How to choose clothes that work for you
So many items to wear, so many choices to make! But what happens when you are not sure which body shape you are and which pieces of clothing will work best with your figure? Bodies come in different shapes and sizes, and what flatters one woman won’t work as well on another. That is why the Patra team have decided to make a little handy guide with the four main body shapes. So you can understand what type of clothing work best for you. Read on and let us know your thoughts!
Triangle (Pear) Shape
(Left to right) Cotton Sleeveless Tunic Top, Bamboo-Cotton Collar Top, Cotton Pique Shift Dress
Your hips are larger than the bust, your waist gradually slopes out to the hips and is nicely-defined. You can enhance and add volume to your upper body while emphasising your waist and minimising your lower body to create a balanced, hourglass appearance. There are some tops that can help balance your lower half, while accentuating your defined waist. Fitted waists and boat neck tops will add volume to your bust and balance your lower half, while wrap shirts and wide necklines will emphasize your small waist. Bright colours and bold patterns will complement your figure.
The bottoms you pick should downplay your lower half. A-line skirts will gently skim your body and help focus attention away from your bottom. Trousers that fall straight from the widest part of your hip will complement your figure the most. Your best bet are simple, dark-coloured trousers with no/minimal pockets and a mid-rise waist.
Shift dresses work well for you; you just need to add a belt for waist definition. Bust-enhancing necklines emphasise your bust and slim down your waist, while high necklines also work well. A knee-length pencil skirt will help create curves on the lower part of your body, and an A-line wrap dress will create an hourglass figure.
Inverted Triangle (Apple) Shape
(Left to right) Bamboo-Cotton Flare Top, Noil Silk Trousers, Tencel Midi Dress
You have a large bust (lucky you!), narrow hips and a not very well-defined waist. Your slim hips and shapely legs are your best assets, so don’t be afraid to show them off to the world! When it comes to dressing up, you will need to balance your upper body with your broader shoulders and ample bust with your slimmer lower body to create more of an hourglass effect and a more defined waist. Wrap-style tops, narrow V-necks and darker colours will do wonders for your body. They will help narrow your upper body and accentuate your waist; thus your bust will balance with your hips.
For your bottoms, you can go full out! A-line skirts, wide legged trousers, embellishments and other details, will add volume to your lower body. A-line skirts will emphasize your waist and fill out your hips. Don’t be afraid to choose bold colours and prints, as they will further enhance the effect. Wide legged trousers are the most flattering on you, as they add curves to your body and help balance your bust and shoulders. You have great legs, so do show them off!
V-neck dresses will work wonders on you! As well as drawing attention away from your waist, they will create a vertical line that will make you look more slender. A-line dresses will be another win for you, if you are an apple shape, as they will balance out your larger bust while drawing focus towards your legs. The best part is that they are so versatile that they can be worn with a fitted cardigan for office days and then can be dressed up with high heels for a night out.
Rectangle (Ruler/Straight) Shape
(Left to right) Woven Cotton-Linen Top, Faux Wrap Tencel Skirt, Cotton Check Shirt Dress
Your bust and hips are roughly the same size, while your waist is slightly smaller. You can proportionally dress the top and bottom part of your body while emphasising your waist. You can choose tops that can add curves to your upper body and create a more defined waist. Nipped/belted waists focus on the fullness around the bust and hips. Boat neck tops and wide V-necks lengthen your shoulders and create an illusion of a smaller waist.
Bottoms should add curves to your lower half while creating an hourglass figure. You can go for details like embellished pockets and flap pockets, or trousers with full or moderately flared legs. These details will add curves to your lower half. Full or tiered skirts of any length you can pair with shirts with an equal amount of volume to your bust and shoulders to create an hourglass effect. Also, skirts with details or pockets will add an illusion of curves to your hips.
When it comes to dresses, most styles will work for you, so it’s all about figuring which feature you want to play up. For example if you want for the focus to be on your arms you can select a sleeveless style, or if you want to show your legs you can select a knee length dress. You can also go for dresses that wrap around the waistline to create shape.
Hourglass Shape
(Left to right) Bamboo-Cotton V-Neck Top, Double Layered Jersey Top, Cotton Mix Treggings, Bamboo Wrap Dress
If you are one of the few with an hourglass body shape, you are so lucky! Your bust and hips are basically the same size and your waist is well-defined. Your shoulders are gently rounded, aligning nicely with your hips. Your upper body is proportionate in length to your legs which are shapely. You can proportionally dress the top and bottom of your body while accentuating your waist. You can create even more curvaceous effect by proportionally adding a bit of volume to the upper and lower body, but always try to maintain balance. Tailored shirts and jackets, form-fitting and wrap-style tops will accentuate your waist and show off your curves. Take care to avoid boxy styles, as they do nothing for your figure.
Pencil skirts, flared and straight-leg trousers, skinny jeans, treggings all of these work for you. You can pair straight-leg trousers with form-skimming tops to maintain proportions. Also, figure-skimming or pencil skirts of all lengths look good and the same goes for full skirts. They are very flattering when paired with a top adding fullness to your bust and shoulders, while accentuating your waist.
Any type of dress will look nice on you. Wrap dresses, fit and flare dresses, in essence everything that will showcase your curves, instead of hiding them. There’s simply no better way to flaunt those curves than a perfect dress! It will focus on your waist, without adding extra volume to your bust. So, whether it’s a business meeting, a coffee date or a night out, don’t be afraid to show off your figure! Extra tip: choose soft fabrics, like cotton and silk. These materials gently drape over your curves, keeping the top of your body in proportion with the lower part.
Embrace your body
Whatever your body type, your best bet is to find clothes that highlight your assets but more importantly, make you feel good. Being confident and comfortable in your clothing can do wonders for the way you look.
We hope that you found our guide informative. If you have more questions, our customer services are always happy to help!
