8 Steps to Stylishly Dress Your Pear Shaped Figure

Beyoncé’s “Bootylicious” may have made it famous — and Kim Kardashian put the cherry on top — but nowadays, everyone’s going crazy for some killer curves. 

I always encourage embracing your naturally beautiful body type, and this is one time when the saying holds true: If you’ve got it, flaunt it. Meaning, if you’ve been hiding a shapely hourglass for all of these years, it’s time to learn how to flatter (and celebrate) your fuller figure.

Pear Shaped Celebrities:

The pear body shape is the most common female body shape. Grab a mirror and take a look: If your hips and backside are wider than your shoulders, you're the lucky owner of a pear-shaped body. 

Pear-shaped bodies typically have a smaller bustline, defined waist, and narrow shoulders as well. Depending on your overall proportions, bustier pears may actually be an hourglass body style.

Keep your proportions in check by drawing the eye to your upper body while de-emphasizing your lower half. 

You'll look smashing with these eight stylish tricks!

DRAW ATTENTION TO YOUR UPPER BODY

1

Choose tops in bright colors and prints. 

The main goal of dressing a pear figure is to draw attention to the torso and away from the hips and thighs. Outfit your upper body in bold colors and big prints. These catch the eye at the top, making your shoulders and chest seem a bit broader than they actually are.

2

Look for bust-enhancing necklines. Certain necklines are better for a pear-shaped figure, as they broaden the shoulders and emphasize the bust. Wide necklines like boat-necks and scoop-necks visually widen your shoulders. Bust-enhancing necklines like sweetheart necks draw attention to the bust, making it look fuller. Strapless tops and dresses can also make your shoulders and bust look wider, but may not be a comfortable choice for every pear-shaped girl.

3

Choose fits that highlight your waist. Deciding between tight and loose can be difficult, as there are pros and cons to each. Look for tops that are tight around the waist and highlight an hourglass figure. Loose tops should be worn a bit long so as to cover the hips and provide substance for the shoulders. In general, the fit of your shirts should aim to highlight your waist and shoulders, something that can be accomplished with the right combination of tight and loose.

4

Layer your tops. Bulking up with layers adds bulk to your torso, which evens out your body’s proportions. Use layers of tank tops, blouses, and cardigans to create visual interest and give the illusion of added size. If you’re using multiple layers which take away the smallness of your waist, use a thin belt to cinch them in and give yourself that hourglass figure again.

5

Look for embellished tops. Shirts that have adornment near the neck elongate the shoulder and neckline. Select a load of shirts which have beading, bows, or collars near your neck. These can be large or small, as they both accomplish the same task of drawing the eye upwards and away from your bottom half. You can also choose to wear a scarf to the same effect.

6

Look for tops with wide sleeves. Although it’s not always easy to find wide-sleeved shirts, keep an eye out for styles like bell and kimono sleeves. Wide sleeves add volume to your arms, and as a result, your naturally voluminous hips and rear look more balanced and proportioned. If nothing else, try to wear shirts that have rolled or scrunched sleeves; these also add volume to your arms, but without making such a bold fashion statement.

7

Choose shirts that skim over your hips. Look for tops that skim over your hips; tops that extend just below you hipbone extend your torso and mask the widest part of your hips. Avoid hemlines that reach down to your thighs, however, since these will only make the widest part of your legs look wider. On the flip side, crop tops should be widely avoided for drawing attention to your midsection, which is too close to your hips to be flattering.

8

Wear supportive undergarments. Your entire upper body can undergo a major transformation when you wear the right undergarments. Consider a padded bra or push-up bra. This will add volume to a small bust, and accentuate an hourglass waist. Look for a natural style that can be worn under both casual and dress clothes.^[1]

As always, leave a comment below or private message me at: styledbydeanna@gmail.com if you need more helpful tips to dress your shape, effortlessly!

Stay Stylish Loves!!

