The Body-shape Series: The Rectangle

This is my 5th and final post in the Body-shape series. I hope you've picked up lots of ideas about how to best dress for your particular body type and that you can now identify exactly what you are!

In this post I will be talking about the lean and lovely RECTANGLE Shape.

If you're a Rectangle, you are typically:

1. Long and lean
2. Defined and athletic
3. Your shoulders and hips are about the same width apart
4. May have a smallish bust
5. Have an undefined waist

Most pieces look great on this 'straight-up-and-down' shape. You'll notice that many models and athletes have this shape and can get away with a heap of different looks. So lucky you!

One thing you may want to focus on is creating a bit more shape to your frame and defining that waist to add some curves. 

Rectangle Shape Do's:

1. Shift dresses are perfect on you as your top and bottom halves are in proportion
2. Peplum tops, skirts and dresses will add shape to your hips and cinch you in
3. You can rock mini-skirts and dresses with your lean legs
4. Tulip and ruffle skirts will make your bottom and hips curvier
5. Use belts to create a waist
6. Wear skinny jeans and pants- you can get away with these!
7. High-waisted pants and skirts will define your waist
8. A small shoulder-pad will give your top half definition
9. Invest in a great bra to boost that cleavage!

Rectangle Shape Don'ts:

1. Avoid masculine or formless styles- these will look too heavy on you
2. Horizontal stripes can give you a shapeless frame
3. Strapless styles can emphasise your square shoulders- go for v or round necklines

As you can see, there aren't too many 'Don'ts' for Rectangle Shapes so make sure you play around with lots of different styles and have FUN! 

So that's all the body-shapes covered. If you have any questions, feel free to comment and I'll be sure to answer. 

Oh and don't forget- if you would like me to personally advise you about your shape in one of my Personal Style Sessions contact me at: anniebrownstylist@gmail.com

xx

If you're a Rectangle you can wear a shift dress like this. The pleating gives extra shape too!

The Body-shape Series: The Hourglass Shape

Hello again!

This is my fourth post in The Body-shape series, where I have been running through the different body shapes and the tips and tricks to flatter each of them.

I've gone through the Apple, Pear and Inverted Triangle and I hope you found my advice helpful. For all you Hourglass shapes out there, don't fret! I will be running through your shape in detail in this very post!

The Hourglass shape is generally perceived to be the most ideal of the shapes. This is mostly because the top and bottom halves are in proportion and it is an insanely womanly, sexy figure. 

Lucky you if you have:
1. A great bust
2. A well-defined waist
3. Womanly hips, and 
4. A booty!

Yes, I just said booty. When discussing an hourglass shape, it just fits.

So if this is you- how should you dress your figure to flatter in all the right places?

Hourglass Do's:

1. It's all about the waist. Belt it. Cinch it. Reveal it. Just don't hide it!
2. Necklines should be v-neck, a low scoop or a sweetheart neckline to show off that cleavage!
3. You can wear printed dresses as you are in proportion- just make sure you belt them
4. Draw attention to your bust with a pretty necklace
5. Elongate your legs with a nude pump heel
6. Invest in a good bra and shapewear- sometimes curvy bodies need a bit of smoothing in the right places!
7. Make sure jackets are tailored at the waist
8. A-line and pencil skirts with a high waist will flatter your curves

Hourglass Dont's:

1. Don't hide under baggy clothes or hide your waist- you will look bigger and boxy
2. Avoid pants that are too clingy- a wide-led pair of pants in a darker hue that has a higher waistline will make you look long and lean
3. Skinny-leg jeans can look unflattering- go for a boot-leg instead
4. Don't show too much leg or too much bust simultaneously. You know the rule!

So make sure you flaunt it ladies!

Next post...The Rectangle Shape...

xx

This dress is Wheels and Dollbaby- they do amazing dresses to suit an hourglass. As you can see on my gorgeous model Laura!

The Body-shape series: The Inverted Triangle

We're talking body-shapes at the moment...and we're powering ahead!

