The hourglass body type Is considered the ideal body type by many women. However, only 8.4% of the population have it. It’s round and curvy, with a well-defined waistline, fuller hips and bust and generous thighs.
For women with this body type, the bust and hips are approximately the same size, and the waist is narrow. This gives you a set of sexy, killer curves.
Due to these generous curves, many women find it difficult to find the right type of clothes for their body type.
The feminine curves can be beautifully accentuated or unfortunately hidden depending on the type of clothing styles chosen.
Many hourglass women believe any fashion style will suit their bodies but there are some styles that create imbalance, which can be unflattering in the end.
To find clothing that suits your hourglass figure, look for styles that accentuate your waist without adding extra volume around your hips.
Whether you’re a petite, standard or plus size woman, here are some tips on how you can best dress for your pear shaped curves.
Dresses
The beauty of an hourglass figure is the fact that most dress styles will look beautiful. Most dress lengths work well and the rule of a fitted waist is once again important to accent your shape.
Wrap dresses are ideal for highlighting the waistline and offer the option to adjust the dress to your comfort level. Retro fitted dresses with slight ruching, vertical pintuck details and a cinched waist is a great style to wear day or night.
The best necklines to draw the eye towards the bust and waist are a v-neck (or deep v-neck), cowl neck and a scoop neckline.
Collars are great to highlight a long neck and draw the eye down to the center of your lovely hourglass figure.The key to dressing an hourglass body type is to proportionally dress the top and bottom of your body while accentuating your waist.
Wide belts over shirts and dresses are a great way to show off your waist. You can create an even more curvaceous effect by proportionally adding a bit of volume to your upper and lower body, but always try to maintain balance since it is your best asset.
When dressing your hourglass figure, look for styles and fabrics that reduce bulk and prevent boxiness. Also look for pieces that draw attention to your narrow waist.
Tops
Casual and formal tops for hourglass body shapes can be almost any length, but if you happen to be shorter in the abdominal area, a shorter top will be more flattering.
Tops should always emphasize the smaller waist, so choose tailored tops and t-shirts that flare out a little at the hips.
Look for waistlines that cinched, belted or have slight ruching. Avoid adding bulk to the waist area with tops that have a lot of ruffles, layers of fabric or bulky embellishments.
They will only hide that beautiful little waist and give you a boxier look in the end. Right from t-shirts to a beautiful blazer whether striped or solid colored, tops and blazers go really well together.
Belted tops, or adding a belt to your outfit, to further accentuate your curvy figure, which is basically what you need.
Tops with banding or nipping at the waist allow your body shape to stand out which makes the focus to the parts of your body that are the best for a plus size woman with an hourglass figure. Form-fitting tops to showcase your body are a very good option for plus size ladies.
Wrap-style tops accentuate your waist and enhance your hourglass figure. Flowing tops that are banded at the waist, showing off your amazing curves, create a dramatic hourglass effect. Tops with that add volume to the bust and shoulders.
A snug fitting empire waist will create a dramatic hourglass effect when paired with a proportionally voluminous bottom.
Tailored shirts with darted waists that conform to your natural shape, however, stay away from boxy styles.
Jackets that nip in at the waist with a flare at the hip. The flare should be balanced with a structured or princess shoulder.
Lowers or Bottoms
Whether you prefer wearing casual clothes, dressy or business attire, choosing the right bottoms can mean the difference between feeling confident or uncomfortable.
An hourglass figure looks best in pants that are either a boot cut or slightly flared at the bottom. Wide leg pant styles can work for hourglass shapes but only for women who have longer legs; otherwise it will give you a heavier look.
When choosing pants and slacks, look for styles that have a more fitted waistline to avoid gaping when sitting down or bunching when wearing a belt.
As for skirts, choose lengths that are no shorter than just above the knee since it will give your torso a shorter, chunkier look.
Tailored and fitted skirt styles tend to beautifully accentuate the hourglass body while pleats and full, layered skirts only add bulk. The best styles are pencil skirts or fitted skirts that flare out at the knees.
Another time for choosing skirts is to try and find lighter fabrics since they will move with your body, without looking heavy.
Wear skinny jeans with banded, belted or not-to-tight body skimming tops. Boot cut jeans look good with most of the different styles of tops available in the market right now, just the color coordination has to be kept in mind.
Figure skimming and pencil skirts of all lengths look good on your figure. High-waisted skirts are particularly flattering. Add a flounce around the bottom to balance fuller tops and jackets.
Full skirts are flattering when paired with a top that adds fullness to your bust and shoulders while accentuating your waist. This look creates a very dramatic hourglass effect.
What to avoid
As a plus size woman with an hourglass figure, you ought to avoid straight dresses and attires that hide your body shape. When you have been blessed or have worked towards achieving such a wonderfully curved figure, it becomes a gross injustice towards the figure if you opt for straight dresses.
You should also stay away from fussy styles and clothes as they create additional volume around your bust, tummy, thighs. Examples of fussy styles and detailing in clothes would include dropped sleeve lines, pleats, high-waisted styles, hip pockets to name a few.
High necklines that cover up your cleavage and décolleté like turtle neck styled clothing is to be avoided as they do not allow your curvaceous figure to stand apart which basically becomes a big disadvantage for you.
Boxy jackets, or double breasted styles, narrowing leg lines or wide/short sleeves which finish near your bust are also among those that should not be preferred too much.
The most important thing to remember when choosing different clothing styles is to keep your body proportioned in order to best show off that curvy hourglass shape.
Avoid baggy clothing that will add bulk and ruin the gorgeous natural curves and wear your clothes with confidence so everyone can see that lovely feminine body of yours!
