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Have you ever wondered if you dress correctly for your body type?
There are five body types: hourglass, apple, pear, inverted triangle and rectangle.
And once you’ve determined your body type, dressing in flattering silhouettes is easier than ever, and there are plenty of celebrities you can take inspiration from.
FEMAIL spoke to personal stylists about the best way to ensure you’re embracing your shape, with stylists Lindsay Albanese and Kemi Ajibare offer their best tips for finding figure-flattering outfits.
FEMAIL spoke to personal stylists Lindsay Albanese and Kemi Ajibare about the best way to ensure you’re embracing your shape.
Hourglass
A curvy shape occurs when hip and bust measurements are equal, with Kim Kardashian, Christina Hendricks, Beyoncé and Scarlett Johansson being prime examples of celebrities who dress perfectly for this shape.
Personal stylist and digital creator Kemi suggested that women with hourglass figures opt for bodycon dresses, pencil skirts with low-cut tops, high-waisted pants, and b.Lace-up dresses and blouses that fit at the waist.
Kemi praised 42-year-old Beyoncé’s style in embracing her hourglass, as she “always opts for tight styles that highlight her figure” and “loves to emphasize her curves.”
She’s also a fan of how Sofia Vergara, 51, accentuated her curves, praising: “You never see her without waist-defining belts or bold prints.”
The stylist points to Tracee Ellis Ross, also 51, as another great example of dressing with curves.
“She’s very creative and tries everything from wrap dresses, bold colors and prints, fitted jackets and elegant high-waisted pants,” Kemi added.
Kemi also mentioned Megan Thee Stallion, 29, as a major source of inspiration for the curvy style.
The stylist says the rapper “keeps it youthful and fun by wearing tight dresses, crop tops and high-waisted pants, and lots of cut-out details.”
Kemi is a fan of how Sofia Vergara embraced her curvy figure and raved: ‘You never see her without waist-defining belts or bold prints’
Tracee Ellis Ross is another example of an hourglass, and Kemi said “she’s very creative and tries everything.”
Apple
Jennifer Hudson, Drew Barrymore, and Amy Schumer dress for their apple shapes, which means they have shoulders and bust larger than their hips and waist, which tend to be a little less defined.
Lindsay, a former celebrity stylist based in Los Angeles, California, suggested wrap dresses and tops for apple-shaped women, which “help create various gathers and lines to contour the body.”
“Bias-cut dresses also add a figure-flattering drape,” Lindsay advised.
“If you’re looking to minimize, color blocking and contrasting side panels on clothing are magical on the figure to add shadows and enhance the figure,” continued Lindsay, who has amassed a huge social media fan base for your outfit ideas.
Kemi explained that if people wanted to draw attention away from their midriff, they should opt for A-line dresses and skirts, which gradually flare out from the waist emphasizing the waist and minimizing the midsection.
Apple-shaped women should also purchase wrap dresses, which were universally flattering because they helped cinched the waist, and flowy blouses with ruching or draping.
Kemi said to avoid bodycon dresses, ttight or boxy blouses and high-waisted pants, which could sometimes emphasize the waist.
Lindsay, a former celebrity stylist living in Los Angeles, California, suggested wrap dresses and tops for apple-shaped women.
Pear
Pear-shaped women tend to have hips that are wider than their bust and shoulders, with Ashley Graham, America Ferrera and Rihanna being examples.
For a pear shape, Lindsay suggested flat pants with no front pleats, which skim the hips and thighs without pulling or creasing.
“Cropped, boxy silhouettes on top tend to balance proportions and volume on the bottom,” she explained.
Lindsay is also a fan of pear-shaped women wearing fun wrap dresses, as Diane Von Furstenberg suggests.
Meanwhile, Kemi suggested “a silhouette that accentuates the upper body and minimizes the lower body,” which could be achieved with “tailored pants, wide leg jeans and high waist styles.
She advised pairing these pants with boatneck or off-the-shoulder tops, which “draw the eye upward and help balance a wider hip.”
Model Ashley Graham sports a silhouette that accentuates the upper body and minimizes the lower body.
inverted triangle
Reese Witherspoon, Victoria Beckham, Angelina Jolie, Renee Zellweger and Demi Moore have mastered dressing for their inverted triangle body types, which are characterized by broad shoulders or a wide bust that tapers to the hips.
Lindsay said that “boat necklines and strapless necklines will tend to accentuate and enhance this body shape.”
“If you want to streamline or minimize, an asymmetrical shoulder or necklines create tapering lines,” Lindsay suggested.
Kemi said women with an inverted triangle shape should consider ‘cClothing that adds curves to the hips and buttocks,’ including tOps with a round or V neckline paired with tapered pants, flared pants or a wide leg option.
Maxi and midi skirts are another way to balance the body.
Reese Witherspoon has her own clothing line, Draper James, and opts for pieces that add curves to her hips and buttocks, like the sundress above.
Demi Moore shows off her figure with asymmetrical necklines with bare shoulders that create lines to narrow
Rectangle
Kate Hudson is an example of how to emphasize your figure by lengthening your body with defined silhouettes
Cameron Diaz, Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson master dressing for a rectangular body type, which implies a straight silhouette without many curves and long legs.
Lindsay suggested “anything that has an asymmetrical neckline or hem,” adding that “cutouts create false curves and angles that shape your figure.”
“Drop-waist dresses also fit this shape effortlessly,” she said.
Kemi said: “Rectangular body shapes can sometimes be tricky, but people with this body shape tend to have similar bust, waist and hips in width definition.”
The stylist recommended peplum tops, which “add volume and definition to the hips,” as well as “structured outerwear with defined shoulders and high-waisted pants, which lengthen the legs and create a more defined waist.”
Women with rectangular shapes should avoid boxy tops or dresses, low-waisted pants, and oversized clothing if they want to look more defined, but of course it all comes down to what you’re most comfortable with.