Style File: Balancing Your Body Type

Studio 5’s Jeanette Lefrandt shows us how different cuts of clothing can help.

As women we can always find something wrong with our bodies. Whether we have too many curves or not enough, our torso is too long or too short. Ladies, there is no room for complaining anymore! By balancing out your body, and embracing your “favorite” parts, you can feel better about your shape in a snap!

Curves– This is almost unavoidable. They are practically the symbol of womanhood, but for some reason if we have them we want to hide them, if we don’t, we want to try and create the illusion that we do. Curves are a beautiful thing but they can be controlled. If you have curvy hips, for example, one way to balance them out is to have flair in your jeans. Also accentuate your “favorite” areas. If you have tiny arms, wear a sleeve that shows them off. If you have a tiny waist, belt it! This balances out your body and draws less attention to your hips and the focus can then be on your tiny waist.

Legs– Everyone wishes they had long legs. Those of you that do, you should be grateful. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have problems of your own. Long legs are hard to shop for. Pants and skirts are rarely long enough. If you have a favorite skirt that just isn’t hitting a flattering length, I would recommend adding on some fabric. Vintage Hem is a great company that adds length and style to any skirt! Rock & Republic Jeans are my personal favorite for length. They always need to be hemmed! If you have shorter legs, you will want to give the illusion that they are longer. Heels are always a quick fix. By adding height make sure your jeans extend to the floor. This will help with the illusion that your legs are longer than they are. Flip flops and a mid-calf cut pant do nothing for your figure. If you aren’t comfortable in a stiletto heel, try a wedge. They are a little easier to walk in. For some extra height, without making the walk extra uncomfortable, you can find a high heel with a little platform on the ball of the foot.

Torso– A really quick fix if you have a short torso is to wear a longer shirt. Adding long jewelry will also give you the lengthened illusion. If you have a longer torso, you are going to want to try and make your legs look longer. High heels of course will help, as will a flair pant that makes your legs appear to go on forever.

Tummy– Whether you have some unwanted extra pounds or even if you are still recovering from a pregnancy, most women try and distract from their tummy. Don’t wear tight fitting clothing if you are trying to avoid the attention. Layers and flowing tops will give the illusion that you are smaller under all that fabric.

A good pair of jeans can really help you feel good and draw attention to the areas that you feel are looking better. More to Love- Whether you are more “blessed” on top or on the bottom you will want to draw less attention to that area and more to your “favorite” areas. Stay away from too many patterns. Surprisingly enough, smaller patters will actually make you look bigger, and larger patterns are just made to draw attention. Do what you feel comfortable with! Embrace your beauty and your curves! If you love your waist, wear things that emphasize it. If you want to distract from your lower half, jewelry and accessories are a great way to bring the attention to your beautiful face.

The most important thing you can do is accentuate the positive! You are who you are and if you are confident in what you are wearing, your beauty will radiate. No one else knows what size you are so don’t worry about the numbers! If you look better in the size up, that is fantastic!

If you have a fashion question for Jeanette, jot us an e-mail: mailto:studio5@ksl.com