Hello and thank you for reading Styling with Esther.
This week we will return to the guidelines of how to dress different body types. For those of you who have not read our previous blog posts, please let me explain.
There are 5 body archetypes. They are identified as the Apple, the Inverted Triangle, the Rectangle, the Pear and the Hourglass.
Each body type is unique and has different fashion needs. It may sound artificial, but, actually, it’s mostly a lot of self-understanding.
When you’re not knowledgeable about your own body type and how to harmonize it with your wardrobe, you are liable to be caught in an endless cascade of frustration. I chose the cascading analogy as I can only imagine what a suffocating experience it must be when caught in one.
Amazing as it sounds, some women actually refuse to go shopping because of the amount of negative feelings the experience engenders.
By experiencing so much frustration about our outer self (clothing), women are at risk of internalizing these feelings and reshaping their thoughts in a destructive mode. They can look at themselves and have a totally different image (a very negative one) of how they actually look, even if their own family and friends tell them the truth, that they are, in fact, lovely and look great. Our mind won’t change until we become internally confident about our looks.
Furthermore, a woman refusing to understand how to bring harmony within her inner and outer worlds risks engaging in exhausting comparisons. Comparison is the enemy of happiness. Comparison causes spiritual blindness. Did you really think money was the cause of all evil? Think again. Comparison came into the world before money. Comparison is the source of much unhappiness and disharmony. A woman who compares herself to others will always be in conflict with her soul.
The best we can do in order to free ourselves from the evils of comparison, is to simply look at ourselves in the mirror, and just accept who we are. That’s the first step for self-fulfillment. And the easiest way to do it is through the acquisition of knowledge.
Shall we begin?
This week we will review the Straight body type, a.k.a, the elegant Rectangle.
THE RECTANGLE
It presents very similar measurements for shoulders, bust and hip lines.
The waist is usually straight and the silhouette is athletic. However, as most women are a combination of two body types, please review previous posts and find the guidelines for your secondary body type (if any). Remember, everyone is unique!
Also, if by experience you already know what type of clothing suit you best, you’re doing great! Actually, your sense of observation is very important, as it helps you to cover many other details which are not discussed in this forum.
Usually, everything looks good on a Rectangle woman, as most are slim and it’s easy for them to fit into any outfit without much ceremony. However, there are still some details that are of great interest, such as how to accentuate the curves.
Basically, look for clothing that has volume. For tops, a cropped jacket will look great, as will sleeve pads, large lapels, embroideries, tops with ruffles, pleats and pockets.
As to your waistline, you have full freedom to work either with fitted or waist-less garments. A waist-less jacket with fullness at the hem will look extremely elegant on you. Have you ever watched any of the Audrey Hepburn movies? She is the most famous Rectangle body type and the elegant outfits she wears in each of her movies are a styling lesson of its own. (Note: she wears lots of belts.)
You can also wear white or pastel colors without any fear, actually they’ll look great on you, as they will make you look more curvaceous.
If you would like to create a fitted waist look, that’s totally fine. You could start with any fitted or outerwear jacket or trench coat. The length of the jacket could end at your waist or hipline.
Now, lets talk about dresses. You will look amazing in a long, straight dress that falls beautifully to your heels. It will give a harmonious look to your figure and you’ll be the recipient of many compliments.