In my last two posts I covered Apple and Pear shapes. So if you're either of those two shapes you should be feeling a bit more comfortable about what should suit you and what to avoid.

Now I'm putting the limelight on a shape that is referred to less often than Apple's and Pear's but is nevertheless just as common- The Inverted Triangle.

The easiest way to explain this shape is to think of it as an upside-down Pear ie broader at the top and leaner at the bottom.

The main elements of an Inverted Triangle are:

1. Shoulders are broader than hips- those referred to as having 'swimmer's shoulders' are usually this shape
2. May have a larger bust
3. A waist is there but is not defined
4. Lean legs
5. May have a flat or flattish bottom

As dressing for your body shape is all about balance and bringing your body in proportion, it is important for Inverted Triangle's to add some shape to their bottom half while minimising their top half.

Inverted Triangle Do's:

1. Stick to v-neck's or low scoops on tops and dresses- this has a narrowing effect
2. Choose block colours, preferably in bold and dark hues, on your top half
3. Define your waist with belts or pick jackets and tops that cinch you in
4. Don a peplum or a-line skirt- it will add shape to your hips!
5. Wear prints, light colours or horizontal stripes on your bottom half
6. Wide leg pants will balance you out
7. A statement shoe will draw attention to your pins!

Inverted Triangle Don'ts:

1. Avoid shoulder pads and cap sleeves- these will emphasise your shoulders
2. Steer clear of ruffles and embellishment around your bust and shoulders
3. No bold prints up top!
4. Avoid heavy collars on jackets
5. Be careful with statement necklaces that sit too high- these will add bulk to, and draw attention to, your top half. A long pendant will make you appear leaner.

So now you're sorted Inverted Triangles! Happy shopping!

Next post...the Rectangle shape...xx

A long pendant necklace like this one will draw attention towards the waist. It's also instantly elongating!

The Body-shape Series: Pear Shape

My second post in the Body-shape Series is going to focus on the feminine, curvy PEAR shape.

I'm a Pear so know this shape to the tee. I'd like to think I know exactly what flatters me after all these years living in my Pear-y body (even being 15 kilos heavier at once stage I stayed a Pear) so allow me to share with you some tips and tricks...

What exactly is a Pear Shape?

The Pear is a very feminine shape, with:

1. A narrower upper-half, with slender shoulders and arms
2. A well-defined waist
3. Bottom heavy- with a fuller bum and thighs (and potentially larger lower legs and a bit of a tum)
4. A smallish bust

As I've mentioned previously, most women tend to think they are a Pear, even if they aren't. I put this down to the fact that us lady folk usually think we have big thighs and bums, even if they are totally in proportion!

Women usually grimace when referring to themselves as a Pear but for all of us who are this shape, I'd like to tell you a story. When talking to a lovely lady the other day at a fashion event, she asked me what shape she was and I responded that she was a Pear. She grimaced, on cue. Her partner then piped in and said that the Pear shape was his favourite. I asked why. He got quite enthusiastic actually and said 'It's so womanly! I love the curves of the Pear. What's not to like about a good bum and womanly hips?! It's soooo sexy." Grimace vanished. 

So there you go! Flaunt the Pear ladies!

Pear Shape Do's:

1. Always, always, ALWAYS emphasise that tiny waist! This is your best asset, so don't hide it under baggy clothes. PLEASE!
2. Balance out your proportions by slimming your bottom half. This can be achieved by wearing dark, block colours from the waist down.
3. Draw attention to your slender upper half with pretty prints, ruffles or embellishment.
4. Wear a statement necklace as a focal point to draw the eye to your bust and decolletage.
5. Belt everything!
6. Wear high-waisted a-line skirts to emphasise your waist and skim over your bottom and thighs.
7. Wear wide leg pants to balance out your legs
8. 50's style dresses and wrap styles are your best friend!
9. Small shoulder pads on tops and jackets can balance out your larger bottom half

Pear Shape Dont's:

1. Avoid drop-waists and baggy tops- these are completely hiding that waist!
2. No skinny jeans- these will emphasise your full thighs.
3. Avoid busy prints and light colours on the bottom- these are maximising.
4. Tight, pencil skirts can be unflattering and emphasise a larger bottom
5. Shorts that stop mid-thigh are generally a no-no- these cut you at your largest point
6. Shift dresses will give you no shape and make you look boxy

Hope that helps! If you have any questions- make sure you comment and I'll answer anything you need 

xx

I'm a Pear. A slight Pear. But still a Pear.

