What's My Body Shape?

All women have different body shapes. Weight is often distributed unequally in the body. Some women carry more weight in their upper torso, while other women are heavier in their hips and thighs. Whatever your shape happens to be, there is clothing that can hide your least favorite features and highlight your best features. This knowledge can be particularly helpful to plus size women, who often resort to wearing clothes that cover up their entire body with tons of fabric.

Women with an hour glass body type have an overall curvy shape with a defined waist. The shoulders, bust and hips are the same width. They have a medium to large bust, and fleshy, average size upper arms. The hour glass body type is also characterized by full, round buttocks and slender lower legs. The goal for women with an hourglass shape is to accentuate the waistline and lower legs, and balance heavier hips and thighs, which are the widest part of the body.

Women with an oval shape body, also called apple shape, have similar sized bust, waist and hips. They have an undefined waist, square hips and a small bust. They also have slim arms and legs, and flat buttocks. The goal for women with an oval shaped body is to minimize the middle and upper torso, where most of the weight is carried, and highlight slender legs.

The triangle, or pear, body type has a smaller upper half and larger lower half. These women have larger hips, thighs and rear, and smaller shoulders and bust. Triangle shaped women also have a defined waist, and fleshy buttocks. The goal for triangle shapes is to balance the upper and lower halves, and accentuate their waist.

The final body type, the inverted triangle, is characterized by a top heavy appearance, with a full bust, waist, and upper back. They are less full in the hips and have a flat rear. The hips, thighs, buttocks and lower legs are smaller in proportion to the top half. The goal for inverted triangles is to balance the upper and lower half and accentuate shapely arms and legs.

Dressing for your body type will help you choose clothing that will look better on you, and make you feel more confident and beautiful.

Women's Plus Size Swimwear: Finding The Most Flattering Style

As the weather gets warmer, we start to think about buying this season’s swimsuit for those summer days at the beach or the pool. But what style will look best? These days, there are many swimwear options for plus size women, such as the one-piece, swimdress, tankini and swimshorts. Knowing your unique body style will help determine which style swimsuit will be most flattering.

If your body is a triangle shape, then your hips are wider than your bust. Look for swimsuits with a pattern or light colored top with dark bottoms. Two piece swimsuits, such as a tankini, skirtini, or swimshorts work well with this shape.

If your hips and shoulders are balanced with a defined waist, then you have an hourglass figure. Look for suits that keep the eye busy, or accentuate the waist. Allover prints and suits with a pattern at the waistline work best. A one piece is an excellent choice for this shape.

The inverted triangle shape is the opposite of the triangle shape, so the shoulders are wider than the hips. Look for suits that provide support with an underwire bra. A swimdress or a two-piece with a skirt will keep the look balanced. Also, a wide, square neckline can narrow wide shoulders.

A rectangle shape means that you have equal proportions from your shoulders to your hips. Look for suits that accentuate the waistline, such as a trim or border around the waist.

Finally, you have a circle shape if your waist is larger than your shoulders and hips. Look for suits that draw the eye upwards, such as a halter or V-neck. A suit that has shirred fabric around the waist also works well.

Knowing your unique body type will help you choose a plus size bathing suit style that is most flattering to your figure.

Flattering Plus Size Wedding Dress Styles

Every bride wants to look her best on her wedding day. For plus size women, finding a flattering plus size wedding dress style can be a challenge. Many plus size women have a tendency to choose dresses that cover a lot of skin. However, there are plus size wedding gown styles that are flattering to the plus size figure without having to cover everything up.

The A – line style wedding dress is the best silhouette for plus size women. This type of wedding dress has a seamless waist (also called a princess cut) that gently flares out, which helps disguise large hips and thighs. It draws the eye down and lengthens the body without drawing attention to the waistline.

An empire cut wedding dress is also a flattering style for plus size women. This style has a high waistline, beginning just beneath the bust, and a long full skirt that flows from the waistline. An empire waist dress masks larger waist and hips.

Another option for plus size women is to look for wedding dresses that accentuate the arms and neckline. Showing the arms and neckline can make you look smaller. A dress with a deep V neck, or a scoop neck, flatter full figured women. An off the shoulder wedding dress is good for large busted women because it draws the attention upwards, emphasizing the shoulders and minimizing the chest.