As French fashion icon Hubert de Givenchy once said: “The dress must follow the body of a woman, not the body following the shape of the dress.” 

Now that you’ve learned about the six body shape types of women (and hopefully learned and figured out which one is yours!), it’s time to learn about its body silhouettes. This body shape style guide will help you understand how to highlight your natural features and choose clothes that bring out your best silhouette.

Body Shape vs. Body Silhouette

The body shape is a person’s natural shape, often most obvious to oneself when wearing the least amount of clothing (e.g., in underwear). For women, there are six common body shapes, previously discussed in this article.

The body silhouette, on the other hand, is what a person’s body shape appears to be based on the clothes worn. For women, the hourglass silhouette is universally considered the most flattering. As such, it’s important to bring each natural body shape as close to the hourglass as possible. There are a few techniques that, when necessary, can be applied to make a woman appear to have an hourglass shape. These are:

• Balance the shoulders with the hips
• Create a waist or give the illusion of a waist
• Widen the shoulders and upper body
• Narrow the hips
• Elongate the body
• Balance the top and bottom of the body

With these general guidelines and your natural body shape in mind, read on to discover which dress types for body shapes can enhance your look and build your confidence.

1. Hourglass

Women with an hourglass body shape should wear clothing that mirrors their natural body shape. Here are a few do’s and don’ts to remember:

• DO Wear garments such as dresses that accentuate your waistline
• DO Highlight your curves by wearing soft fabrics that drape
• DO Show off your waist, select great belts
• DO Belt or shape in your jackets
• DON’T Select blouses with a lot of volume around the waist
• DON’T Wear bulky fabrics and construction
• DON’T Wear straight cut clothing and boxy jackets

2. Rectangle

To add curves to rectangular bodies, dresses and jackets with curved construction in a stretch or blended fabric can help. Diagonal lines can also help give an illusion of an indented waist. Here are a few do’s and don’ts from this body shape guide for women with a rectangular shape:

• DO Wear fluid construction or spandex in the fabric for comfort
• DO Shape the waist of constructed jackets and dresses to create the illusion of a waist
• DO Wear single-breasted coats and jackets, and edge-to-edge – keep lines curved
• DON’T Use cropped jackets with a boxy fit
• DON’T Use thick belts cinched at the waist
• DON’T Wear double-breasted coats and jackets, unless shaped at the waist

When choosing dresses for rectangle body shape, opt for A-line or wrap dresses that create balance and femininity.

3. Oval

Ladies with an oval body shape need to build up sloping shoulders and show off skinny bits such as the lower arms, legs, and neck. Some do’s and don’ts:

• DO Use an internal silhouette that is darker than the outer garment
• DO Use long vertical lines from shoulder to hem
• DO Take in sleeves and trouser width to keep arm and leg silhouette slim
• DO Use over blouses and ruching to soften the clinging fit below the waist
• DO Take advantage of fluid and stretch fabrics such as jersey and knitwear
• DO Wear forgiving elastic waistbands and over blouses
• DO Create soft folds down the center of the body
• DON’T Tuck in blouses at the waist
• DON’T Use wide belts
• DON’T Wear shapeless, tent-like dresses

4. Triangle

A general rule of thumb for women with a triangular shape is to wear darker bottoms and lighter tops. Use of patterns, details, or textures onthe  upper torso is also great for accentuating the upper body. Some more do’s and don’ts for pear shapes are:

• DO Make use of layers on the top half
• DO Use shoulder pads and construction to build the upper body
• DO Fit trousers and skirts to the widest part and take in the waist
• DON’T Wear tight tops tucked into full or pencil skirts
• DON’T Try tapered pants without a longer jacket, tunic, or shirt
• DON’T Wear large prints below the waist
• DON’T Wear cargo pants or patch pockets
• DON’T Wear jackets that end on the widest area
• DON’T Buy convex-shaped pockets in pants, which add to hip width

5. Inverted Triangle

In contrast to the triangle body types, ladies with an inverted triangle shape should generally aim for lighter bottoms and darker tops. Here are more do’s and don’ts for inverted triangle body types:

• DO Balance lower torso with boot cut or wide-leg pants
• DO Wear skirts or pants with details or prints
• DO Wear skirts with fluid hemlines, wider than the hips
• DON’T Wear a wide horizontal neckline
• DON’T Add shoulder pads or epaulets
• DON’T Wear wide puffed sleeves
• DON’T Horizontal stripes on the top half
• DON’T Wear bulky construction, details, or large prints above the waist

6. Figure 8

Women carrying a figure 8 shape should aim to wear low to medium rise bottoms to give more vertical length through their waist area. Other do’s and don’ts for figure 8s include:

• DO Try a shaped yoke on skirts over the tummy
• DO Wear fabrics that drape and shape your body, andhave  curved construction
• DO Wear dresses and tops that elongate your midriff area
• DO Use a “column of color” top and bottom
• DON’T Wear skirts or trousers with a high-set-in waistband
• DON’T Tuck in blouses
• DON’T Wear contrasting separates
• DON’T Wear wide belts

Discover the Style That Flatters You Most

Clothing is about creating visual harmony—accentuating what you love and softening what you don’t. This body shape guide helps you see fashion not as a restriction, but as an expression. By following a reliable style guide, you can experiment confidently with various clothing and dress styles that suit your body shape.

For more body shape and clothes tips, be sure to follow us on Pinterest. If you need better advice on analyzing your body shape and how to dress, contact Radiance Image Consultancy today!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

To learn more about dressing for your body shape, here are additional tips to keep in mind:

How to know your body shape​?

You can know your body shape by measuring your shoulders, bust, waist, and hips, then comparing their proportions. This helps you identify which body shape category you belong to, such as hourglass, rectangle, or triangle. You can also refer to a reliable body shape guide for accuracy.

How to shape a body with clothes?

You can shape your body with clothes by choosing styles that highlight your best features and create balance. For example, use fitted waistlines, structured fabrics, and color contrasts to define your shape and enhance proportions.