The Body-shape series: Apple Shape

For my first post in 'The Body-shape Series' (that has a ring to it, no?), I am going to give you the low-down about the APPLE shape.

I said in my last post that most women think they are a PEAR, however I think in reality I actually see the APPLE shape popping up the most frequently.

So what is an Apple you ask?

An Apple shape is characterised by:

1) Being round and luscious, carrying most of your weight around the tummy
2) Generally a larger bust (lucky you!)
3) Compartively smaller legs and sometimes a flat(ish) bottom

If this sounds like you, the following do's and don'ts will have you flattering your shape and feeling gorgeous!

Apple Shape Do's:

1. Firstly, invest in a well-fitting bra! 85% of women are wearing the wrong size bra and if you have a larger bust, an ill-filling bra will make you look heavier and do nothing for your shape!
2. Tummy trimmer underwear ie Spanx are an absolute yes- to lose inches around the belly, suck you in, smooth you and give you a streamlined silhouette.
3. Flatter your bust with open and v-neck-lines, these have a narrowing effect.
4. Create a waist with tops that nip you in under the bust and wrap/ faux-wrap tops and dresses.
5. Draw focus to your lean legs with skirts that end on or below the knee or 7/8 pants.
6. Invest in a jacket tailored at the waist to give you shape.

Apple Shape Don'ts:

1. Avoid pleating, frills and ruffles around the bust or tummy.
2. Don't tuck tops into bottoms
3. Avoid high-waisted pant or skirt styles as these will emphasise your round tummy.
4. Baggy clothes will make you look bigger than you are! Well-fitting, tailored garments are always the most flattering.
5. Avoid busy, large prints on your top half. These can be overwhelming and draw attention to the area.

Are you an Apple and unsure of what suits you? Feel free to ask me any questions you might have!

xx

I found this Leona Edmiston faux-wrap dress for a client that wanted a dress for both work and night-time. It was perfect for her Apple Shape. We added some accessories to transition the look and voila! A versatile piece that was oh-so-flattering.

I am totally a Pear Shape. Or am I?

One of the most frequently asked questions by my client's is 'What is my body-shape?', usually swiftly followed by 'What should I wear to suit my body-shape?'.

It got me a thinkin'. Perhaps I should do a series of posts about the main body shapes and how you can identify which one you are and how to then dress to best flatter your shape.

Good plan me!

Let's begin.

There are 5 main body shapes for women. These are:

Pear
Apple
Hourglass
Rectangle
Inverted Triangle

When I ask women what they think their body shape is, the most common answer is 'Pear'. We all think we're a Pear for some reason. I think that is because very few of us are completely satisfied with our hips, bums and thighs!

However there are a few more factors to consider when determining your body shape which I will run through over the next few posts.

Once you know what your body shape is, and the do's and dont's associated with dressing for your particular shape, making the right shopping and outfit choices gets so much easier.

I do believe that dressing for your body-shape is the number one factor in dressing well. This is because if you dress to show off your assets, while hiding the bits you don't love so much you will a) always wear outfits that are flattering b) you will feel comfortable in your clothes and c) you will radiate confidence from knowing you look your best!

Say tuned for my tips for the 5 main body shapes in upcoming posts...

xx

Nice Pear!

It's OK to enlist some (style) help y'know?

So now to the serious stuff.

Through my job as a stylist, I talk to many women and men on a weekly basis about concerns they have about their own personal style.

Not many of the client’s that come to see me are 100% comfortable with their current look, hence why they enlist me for some help.

