Dressing for Your "Body Type": Introducing the ABC's of Dressing
At BU Style, we believe that it’s crucial to embrace body diversity and promote body positivity.
Our bodies do incredible things! We can walk miles, sprint, carry heavy loads, cozy up on the sofa, create comfort to others with a hug, and don’t even get me started on childbirth. Our bodies are truly amazing. Why shouldn’t we focus on the miracle of all the things our bodies can do, instead of reducing ourselves into something as small and insignificant as… fruit? Or an hourglass?
There isn’t a huge amount of research available on the subject of body types, in terms of who created them. But we all know them: Apple, Pear, Banana, Strawberry, and Hourglass.
Many in the BU Style community have likely been exposed to conventional body type classifications likened to fruits: apples, pears, bananas, strawberries, and hourglasses. However, we caution you with these associations. There isn’t really a definitive origin or creator of the “fruit” system, meaning there’s even more ambiguity around them. And potentially harmful implications of labeling bodies (let’s face it—female bodies) with such reductive terms.
The irony of the hourglass shape being the only non-fruit type emphasizes an implicit bias—suggesting that this shape is somehow ideal. This classification implies that certain shapes are superior to others, contributing to a detrimental mindset around body image. The over-simplified fruit analogies can undermine the complexity and diversity of human bodies, perpetuating unhealthy societal ideals about attractiveness and desirability. Furthermore, they encourage individuals to strive for a narrow ideal rather than embracing their unique physical identities.
I don’t know about you, but I’m a little tired of body types making me feel like a smoothie ingredient instead of a person who has thoughts and opinions about the clothes that I wear.
Dr Amelia Serafine, faculty member at the History Department of San Antonio College in Texas, is an expert of Cultural History. She says,
“There are many more examples of different body shapes being idolized from the 20th century than there are from ancient Rome, Renaissance and early-modern periods. The huge volume of different ‘perfect’ body shapes in the last 100 years makes the point that body ideals are now changing so rapidly that it’s impossible to keep up. In fact, body ideals throughout history were largely fantasy, though people went to extraordinary lengths to try and meet them. Especially since the 19th century, most of these body ideals were created to exclude, to make people doubt themselves. If history has anything to teach us about the ideal body shape, it’s that it will change tomorrow."
We think Dr Serafine is on the money with this one. If you really think about it, a lot of messaging in society (subconscious or conscious) is geared towards making women feel like they can never catch up. That they’re always behind and, therefore, lesser-than. As Dr Serafine puts it simply: “It’s impossible to keep up.”
So, instead of trying to jam yourself into something that doesn’t make you feel great, or trying to change yourself to fit a fleeting societal standard, take Dr Serafine’s advice: “Personally, I think that the ‘ideal’ body is the one you’re living in. Treat it well, and enjoy its varying shapes and sizes–love it for being yours."
With that in mind, introducing the ABCs of dressing for your body: Accentuating, Balancing, and Camouflaging.
To help enjoy “its varying shapes and sizes,” follow these steps:
Accentuating Your Favorite Body Features
—A: Accentuate. Identify what you like to accentuate. For example, what if it’s your collarbones? Find pieces that accentuate those features. Don’t feel great about how your waist? Instead, try to think about dressing in a positive light. “I don’t love my waist today, but I realize, when I really think about it, that I’m okay with how my collarbones look.” Fab! That’s a great place to start.
Here’s what we would suggest for this person who wants to accentuate their collarbones.
Here are other examples of how it would work if you want to accentuate your:
Neck = wear long drop earrings with a neckline that shows your neck.
Chest = Lower-cut top, minimizing distractions on the lower half of your body. Play with diagonal lines to direct attention to that point.
Calves = Direct attention with diagonal lines there, again. Knee-length skirts with sheer tights make calf muscles really shine.
Bottom = Feel proud of the booty? Opt for trumpet skirts or bell bottoms because of how they create complementary shapes that make your booty pop. Structured pleats also make behinds look amazing.
We hope these examples are helpful! Really start by naming the parts of your body that you truly love, and think about how to celebrate and direct attention to that point.
Balancing Your Overall Visual Image
—B: Balance. Do you like to balance out your silhouette? Maybe you like accentuating your hips, but want to balance the top with a strong shoulder. Maybe you want to balance a long torso with high-waisted pants to make your legs look longer. Think of yourself as a whole person here, and think about the overall image and message you want to put out as well!
Here’s how we’d style someone who wants to balance out their hips with a stronger top. Note how we lean on things like: tailoring, structure, harder lines, and bolder colors. Even the unusual wrap design gets a win with its play on a more structured tank.
And of course, there are other ways to balance your body through the clothes you wear! Think about the shape of your body (not fruits, but the genuine shape with all its beautiful lines and curves), and determine where there might need to be counterpoints to what you’re offering. Here’s where you might turn to help balance things out:
If you feel like the majority of your shape is towards the bottom, opt to balance things out with a strong shouldered top (like the ones above).
If you feel like your entire shape is “rectangle,” without much curve or definition, it can be helpful to create outfits that define your waist. Wrap tops, high-waisted wide legged pants, a-line skirts. . . all of these things can employ the rule-of-thirds to help create the illusion of a waist that will balance you out.
