Wardrobe Must-Haves
for: Hour Glass Shape
These are the top ten items that every woman should have in her wardrobe is she has an hour glass figure.
1. Straight leg jeans or skinny jeans – You want jeans the fit your hips and thighs and make a straight line down to your feet. Jeans that are baggy up top and skinny at the ankles will not flatter your figure. And jeans that are tight fitting up top and flare out at the bottom will not accentuate your good curves. I recommend a rise that comes just below the waist. Anything lower will create the wrong shape, thus not bringing out the best of your figure. A great fitting pant for your figure would be Boot-Cut jeans by Old Navy.
2. Black pants and white pants – These are both essential items for every woman. You can wear either pair with any color shirt and shoe combination you can think of. You want to use the same fit rules above as you do for pants. I recommend a stretch material such as a cotton/spandex blend. A great fitting pant for your figure would be the Christie Fit pant by Victoria’s Secret.
3. Slim fitting Blazer – A great fitting blazer in any color or material is a must-have. This is a piece you will use over and over again. You can wear it on top of a simple t-shirt for a completely new look. It’s perfect on top of dresses, tank tops, sweaters, and more. If you find one that fits you great, you will wear it over and over again. I recommend buying one in a cotton blend or stretch material. Avoid linen as it will require ironing and special care. Remember that it’s very important that your blazer jacket comes to right below your waist. Anything longer will make you look short. A great fitting blazer for your figure would be the Stretch Cotton fitted jacket by Victoria’s Secret.
4. Stretch poplin shirt – Every woman should have a white, long sleeved, button down shirt. It’s crisp, clean, and smart looking. It’s easy to throw on, goes well with anything from jeans to skirt, or even shorts. Wear it to work or wear it to dinner. Either way, you’ll look stylish and sexy. I recommend a stretch material because you don’t want to have to tuck your shirt back in every time you raise your arms. A great fitting poplin shirt can be found at Victoria’s Secret.
5. Pencil Skirt – Women with an hour glass figure look fantastic in a pencil skirt. It hugs all the right places and if it’s high waisted, will cover any belly rolls you may (think you) have. Purchase a pencil skirt in a solid neutral color so it will match most of your shirts. Make sure the skirt fall just below or right at the knee. I recommend something in a stretch cotton blend or a wool blend for winter. A great fitting pencil skirt for your figure would be the Pencil Suit Skirt by Banana Republic.
6. A Little Black Dress – Everyone knows that every lady needs a little black dress. Women with an hour glass figure should stick to slim fitting dresses made with polyester/spandex blends. The skirt of the dress should either be straight lined like a pencil skirt or a-line that flares out just at the knee. A great example of a dress that would look fantastic on your figure is the Bustle-back little black dress from Victoria’s Secret.
7. Shirts With Tie Waists – Because your waist is smaller than your chest and hips, you want to accentuate that. That is your best feature. Choose shirts that nip in at the waist or have a belt or tie with them. Any material is great for shirts. My favorites are cotton blends, jersey, and stretch blends. A great example of a nice fitting shirt with a tie waist is this Woven Plaid Shirt from Forever 21.
8. Cuffed Bermuda Shorts – Shorts that will look best on you would come right to your knee or right above the knee. If you are 5’4″ or shorter, don’t wear capris or “high water waders”. They won’t flatter your small waist and just make you look short. If you are over 35, be careful wearing very short shorts. Shorts that fall away from the body a little bit are best. Skin tight shorts are not recommended for your figure. You really have to be a stick figure to wear tight shorts. A great example of the perfect shorts for you are the Cuffed City Short from Banana Republic.
9. Tank Tops – With your figure you can wear tank tops, camisoles, and tube tops. Buy shirts in extra long length and wear a belt on top. Your skinny waist is you best asset, so show it off with everything you wear. Even if you have bloating or a “belly pooch” shirts that nip in at the waist will draw attention away from your lower section and draw it upwards. Don’t wear cropped shirts. And don’t wear baggy, shapeless shirts. An example of a great top is this Pintuck Camisole from Old Navy.
10. Shoes! – With your figure you can wear just about any kind of shoe. Stilettos make your legs look miles long if you wear them with skirts or shorts. Ballet flats can make your legs look short, unless you wear them with jeans or pants. Wedges and espadrilles look great with anything from shorts to dresses to jeans. Please keep your sneakers in the gym, your flip flops in the house and at the pool, and your garden clogs or “crocs” in the garden!!
Now get out and start shopping! Have any questions about what you read here today? Leave a comment or email me!
As an hourglass, I am hesitant to recommend skinny jeans or A-line skirts. They can accentuate the hips and thighs too much. Some people might want to do that, but I personally prefer to accentuate my small waist (large hips do make one’s waist appear smaller, but accentuating the hips doesn’t necessarily mean that one’s waist is likewise accentuated). Therefore, I highly recommend wrap (or wrap-style) dresses with A-line skirts and, when pants are necessary, boot-cut or straight leg styles to balance out the hips.
You are definitely right to recommend fitted shirts. Voluminous tops do nothing for hourglass figures. Knit tops work very well in general. It is hard to get shirts that fit right in stiffer materials, though, because they are generally made for women with less curves.
Even though we hourglasses don’t have to worry so much about balancing out our hips as our pear-shaped sisters do, some tips for pear-shaped women work very well for us (like shirts with small puffed sleeves), creating the look of more drastic proportions.
Piggybacking on the pp, as a hourglass-figured girl, sometimes well tailored tops in a stiffer fabric can really accentuate your curves, so long as it’s not a thick or heavy fabric. The real enemies to a girl with an hourglass figure are shirts and sweaters that a) fall too high on your hips, b) fall to low on your hips, c) is a chunky knit. If a top falls into any combination of those three, you lose your shape almost immediately.
I’m in agreement on the skinny jeans. I have full hips, but thin legs and skinny jeans make me look heavy even though I’m only in a size 8 (which leans towards petite on my 5’8″ frame). The only time a skinny jean has really worked for me has been when it’s paired with a flowy, diaphanous silk, linen, or poplin top that doesn’t have a lot of structure, has a deep scoop neck, and covers my hips.