I've been planning to do a "dress your body type" post since I first started writing The Ethereal Bride, but have been a little unsure on how to go about it because it's a relatively large undertaking. There are a few different body types and factors like height and waistline that come into play, so it would be hard to cover everything in one post. After a lot of thought, I've decided to do a series of 5 posts, each focusing on a major body type- pear, apple, rectangle, wedge, and hourglass. Within each post, I will focus on three height categories: petite, average, and tall. The key to flattering any body type isn't necessarily about "masking your flaws", it's more about creating balance. Once you figure out which body type you have, you can then find ways to balance your figure, making it look more proportioned. Because every figure is different, these posts are meant to act as a guide, not a list of hard-fast rules. Once you start trying on gowns, utilize your consultant because she will be able to find gowns that will look great on your specific figure. Remember, these are just to help get you started, if you love a dress and it doesn't fit these rules, try it anyway! You never know how it will look until you try it on!
For my first post (these are all in no particular order), I've decided to focus on the pear shaped body type. A person with a pear shaped body type has a larger hip in relation to a smaller shoulder width. Please keep in mind,
the shape has nothing to do with weight, just how your bone structure is- you could easily be a size 4 or size 24 and still have a pear shape. It just depends on your proportions and bone structure.
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| The Five Major Body Types: Pear, Apple, Wedge, Rectangle, & Hourglass... and yes, you should be jealous of my drawing skills hehe |
What is a pear shape? Larger hips in relation to a smaller shoulder width; It is also known as the "A" body type
How to flatter a pear shape: Create an illusion of a wider shoulder and fuller bustline, in order to balance out the lower half of the body.
Some styles to try: halters, A-lines, sweetheart necklines, ball gowns, v necklines, ruching
Some styles to (possibly) avoid: sheaths, straight across strapless necklines, some (but not all!) mermaid styles
Some famous pear shapes: Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Shakira, Jennifer Love Hewitt
Styles for Petite (aka 5'4" and under) Pear Shapes:
First of all, I seriously can't say enough about the power of ruching (the
diagonal/horizonal pleats running across these bodices). Ruching is one
of those miracles of design that flatters EVERYONE. It makes
curve-less girls look curvier and curvier girls look svelte. I featured three
ruched gowns (the first 3) for petite pear shapes because the key is to flatter a
wider hip by wearing a fuller skirt yet without overwhelming a short frame.
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Alfred Sung style# 5259
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