Understanding your body shape is crucial, the trick is to wear clothes that will flatter your specific body type. If you had a chance to check out my post ``what color are you``, then it should be easier for you to look fabulous and pick clothing in Your color group, and in styles that suit Your body type!

Dressing for Banana/rectangle-Shaped Figure:
Since balance is the goal, and like the hourglass figure, you do not need any help in this area. We need to create the appearance of a curvier waist and bottom to enhance your femininity, and draw our focus to your great legs and thighs.

The banana/rectangles tend to have:

A fuller neck
Broader back
Average bust
Undefined waist
A balanced figure
Great legs and arms

You want to wear tops that give the illusion of curves. Do this by wearing wrap tops with a scooped or V- neckline, these will emphasize your bust and draw attention to your face. Pretty tops with spaghetti straps will draw attention to your breast making them appear larger. Look for jackets that have a cinched waist, these will look great on you. Jackets that flare out from your waist will create instant hips. Tops that are fitted and go in at the waist will help give the appearance of a curvier figure.
Contoured waistbands help create curves. Skirts with a dropped waist look great on you. Other skirts that look great include pencil, a-lined, and flared skirts that gather at the waist.
look for jeans that lift and hug your bottom. Larger back pockets that are spread far apart will make your bottom look fuller. If they have flaps on them, this is even better, as this adds some bulk to your bottom. Jeans with lighter fades on the thighs will help give them shape. You will look great in jeans that have a low-rise and that are a straight fit from the hip to the knee with a slight flare at the end.

Dressing the Apple-Shaped Figure:
Our main goal will be to lengthen or elongate your torso. We want to give the appearance of slimmer shoulders and waist. We need to draw attention away from the tummy, and draw attention to your best attributes which include your much envied breast and legs. Focusing on your assets and emphasizing your positives will make you look much slimmer.

Typically the apple shape has:

A fuller face and neck
Broader shoulders
Fuller Breast
A fuller, undefined waist
Narrower hips
A flatter rear end
Shapley legs

When Apples gain weight, they have a tendency to gain in the midsection.

Look for tops with v necklines; this will pull the eye away from your shoulders, while accentuating one of your best features! Wrap around tops,and fitted tops also look great. An empire, or raised waist also brings the eye up and away from your problem areas.cami`s , or tank tops, with a matching jacket is always a good way to go! Look for blouses that have cinched waists, or belted jackets. This will give the illusion of a smaller waist, and slim down your tummy.Jackets should fall right below the waist to mid-thigh, never at the widest part of your hips. Wear jackets and blazers open for the best vertical lines,tops in darker solid colors will work best. choose tops that are darker around the midsection, and patterned or brighter colored on top to draw the eye up towards your chest and face. While diverting attention away from your middle.
Skirts that are 1-5 inches above the knee will work for you since one of your assets is your legs,so show them off! Skirts should be fitted at the waist and flare toward the hem line, Dresses should have strategic gathers under the breast to direct all eyes to your waist. You want to look for jeans that have a flat front, and a rise that is lower than your natural waist. Look for jeans that have back pockets with flaps, this will help give some curve to a flatter rear. Lighter washes and/or jeans with fading will add shape to your thighs. Boot-cut and flared will give you a longer leaner look.

Dressing the Pear-Shaped Figure:
Balance is the key. We want to give the appearance of wider shoulders and a bigger bust , this will help take the attention off the widest part of the body by bringing the eyes up to your face, neck, bust and waist. So you will want to over play your upper body and give your lower body a slimmer sleeker look. Do this by using color on top, wide neck lines, accentuate your waste and wear dark colors on the bottom.

Typically pears have:

A long or slender neck
Sloping or narrow shoulders
Narrow back
Small to medium bust
Defined waist
Curvy hips and backside
Full thighs and calves

if you gain weight it tends to show more in the buttocks, hips, thighs and calves area

Because your bottom half is slightly larger than your top, you can wear looser fitted tops with out any problem. However you can also wear more fitted tops and look great.
Blouses with detailing, and tops in all sorts of prints with lighter and brighter colors, or textured fabrics are what you want to look for . This will help balance your lower half.
Tops that hug the shoulders or ones with wide-set straps will help to visually widen the chest and shoulders. necklines that are scooped, draped, v-shape, rounded or squared are fabulous on you. Any neckline that has a lower and wider neck will look great. These will emphasize your bust and draw attention to your face. Halter tops that tie at the neck will give the shoulders the appearance of width they need, and this will help balance out your hips and thighs.You want to look for jeans or pants that are flared or have a wide-leg, this will help hide your thicker thighs. Straight legged jeans are also good for a sleek slimmer look. Go for mid-rise dark jeans (the darker the better) and dark pants. This gives the illusion of slimmer hips and bottom.

Dressing the Hour Glass-Shaped Figure:
If you are blessed with an hourglass figure, then you are very fortunate. Since balance is always our goal, you do not need any help in this area, as the hourglass figure is considered to be the ideal female form. Your over all figure is the easiest to dress because most things look great on you. Our goal is to draw attention to your waist and accentuate those feminine curves without adding size to your hips and shoulders.

Typically the hourglass shape has:

Symmetrical shoulders and hips
Full, shapely bust
Distinctly defined waist
Medium to broad hips in proportion with shoulders
shapely legs

If they gain weight, they have a tendency to gain it all over the body, possibly showing more in the breast and hip area

Wear tops that will enhance your bust and waist, and tops that will lengthen your body. V necks or scooped necklines will do the trick. Wrap around tops are also great for emphasizing your waist. Tops that sit at your waistline is another great look for you. Halter tops are wonderful , as they show off your shapely shoulders. Darker fabrics will help you appear slimmer, however most colors look great on you. Select small dots or patterns for a softer slimmer look. When looking for jackets, keep them simple. They can be either short or long, just make sure that they are well cut, fitted and nipped at the waist to show it off. You can play up your shapely silhouette by wearing dresses and skirts that accentuate your positive features. Do this by wearing skirts that hug your curves and give a smooth fit at the waistline and hips, pencil skirts work best for this. When looking for skirts look for ¾ length or full length with a long slit or crease in the front. This will make you look taller, thinner and sexier. An A line skirt will accentuate your tiny waste.
Look for jeans that are cut with larger hips, and a smaller waist. You will want to look for jeans that are slightly flared, or wider legged, If you decide to wear anything that tapers in at the ankle area, wear dark then make sure to pair them up with tops that are longer and brighter. With a neckline suggested above,to balance out your hips. Mid-rise jeans are the way to go, especially if you are carrying some extra weight in the tummy, but low-rise jeans work great for you as well as long as they are not to low.

Too many women feel that fashion is written in stone, the above tips are simply guidelines for what will flatter you most.Have fun with it!