Friday Favorites...

Have you ever walked into a store and noticed a really cute blouse being "modeled" by a stylish mannequin that you thought would look great on you, too? But then you go into the dressing room and try it on, only to find that (though you hate to admit it!) it looks better on the dumb mannequin than on you. So, you walk back out of the dressing room and browse through the sea of clothes, trying to find some other piece of clothing that meets all of your criteria before you head back to the dressing room to try again.

It can be somewhat discouraging, if you try on several different outfits and still can't seem to find something that you like. Most of the time, my problem is that it just doesn't fit right. Maybe the blouse looks perfect.....except for the arm holes, because they're too big and droopy. Or maybe the skirt looks nice........but the waist doesn't sit right on your hips. The pants you try on would look great.....if they didn't make your thighs look like tree trunks. You might find a cute pair of shoes, but when you put them on, you can't help but think that they make your feet look huge.

I have had those scenarios take place MANY times. Shopping would be fun if I happened to find something that I was looking for, or a complete waste of time if everything I tried on just didn't look right. It was rather confusing and overwhelming to search through all the racks of clothing, as I attempted to find just the right piece of clothing. I mean, I thought, "If it can look so nice on a silly mannequin - why couldn't I get it to look nice on me?"

It wasn't until a few short years ago that I learned a few tips about how to shop smartly. And though most of you might already know these simple tips, they have really transformed the way I shop for clothing, which is why "knowing and dressing for your body shape" is my favorite thing this week!

First, you might wonder why it's so important to dress according to your body shape. Good question! Here are a few benefits and blessings of doing so :

1. People will be drawn to look at your countenance - not your body
2. People who dress appropriately gain respect from others and it gives "weight" (lol) to your words
3. You will feel comfortable in what you're wearing, and therefore are able to focus on giving to others instead of worrying and fidgeting with your clothes
4. You'll look great!

Now that you've seen a few of the benefits, let's get started! It all begins with a simple evaluation of your body. I'm sure that most of you have heard the common categories of body shapes for women - apple shaped, pear shaped, straight/rectangle shaped, and hourglass shaped. If you aren't sure which shape you are, here are a few characteristics of each kind:

apple shaped = "top heavy", bust 3 or more inches inches bigger than your hips, a fuller face and neck, broader shoulders, more narrow hips with a fuller, undefined waist

pear shaped =bottom heavy, hips significantly larger than bust, a long or slender neck, sloping or narrow shoulders, curvy hips and backside, full thighs and calves, defined, slim waist

straight/rectangular shaped (or the toothpick!) = bust, waist, and hips are basically the same size, a full neck, broad back, undefined waist, a balanced figure

hourglass shape = equal hip and bust measurements with a narrow waist, symmetrical shoulders and hips, shapely legs

Have you figured out which one you are? In my case, I didn't need much time for deliberation....I'm most definitely a pear. :-) Once I realized what shape my body resembled, it helped me to decide which types and styles of clothes would look best on me. And this is not just about dressing to appear more sleek and slim. (I mean, seriously - have you ever looked at a bowl of fruit and thought that the pear looked sleek and slim? It ain't gonna happen, sista'!) But like I mentioned above, dressing appropriately for your body shape will draw attention to your countenance (which is what we want!) because people aren't distracted by your clothes. We all know people who try to squeeze into clothing that is much too tight, thinking that it will make them appear thin. In fact, it does the opposite! The clothes may cover them, but by showing every curve and hump, it's not modest at all. And I'm sure you also know other people who wear very baggy clothes that kind of hang on them and resemble a potato sack. That's not very attractive, either! :-) Without some shape to the clothes, it makes them appear sloppy and larger than they actually are.

So, how do you know what type of clothes to wear for your shape? You can find helpful information in books, which I have done, and also on different websites. In order not to make this post too long, I'm going to attempt to give just a few simple guidelines that the "fashion experts" suggest for each body type. It's important to remember, however, that you are unique! There are guidelines that you can follow, but if something doesn't work for you - move on to something else. Don't try to completely fit into the mold, and don't go to your closet and throw out anything that doesn't line up with these guidelines! Evaluate your clothes by how they look on you - not on a mannequin, even if the mannequin is your body shape. :-)

Okay, let's begin with our apple shaped friends. Your main goal is to lengthen and elongate your torso, which will give the appearance of slimmer shoulders and waist. Wrap around tops look best on you, as do fitted tops - as long as they're not too tight. V-necks look great, too! Look for blouses that have a cinched waist or a belted jacket. This will help to balance your shape!
Skirts should be fitted at the waist and flare at the hem line. Because the lower half of your body is significantly smaller than your top, and A-line skirt will help balance things out. You'll want to look for jeans that have a flat front, and those that have flared or bootcut legs, which will give you a long, balanced look.

And now, onto those of us who are pear shaped. Blouses that are fitted and have lots of detailing and texture will help draw attention away from your backside and to your face. Look for blouses that are scooped, draped, v'd, rounded, or squared. Anything that makes your shoulders appear more broad. A-lined and flared skirts look best on pears. When choosing a dress, choose one with an empire waist or a wrap dress which will flow over your hips. Keep prints on top and dark, solid colors on the bottom. Find jeans that are flared and have a straight leg, which will balance out the larger thighs.

For my straight/rectangle shaped friends, your unique challenge is to find tops that will help give you curves! Cinched tops and belted tops that give you a waist look great! Jackets that flare out from your waist will give you "instant hips". Again, skits that are A-line, pencil, or flared will help you find your feminine curves! You'll look nice in jeans that have a straight leg from the hip to the knee and have a slight flare at the end.

And finally, the most coveted group of women, my hourglass shaped friends! Look for tops with V-necks or scooped necks, and find jackets that will sit right at your waist. Wrap around tops are also great for emphasizing your waist. Pencil skirts look great on you, as do A-line skirts. Find skirts that are longer, as this will make your appearance more balanced.

Whew! This is taking a long time to type up. I'm going to have to save my other thoughts for another time. But I'd like to hear yours! What shape are you and what kind of clothes do you like to wear? Have you ever thought about shopping for your shape, or is this a new concept to you? Any other thoughts about the topic?

Let me hear from you! ~Bekah