First of all, the unavoidable "disclaimer":
I am no expert in this field, nor am studying anything about it or the like. I just happen to be interested in it and would like to share with you all what I've been able to find around this infinite source of knowledge that is the Internet. The Internets, all of it (Izit dixit).
Isn't it frustrating when you love a certain kind of garment that just doesn't look good on you? When you build up the most amazing coordinates with the clothes laid over your bed but something looks wrong when you wear it?
This kind of thing used to happen to me a lot before. I used to look at the amazing outfits some models wore and tried to reproduce them in me to no avail, because no matter how amazing that outfit was, it was thought to compensate the proportions of a determined model who happened to have a way different body than mine.
I remember a comment I once read in E_G. It wasn't directed to me, but it was a wise advice. It said that before getting into any kind of particular fashion one should know about the basics of fashion. So I asked google about this subject, and a huge amount of the results pointed me to the importance of the body shape.
Body shapes are a reality we can't ignore (well, we can, but we shouldn't!). They're one of our features, just like being short, tall, having an awesome metabolism or small feel. Of course, body shapes have been discussed to boredom, and there are many variations in number, kind and names.
Since this is not science, the accuracy of the models lies on one's judgement. I have chosen to follow the model found here, since it looked to me like the most appropriate option, but if you do a very small research you'll find many other options.
So... What body shapes can we find?
This model differences five body shapes:
Hourglass, Rectangle, Inverted triangle, Pear and Apple.
Names are quite illustrative!
Let's take a general overview to those:
- Hourglass shape
Well proportioned, bust is the same size as the hips, with a small and pronounced waist. This is considered the desired shape for most women, since it keeps a proportion between - Rectangle (possible variations: column, ruler)
This is usually perceived as a manly shape, since there's almost no difference between bust, hips and waist. - Inverted triangle (or cone)
The upper body is has more weight than the lower body. Broad shoulders and bust, medium waist and small hips. - Pear (also called triangle or spoon)
A pear would be the opposite of an inverted triangle, since all the body weight is placed at the lower middle body. Hips would be the most prominent part, while shoulders and bust would be small, and there would be little waist definition. - Apple
The weight of the body concentrates at the center. While the upper body and the hips might keep proportional, the waist is big in comparison.
Allright, so these are mainly all the body shapes there are.
Now, which one am I?
First of all, my recommendation would be to measure yourself. Taking measurements can be a little tricky, but the point is to remember that:
- You've got to measure your bust at the nipple line, without squishing it (that wouldn't be a right measurement because it's not normally squished!).
- Waist must be measured where it's smaller.
- Hips must be measured wherever they're bigger.
Just think as a tailor. If you had to make a dress for yourself, you would like it to enter (so you would take the max. point of hips) and fit (hence the minimum waist).
You should take a look at your body and try to be honest with yourself.
Saying "I can't be an hourglass, I'm fat!" isn't being honest to yourself, you know.
If you can identify yourself with one of these shapes in a quick sight, good! If not, or if you doubt between two it's better to refer to the measurements and check where are you.
Next post will be about the best ways to dress according to your body shape.
Just as an advance, I'll tell you that the trick to all of this is to take into consideration that we always find beauty in what's proportioned, so the more hourglassy your overall shape looks, the better.
Thanks for reading and see you next time!
----
Un saludo!
