How to Dress Your Body Type: Identify Your Shape [Infographic]
Monroe and Main is sharing an infographic series on How to Dress Your Body Type.
Step #1: Take Your Measurements
Step #2: Identify Your Shape (check it out below!)
Step #3: Shapewear
Step #4: Dress for your Shape with Colors & Prints
Here is Step #2: Identify Your Shape
Knowing your body’s shape is the perfect foundation for dressing well and choosing clothes that flatter. That’s because once you know your body type, it’s easy to understand which areas to highlight and which you might want to play down a bit. To that end, take a look at our infographic, which shows you everything you need to know to find your body’s shape using your measurements:
Click on the image to enlarge.
First: Take your measurements
The first step in determining your body shape is to take accurate measurements. We have clear and simple instructions for taking your own measurements here, so gather a measuring tape, a pen and paper, and get started! You’ll need to know three measurements: your bust, waist and hips. It’s a good idea to take your measurements every few months anyway – our bodies are always changing, and having up-to-date numbers will enable you to buy great-fitting clothes always. Now, take a look at the numbers you’ve written down and read on to find your body shape:
Hourglass
Hourglass body shapes are defined by a waist that’s smaller than both the bust and hips. You have an hourglass body shape if your bust and hips are visually wider and similar in measurements, and if your waist measurement is smaller than the other two.
Rectangle
For rectangle body shapes, the waist isn’t as naturally defined. In fact, you likely have a rectangle body shape if all three of your measurements are somewhat similar. Garments like belted or A-line dresses that define a waist will give your body great shape.
Triangle
If your hip measurement is considerably larger than your waist and bust measurements, and your shoulders appear more narrow than your hips, your body type is considered a triangle. Highlight your narrow upper body with colorful or printed blouses that draw the eye upward and downplay wider hips with straight-cut or wide-leg pants.
To learn how to dress your triangle body shape, check out our article.
Inverted triangle
Women with inverted triangle body shapes will have larger bust measurements than their waist and hip numbers, and visually their bodies will appear more narrow at the hips than the shoulders. If you have this body shape, embrace styles that accentuate your waist, but don’t be afraid to opt for more fitted styles, like sheath dresses.
Oval
For oval body shapes, the waist measurement is larger than the bust and hip numbers. This is a very common body shape – if you have it, add some definition to your body by wearing structured and belted tops or jackets and dresses that help you emphasize a natural waist. Tops that highlight the thin area just below your bust will add instant definition.
Reminder-here are the 4-steps in our How to Dress Your Body Type Infographic series:
Step #1: Take Your Measurements
Step #2: Identify Your Shape (you just viewed this one! 🙂
Step #3: Shapewear
Step #4: Dress for your Shape with Colors & Prints
Tell us how this works out for you! Comment below.
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66 responses to “How to Dress Your Body Type: Identify Your Shape [Infographic]”
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My body type is triangle because I can put on all of my dresses without opening or unzipping them. Even my skirts. If they are flair or straight. My dress size is 16w. All of the dresses and skirts that I order from Jessica London, I can put on that way.
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It would be wonderful if the body shape symbol was located with each garment. Most women have difficulty visualizing what a garment would look like on their body. Swimsuit companies help us gals out by telling us what will and will not look nice on us. I get frustrated always having to return my purchase because I thought it would be figure flattering only to find it makes me look short and dumpy.
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Hi Pam,
That’s a great idea. We’ll take that feedback to catalog team – Thank you for sharing!
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Hmm, appears with my weight gain my hips got larger and I am now an hourglass. I was a triangle. What does that mean for me. I mean, I am in the process of losing, That for me means, no new clothes for a bit. Very interesting.
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I am more of a rectangle shape. I learned that it’s important that I measure my bust, waistline, and hips in order to get a true assessment as to what kind of clothes I should and should not wear.
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Never really looked at the body types and how to “dress down” your body parts. Never thought of it like that before.
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I learned that I am an oval and I need to wear structured jackets that emphasize the smallest part of my waist.
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From my measurements I have an hourglass body shape. Thank you for this easy to follow guide.
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You learned that you are a hour glass
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I use to be an hourglass.Now after some years and plenty of weight I am now ,I believe a rectangle.it is most important ,definitely ,to find what is most flattering to my body shape.I could use help as many others .Thank You
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I learned that with my triangle figure, I need to highlight my narrow upper body with colorful or printed blouses that draw the eye upward and downplay my wider hips with straight-cut or wide-leg pants.
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depending on your shape depends on what undergarments you wear
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hourglass
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I am an hour glass shape
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I learned that I am triangle shape and how to dress to take focus off the hips!
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I am currently a rectangle or an oval I learned. If I just lose the weight I put on I’d be back to an hourglass!!
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I learned that I am an oval and I need to dress the part, I always try to cover my waist and his tells me I should wear things that show my waist, I have a lot to learn
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I’ve always been an hourglass, but I’ve gained some weight the last couple years and I’m creeping toward oval…. thanks for the reassurance that it’s common!
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I learned that I have an hourglass figure!
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Inverted triangle.
