Get the Hourglass Figure You Always Wanted

Every woman craves an hourglass figure. It’s the most coveted body shape as it’s considered extremely sexy and utterly feminine. Very few women are lucky enough to have the right curves to show off that shape naturally. But, by dressing your body right, you can easily attain that hourglass figure irrespective of your body shape. Read on to find out how…

 

It’s amazing how clothes can completely transform your looks. We all know how dressing appropriately can make you look thinner than you are, taller than you are, younger than you are. And now we will see how clothes can give you an hourglass figure even if your body isn’t naturally shaped that way.

 

There is only one simple mantra to follow no matter what you wear – be it skirts, dresses or trousers. Break your body into 3 distinct parts: a bust, a defined waistline and legs. This can be achieved by using a belt or by buying clothes that have self defined waists to cinch the narrowest part of your body giving the illusion of an hourglass above and below. Your waist definition should be slightly higher than your natural waistline, preferably just below the bust, for 2 reasons. One, that’s the narrowest part of your body – much smaller than your natural waist. Two, it gives the illusion of legs that are miles long and long legs automatically translate into leaner, taller figure, which is what every woman wants.

(Image by: Brooks Elliott)

 

Now, how this mantra is incorporated will differ based on your body shape. We all have our problem areas and they can be easily camouflaged to get that hourglass figure using certain tricks. Let’s look at specific needs for different body types.

 

Top heavy – Big chested; A big tummy; Extra weight in the mid section

If you have an apple shaped body, your aim is to balance out the top heaviness by choosing styles that are flowy at the bottom.

Skirts or dresses should float away from the body. Stay away from skirts that stick to your thighs or are too tight. A pencil skirt is ok coz it‘s cut straight from the hips. But, A-line is the best pattern for you. Also, choose materials that have some weight and don’t cling to your body. Cotton, linen, corduroy and raw silk work very well.

When it comes to jeans, straight legs are ideal. You can also do the trouser style but stay away from skinny jeans – that will only make you look like apple on a toothpick.

For the top, choose styles with an open neckline. V-neck is the most flattering. If the V is deep, you can always wear a cami underneath – preferably a lace cami for that flirty, feminine look. Avoid turtlenecks at any cost; they only make your girls appear even bigger.

Layering is a great option for you. Though a lot of people think adding more layers is going to make you look heavier, it actually has a very slimming effect. You can layer using cardigans or structured jackets. Choose contrasting colors and try to use darker colors for the outermost layer.

 

Bottom heavy – Big hips; Big butt; Heavy thighs

If you have a pear shaped body, you want to balance out the bottom half by bringing attention to the top half. Things get easier when you have a distinct area to focus on.

You can do skirts that are straight cut and are closer to your body. A pencil skirt is great for you. This will avoid adding bulk to your lower half. Avoid heavy, flowy skirts or dresses – you don’t want any kind of extra volume there.

When it comes to jeans, straight leg again is your best bet. Choose the dark wash only, as this has an instant slimming effect. Light wash will only bring attention to your problem areas. Make sure there are no fade marks or embellishments in your lower half – you don’t want any kind of attention there. Avoid flares or any cut that is going to make body too wide. A slight boot-cut can look sexy but if it’s too wide, it’s not a flattering shape. Again, any style that tapers toward your ankle is not good for you – so no skinny jeans. They are just going to accentuate your butt, hips and thighs – all of which you are looking to avoid.

For tops, you can choose styles that have ruffles or detailing. This keeps the attention on your upper half. You can very well wear turtlenecks playing up your girls. Boat necks widen your shoulder and balance out your lower half. You can also go for puff sleeves to add more volume.

A jacket that hits you at mid-hip is ideal. You go above the hip and your hip gets highlighted; you cover the hip fully and your torso looks longer making your legs shorter, hips wider and making you appear very awkward overall. Something that cuts across your hips is the best way to camouflage a heavy hip.

 

Boy shaped – Slim: no weight related problem areas; No curves whatsoever; Brick like torso

Your top and bottom halves are perfectly proportional. Your only problem is lack of a defined waist. Trust me, it’s a lot easier for you to get that hourglass shape than you ever imagined.

Because of the basic boyish structure of your body, you want to stay away from masculine styles and go for girly looks. You don’t have to worry about over emphasizing your upper or lower body. No style is particularly off limits but here are a few ideas that will help –

Go for tops that have feminine details like lace, ruffles, embroidery, embellishments, floral prints and choose colors that are bolder and give presence to your top half. Faux wrap blouses or empire waist tops work very well for you. You can also do loose flowy tops or tunics and cinch your waist using a thick belt.

Skirts should float away from the body. This way your waist will appear narrower than it actually is giving you that hourglass figure.

When it comes to jeans, you can safely wear the universally flattering straight leg jeans. You can also go for the hipster style jeans, boot cuts and the bell bottoms. If you have great legs, you might even be able to do the skinny jeans – but don’t pair them with tops that are too tight or those that cling to your body coz then it becomes difficult to camouflage your straight torso. If you do go in for such tops, make sure you wear a structured jacket. A structured jacket has the hourglass shape built into it and is perfect for your body type.

 

Note: If you don’t fit into any of the above categories and would like to know about what will suit your body type, do leave a comment and I will address your questions.

 

Summary:

  • Hourglass mantra: Break your body into a bust, a defined waist and legs
  • Top heavy: Opt for open necklines, layering, skirts with volume and straight cut jeans
  • Bottom heavy: Opt for tops with detailing, jackets, pencil skirts, straight leg jeans
  • Boy shaped: Go for feminine looks, tops that don’t cling, belts to cinch waist, skirts with volume, structured jackets, pretty much any kind of jeans

 

Comments

  1. Teenage depression says

    You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and very broad for me. I¡¯m looking forward for your next post, I¡¯ll try to get the hang of it!
    My site is on Depression and anxiety.

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