Photography by: Anna Reagan Photography
If I told you that I picked out my outfit before finding this spot, I would be lying. If it seems like it’s almost too perfect, it’s because it was definitely planned. On a well-traveled route to Anna’s house, I just happened to look over to my left, and there it was. This sunburned, dancing in fall leaves, colored fence. It sat in the parking lot of a well known Mexican restaurant, and I was completely surprised that I hadn’t noticed it before. I bookmarked it in my mind, and let Anna know that this spot was a good location to shoot another look. Mentally going through my catalog of clothing items, I realized that I already had the perfect dress that would fit right into this setting.
I had initially purchased this dress for an upcoming trip but decided against this piece joining my vacation capsule. I’ve been virtually training with a fitness instructor for 2 weeks now. Today is the beginning of my third, and I wanted to try my luck at styling a more form fitting garment. I felt comfortable and confident enough that my problem area wouldn’t overflow like I need my blessings too, so I went ahead and took the plunge to bare it all, lol. Well not all, but more than normal. I typically balance my outfits with something fitted and loose, or I often make sure that I cinch in my waist with a belt for more definition. For this look, I didn’t do either. Knowing your body and how to dress it to the best of your ability is extremely important. I know that you’ve seen this and heard this a million times over from stylists and wanna be stylists.
It’s critical to you achieving the ideal shape or complementary shape that you want to achieve. I’m going to use myself as an example: I have an hourglass shape with remnants of a pair. It’s very common for women to fit into two body categories. Some women have really prominent hourglass features that will allow you to clearly see their shape, while for others like me, utilizing your actual measurements will give you what you need to make a definite determination. Numbers don’t lie. My shoulder and hip width are both 46 inches. So they are equal in width like the top and bottom of an hourglass. My waist is the smallest measurement of my bust, shoulders, and hips, which makes me closer to an hourglass than a pear. My bottom measurement is the largest of my bust and waist, so I could also be categorized in the pear body family if you didn’t include my shoulders. I follow both dressing tools for each shape and dress according to what looks and feels comfortable for my personal style and taste.
You’re probably used to seeing hourglass body types with curvier hips, but that’s where the beauty of each individual body type shines. Most often stylists are equipped with the knowledge I dress celebrities in a way that flatters their figure. They know all of the tools and tricks to make sure that they look good. So sometimes, you really don’t know what a celebrity’s body type really is unless you see them in a bathing suit or a really fitted dress. Although another woman may have curvier hips, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it disqualifies you from being an hourglass. All hourglass bodies, although categorized under one umbrella, differentiate from woman to woman. Every single woman has a different body type. We may both be hourglasses, but my hips may be a little more rounder. Does that make sense? God made us all unique. No two women are made exactly alike. Body type categories are just a guide to give you tools that you can use if you want to use them. You can dress to your body type or you can fake a body type with the different types of clothing, colors and accessories that you wear.
If you want more advice on how to dress your particular body type or discovering what your body type is, let’s chat! Schedule a Garb Gab with me! A Garb Gab is a personalized and dedicated zoom call where you call the shots and pick your style topic. You can pick the amount of time that you would like to have your call, and you can ask me any questions that you need to be answered to help arm you on your personal style journey. To take a look at more details, and to pre-book, click here! After reading through the information, click the button at the bottom of the page to get started. As always, thank you for joining me back on the site today. I appreciate your time and presence. If you haven’t joined the gang, click here to get subscribed to, The Garb Newsletter. It’s a weekly style exclusive that allows you to get valuable style tips, information, sneak peeks, first looks, coupon codes, curated shopping picks, and MORE! Until next time, Be Guiltless about your Garb!
Garb Tip from your Stylist
Body types are such a sensitive, yet important topic. We all should be aware of where we fall, and how we can use clothing as a tool to look our absolute best. Every body is beautiful. No matter how round, straight, curvy, or narrow it is. Acceptance is the first step. Once you accept, you can inform. Once you are informed, you can utilize the information. Once you utilize the information properly, your confidence starts to soar. It’s a process, but what isn’t.
Her Guiltless Garb
Dress: Ava Giselle / Top: Vintage: / Earrings: Ebay / Heels: Steve Madden / Shades: Laced with style
