Showing posts with label Body Shape. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Body Shape. Show all posts

Friday, 4 October 2013

The Pear Shape

This juicy, lovely shape is when your hips are larger than your bust and your waist is slightly smaller. We need to elongate your figure here so that you look less bottom heavy.  Bring out your best and balance out your delicious curvy bottom-half, with dresses that are bold and bright at the top and synched in at the waist. Or try dresses with large collars, lapels or sleeves - a wonderful selection of embellishments! 


Nine West Summer Holiday Frock 




















Reiss Purple Frou-Frou Party Frock 

Ted Baker 1920s LBD



Whistles Strappy Number 


What dresses suit my Pear Shape?
  • Embellished frocks
  • Prints, checks, striped and floral frocks
  • Frocks with large lapels, sleeves and collars
  • Any frills or fancy bits

Best to avoid...tube, pencil and fishtail skirt dresses, especially tight fitting ones as they will only emphasise your hips and behind, which we don't want! Show off your cute and petite top half with daring patterns and lots of detail! Also avoid anything cut on the bias! 

You share this shape with the beautiful Kate Winslet, Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Shakira, Kim Kardashian and of course our very own stunning Sarah Caverhill! 

Warmest Swishes,

Wednesday, 2 October 2013

The Top Hour Glass Shape

Well, very lucky ladies! Your bust is larger than your hips and your waist is well defined- bish bash bosh! Not too different from the Hour Glass shape but you just have  bigger boobies! It can also be known sometimes as the 'strawberry shape' but we liked Top Hour Glass much better! 


LK Bennet Silk Cocktail Frock






Coast Classic Cocktail Frock



















Choose frocks with fuller and wider skirts, bright colours on the bottom half with simpler details at the top. Of course go for lots of plunging v-neck necklines and wrap effects at the top and waist. Add your staple waist belt and remember to always wear the correct bustier! If in any doubt, I have the best place to go to and get measured properly! More on that soon! 

Choose dresses that cinch in at the waist and are fitting but not too tight! Stick to simple fabrics such as linen and silk and avoid super heavy and over sized styles.

What dresses to suit my Top Hour Glass Shape?
  • Low neck line frocks
  • Pulled in at the waist frocks
  • Prints and bold colours on the top or bottom half of the frock-remember to keep it more simple on the top!
Stay well away from anything with shoulder pads or a tapered bottom half.  Puff sleeves, epaulettes and halter-necks are a huge no-no!

You share this shape with....Jennifer Saunders, Dolly Parton, Charlize Theron. 

Warmest Swishes,
B
bethany@londonfrockexchange.com
London Frock Exchange

Monday, 30 September 2013

The Diamond Shape

This shape can be tricky but just remember, you're a diamond! Every girl loves diamonds! Your waist is larger than your bust and hips, so we have to create the illusion that it's smaller by wearing longer dresses, no shorter than the top of your knee and adding plunging neck lines or smocked under the bust styles. Opt for dresses that are tight under your bust and fall straight down to your toes, such as empire lines and try low necklines to draw the eye up. This will shorten your top half and elongate your height.

Diane Von Furstenberg Kimono Mini 


Dave & Johnny Luminous Two-tone Cocktail Frock 

Coast Classic Cocktail Frock Front
Floral Fun Frock


Flower Flirt Me Frock


What dresses suit the Diamond Shape?

  • Empire lines
  • Low cut necklines
  • Shoulder padded frocks
  • Wrap dresses
  • Capped sleeves

Avoid short boxy frocks and pleated or tiered dresses!

How utterly fabulous! You share this shape with the stunning.....Oprah Winfrey, Beth Ditto and Rosie O'Donnell!

Warmest Swishes,
B
London Frock Exchange

Tuesday, 24 September 2013

The Hour Glass Shape

You are the exquisite Marilyn! You are blessed with a very sexy shape where your bust and hips are approximately the same size and your waist is well defined, so stay clear of baggy styles or you'll drown that voluptuous shape out! 
Coast Classic Cocktail Frock 
Stick to solid bold colours, dark with vertical patterns and pleats. Opt for soft fabrics with stretch that reduce and prevent any bulkiness. Knits and silk blends with scoop necks, sweethearts and slimming necklines are all your cut! 
Grecian Nights French Connection Cocktail Frock 
Jaeger Strapless Chanel-esque Number 


Ronit Zilkha Cocktail Frock 


Floral Fun Frock 




What dresses to suit my Hour Glass Shape?
  • Well-tailored frocks
  • Scoop-neck frocks
  • Vertical stripes
  • Solid dark colours
  • Sweetheart frocks

And avoid... ruffles and bows and other dimensions that add volume. It's a no go on baggy or oversized frocks unless adding a belt at the waist. Put it back on the rail if you see any wide neck-lines like boat necks and squares since these make you look more top heavy than you actually are! 

