Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Bottom Heavy

Elongate your figure while visually balancing your hips and shoulders. Subtly show your curves.

• Drapey fabrics.
• Diagonal lines.
• Dark colored bottoms.
• Tonal outfits with darker shades on the bottom.
• Outfits that skim over your curves.

• Jackets & Coats
  • Long coats: three-fourths and seven-eighths lengths lengths.
  • Vertical detailing above the waist.
  • Nipped-waist, tailored jackets that hit at hipbone length.
  • A-line styles.
  • Loose, straight cuts.
  • Coats that flare at the waist.
  • Slender lapels.
  • Set-in sleeves.
  • Slight shoulder padding.
  • Slanted pockets minimize hips.
  • Snug jean jackets.
  • Biker jackets.
  • Boxy jackets.

• Tops
  • Fitted tops that float over your hips and bottom.
  • Empire-waist styles.
  • Wrap styles.
  • Deep V-necklines.
  • Wide necklines.

• Pants & Jeans
  • Dark colored bottoms.
  • Slightly lower-waisted bottoms.
  • Bottoms with smooth tops, without waistbands.
  • If you wear a waistband, it should be no longer than 1” high.
  • Straight-legged, flat-front pants.
  • Well-tailored pants with wider legs.
  • Slight flare (boot cut shape) at ankle is flattering.
  • Remove side pockets from pants for a leaner look.
  • Jeans with a slightly lower rise.
  • Dark denim is more flattering.
  • Back pockets on jeans.

• Skirts & Dresses
  • Skirts with smooth tops, without waistbands.
  • Moderate A-line shapes.
  • Wrap styles.
  • Draped styles.
  • Tapered knee-length skirts.
  • Vertical detailing.
  • Empire-waist styles.
  • Matching dress and jacket sets.
  • Show skin: shoulders, cleavage, or arms.
  • Horizontal detailing on top.
  • Open necklines.
  • Dresses with plain bottom halves.
  • Vertical detailing.

Swimsuits

• Dark colored bottoms, especially when contrasted with a lighter top.
• Embellishment above the waistline to draw the eye upwards.

• Stiff fabrics.
• Oversized prints.
• Horizontal patterns.
• Shiny fabrics or thick textures.

• Jackets & Coats
  • Styles that hit at the widest part of the hips.
  • Double breasted styles.
  • Bulky flap and patch pockets.
  • Narrow-belted styles.
  • Bomber jackets.

• Tops
  • Tops that don’t cover the hips.
  • Styles that hit at the widest part of the hips.
  • Boxy shapes.
  • Cinched waists.
  • Detailing at the shirt hem.

• Pants & Jeans
  • Bottoms with lots of detailing: pleats, gathers, back details, back pockets, prints, etc.
  • Extremely high-waisted styles.
  • Extremely low-waisted styles.
  • Wide-legged pants.
  • Bell bottoms.
  • Drawstring pants.
  • Tapered styles.
  • Cropped pants.
  • Tight legs.
  • Small back pockets.
  • Widely spaced back pockets.

• Skirts & Dresses
  • Pockets: slanted, flap, or patch.
  • Pleated skirts.
  • Bias cut fabrics.
  • Hem detailing.
  • Severe flared skirts.
  • Horizontal detailing.
  • Dresses that cinch the waist.
  • Bunching at waist.
  • Stiff fabrics.
  • Detailing below the waistline.
  • Severely voluminous skirts.

Swimsuits

• Bottoms that are too small.
• Skirted suits that end at your widest part.

1 comment May 18th, 2005