Fashion for Moms: Square, Inverted Triangle Body Types

The key to dressing well is to create balance between your top and bottom. Once you've assessed your body type, you can find the best looks for your natural shape, and tricks for highlighting the best parts of YOU. If you're shaped less like a pear and more like a square, here are dressing tips for square and inverted triangle body shapes:

Athletic Inverted Triangle shape

• Broad shoulders
• Average bust
• Average waist
• Narrow hips
• Shapely legs

How to dress for your shape:

• Your best bet: Highlight your femininity. Choose tops and dresses that wrap your body. And run from shoulder pads; you already have wonderful shoulders; no need to make them bigger!
  
  
• Your best-balanced look: Mix and match. Stay in the neutral zone for your tops and use bright colors and bold prints on the bottom to offset broad shoulder and narrower hips.
  
  
• Your best fabrics: Draping fluid fabrics with soft structure like natural silk, gabardine double-knit fabrics, especially for suits.
  
  
• Your best cut: Any kind of pant—bell, flare, narrow, capri, cuffed—work great on you. (Lucky you!) For dresses, buttoned-up, small-collared dresses or a deep V-neck highlights your shoulders without overpowering.

Straight/Square shape

• Upper body, waist, and lower body average and/or equal to one another
• Flat tush
• Thin legs
• Short waisted

How to dress for your shape:

• Your best bet: Elongate your upper body and draw attention to your legs with fitted pants, capris, or leggings. Hide a thick waist by keeping tops fluid and loosely fitted. Avoid belted dresses and jackets, which draw attention to your middle.
  
  
• Your best-balanced look: A printed or textured jacket or cardigan over a monochromatic shirt/blouse, pant/skirt combo creates depth and length…Simple, loose dresses are your best friends. Try a nice light tweed, above-the-knee shift dress.
  
  
• Your best fabrics: Choose soft, medium-weight, non-clingy fabrics like fine knits, sheers and jersey.
  
  
• Your best cut: For your bottom, straight-cut pants and narrow skirts elongate. (A-line, no way!) On top, keep jackets and tops fluid and loosely fitted, not stiff and structured, to hide a thick waist.

Bonus pointers for your shape:

• If you're petite, stay away from cuffs or trimmings on the bottom of your pants.
  
  
• If you have a short neck, remove all shoulder pads or your neck will disappear. Notched collars help lengthen your neckline.

Since you can't change your body shape, knowing how to dress for it can only make you look and feel better. Snug or ill-fitting clothes just make you look heavier. Plus, what mom can stand being uncomfortable while chasing after her kids In other words, work with what your mama gave you!

This information and more can be found in Emme's book Life's Little Emergencies.

Get more fashion, beauty and self-esteem advice from Emme!