Body shapes - that Perfect Dress part 2

Body shapes

Here are some very simplified body shapes which will help you choose a dress for your favourite woman.  Bear in mind when I say large breasts we are talking in relation to her hips/thighs/bum, and vice versa. It’s all about which bits are biggest in relation to the rest of her body, not the biggest just because they’re just plain huge.

If you really struggle try using this really quick tool. A step by step guide to working out a body shape – no naked ladies (sorry!) but very useful for the uninitiated! Once you’ve worked out the shape, look her up in our five categories below…

1. Apple:

Girls who have big breasts and a rounded tummy and not much of a waist. Basically she’s bigger on top than her hips/bum/thighs. She will often have great legs. Quite a lot of women are this shape. Basically you want to balance the top by drawing attention to her lower half.

Most likely to say: I wish I had a flat stomach!

Go for:

• Wrap dresses – these are ones she puts on like a dressing gown and it ties up at the side.
• Necklines that are scoop or V neck
• Dresses that show off her legs, can go short, depending on your lady
• Dark or plain material on top, and patterned or lighter bottom half
• Knickers with bows and frills

Steer clear of:

• Patterns or large features (like a belt) around the stomach and breast area
• Higher necklines like polo necks, crew cut or slash necks
• Frills and features on the top bit of the dress, e.g. no padded shoulder jackets or ruffles around shoulders – even cap sleeves will broaden them
• Padded bras
• Sleeveless dresses (with shoulders but no arms)

2. Pear:

The opposite of apples. Pear girls have big thighs, bum and hips, smaller waists and smaller breasts (in relation to the bottom half). This is the most common British female shape – think booty.  Again, you want to balance the bigger bottom half by drawing attention upward. Now stop thinking about booty.

Most likely to say: does my bum look big in this?

Go for:

• Dresses with shoulders-pads, frills/patterns/colours on top
• Anything with a detail that draws attention to her waist e.g. a belt, band of colour
• Circle skirts (think 1950s prom girls) are good
• A dress or top that is structured and fitted around the waist – rather than floaty
• Padded bras are great

Steer clear of:

• Dresses with lighter colours or patterns or features (e.g. sequins) in the lower half
• Dresses with bands of colours or lines that cut across the hips
• Things that are loose and not fitted – it’ll stretch out at her hips, and make her look like her whole body is that big
• Frilly knickers, bows on the side of knickers
• Short skirts
• Dresses that have pockets on the bum or hips
• Empire line dresses

3. Athletic

A woman who is toned, not so curvy, more straight up and down, and not so much of a waist. Probably quite sporty with a sexy flat stomach and toned arms.

Most likely to say: I wish I had bigger boobs

Go for:

• Prints, ruffles, layers, especially soft, girly prints
• Sleeveless dresses – these have a broad shoulder bit but no arm
• Dresses that have patterns and features across hips and thighs and across breasts and tummy
• Silky soft fabrics, things with ties and ribbons to build up layers
• Short skirts
• Polo neck or high slash necks

Steer clear of:

• Scoop or v neck dresses
• Emphasis on the shoulders as chances are they are quite broad
• Dresses with lots of squared off edges, or that come across as quite straight up and down

4. Slender

Slim, slender all over, small breasts and small bum – different from athletic as she may be smaller boned and not so broad shoulders. Lucky old slender can wear most things.

Most likely to say: No, you have it, I’m full.

Go for:

• Backless dresses
• Bandeaux top dresses
• Patterns and flowing fabrics, ruffles, layers and frills
• Padded bras
• Smaller prints
• Short skirts
• Empire line dresses

Steer clear of:

• Plunging necklines – V necks or scoop necks
• Anything that you think will drown or swamp her

5. Hourglass

Think classic film star like Marilyn Monroe. Big boobs and big hips/thigh/bum but in equal proportions and with a defined waist. It doesn’t have to be the tiniest waist, or the biggest chest/bum in the world, but the curves are clearly there in relation to everything else. Think coke bottle.

Mostly likely to say: Happy birthday Mr President.

Go for:

• Anything that emphasises the waist – belts, ties, bands of colour etc
• Fitted jackets and structured, tailored dresses
• V neck or scoop necks
• Lots of things that work for pear will work for hourglass too, you just don’t have to worry about not drawing attention to her lower half

Steer clear of:

• Short skirts
• Empire line dresses
• Floaty things without structure that will make her look as wide all over as her widest bits and miss that sexy curve in at the waist

Tall and short women

One quick word on very tall and very short women – and you can have tall and short versions of all of the above: some say you shouldn’t go for massive patterns on petite women because they’ll be swamped and some say not on very tall women because they’ll just be so loud and bright, and vice versa with tiny delicate patterns. Ignore all of this and choose patterns and colours she likes and that go with the size of her personality.

I will say one thing: big women, tall or on the larger side, need bigger accessories like bags and jewellery. Small jewellery or tiny bags will look silly, like she ate the magic growing cake in Alice in Wonderland.

Good luck!! Her friends will have a good idea of what she likes so we really think you’d do well to – wait for it! – AskHerFriends when buying her clothes.