a weight loss transformation so no doubt this will help me to properly dress for my changing body. Thank you!

How lovely that you liked my blog post, Kelly, thank you 🙂

Well written and easy to understand! It’s great to have all the visuals. I would love to follow your blog, but I don’t see any link?

Hi Nuala! Thank you, I’m glad you liked it 🙂 I’m working on updating the design here on my blog, so it’s no wonder you couldn’t find it — I’m so sorry. I’ve added a page called Follow/Contact (http://lostinaspotlessmind.com/followcontact/) where you can choose between various ways to follow me. Thank you for taking the time to ask, instead of just giving up on me <3

I am a 55-year-old woman who has grown discouraged over the years by this society telling us that a “bubble” butt is more attractive and that we all should have them. Well, I wasn’t given one, though I tried for years to exercise and get mine shaped like one….Hasn’t happened. I just figure you have what you have, so I began searching for ways to accentuate what I have. When I stumbled on your ‘site’, I received more than what I had thought. I wondered why men especially are attracted to round behinds (mine is a “v” shape) and it appears that things are just more pleasingly attractive when they are proportionate. But if they aren’t, it’s nice to know there are a few things that can be done to create an illusion. I’d like to follow you too because as others have said, you make what you’re saying very easy to understand. Thank you for sharing your gift!

Hi Lynn, how wonderful of you to take the time to comment 🙂 I’m constantly frustrated by how narrow the beauty ideal is, both when it comes to body, hair, face, colours and pretty much everything else. I teach a class called “Colour and Style” at a fashion school here in Oslo, and I’m quite determined to broaden my students’ minds when it comes to what is considered “attractive” or “positive” or “pleasing”. That being said, there are absolutely ways to create illusions and lines in an outfit to achieve the look you want! I’m glad you found my blog helpful, and thank you again for commenting!

This was a wonderful article! I found it by chance and I can’t wait to read your other stuff. Bonus points because you and I have almost identical measurments! :))

Hi measurements-sister! I’m glad you liked my blog post 😀

Shopping for clothing has been my #1 personal struggle throughout my whole life. Mostly it has been my body shape that trips me up. I am 5’2″ tall and pear shaped with a huge big bum and thick legs. Finding the right fit amongst a sea of clothing racks makes me want to cry. There are so many options when you walk in a store and many, ever-changing, trends. This makes it hard for someone with no real understanding of fashion/fit to maneuver and get that amazingly coveted wardrobe we all want. Your blog post has been very helpful in understanding some of the design elements to look for. Any specific suggestions for my body type? I plan to check out your other posts, as well, for design tips.

I so very much sympathise with your struggles; we seem to have rather the same opinions of the selection, (or lack thereof) in shops these days. As for tips, the guidelines I give in the blog post should be helpful for any body type — the problem is often simply finding the right clothes, which is harder for me to help with. Like with other body types that differ much from the “norm” the manufacturers use, you might find getting things altered/tailored a huge help; it doesn’t have to cost much, and sometimes even small alterations can make a big difference!

Over the last few years I’ve figured out a few of these tricks – I am a 5’1″ hourglass shape with a long torso but short legs. I have to keep skirt hemlines a bit (or way) above my knees to keep my legs from getting lost, and like you said – shirts with a lower neckline actually make my bust looks smaller – I like scoop necks, but a deep V works fine if it’s modest. There are a few styles that I can see and say “nope” for me – the norm is they just don’t work for me (like empire waists and cap sleeves)

I’ve recently learned that my sweaters should extend past or to mid-hip, otherwise I look like I’ve just outgrown them (I will stubbornly keep wearing the offending sweater). :/

I’m working on a total wardrobe re-vamp and it’s hard to keep my proportions in mind sometimes! But once you get the hang of it there’s a ton of great styles out there – you just have to find the specific pieces that work for you (the hard part!)

Empire waists and cap sleeves are my personal archenemies in clothing, so at least we’re not alone in that! I’m glad you liked my blog post, Cait 🙂

*laughs* why, thank you, I guess? Though I have my troubles and negative sides, just like everyone else, I promise!

Ok… My mind has been blown… So much knowledge!!

I am a twenty year old college student from the most redneck part of Arkansas, US… I have grown up in a “high fashion” battle where sorority t-shirts battle it out with every other t-shirt design to tickle the newest fancy… Fashion is nonexistent and dang-it if I just want to look nice! I’m a wildlife management and ecology major and I must confess I love jeans, flannel and other hardworking clothes but I have never found such informative and lovely words telling me how to even begin to look for clothing that will express my personality in away that accentuates my figure. It’s been such a struggle I confess I have nearly given up on shopping. Between a SUPER tight (even by college student terms) budget, a unique figure/taste (leather and lace with a dash of rebellious artsy whim if you please

Hi NiKayla! I’m so glad you liked my blog post 😀

Great post! On the topic of proportion, I found a great formula to determine your ideal skirt/dress length. I’m 5’3″ and short waisted which makes shopping for pants a nightmare so I stick to skirts and dresses. Knowing your ideal skirt or dress length could do wonders to the overall appearance of your outfit and maybe even allow you to get away with the don’ts you mentioned. It’s referred to as your golden #. Try it out and be amazed! Measure from the top of your shoulder to your heel and divide by 1.618. Here’s and example of what the equation might look like (adjust your number based on the height of you heel). Here’s mine 55″/1.618=34″.

The number you come up with will be the distance from your shoulder to the length of your ideal hem. I usually use the opposite measurement which is the measurement from the floor up if I need to make any hem adjustment. Based on my measurements my floor measurement would be 55-34=21″.

Thanks, Lisa! That’s an interesting way to work with hem lengths, I’m sure it’ll appeal to certain fashion nerds out there 🙂

Maria- I absolutely love you teaching! You have helped me understand how to use my curves to dress better. My favorite part are your pictures. Thank you, Silvia

Thank you, Silvia, darling! It’s always lovely to hear I could help someone 🙂

Hi, I’m delighted to have found your blog, just wish it had been sooner :~( though now’s a good time.

A year ago I was 5′ 3″ and weighing a lot more than the Dr.s thought I should. Well I complied with the nagging and lost 4.5 stone and 3.5″ in height too. Turns out the weight was acting like scaffolding and holding me up. So I absolutely agree it’s not the numbers that are important but how your body fits together.

As I need to rejig my wardrobe, everything in it being to long for starters I shall keep your terrific site to hand while I do.

Thank you so much for your generosity in sharing this information.

I’m so glad you’re able to focus on other things than numbers, darling! And welcome to my blog 🙂

Hello maria…..love this article on proportions. Can you please refer me to some thing that has to do with guys, especially tailoring for guys.

Hi Bayo! Sure, check this out: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=tailoring+for+guys 😉

Thank you for your article. I wonder if you have advice for me. I have irritable bowel syndrome so this makes my stomach stick out a lot of the time like a pregnant woman’s. I’m tall and not skinny. Do you have any tips to hide the belly without making me look bigger?

Hi Mistie! If you don’t want to draw attention to your stomach, direct it elsewhere (with colour, accessories, patterns, visual lines like I describe in this blog post). I find that to be much more helpful than trying to

something, and I also think it’s better for us psychologically, as it helps us focus on things we

This is really good, thoroughly enjoyed going through this and as a seamstress and dealing with suggestions for different people I will use the principles you have suggested. Thanks heaps

So how should ladies with broad shoulders and hips smaller than the shoulders dress?

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