FASHION WISDOM WEDNESDAY: WHAT’S YOUR BODY TYPE?

• Body traits: The upper body is larger than the lower, hips are slim, and chest is on the larger side. Shoulders tend to be broad. Weight gain usually occurs above the waist in the mid sections and in the rear.
• Your secret weapon: Those legs!
• Your goals: Elongate the torso, show off your legs and downplay mid-section weight and shoulder width.

• Body traits: The lower body is larger than the upper, hip width exceeds shoulder width, and hips and butt are rounded with a defined waist. The chest and belly are fairly flat.
• Your secret weapon: Shoulders, torso and flat stomach
• Your goals: Show off arms, add shape to your upper body and down play wide hips to heighten upper body features.

• Body traits: The upper and lower body have similar proportions, while the waist remains narrow. Any extra weight in the hourglass figure usually lies in the hips, thighs and chest area.
• Your secret weapon: Curves, curves and more curves.
• Your goals: Find a middle ground between baggy, drab clothing and overly sexy clothing. Show off your curves, balance the weight of your curves, complement your curves... did we mention your curves?

• Body traits: The waist, hip and shoulder widths are similar to each other, usually on the slim side. Extra weight in the rectangle shape tends to hang out in the stomach and back regions. Some rectangles have smaller breasts, but this is not always true.
• Your secret weapon: Your arms and legs. Because you don't need to minimize any body features, you have more freedom than the other body shapes to experiment with different trends and styles.
• Your goals: Create curves, show off slender legs and arms

• Body traits: Also known as the inverted triangle, this body shape features a broad upper body, large chest and wide shoulders. The waist and hips are smaller in proportion to upper body features.
• Your secret weapon: Your legs
• Your goals: Accentuate your lower body, and distract from broad shoulders and possibly boyish upper body.

 DO’S  and DON'TS

APPLE SHAPE

If you have an apple-shaped body like Jennifer Hudson:

• DON'T bring attention to your waist.
• DO go for v-neck tops. They create the illusion of a longer torso.
• DO look for v-neck wrap-style tops with cinching on the sides.
• DO wear belts at the smallest part of your waist.
• DO conceal tummy bulge by wearing empire tops and dresses.
• DON'T wear oversized empire tops.
• DO wear low-rise jeans and pants in a straight leg. They are chic and stylish for most shapes.
• DO wear shorter skirts to show off your legs. This takes attention away from and disguises the midsection.

HOURGLASS SHAPE

If your body is hourglass-shaped like Beyonce's:

• DON'T hide your curves.
• DO wear fitted dresses.
• DO wear a belt at the waist to enhance your hourglass shape.
• DON'T wear baggy clothing.
• DO try wrap dresses.
• DO go for high-waisted skirts to show off your hips.
• DO pick thin, lightweight styles and fabrics.
• DO wear skinny or straightleg jeans.

PEAR SHAPE

If your body is pear-shaped like Kim Kardashian’s:

• DON'T wear clothing that draws attention to hips and thighs.
• DO look for boat neck tops, square and cowl necklines.
• DO wear strapless dresses. They show off arms and even out proportions.
• DO try styles with ruffles on top. This also evens out proportions.
• DO experiment with light-colored tops and dark-colored bottoms for contrast.
• DO wear jackets that hit right above the waist.
• DO rock a pair of straightleg jeans.
• DO try a-line skirts, which camouflage wider hips.

RECTANGLE SHAPE

If your body is rectangle-shaped like Natalie Portman's:

• DO wear scoop neck and sweetheart tops. It helps create curves.
• DON'T go braless.
• DO wear long jackets to create a lean look.
• DO wear skinny, low-rise jeans.
• DO wear tops with collars, ruffles and details to flatter your chest.
• DON'T wear overwhelming styles.
• DO layer! It gives your rectangle figure more dimensions.
• DO wear dresses with ruching. Cinches on sides are ideal.

WEDGE SHAPE

If you have a wedge (or inverted triangle) body like Audrina Patridge's:

• DO wear full skirts.
• DO wear tops that call attention to your waistline.
• DON'T wear spaghetti-strap tops.
• DO experiment with high-waisted styles.
• DON'T wear boat neckline tops.
• DO wear wideleg pants, which even out body proportions.
• DON'T be afraid to bring attention to your waist. It draws the attention downward.
• DO wear bright colors on bottom.