You share this shape with....Scarlett Johanson, Salma Hayek, Marilyn Monroe, Anne Hathaway- before Hollywood took her!

Warmest Swishes,


London Frock Exchange

Monday, 23 September 2013

The Column Shape

Basically this is a very common shape... Please don't think if you are this one, we're saying you look like a teenager! When I am at my smallest, I am this shape. You learn to love it! It doesn't mean you don't have a bust or lovely waist, it just means your shoulders, bust and hips are approximately the same size straight down (not from the side!). It's the shape where you can basically get away with wearing most styles because there's no main area to minimise.

Stick to over-sized dresses with big waist-belts, or team a shirt-frock buttoned up to the neck with a stylish tie and knee-high leather boots - riding or heeled. You're the lucky ladies that can wear bandeau dresses too, off the shoulder and tight micro-mini dresses.

Define your waist by adding a thick belt, or accentuate your hips so they appear wider with a low-slung sash or belt. Over-sized kimonos like our blue DVF would look fierce on this shape - hitch up the skirt a bit so there's a little overhang on the sash and you're ready to go. Bigger column-shaped ladies, wear these types of dresses loose with no belt added and use bright chunky scarves or jewellery to show-off your figure.

Stick to structured dresses that synch in at the waist to create a curvy effect. With a small bust, you can get away with wearing more tricky and fussy high neck-line dresses. Go for it and also dare to bare your back in low-slung or backless frocks!

Petite Soft Grey Rebecca Taylor Cocktail Frock 

Pink Bow Audrey Number 

Philip Lim LBD
French Connection Foxy Frock         

Reiss Red Rah-Rah Ruffle Frock

What dresses suit my Column Shape?

  • Micro-mini - long sleeved, t-shirt and vest
  • Strapless frocks
  • Puff-ball skirted frocks
  • High-waisted belted frocks - short and long length
  • Over-sized dresses and maxis/ kimonos
  • Racer-back shaped dresses
  • Backless frocks
  • Puff, capped or shoulder-padded dresses
  • Frocks with lots of detail and flare

What to avoid.....sheath and smock dresses!

Some wonderful examples of a column shape would be Jessica Alba, Kate Moss, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mel C, Rachel Hunter, Kate Middleton, Cameron Diaz, Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman... They are still athletic and beautiful but without a curve.

Warmest Swishes,
B
London Frock Exchange

Thursday, 19 September 2013

What's My Shape?!

Your personal guide to finding out what your body shape is in relation to our sizing settings.

We have created a brilliant measuring system for you so that when you see a frock you like, you can have your measurements pop up right beside the actual measurements of that dress. This way you can see whether it will fit you or not.

There are, though, dresses that look great a little bigger or a little tighter depending on how you want the look to look! If there are any doubts about whether the dress you like will look good on you or suit your shape, that's where I come in. Just ping me a personal email and I can sort those fears or queries straight away:

However, I am going to give you some easy-to-follow steps to what looks good on what shape and how to wear our frocks in lots of different ways. Watch this space...

Your Shape!

Now this is a really delicate subject, believe me I know! So please don't worry if you have no idea, or by the end of my guide, you realise you thought you were one shape, but actually you're a completely different one!

We all have the dreaded moment in the dressing room, or before we go out where we look in the mirror and just loathe what we are seeing. Like bad hair days, they sometimes come more often at some times than others, but with my help, I assure you, they'll get less and less over the coming weeks and by the Christmas break, you'll be feeling confident and sexy every time you look in the mirror.

It's a self-preservation thing us ladies like to do - but we all say, "Oh I couldn't possibly wear that", with the fear that we are too fat or too thin or our boobs aren't big enough. We go safe! But you know the people you are drawn to and just look at on the street or wherever? Well it's usually because they look different. They have gone the extra step and said..."You know what, I will actually wear this, because yes, my boobs do look great", or "This might be a bit tight, but my bum is a real bum and I like it, so therefore I shall show it in this", etc. etc. It's our confidence ladies that we need to work on. You can wear what the devil you want, it will always look great if you feel great in it, from within.

I don't want to get all 'secret' about this because you get the gist, but sometimes we need that little nudge to help us.

So.....shape!!! Big shapes, small shapes, short shape, tall shape, hippy shape, skinny-bean shape, no boobs to big boobs shapes, we are all totally different. However, there are certain criteria (though they can overlap, but I'll help you with that!), which we have in our Size Guide and within that our Body Type Guide. I have stated on each frock what shape it will look best on, so you'll have all the information you need to know what frock is right for you and what frocks to stay clear of.

I have created separate blogs for each of our different body shapes so take a peep and all you need to know will be right in front of you! But, anytime you have a predicament of 'will this dress suit me' just refer back to your particular body shape blog and you'll be ready to go!

Warmest Swishes,