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I took my measurements and learned I am hourglass figure.
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Great tips for dressing my triangle body! Thanks!
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Thanks for this article, I am an inverted triangle, all torso and no legs. I hate shopping because of the way I’m built and even if I buy petite in pants I still have to hem them. Love the outfit on your blog, so tasteful.
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Found out I was an oval type and need to dress my body for it by wearing clothes, jackets, and thelike that let everyone know I have a waist. Thank you that was fun trying to see my body type
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Looks like I’m a oval and need to wear clothes that emphasize my waist.
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I found out that I am an oval Thanks for the slimming tips
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I learned my body shape is a rectangle. I’ve never known that.
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I am a rectangle, good thing I love A line dresses!
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Wow! Love this site! So much info I can use to make changes in my wardrobe!
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wow! I learned I’m a triangle. Now to figure out how to dress! This is so hard for me. I have almost give up. I don’t even like to go out in public anymore because I can’t seem to find any clothes that look right.
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I learned that I have a bust figure. I have an inverted triangle shape, but the odd thing is that my shoulders are not broad at all. Infact I’m petite in that area. The instructions for taking my own measurements were helpful, however the images helped a lot as well. One thing that also would have helped is a description of within what range of measurements does each body type typically fit (or the average for each body type). This did confuse me someone. But I really liked that the descriptions for the body types did include the range in simplistic terms of “larger” “smaller” “wider” which made it easy to evaluate numerically.
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How to Identify my Shape
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How to Identify myShape
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So, I’m a inverted triangle. I want to learn more about making my waistline more noticeable and make my wide shoulders less
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I learned that I have an hourglass figure and that the Body Briefer or Waist Cincher would give me a slimmer look! This was actually very helpful about how to dress for my shape!
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I’m an hourglass.It said I should use bold colors or prints. I’m not sure how I feel about that. They tend to clash with my skin tone.
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I am a rectangle. Not a thin one too!
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I am an hourglass, but I wish the measurements were a bit different..LOL
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I learned that I need to lose weight! LOL Why does it go right in the tummy area?!?! Great information though cause Im always confused on how to measure yourself correctly.
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Thanks for all the great info on how to dress my body shape
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I learned that I am oval shaped & that I can wear belt & tops to complement my upper half.
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I need to correctly and try to formulate a new wardrobe. I have recently lost 50 lbs due to chemotherapy and have NO shape.
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I love how it really optimizes positively in how you will look when dressed properly according to your body type 🙂 🙂 🙂
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I’m a Triangle
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I love how this simplifies dressing. I have been have a hard time trying to find out what support/shape wear I should get. And then to pair it with the outer clothes to make it all work. Great.
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I learned that I’m an Oval! Now I know what type of dress to buy from now on, so I look slimmer! Thanks for the tips!
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I learned that I’m an inverted triangle. This helps to know how to dress for your figure.
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I have a rectangle body shape. Also on the thin side. Need to wear form shaping clothes
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I learned that I am oval shape.
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Thanks for the tips, especially how to measure….just wish the Hourglass section had a suggestion for what to wear?
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I discovered I have an hourglass figure.
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Well no sense denying it, I’m a classic oval.
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inverted triangle
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So many different body types
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Oval
For oval body shapes, the waist measurement is larger than the bust and hip numbers. This is a very common body shape – if you have it, add some definition to your body by wearing structured and belted tops or jackets and dresses that help you emphasize a natural waist. Tops that highlight the thin area just below your bust will add instant definition. -
Looks like I’m rectangular.
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I am a rectangle!
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Rectangle.
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Super helpful! Always wondered why I couldn’t find a dress that flatters, now I know I am a rectangle not an hourglass! Off to buy some belts!
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I learned that Im a triangle.
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I think that I am a hourglass but not sure because I am 50 pounds overweight. It is hard to find clothes that fits me nevertheless works well with my body shape. But, I like the simplicity that Monroe and Main have done to finding your body shape.
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I am supposed to draw attention to my silhouette with a bold color or print that highlights my assets. I am not sure I can do that! I have a hard time finding bold prints that I like on me. I really love the dress you are wearing and that you wear it boldly! (It is also very Doctor Whoish and that is just epic.) 😀
Thanks for hosting!
Warmly,
Kate -
I didn’t know there were so many body types. I also didn’t know how to measure my waist correctly. Thank you! I’m a rectangle, but I wish I was an hourglass.
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I think I’m a triangle. But in my defense, I recently had my 3rd baby.
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I learned that I am an hourglass shape even though a little overweight. Hmmmm.
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I THINK I’M THE TRIANGLE I WOULD REALY LOVE TO WIN I REALY NEED NEW CLOTHES EVERY DIME GOES TO MY KIDS & GRAND KIDS NOT THAT I’M COMPLAINING THATS WHERE IT SHOULD GO SO NO WORRIES JUST THOUGHT I’D ENTER
BLESSED BE
Categories: How to Dress for Your Body Type
Tags: How to Dress For Your Body Shape, How to Dress For Your Body Type, infographic, infographics, real women, What to Wear
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