Dressing Your Frame

When most of us shop, we do it when we’re in the mood, but many do it out

necessity—be it an event, a date night, or an interview. So, when you’re not pressed by

your calendar, where do you start??

One of the most important places to begin is based on your shape or body type. If you

know your body type (determined by your shoulder, waist, and hip measurements), this

is one of the most effective ways to shop.

At first, however, it may seem VERY limiting to you, because you’re essentially

shopping by a garment’s features, which most of us do not do.

Here are some hints on details to look for and their location to enhance and camouflage

your frame’s features:

• Rectangle: shop for a cinched waist, tall and slender needs a waist

• Triangle: shop for details like pleats and patch pockets on your pants, dresses, or skirts

• Inverted triangle: shop for shoulder details like pleats, pockets, or epaulettes

• Apple: a high waisted pant or empire-waisted dress works best

• Hourglass: highlight your waist, as you have a balanced top and bottom

If you have a garment in your existing wardrobe you love but doesn’t quite achieve the

above, use accessories to help accentuate the area you need to stand out. Two of the

easiest ones are scarves and belts. They can bring any garment into line with the

shape you’re trying to create and/or overcome.

In the end, when shopping or cleaning out your closet, you will discover you generally

gravitate toward things that naturally look good on you, whatever your shape.

Tammy’s Truism: You’re essentially shopping through a straw, immediately eliminating 90% of the garments in any store, because you’re shopping based on a garment’s features only—so be patient!!