The Apple & Inverted Triangle Thread

[Frostycake]

I can't see any recent threads on this topic so thought I'd start one.

For those of us who are 'blessed' with top heavy figures - whether that is in the form of big norkage or broad shoulders - and don't have the worry of big bums or saddle-bags perhaps a bit of a tummy though

It seems really difficult to find style/fashion advice for non-pears, which doesn't focus on how to hide your bum, hips, thighs, legs, so I thought I'd even out the playing field.

I thought we could have lists (god, I love lists) on which shops and makes or styles are 'apple' friendly (both high street and online and both cheap and expensive, so come and add your favourite apple/inverted triangle friendly shops, web sites, blogs, online retailers (in this and other countries) so that we have a one stop shop resource for all things apple/inverted triangle.

here's what I've learned so far which has helped me find my kind of clothes.

Boden: Bistro crops are perfect for apples as they have a larger waist than you'd expect for the hip size and the legs are narrow.
Topshop: Kristen jeans / leggings are perfectly cut for apples
DKNY/Donna Karan - everything fits.
Monsoon - great if you avoid the over-bedazzled stuff
Phase 8
FatFace
The White Company
Biubiu
Saint Bustier
dd-atelier
Pepperberry
Joules
Ralph Lauren
PURE
COS
Other stories
White Stuff

My favourite blog is styleisalanguage simply because they show stylish, beautiful women of all ages. I also like theschoolrun and wearingittoday (WIT). I know a lot of Mumsnetters don't like WIT but I like her simply because she looks normal and un-model-like so I can imagine wearing what she's wearing. I also like doesmybumlook40 but I'm not that fashionable and fear I may look quite mad if I tried to emulate her look. (I look middle-aged whereas I don't think she does due to being thin and wearing dark sunglasses)!

Not too manly on the whole, but the footwear issue has stopped me feeling as feminine and I only wear skirts/dresses at the height of summer because of what's at the bottom.
I really miss wearing pretty dresses with strappy heels- the irony is that I get compliments on my neat feet. Bit pointless if they've got to be encased in flat duck feet sandals.

I used to like fishtail skirts as they created a bit of shape at the back. Suspect that I shall be long gone before they return. Or maybe they have and I'm not trendy enough to have noticed

So much for the shape calculator - apparently I'm one of a small minority.

Your body type is: Unavailable

I'm an apple with a generous bust. Shoulders actually quite narrow. Arse long gone. Too saggy, booby and fair skinned for skinny shoulder straps. Skinnies and tunics are my friend. Finding tunics that aren't too heavily patterned is always a challenge. M&S Indigo sometimes comes up trumps, though. It's a little paler than I normally wear, but I do like this one. The fabric is lovely.
www.marksandspencer.com/cotton-rich-jacquard-yoke-henley-neck-top/p/p22355471

Big scarves swamp me, but I do like a neckerchief or a shawlette worn as a neckerchief. Nice for a bit or warmth without all the bulk.

I can't just wear them in mild weather for decoration, though. I'm the wrong age for that to be comfortable!

Don't worry ouryve, my body type is unavailable too... Such a cop out- two of on one little thread yet it's rare eh?!

ouryve, that's a lovely top.

what's wrong with your feet Married?

Ouryve - unavailable? wtf?
Nice top. I know what you mean about scarves purely for decoration. I need my own aircon if Im going to wear scarves in this weather.

I don't have freakishly long arms and legs - if anything, mine are on the short side. If I make clothes for myself, I often have to take a couple of inches off the sleeves, while simultaneously adding an inch or two to the length of the body, despite only being 5'4. I sometimes need a short length in jeans or trousers.

Gah! Just posted long post with links but need to go to bed so will be brief. I too am an apple. Big tummy, no waist , big norks and despite being as big as I have ever been, still have slim limbs. I will be back fellow Apples.