DeAnna 

Sources & Cites: 
1. www.sheknows.com
2. www.wikihow.com 

Dressing the Beautiful Apple-Shape

As you girls you may know, I really hate defining your beautiful bodies by fruits and geometric shapes. Unfortunately this is a learned behavior, and I have to meet you where you are. Society has taught you you're either an apple, a diamond, or some other weird moniker. With that being said, here's to you, my dear, the apple-shaped beauty! 

If you have an apple-shaped body, then your body is "top heavy," meaning you have a wide torso, broad shoulders, and a full bust, waist, and upper back. Apple-shaped bodied women also tend to have thinner arms, legs, and hips, and tend to gain weight at their waistlines. If you have an apple shaped-body, then you should be proud of your full figure and get ready to flaunt it. But if you want to show off what you've got, you need to dress appropriately. If you want to know how to really dress to flatter your apple-shaped body, then follow these steps.

1

Make sure you have an apple-shaped body. Before you begin to think about dressing for your body type, you should confirm that you do indeed have an apple shaped body. Some people mistake a pear-shaped body for an apple-shaped body. An apple shaped-body is heavy in the middle and above the waist, while a pear-shaped body is heavier below the waist and in the upper thighs. Here are some other characteristics of the apple-shaped body:[1]  

• A wide torso
• Broad shoulders
• An average-to-fuller bust
• An undefined waist
• Thinner arms and legs
• A flat bottom
• Hips that are narrower than your bust
• You don't have to have a very large belly to be apple shaped -- it just means that your center of gravity, or your extra weight, resides in your belly area.

2

Draw attention away from your middle. To dress your apple-shaped body, you'll want to take attention away from your middle, since it's already full. To draw attention away from your middle, avoid low shorts or pants, high-cut shirts, or any fabric length that cuts off below or above your middle. You'll want to distract people from your middle by directing their attention elsewhere or by creating more definition in your waistline.

• You should also avoid wearing an outfit with a different pattern in the belly area. This will draw more attention to your belly.
• Avoid wearing thick belts, which will draw more attention to your middle.
• Avoid clingy shirts or dresses, which will also draw attention to your middle.

3

Emphasize your bust. If you have an apple-shaped body, then you must have a great bust, so don't be afraid to flaunt it. Showing off your bust will not only emphasize one of your most amazing features, but it will also take attention away from your middle. To emphasize your bust, you should wear v-necks, plunging necklines, or A-line dresses, to lengthen your body and draw attention to your bust.

• Wear shirts or dresses that flow from under your bust, expanding at the waist.
• Remember that drawing attention to your bust is different from looking top-heavy. You don't need to wear elaborate necklaces or tops with ornate patterns near the neck. You already have a great bust, so it needs no adornments. INVEST IN UNDERGARMENTS!!

BONUS: Choose the right shape. Though your shirt or top shouldn't be clingy, it shouldn't be boxy, baggy, or formless, either. If it's too loose, you'll only look more shapeless and your waist will look bigger. Instead, pick a shirt or top that flows downward from your bust, like a top with a high-waistline, empire waist, or A-line. 

Here are some things to keep in mind as you choose the shape of your top: ^[2]

• A shirt or dress that has a tie at the waist will also help add definition to your figure.
• Your tops should fall lower than your hip bones.
• You can wear a long flowing top that falls below your bottom, or even a tunic shirt.
• Wear tops with flare or cuff sleeves.
• Choose a top with pretty shoulder details, like sequins or flowers.

I really hope this helps you, beauty. If you have any questions, concerns about dressing your shape, adding flare, or even proper undergarments, please don't hesitate to comment below, or send me a private email: styledbydeanna@gmail.com

Here's to your style, and beauty!

Stylishly Yours,

DeAnna

Sources and Citations

• 1. http://www.joyofclothes.com/style-advice/shape-guides/the-apple.php
  2. http://www.thechicfashionista.com/apple-body-shape.html
  3. http://www.typef.com/article/dress-large-belly/