When your body doesn’t match your personal style

[Tarantellah]

I have an English Rose kind of look. Pale, rosy cheeks, fair wavy hair, rounded body with full hips. I look great in soft pastels and flowery dresses cinched in at the waist.

The problem is it doesn’t match my personality or what I want to look like. I want to look like an architect. Black clothes, plain colours, boxy shapes which suit a skinny body with no hips. Styles which don’t suit me at all, and which don’t look right on me.

Basically what happens is I try on clothes I like but I look shit in them. Then I try on clothes I hate which look great on my body but they aren’t me. So I end up not buying anything. I live in plain sweaters and black trousers because I can’t find anything that I like which also suits me. Help!

I'm tall, long legs, 32g boobs and reasonably slim but with curves.
I love the rock chic Kate moss look i would love her figure and when I try and copy I look like Bonnie Tyler.

ARgh - wrong thread. Sorry!

It's boobs, isn't it? Big boobs ruin everything!

Has anyone else done a Kibbe test? I've tried it a few times, and I think I'm either a Soft Dramatic or a Dramatic Classic - but I don't like the styles recommended for either!

Deep Vs work well, less keen in scoops but that’s a personal preference. Also like shirts open quite low (on the basis there is nothing there to flash) or strappy dresses or
jumpsuits if they are oversized in the rest of the fit. I quite like layering fun coloured bralettes under tops in summer to draw the eye to that area (but mostly for comfort)

@Hotvimto3

Yeah (Sigh) I know what you mean! I am basically a busty hippy bummy tummy non mummy in my 60's.. I wish I was tall and slim and could wear pencil skirts and heels, kind of sharp and angular looking. However I also fancy an Italian actress look (Sophia Loren/Gina Lollobrigida type look). Why not? I have the bust!

Anything flouncy/frilly makes me look like a Cow and Gate baby (rotund, 'Bonnie')

@ToastedPear

Nowt wrong with Lady Penelope! My doll wore a tweed 2 piece skirt suit, had a hole in her hand for her cigarette holder and long red boots and a deer stalker hat, so there!

I've spotted cream, navy, khaki, dusty pink in Cos recently in amongst the black/white/jewel tones

Ha ha. We should just buy bonnets and complete our look

I could have written your post OP. I am five foot one, size 12, with boobs and a big arse/stomach, I look great in 1950s pencil skirts, shirt dresses and tea dresses. What I want to wear is trainers, wide legged trousers and a long coat or leather jacket with a slouchy jumper. Unfortunately this makes me look like Susi Myerson.

Omg ha ha 😂

I love the Audrey Hepburn gamine / Girl with a Dragon Tattoo skinny look (mood dependant) but am stuck with child bearing hips that mean I look best in nipped in dresses etc.. Even as a scrawny teenager once puberty hit looking like ‘me’ just wasn’t going to happen.

It's boobs, isn't it? Big boobs ruin everything!

Mine are my downfall, too, fashion wise. Ever since the age of 12, when I was still wanting to climb trees ... bing one summer day they arrived.

The dominate my style choices, from the neckline right through the rest of my body. Skim hips so I've been living in leather look leggings, simple layered top and a leather jacket.

Who knows what will happen when the weather warms up.

My explanation for 'boobs ruining the line' is just how many non-hetro men are influential in fashion circles. Sigh.

They do. Id love to wear shirts. Its impossible

Why do people describe child bearing hips and boobs as a negative? You do hear this a lot in style discussions, I think that's so sad. I get how the boyish look can be a thing though, maybe we are all sick of how many centuries we have been stuck in waist revealing dresses and skirts?

Maybe I am overly optimistic but I think any body type can do almost any style if well thought out, maybe using different cuts, lengths, and what have you. I look taller if I show my wrists and ankles, and cropped jackets make me look odd, so if i was to interpret a gamine or masculin style I might opt for longer, more fluid jackets or even a robe.
Tweaking things just for you can do wonders.

This made me laugh, Bonnie Tyler!

Is it just me but im not seeing a problem with Susie Myerson? I don't like the braces or high waists regardless but she looks good to me

Why do people describe child bearing hips and boobs as a negative?

I think because it’s just not a ‘fashionable’ shape anymore which is so frustrating, it’s the straight up and down no waist or boobs that seems to be the look of the moment and of course the fashion houses will promote this shape forever because it makes clothes very cheap to make, no tailoring necessary.

I would go further and say my body/looks don't match my personality or job.

I have a really high powered job and have to undertake stressful negotiations but I have a permanent look of someone who is running the tea tent for the WI. It doesn't seem to matter what I wear my whole essence just screams "nice mum/ nan". I get so underestimated - which just goes to show what society thinks of mums.

I do think there's something for everyone out there. Catwalk fashion is a bit niche really. The straight-up-straight-down look is a bit old hat now.

If a vague, consumerist entity declares a body type rule, do we just obey?

Same here. I dream of wearing a classic tan Burberry trench coat, but when I put one on I just look like Columbo.

Oh I am so with you OP. Take a look at Anna cascarina on IG. She wears kind of cool, androgynous looks but she's big. Giant human big. Tall, broad, bit overweight. And I think everything looks rubbish on her

It’s just you 😂 Susi Myerson is a brilliant character but like me, she just doesn’t rock the wide legged trouser/baggy jumper/leather jumper look I’m aiming for

*leather jacket

Same here but like I'm in a dressing gown.