Do I continue dressing for my shape, or for style?

[WineGetsMeThroughIt]

I'm 5'4 and a size 8/10 hourglass shape. Very small waist that I usually highlight with a belt over dresses. According to the 'style rules' this is what I should be doing and wearing more fitted and tailored clothes that are Nipper in at the waist so I don't hide my shape and make myself look bigger. But the styles at the moment aren't really lending themselves that much to hourglasses. Boxy shackets and blazers super chunky oversized knitwear, shapeless shift dresses, etc.

I've been trying to find some more relaxed casual styles to wear daily when I'm just out doing errands or going to the office (where I used to dress up, but now feel silly when there's so few people in and they're not dressed up).

I've been considering some of these oversized relaxed dresses that completely hide my shape, make me look 2-3 sizes bigger than I am, but also make me feel super relaxed and flowy and casual.

What are your thoughts on this style, and clothes in general that don't flatter your body shape? Do I embrace the trends and just go for style and comfort, or do I look for more fitted styles that highlight my figure, but in turn could make me look too put together / dresses up?

I feel like I'm having a bit of a style crisis at the moment.

*these are just examples of these dress style, bit the actual dresses I'm considering so the particular patterns and prints aren't relevant

They aren’t even flattering on the models.
You should be able to find comfortable casual clothes that flatter your shape.

I'm a sucker for buying those kind of relaxed dresses, thinking I'll look casually glam and then just ending up feeling huge and dowdy in them. I look better in tailored dresses etc so I tend just not to wear them at the moment and much prefer trousers and a tucked in top. Which I totally realise is not the point of your post. I'm also quite partial to a leather / faux leather mini skirt with a t shirt tucked in and ankle boots which is a bit more of a casual look.

It's amazing how much of what is thought to suit us is cultural. I've lived through polar opposites in fashion trends and seen how the advice over what is flattering changes dramatically with each of them. So I say just wear what you like and feel comfortable in!

I think it might be a better idea to dress in a way that flatters your shape rather than the relaxed dresses which seem at long last to be on the wane anyway. Hush have some dresses with waists, as do Whistles. If you have a look at a couple of the more expensive brands such as Me & Em and Ceffin there is a sort of mid way with closer fitting dresses that are not bodycon or really tight. I've also noticed there are more skirts about this season, which also suit hourglass figures.

Honestly I don’t think they match either criteria, they won’t fit your shape and they are certainly not stylish.

I'm the same size and shape, sometimes I wear super tight clothes , sometimes I don't .. depends how I feel .. you don't always have to wear something that flatters 😁

If I was going to wear a dress like this then I would wear a biker jacket over the top and a cross body bag to show some shape but as I said above sometimes I don't care ..

I think, overall, there’s been a move away from dressing to flatter/show off your shape to dressing for comfort/fun/fashion. But I don’t think it has to be either/or at the moment - I bet there are more in fashion styles/shapes that are also flattering if you want to tick both boxes.

I’m also small waisted (but more pear than hourglass and tall) and find wider high waisted styles of trousers/jeans - which are everywhere now - look good on me. I also find them pretty comfortable (but I know lots of women don’t find higher waists that comfortable).

I guess the only way is to try on a few different things and work out what you enjoy wearing - whether you enjoy them because they are fun, comfortable, suit you or are in fashion or all of the above.

Well all the dresses are horrible but with a figure like yours I reckon you could probably pull off anything. I'd go for style but bear in mind your shape so don't go for anything that's actually unflattering. With every fashio new all have to adapt it to our own body and what we are comfortable in x

I'm less and less interested in the whole dress for your shape business. I still think it's useful to be aware of your basic shape and, as someone who had never even thought about it until Trinny and Susannah came along, I'll always be grateful to them to some degree. But I think that what was supposed to be a useful guide is turning into a straight jacket.

I believe fashion and style are a form of creativity and self expression and I don't like the way the rules seem to make us more self conscious and self critical of our bodies and less willing to experiment.

I also disagree with the view - and it seems to be a common one on here - that following style rules is somehow superior to following fashion, especially when, as glimpsing says, the notion of what's flattering is in itself subject to trends.

Nipper is the operative word . They look like maternity dresses

I think fashion is about having fun and sometimes that means wearing what you want throwing out the rule book.

There is a huge spectrum of acceptable clothes in between things that make you look amazing and things that look awful. I found that sticking to the rules became boring after a while and sometimes it's nice to wear something, that is in fashion.

The rules can help you to choose the best style for example, material, pattern or colour. So you can look look great even if the dress isn't technically within the rules.

To be honest I love these dresses, but I am fairly tall and a B shape as in big boobs and belly but straight down the back.

I used to be an hour glass pre kids and always bought clothes that accented the waist and by default showed my boobs off.

Just dress how you want to, style and fashion don't have to be the same.

Interesting reading other people's view about this as I can't ever imagine putting something on I know will make me look worse even if it's fashionable. I have nods to trends but I wear what makes me look best.

I have a similar figure to you, just a wee bit taller. I’m still dressing for my shape; I tend to wear 1940s and 50s styles. I hate all the clothes that are out at the moment; they really don’t suit me. (I don’t think they look great on anyone to be honest, but each to their own!)

I'm a similar shape to you op and I wouldn't be seen dead in those styles. They look like maternity dresses from the 80s!

Love Diana but not flattering at all

Well they are all absolutely disgusting, and look like a nightie from 1900's. With your size and shape you can pretty much wear whatever you like, but I don't think they are the things you or anyone else should go for.

All of these dresses are from Danish designer Stine Goya and I love her. I am nearly 6 ft high and have a stick figure. Scandi dresses are the only ones where the waist is actually on my waist and the sleeves are long enough. I have never been able to buy dresses before as they never fit me, but since discovering scandi and since the fashion turned to longer dresses with interesting structure, I am enjoying it!

There is always a dialogue between your figure type and the current fashion, and also how you feel. I currently like to investigate more interesting silhouettes and sometimes things I wouldn't think of as suitable before would really flatter me.

More like an indirect response to the poster

The diana dress is fine for that era, but her clothes were awful in the early years of her marriage. I liked the Lady Di look though in it's quirky way.

That dress is a maternity dress and very much of it's time.

This goes to the heart of who we dress for. We are conditioned to make ourselves as conventionally ‘attractive’ as possible. This normally means seeking to look as slim or as ‘hourglass’ as possible. Personally I prefer fitted things as I get lost in huge milkmaid dresses, I also like plain and simple things. But if you like them, or feel odd now in more fitted things then wear them. Clothes are an expression and don’t always have to be flattering.

I don't like those particular dresses you've posted but I wear a lot of baggy / oversized / probably "unflattering to my figure" dresses. I like the slouchy look, they're comfy and casual, I think they look cool and I don't really give a toss if I look bigger.

The one thing I will say however is that I don't have massive boobs.

@nanbread

I don't like those particular dresses you've posted but I wear a lot of baggy / oversized / probably "unflattering to my figure" dresses. I like the slouchy look, they're comfy and casual, I think they look cool and I don't really give a toss if I look bigger.

The one thing I will say however is that I don't have massive boobs.

And the thing is, if you wear clothes you actually like wearing you will look good in them, and they will get worn. Wearing what you think you should wear because of fashion leads to disappointment, and the clothes stay in the wardrobe. They do in mine !

I have some Two Danes dresses. You just pull them on and they are easy to wear but I do wonder if it's a good look. I think it is but others might not

I like them OP.
I think that you should wear whatever you like and how a garment feels and allows you to move is key to that.