In my recent review of the style evolution book, I mentioned that it focuses a lot on dressing to flatter your body, rather than experimenting with mixing and matching for fun. To be fair, I do the same thing most of the time. For example, even though my tummy isn’t big, I tend to avoid clothes that would draw attention to it.
On a recent shopping trip, I tried on a tight polkadot skirt with a polkadot top in a different color. It looked great from the front and back, but the side view was awful. It showed off my flat bum and highlighted my tummy—definitely not flattering, so I didn’t buy it.
However, I did buy an asymmetrical Calvin Klein dress on sale with a quirky design that makes one of my hips look larger. Since the dress is supposed to do that and it didn’t highlight any areas I’m self-conscious about, I thought its overall look was flattering and decided to get it.
I avoid clothes that emphasize parts of my body I feel self-conscious about because they make me too aware of them. Even though I’m generally happy with my body, I think we all have areas we’d rather not draw attention to. It’s better to highlight your strengths instead.
Creating a nice silhouette is also important to me. I like to aim for a 1/3 – 2/3 proportion to keep my body looking balanced. Sometimes, this means creating the illusion of longer legs or a shorter torso.
This focus on body types is why I’ve written several articles on dressing for different shapes, like rectangle, pear, apple, inverted triangle, and hourglass, as well as dressing for your vertical body type. It’s a significant part of my style course.
Still, I understand that not everyone sticks to these rules strictly. Sometimes, it’s fun to play with different shapes and styles for the sake of fashion or being a bit edgier. Some people even choose to ignore flattering dressing altogether and dress purely for style, as Tavi Gavinson mentioned in a recent interview.
Personally, I prefer dressing in a flattering way, which is why I love draped dresses that cover the tummy and prefer trousers that aren’t too tight and reach the ground. Even though I like asymmetry and unique shapes, I always aim for a nice overall silhouette.
What about you? Do you always dress to flatter your body and create a nice silhouette, or do you prioritize fashion and edginess too?