I have the knackered feet, too, compounded by being very wide. Nike seem to be best for trainers, Vivobarefoot if I'm going to be travelling a lot and not walking constantly (I need a lot of support, but the VB do the next best thing which is not constrain my feet), Rieker have proved great time and time again and my favourite boots from this winter have been Camel Active. I struggle in the summer - I walk a lot and need more support than mules can give but can't cope with ankle straps because they really hurt one of my ankles. I end up living in cool trainers and cross my fingers that I don't need to look smart for anything. It's a good thing that I do like the clumpy shoe aesthetic.

I can't wear Fly London - too narrow. As are most shoes.

Ha! Just noticed a style adviser feature on the M&S website - you put your colouring, shape, like and dislikes and everything into it and it comes up with suggestions.

I'm actually reasonably impressed, apart from the total disregard for the colours I like.

Ouryve I've just done the style advisor at M&S and good grief... the top picks were hideous! A sort of pink & blue multi-coloured house-coat affair. I would never wear pink (I'm blonde and blue eyed so would look like a giant baby).

I can't remember the last time I bought clothes at M&S. Just wrong for my shape and style. All a bit feminine and hip-focused.

Does anyone know of any other online clothing retailers who do a style advisor.

I signed up for Dressipi but all they recommend come summer or winter is black shirts and black trousers.

Undecided90 it's strange isn't it, that all the weight goes to the tummy/back/bust. Even at my heaviest I had a thigh gap (BMI about 27)

I envy those who just get a big arse.

I have muttony arms though. They've never been very thin.

Did everyone get a thick waist after DCs or have you always had no waist?

I have never had much waist or a flat tummy. Even as a skinny (only time I was skinny, due to growth spurt) 14yr old. 2 pregnancies, c-sections and extended bf have meant I still have v little waist, overhang (despite losing weight & toning up) and once pert medium boobs need scaffolding. Women in my family are/were mostly apple/straight figures. I don't think motherhood and perimenopause have helped but genetically it's my shape.

I used to use dressipi but haven't in an age. Apparently, my style is preppy? Not. It did say I could wear any style of trouser , but it doesn't help if they don't fit! I really fancy some flared jeans for summer but they need to be a) affordable and b) mid-rise as high-waisted dig under my ribs when I sit down and low-rise shows far too much muffin!

I hope my long, curly hair helps stop me look to manly! I do like masculine looks and feel I can do formal better in a blazer/jacket and trousers or straight dress and jacket. I think a straighter figure might lend itself to this. I definitely like scarves, even in warmer weather. High summer, I substitute for a necklace. Distracts from lack of curves.

Arms aren't too bad atm, tonedish muscly rather than thin. I'm not too for d of 3/4 sleeves as they can cut off my forearms at the widest point and look a bit "meaty".

Aah, autocorrect. too and fond, obviously.

Ah, the hoiking is part of who I am now. It's instinctive - as soon as I stand up, I hoik my pants. Doesn't look good but a saggy arse doesn't look good either. If I'm wearing a dress with tights, I hoik the tights up too. Most ungainly but I haven't found an alternative yet. Wear tights too tight and they roll down, wear them too loose and they need hoiking. Either way you need to hoik. I suppose the answer is tight suspenders but let's not go there.

Quirky I have well muscled forearms too (see my pictures on the 'fat arm' thread). If I go anywhere near a hand weight they bulk up, just like my legs. I've even had ultrasound on them to try to shift the fat but as far as I can tell, six months' worth of treatment has made no difference whatsoever and that's after having a twenty minute session every other week.

Love this thread. I always keep bum and middle covered, like to skim. Only dress I'd wear is a shift maxi.

I am big of boobs 38h and found bravissimo fitting helped greatly with shape. Unfortunately a shortish cardi doesn't suit me, just emphasizes boobs and belly.

