do you 'dress for your shape' i.e. to make some bits look smaller etc

[GoodieMcTwoshoes]

I feel like I should as I'm a bit of an 'English pear' shape at the moment, but there are so many pretty skirts that aren't black/dark.

Good, you and me both.

I can see that if I were to wear something more colourful over my chest than everywhere else, it's bound to draw attention to that area, that's common sense. But I like colour so it would be a shame not to be able to wear it everywhere.

I care about the overall silhouette, but not to the point that I'd avoid things completely.

I don't emphasise my apple tummy, but equally, I do wear things with belts or a tight top that might show it but covered up. I'm not about to start on crop tops in my mid-fifties.

I don't quite get what you are saying about colour- follow Trinny if you are a pear shape, she wears tonnes of colour, but her basic principle of clothing, enhance the slim top and have things skim over your legs is pretty easy to adapt, and lots of things fit into that category, like wide-legged trousers, dresses with a waist, I don't think that's hard to dress for in summer.

I don't really feel the need to hide my shape TBH (except to keep my varicose veins covered!). I'm a curvy athletic size 10 so most things look OK.
Although I do follow the rule about only going baggy on one half, I prefer baggy/loose bottoms and fitted/cropped tops.

Although I'm post major weight loss so still experimenting with colours and styles.

I like to dress to flatter my shape. I love colour and patterns. I wouldn't suit the beige sacks currently in fashion. I love dresses.

No I used to wear 99% black clothes and try to blend into my surroundings as much as possible because I didn’t know what else to wear. Then I discovered I didn’t give a shit! I’ve since heard it described as ‘dopamine dressing’; essentially I just wear whatever takes my fancy. The only colour I don’t like wearing is red.

I’m a rough hourglass but decidedly chubby (and pregnant) yet I went out in a pair of magenta shorts with tigers on and a crop top at the weekend because that’s what I wanted to wear. I just dress in whatever ‘sparks joy’ for me, and balls to anyone who thinks I haven’t dressed for my shape. I do have days where I dress like Adam Sandler, though.

God yes! I probably get quite a lot wrong but I try hard.

I like your style @CaptainCabinets 😁
I try and wear things that make me happy these days.
Earlier this year I bought a waterproof jacket from the Orla Kiely range at Regatta. It has giant yellow flowers all over it and possibly makes me look like an overgrown toddler.
But yesterday in a sea of black coats I was smiling with my flowers!

Kind of. I've got weird proportions - I'm average height but most of it is leg. My torso is really short and my legs are those of a much taller person. So I have to be careful what shapes I wear otherwise I look even more out of proportion.

But I also kind of resent the feeling we should do this. I've gotten pretty underweight lately due to stress and the related stomach problems and someone (at work!!!) told me I need to cover my skinny arms and shoulders till I get my weight back, because it looks bad. 😑I mean, I agree it doesn't look great, but its summer. Kind of resent the implication I should censor my current body tbh.

Absolutely yes. Love wearing pieces that suit my shape - makes sense to me as I look better. I have an hourglass figure so eg, emphasising my waist looks better than emphasising my hips. Wear colours that suit me too - again why wear things that don’t work, over things that do. Just my opinion

Yes I do. I'm an extreme pear shape so will wear plain trousers or skirts with a t-shirt or blouse that looks extra to hide my lack of boob. I like tops that fit under the boobs too, or structured tops that pinch slightly at the waist. Love an A-line skirt. I avoid peplums and pencil skirts, as well as skinny jeans which look terrible on me.

I also avoid big trainers or flashy shoes because my feet are as wide as dinner plates. I do love a DM or similar boot though.

It's all trial and error over my years. I've made loads of mistakes, and still do !

No. I used to but it made me unhealthily obsessed with my perfectly normal thighs. (I'm a pear.)

I enjoy clothes and fashion for their own sake. I fully accept that fashion can be very silly but I don't accept that it's any more silly than liking something but convincing yourself you can't wear it because it might make your arse look bigger.

@IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle I would like to say 'my colours' is a load of rubbish, and I've never had them done, but I can tell you that nude colours and yellow make me look actively ill (pale and shallow, I'm pink toned and pale skinned), to the point where I will get comments asking if I'm okay today.
Whereas every time I wear a particular shade of blue/ green or a red top, I will get a compliment at some point of the day.
Have you got any colours that seem to generate that response?

I dress trying to minimise appearance weaknesses, yes.
I don't try to emphasise my appearance strengths, though.

Nope. Like a PP I’m broad shouldered. I’m happy to be broad shouldered/athletic/non-curvy and really dislike the notion that we’re all supposed to want to be hourglasses. Not interested in ‘balancing anything out’ and never think about how my bum/thighs look in anything.

I do quite like a bit of colour theory though. It’s got my wardrobe to an everything going with everything else place, which I like as I don’t want to have to think too hard.

Have you got any colours that seem to generate that response?

Yes. I went to an industry event last week and met a number of people I hadn't seen for ages. I was wearing a green blazer and was complimented a few times and told that green really suited me (it was emerald green).

Jewel colours really do suit me. Sludgy colours make me look ill.

And yes, I do dress for my shape. I am a pear with small boobs, and the right clothes make me feel good.

I try to, because of course that is sensible, to wear what suits your body type. But occasionally I'll wear something I like irrespective of whether it does.

Unfortunately yes I do, although I'm trying to minimise it- it's not what I want to be like. I'm really enjoying watching Erica Davies on Instagram lately- she has taken against the word flattering, and pointed out that by flattering, people mean slim, which is very true! And instead she dresses to be interesting.

But for myself, yes, im pear shaped, and as such I don't very often wear fitted on the top and bottom at the same time, as I know that my bottom half looks very prominent like that. Same for low waisted and drop waisted too. Instead I aim for my waist to be the focus, or play up with a wide leg/ maxi skirt bottom and a fitted top.

I don't like the fact I do this, and I'm very happy to see that my 20 year old doesn't appear to have the same issue- she wears what she likes

Yes i wear dresses that since in under the bust and above the waist, i lose about 6 inches if i but that design

Yes I definitely do. I have big boobs that are fairly out of proportion so I pretty much exclusively wear v-necks. I'm quite apple shaped with slim legs so I tend to wear tight fitting and/or bright colours on the bottom half. I never ever wear horizontal stripes on the top half of my body, it's a firm rule that I have.

I also know that warm, autumn colours suit me so I mostly wear those (terracotta, maroon, dark green, mustard yellow etc). I also look good in navy. Pastel and neon colours completely wash me out so I don't wear them.

I like wearing clothes that hide the bits I'm not confident about, accentuate the bits that I am, and that suit me. It makes me feel good.

I use Dylon sometimes, but it will only work well on natural fibres (including viscose, Tencel etc). Polyester doesn't take up the dye well, and that includes polyester thread on cotton garments which is pretty much ubiquitous so you need to look carefully.

I’m mostly rectangular and for the longest time was had the voices of various tv presenters (Trinny, Suzanna, Gok etc) yelling at me to create the illusion of a waist. Nowadays I think I dress more for the overall look and feel of an outfit rather than to disguise my less desirable features or be flattering. I also wear the colours which I think suit me rather than what’s fashionable or looks nice on the hanger.

I have shapes and colours which I recognise are most flattering on me, and tend to mostly buy those. But I don't choose every item based on those criteria. If I love an item and think it looks OK or better on me, I'll wear it even if it's not "the most flattering" it could be.

I do know women who only buy clothes in X shape and XYZ colours and I find it very boring. To me, clothes should be more interesting than that, not just designed to make you look as thin as possible (because let's be honest, that's what "flattering" means 90% of the time).

Of course, I dress to look my best. I haven’t had my colours done but I know what does and doesn’t look good, and I find it difficult to believe that other people don’t or can’t look in the mirror and realise they look prettier and more alive in one top and washed out in another. Shape wise and fit the same applies, I wear what I think looks best and I view from all angles. I guess some people don’t care but it’s weird to me that you wouldn’t choose to wear the things that look better.