Let's Talk Body Shapes!
Body shape... those two words can have so many “underlying” thoughts to all of us, can't they? And often the thoughts are negative.
There is no question that we do come in all shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, though, we sometimes wish we were taller, thinner, rounder, larger busted, smaller busted, have a better-defined derriere, or maybe less of one.
The list can go on and on.
Someone once called me ‘Rubenesque’ and I had to look it up - I wanted to know if I should be offended or not… lol It was meant as a compliment, but just the same, I needed to know exactly what it meant. Turns out it meant I was "shapely", and although I didn’t know exactly what shape they meant 😆, it did mean I was more defined… Okay, sounds good to me!
I was younger then though and more apt to allow myself to be defined by others' opinions. Now, I'm less likely to care what someone says, though let's be honest - we still can't help but want to look a certain way.
Whatever shape we are, it’s important to know that there is absolutely no average shape. We are all different and that’s what makes us so unique.😊
All that being said, different styles of clothing and accessories can absolutely complement or challenge our various shapes, so when you're shopping, it's really helpful to know what you should be looking for to play up your best features.
As in the picture above, there are a standard set of five different body shapes that I'm sure you've heard before: the hourglass, apple, inverted triangle, pear, and rectangle.
For example, if you're straight or rectangular, your shoulders and hips are similar in size, and your waist doesn't come in very much. If you're pear-shaped, your shoulders and bust are narrower than your hips… that’s me! If you’re an hourglass, your hips and bust are about the same but you have a well-defined waist… that used to be me, lol. The apple is where you have a larger bust and waist and often slimmer arms and legs, and the inverted triangle has wider shoulders than hips and rather slender legs.
These are just a starting point though - I've seen as many as 12 different shapes being referenced, i.e. there is also a "spoon", "diamond", and "top hourglass". The more specific we get, the easier it is for us to save time when selecting the perfect additions to our wardrobes.
And of course, the shape we are when we're 19 and the shape we are when we're 30, 50, or even 70 can be totally different, so keep that in mind as well!
So while fashion is fun, there are so many things to consider when you are looking to dress your very best. Fashions are meant to complement, not challenge us. It’s important not to be influenced by what’s “HOT” if it doesn’t work for you. Designers will encourage us to wear (and me to buy!!) styles that may or may not work for the shape that we were either given or grew into.
Over the next while I will try to solve the mystery of shapes - well, not solve but give you some ideas that will work best for you and some examples of what we have in store. We've also been talking about it in our Wine and Women on Wednesdays like in this one.
While all of this talk of body shapes is helpful, and fashion is fun and helps us feel good, at the end of the day it's all about honoring and being true to the unique person you are, inside and out. You can wear whatever you like, of course, just be kind to yourself and to each other.
I hope this helps!
Sandy 💖
