What is Your Body Shape?

Do you want the knowledge to know what to do to be stylish and confident no matter where you are or who you are with? Looking good gives you great self-confidence; it changes your entire attitude towards life. Perception is everything and the visual impression that we make on others takes only a matter of seconds. Our appearance communicates if we are credible, trustworthy, likeable, intelligent and friendly.

If you think you have a less than perfect figure, you are not alone. You're in the majority. There are six horizontal body shape categoties used by professional image consultants. These categories give us a one-dimensional view of our bodies, as though they were flat paper dolls.

The basic horizontal body types are: Hourglass, Triangle, Inverted Triangle, Rectangle, Diamond and Oval. Each of these shapes have a different set of rules that are applied to bring the body into balance and create a positive visual impression.

You have an Hourglass shape if your bust and hip measurements are similar and your waist is about 10 inches smaler. Your challenge is to dress your curves while finding fashions that fit and accentuate your waistline.

Inverted Triangles are upside down triangles who are wider throught the shoulders and sometimes the bust and narrower at the waistline and hips. This body shape is likely to buy seperates and coordinates from shops which allow you to mix and match smaller skirts and pants with larger size jackets to accommodate shoulders and/or bust comfortably.

The Triangle shape is the most common shape for women. This is when the upper part of your body is smaller than the lower half. The overall guideline for Triangles to remember is to create the illusion of more width in the upper half of the body to balance the width of your lower half.

The Rectangular body has little or no waistline definition and this body type is often short waisted. Legs and arms of a rectangle are usually slender and thighs are average. The key is to provide the illusion of a defined waistline.

A Diamond shaped body has a waistline that is larger than either the bust or hips. The major concern of ladies with this shape is how to disguise the tummy area.

The Oval body shape can be literally described as an apple shape. This is the shape that tends to concentrate weight in the middle area. It differs from the diamond shape in that the bust is quite prominent.

Well dressed, well groomed, polished individuals are routinely awarded better salaries, win top jobs, are promoted and win the approval of their peers. What message are you giving others the first time they meet you? Dressing your body shape will project a sharper message of quality, respnsibility and success.

Go out and enjoy this beautiful day with confidence in how you look and who you are.

Joyfully,
Chris