It often takes a bit of soul-searching to come to the realization that you need help in a certain area of your life. More often than not, my client’s feel they’ve lost touch with what suits them and sometimes, feel like they’ve lost their mojo completely. We all get into ruts. But the first step is always to identify that you need some help…and then enlist it! Just as people see personal trainers and nutritionists when they need an overhaul with their eating and exercise patterns, women and men come to me to get their image on track.

Being a naturally empathetic person (I’m a Piscean, enough said), I really tune in to what is going on behind the clothes. So much of how we feel is wrapped up in how we feel we look. So if you’ve lost your way with how you dress and present, there is usually a reason why. And once you can identify that, the real transformation can begin.

Many of the women that come to see me are looking for a lift and a boost of confidence. We can all do with that from time to time! I think that is why we love watching shows like Trinny and Susannah and Gok Wan’s ‘How to Look Good Naked’ on TV. We can all relate to the women and men who undergo makeovers on these shows as they all have a story to tell and a reason why they are there. They have lost their self-confidence which reflects in how they present themselves to the world.

Not everyone is in the middle of a confidence crisis though. Some women and men are simply time-poor, their bodies have changed due to pregnancy or losing/ gaining weight, are unsure about what suits them or need help finding the perfect outfit for an event.

Whatever the reason for coming to see me, one thing is clear. By the end of our appointments, my client’s have a renewed sense of confidence, feel up-lifted and motivated, feel pretty and dare I say it, sexy! They also have the newly-found skills to shop on their own and make the right decisions about what suits them and what to avoid.

This is why I love what I do so much. The transformative power of clothes can be so positive. I want all my clients to be not just looking good but FEELING good. The first step is to realize you deserve it.

xx

Photography by Rohan Thompson

A fashionable past-life?

Hello again.

I waited a whole 24 hours before starting on this post! As I mentioned previously, I have a tendency to get over-enthusiastic when I'm excited about starting something. Having said that, I have more to say!

Really I figured I should give y'all a bit of my background. I keep referring to fashion as my passion so I'm putting my money where my mouth is.

I've been in fashion for a decade-ish. The fashion styling really kicked off a few years ago, where I seemed to do countless un-paid and voluntary shoots and shows! But it was worth it. From there, I became a styling assistant and that lead to styling various gigs around the place. I also opened a boutique, mostly super cool vintage gear. I'm pretty obsessed with vintage, as you shall soon learn more about.

Anywho, after I got the boutique ownership out of my system, I decided to tackle styling full-time and scored the very sweet deal of working for Westfield. Isn't it funny how when you decide to fully commit to something, everything seems to fall into place? Like the Universe is waiting for you to catch up with the plan.

So that brings us to now. I have a million things on my life to-do list. Writing a blog is one. Mostly because I'd prefer to talk to you than talk to myself when I'm bored.

I mentioned I was a fan of vintage. This was part of a vintage shoot I styled a few months ago. There's something about this pic I think.

Photography by Jonathon Grundy

xx

Hello's, past photo-shoots...and techno-phobia

Hello world!

Oh dear, I think I have stage-fright. I think perhaps I need to go slowly here as I have a tendency to get all over-excited when embarking on a new project and want to do everything at once.

So I think for my first entry here, I may just catch you up to date with some of my favourite images from past shoots I've styled.

Do you have a favourite? I'd love some feedback. Wait, is that what one asks in their first blog post? I'm a self-confessed techno-phobe and blogging newbie.

Anyway, enjoy.

x

Photo-shoot, London

Photographer: Kazuyoshi Nogami

Canberra Times Photo-shoot

Photographer: Rohan Thompson

Photoshoot, Bel's Aviary

Photographer: Rohan Thompson

HerCanberra Editorial

Photographer: Daniele Francesca Martinie

Bel's Aviary Photo-shoot

Photographer: Jonathon Grundy

HerCanberra Editorial

Photographer: Daniele Francesca Martinie

 

xx