How to shop for your shape
While fashion trends routinely come and go, the most important rule to learn about stylishness is not to
blindly follow fashion’s fickle fads. Not everything that’s currently on-trend will be flattering for everyone – and sometimes trends come along that don’t seem to suit anyone! One thing that tends to stay fairly constant, though, is your body, which is why it’s a good idea to get to know your shape and work out what looks good on you.
There has been quite a bit of TV focus on shopping for your shape in recent years. Whilst Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine had a seemingly tough approach, they were committed to helping women understand that you can look wonderful at any age. Trinny and Susannah famously used a 360˚ mirror, and if you can find one of these when out shopping – or even buy one for your home – you will have a much more realistic view of yourself when you try on new clothes.
Failing that, you might find it helpful to adopt Gok Wan’s principles. Aside from the fashion guru’s great ethos about building a positive self-image, Gok also came up with a few basic shopping guidelines for women of different shapes, including some of the following nuggets of wisdom:
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Pear shape ladies – balance out your figure by defining your upper body, for example with
blazers with shoulder pads or tops with embellished necklines.
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Apple shape ladies – create an hourglass silhouette by cinching your waist with a belt and
wearing a subtly flared skirt.
•
Top-heavy ladies – emphasise your bottom half by opting for flared skirts with plenty of volume.
•
Slim ladies – create the illusion of curves by highlighting your bust with embellished tops,
cinching your waist with a belt and wearing puffball or skater skirts.
Once you have a clear sense of what suits you and what to avoid, you’ll be able to put together outfits with ease, making shopping for new clothes far easier. This is particularly useful for shopping online, where buying clothes can seem like a bit of a gamble. However, if you do prefer to shop on the high street rather than online, it’s a good idea to take a friend who you can count on for honesty, or enlist
the help of a personal shopper. It doesn’t have to cost you a penny, and a second opinion can be hugely helpful.
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