If your shoulders feel wider than your hips, inverse the above and accentuate the bottom half of your body. Lean on clothes with more structure and volume to balance it out.
Camouflaging Body Features
—C: Camouflage. Everyone has certain aspects of their body that they'd prefer to conceal—be it a tummy that bulges, arms that seem less toned, or thighs that don’t fit into shorts. The reality is, many of us can relate to feelings of discomfort when seeing ourselves in photographs, grappling with our "problem areas." However, this self-criticism often magnifies when we compare ourselves to external ideals, influenced by images in fashion magazines or social media, which can distort our self-image through the effects of digital manipulation. Most often, we find ourselves focusing on the flaws we believe exist, without realizing that others might not notice these aspects at all. For example, while one person might cringe at their "jiggly arms," another might see a beautifully styled outfit instead. This discrepancy highlights how harshly we judge ourselves and how much our perceptions differ from what others see.
Sometimes, we don’t feel like accentuating parts of our body, and that’s okay! So we can use objective style principles as a medium to achieve the goal of camouflaging things. That’s your choice and prerogative. For example, I sometimes love accentuating my hips, but other times, I want to camouflage them. When I want to do this, I wear wider-leg pants or an A-line skirt in order to more pointedy accentuate my waist those days!
And if there are other parts of your body that you’d rather camouflage, here’s how we recommend it:
Chest: If you’d rather camouflage your chest, try layers! Higher-neck tank tops with layered button-downs can be fun ways to cover chest areas. We love waistcoats, too. And, again, consider drawing the eye elsewhere.
Bottom: If you’d rather camouflage your bottom, try longer layers on top, or skirts and dresses fall down from the waist.
Ankles: If you’d rather camouflage your ankles, try wearing nude/skin colored shoes. They’ll blend in with your legs and elongate the look. Also, slight heels can help give more definition to this area. We advocate for the no-ankle-strap rule, though!
Neck: If you’d rather camouflage your neck, try a mock turtle neck, or turtle neck. And, deep v's or low-cut tank top can be your friend, too, as they’ll elongate that part of your body rather than keeping all the attention on your neck. We also love bold (but not heavy) jewelry to draw the eye away from the neck.
Arms: If you’d rather camouflage your arms, try layers! You’ll look fashionable and also feel more comfortable. Linen is a particularly soft and forgiving breathable material that won’t feel like punishment for covering up.
We hope those examples are helpful. Instead of thinking of yourself as a fruit or an hourglass, cut the noise and think about how clothes are making you feel. Ignore “ideal body type dressing” guides. These are inherently problematic; don’t let someone else dictate what is “correct.” Instead focus on honoring your amazing body and your specific goals for dressing it. What do you want to put out into the world? What do you want to tell yourself by the way you dress? How do you want to thank your body—a body that does so many amazing things? And, remember, these goals can change from day-to-day and setting-to-setting. You are in the driver’s seat!
By adopting this ABC framework, we believe that the ultimate choice lies with the wearer. It’s not about adhering to rigid rules or classifications but rather experimenting, playing with proportions, and utilizing fashion as an art form to communicate one’s unique identity. We also want to validate your feelings when you’re having a tough body-acceptance day.
Shifting the Focus: Celebrating Body Diversity
Instead of pigeonholing ourselves into categories, can we please opt to celebrate body diversity and promote body positivity and acceptance. Our bodies come in a myriad of shapes, sizes, and proportions, all of which deserve acknowledgment and appreciation. They allow us to experience the world and perform countless daily functions! They’re amazing!
At BU Style, we believe that a shift in perspective is necessary: rather than scrutinizing our bodies through a lens of criticism, we should honor and care for them. This journey toward self-acceptance calls for compassion and love for ourselves, allowing us to cultivate a healthier relationship with our bodies and, you guessed it, clothing choices.
Rethinking ‘Flattering’: Subjectivity in Style
A word often heard in discussions about fashion is "flattering." However, we believe that the concept of flattering is subjective; what one person finds flattering, another may not. Indeed, opinions on what is deemed attractive are influenced by societal norms, individual tastes, and personal experiences. Recognizing that personal preferences vary is a key step in defining individual style.
Instead of conforming to external expectations of what is considered flattering, try to identify your own goals when choosing an outfit. Think about how you want to present yourself and feel in your clothing rather than relying on standardized notions of attractiveness.
The BU Way
Try to focus on self-love and using clothes as a means of authentic expression. It is vital not to let body type stereotypes dictate personal style. Or, god forbid, the feeling that “well, I’m a pear so I can’t wear that.” Instead, by emphasizing individuality, we can reframe our relationship with fashion, transforming it into an expression of who we are, rather than who we are expected to be.
In a world rife with unrealistic standards, the journey to self-acceptance and authentic style is essential. It is time to honor our bodies for their uniqueness and appreciate the artistry of clothing as a tool for self-expression.
BU Style Services & Resources:
The Evolution of Female Body Image Ideals. An article that chronicles the changing “ideal” body types over time.
Link to Services. We recommend the BU Style Six Assessment to help identify your style goals.
Revisit episode 19 of the Wear Who You Are podcast on body types.