But I have found a great solution. My shoulders are relatively narrow so I bought a wrap dress that fully opens in front (went down two sizes) and wear it open as a long swishy cardi jacket. Brilliant over everything. I have a purple Gap one, a navy Kaliko one, a black and white Kaliko one. Got them in charity shops. Got purple Gap one today for £7 New with tags. Also feel more styled if I pull all sleeves up to about 7/8 and hold them in place with discreet rubber bands. In summer use a lot of lightweight scarves and shawls, one favourite is a sarong thrown casually across the shoulders.

Also wear big knickers usually m and s. Comfort is paramount. Gave up on pretty knickers that needed constant hoiking!

Good legs but never on show as I have lots of thread veins so trousers are 7/8 or ankle grazers or straight jeans all with high waist. And maxi shift. Tanned (false) feet always groomed and toenails polished......eerrrmmm.....false tan, not false feet
Always earrings.

I put muscle on quite easily too. I wonder if it's part of the same body type thing going on. Technical scientific term!

Ultrasound sounds interesting. I don't think my arms look too bad in short sleeves or even elbow length, but 3/4 just cuts them off at the least flattering part. A bit like 3/4 trousers catches my calves at the most muscly bit. Even though my legs are long and slim. Just not skinny! I do use hand and ankle weights, though but try to balance it out with yoga. It's the only way to keep the dreaded back fat at bay.

It's when people say that bigger women are all curvy and womanly, I get cross. No, if I put on weight I just look middle-aged (which I am) and fat. I am not curvy.

Quirky me too, my fat goes on in a male (android) pattern so i go square of torso and thick of neck and arm. I sound lovely!

It's great to see there's so many ideas to share, thanks again for starting the thread Frosty

In answer to the stupid feet question, it's like a permanent form of plantar fasciitis, my feet roll inwards and my ankles can be unstable so there's too much pressure/friction on the heels and balls of my feet. All triggered when I gave up desk jobs for 'on your feet all day' work.
Solution has been sports orthotics and rubber cushioned shoes/boots in a size bigger/wider to accommodate said orthotics. Have been stuck in the same ugly model of shoes for 4 long years! Got some vaguely fashionable boots this winter, more luck than judgement
Birkenstocks aren't quite right but some of the Scholl bioprint sandals are. Braving something else for a special occasion means several days of pain/limping, I don't tend to bother.

Was a bit for a moment re your false feet LadyB49

I struggle with scarves as an accessory rather than a neck warmer IYSWIM, they don't seem to sit right over my boobs and it bulks me out further there. Perhaps I'd be better tying one round my hips...
Statement necklaces and shortish pendants work quite well though, along with sweetheart necklines.

I did manage to find a good Freya bikini recently in a sale, the bottoms have a skirt bit attached which hides the melting ice cream bit near the top of my legs where other people have a thigh gap. I don't find tankinis helpful, they make me look squarer.

Marriednotdead me too with the feet. I have orthotics, except my feet roll outwards. Birkies or fitflops in summer but they fit into most boots/trainers quite easily. I agree it is very painful!

I like scarves but am medium of boob. I find they distract from a lack of waist, the same with necklaces.

I find trying to find tops or dresses that are the right amount of straight but not shapeless can be tricky. Too baggy and you look like a sack, too slim and it highlights all your bumps.

I find trying to find tops or dresses that are the right amount of straight but not shapeless can be tricky. Too baggy and you look like a sack, too slim and it highlights all your bumps. Yes Quirky!

I find small patterns are better at hiding the bumps on the top, and big ones enlarge the bottom- not at the same time though, that would be too messy for me. It's probably trendy though

I've learnt to put almost everything with modal in back on the rack. It clings to pretty much everything.

Can anyone recommend a spring jacket for me that's not a biker or a parka and not in a boring colour?

I quite like modal, if it's heavy enough. Also, "splodgy", slightly irregular patterns work for me. I quite like breton stripes, but usually wear as layering tops with something else over the top. I'm not fond of small prints as they don't really feel like me.

Would a blazer-style jacket work for you, Dancergirl? Or peacock?