Pear shaped ponderings

[ForFestiveSake]

I know nothing nothing about suitable styles for body shapes - where on earth do people learn these things?

Anyway, what key pieces should I have?

I have a average bust, smallish waist but am a 16 on my lower half due to big hips/thighs/arse. I am also short 5ft1 (and a half)

Today - in a sleep deprived upset state - I took 4 bin liners of my clothes to the charity shop. I now have enough to fit in 2 drawers - one of which is underwear and pjs!

What do I get and where do I get it?

Please help!

I bought tis after it was recommended here.

Ignore the naff title; it's a really useful guide to dressing to suit your shape. Doesn't give much on each body type but what there is is really helpful and accurate, I think.

Thanks WWWY - added it to my wishlist )

Look for empire line tops and dresses (ones with a high waist band, like this where all the emphasis is around the bust and the high part of the waist, but the skirt is loose and skims hips.

Try wide legged trousers and boot cut jeans in very dark colours with bright tops with lots of detail around the neck line to draw the eye up.

A line skirts are good

Wrap dresses can look good, but some look very frumpy. Depends on the cut. Mock wraps hang better, I've found.

Try wearing on-the-knee skirts with heels - more slimming than mid-calf.

Avoid skinny jeans, crop tops and pencil skirts or those beautiful shift dresses. I'd love to wear one but look like a bad tempered matron in them.

Avoid waterfall cardis that have high backs showing off the big bum but being all voluminous around your skinniest part.

Jackets that nip in at the waist are much better than loose ones or boxy ones.

Trench coats look good, or coats with an empire line cut (tight on top and then looser from the waist down.

I'm 10-12 on top and 12 below with size 14-16 legs so know how tricky it is to get good clothes to fit.

ohh thanks menagerie

I might have a look in the sales for a few key things :)

Everything Menagerie said and avoid trousers/skirts with a front pleat - will add inched to the hips.

I know nothing about fashion/suiting body types but I have a similar figure - normal/biggish breasts (32D), comparatively small waist, great clonking arse and thighs (not that yours are, but mine really are). I'm 10 on top and 14 below (16 sometimes).

Sorry not to be of help, I'm just joining the pear society

People always say I look nice when I wear long sleeve wrap dresses. They really go in at the waist and highlight the boobs and waistline AFAIK. I also like 1950s-style dresses where they really go in at the waist and then go out in the skirt a bit like this. Worst thing to do is probably wear tops that are too short, leaving your whole arse on display. Tops that go down to about halfway down The Bum seem to work better.

Do not wear empire line, no-one should wear empire line. Also you can west skinnies just make sure you are wearing fairly clumpy knee high boots to balans you out.

Some good advice here.

skinnies good with the right boots, not shoes, I find mid calf boots better because my calves are big and the boots stop below the widest part. Tops need to be long enough to cover hips and bum.

Libra, I don't mean those empire line smock things, I mean dresses where the waist band is broad but starts just below the boobs, and yes, people should wear that shape if they are pears. I get told how skinny and delicately boned I am (heh!) every time I wear that shape. But no one says the same if I'm in trousers, whatever the cut.

his is great advice everyone!

woopsidaisy - thanks for that site. I'm just going to have a browse with my cuppa!

mrsding - what boots do you have? I struggle to get ones that fit.

So I've really streamlined my wardrobe and now just have a couple of pairs of jeans and a few jumpers. I need to go shopping! :o

What are you wardrobe must haves?

Thanks for the replies

I'm pear shaped (8-10 on top, 12 on bottom) and I find that when I wear little jumpers and cardigans (ie- to the waist) with A-line skirts, especially block colour ones, people always comment on how skinny I look, compared to no comments when I wear longer tunics/tops with jeans. I would recommend something like this to wear with black/grey\navy cardigans or jumpers, and an a-line denim skirt is a pear wardrobe essential in my opionion

Oh thanks sick.

I am liking the denim skirt - haven't worn one in years and I'd like to start wearing more skirts with a decent pair of boots.

So a cropped cardigan would be a good idea then?

< off to spend some money >

Saw this skirt the other day - looked useful I thought.

Would agree with the skirt advice from Sick. A good rule of thumb, which probably applies to other shapes too, is that if you wear close fitting on your top half wear loose on your bottom half and vice versatile, eg A-line skirt or wide leg trousers needs shorter close fitting jumper, skinny jeans needs long loose, but not shapeless top. Close fitting on top and bottom accentuates the pear shape, loose on both makes you look bigger all over.

My boots are from Joe Browns, links don't work for some reason but if you go to www.joebrowns.co.uk then click womens, then footwear, then it's the leather strappy boots.