Tips on How to Dress for your Body Shape

Whether you're a fashionista or not, dressing according to your body shape is basically the #1 rule a woman should follow before trends and designer clothes. First, stand in front of a full-length mirror, assess your body shape, and choose among Apple, Pear, Strawberry, Hourglass, and Rectangle body shapes. Find clothes for all occasions at Very.co.uk.

Apple Body Shape

• Torso and upper body wider than your hips -- with little or no waist definition. You might have weight surrounding your waist.
• You MAY have gorgeous legs and/or boobs.
• Avoid adding volume around your middle - avoid short, boxy jackets and pleated or tiered skirts.
• Wear A-line and circle skirts.
• Use longer length tops and low/plunging necklines, and single-breasted coats and jackets.
• Wear solid, dark colored tops.
• Waist cinchers and body shapers are your best bets.
• Draw more attention to your legs and lower half - wear light colored and eye-catching shoes, and boot cut or flare/wide leg jeans.

Pear Body Shape

• Torso and upper body smaller than your hips -- with waist definition.
• Create more width and volume to your shoulders and chest by wearing bold bright tops or tops with large collars, lapels, or sleeves. Also, boat necks, cropped jackets, light colored and detailed tops and sweaters can do the trick.
• You're bottom-heavy so avoid tube, pencil, and fishtail skirts, especially tight-fitting ones will only emphasize your hips and behind
• Straight, bootleg, wide leg pants and jeans create a vertical fluid and not to mention flattering lean vertical line on your shape.
• Flared and A-line skirts that skim over your hips.

Strawberry Body Shape

• Also knowns as Inverted Triangle - Torso and upper body wider than your hips -- with little waist definition, projecting a sporty and athletic physique.
• Add volume and width around your hips and down - wear gauchos, harem pants, cargo pockets.
• Wear full and flaring skirts such as A-lines skirt, circle, balloon, etc.
• Choose long tops, shirts and sweaters that nip at your waistline or flare out from your waist or bust. Examples are tunics and belted cardigans.
• Use bright-colored or eyecatching shoes.
• Low U and V-neck tops with large straps at the shoulders are best bets.

Hourglass Body Shape

• Torso and hips are approximately the same width -- with waist definition, the most proportion of all body shapes.
• Hourglass have slimmer and curvier versions, and does not need to be bustier or bottom heavy.
• Make your waist a focal point - use belts by wearing it around the thinnest part of your waist.
• Wear wrap tops and dresses
• Choose belted tops, dresses, sweaters, shirts, coats.
• Lucky because you can wear all types of jeans, skirts, and pants. Just choose lengths that flatter your legs the most.

Rectangle Body Shape

• Torso and upper body are the same width as your hips -- little waist definition.
• Create a defined waist. You can either wear a dark colored wide belt around your waist or place a waist cinching shapewear underneath your clothes. 
• Add dimensions to your frame. This means "breaking up" your silhouette to create curves.
• Accentuate your best features! Emphasize a pair of lean legs, toned shoulders, etc.
• Tops, sweaters and dresses that cinch at your waistline or right below your bust.
• Wear full skirts such as circle, pleated and A-line styles.
• Shoulder pads help raise your frame by adding flattering width, sculpting your upper body.

Info & photo credits: thechicfashionista.com, bodyshapefashionadvice.com