How to Determine Your Body Shape

body shape, how to determine your body shape, body type, how to determine your body type, body shapes, body types, your body type and how to dress for it

Ask a woman what her shape is and I’ll bet you 4 Piko tops she’ll immediately point out her largest area.

But knowing your shape isn’t just about knowing where you’re the fullest, it’s about knowing your shape overall and where your natural waistline falls. This information will allow you to buy more wisely and wear only clothes that will accentuate all your best assets.

The best explanation I’ve found for figuring out your shape is the following exercise from Bobbie Thomas’ book, “The Power of Style.”

If you’ll do this exercise, you’ll be able to know exactly what shape you are…

“Grab a buddy, such as a friend or family member, because this style session requires the help of someone close. Stand with good posture and your arms relaxed at your sides in front of an all-white or solid-colored wall. You can wear a snug black outfit, or if you’re up for it, a bathing suit or bra and underwear. Now have your style-session buddy snap a photo of you.

The goal is to take a photo that will clearly capture the outline of your frame. Print it out and, using a pencil, mark the outermost points of your shoulders and hips. Then draw an X by connecting the dots.

Next, note your waistline with dots, at the point underneath your ribcage and just above your belly button. If your waistline points measure wider than your hips and shoulders, your X will more closely resemble a cross. Just remember to be honest and accurate, and if you decided to strike a pose in the buff, be sure to delete the picture!”

Now that you know how to figure out your shape, watch this quick video to see what dress to wear that will flatter it!

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Junk Food Dress

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Getting dressed with a baby bump has been fun. I was looking forward to the new challenge and it’s proven to be the fun/interesting/refreshing adventure I thought it would be. I know it sounds weird, but I love a good fashion challenge and what’s more challenging than your changing body?

This dress is something I picked up in Indianapolis from their H&M. I was hoping to grab some of their cheap maternity clothes, but the store I went to didn’t have a maternity section. Instead, however, I found something better. This dress (and another one like it) that I can wear while pregnant and (most importantly) after.

That’s been my goal each time I shop – to find something that works now and later. It’s a habit I’ve gotten myself into even if I’m not shopping around a bump.

The important thing to remember when you’re buying in stores like H&M or Forever21, is that the pieces you pick up are what I affectionately refer to as “junk food.” It’s cute and delicious and it’s going to serve a short term purpose. But after a couple of wears, you’re going to be hungry again.

The lesson here is exactly parallel to what we put in our body – we can’t fill it up with junk food all the time, we have to have vegetables now and then.

The vegetables in this case would be classic, quality pieces that will stand through the trends and your changing tastes. It could be a little black dress, nude pumps, even a great coat could be considered a closet “vegetable.”Just as long as it’s something you know beyond any doubt that you’ll love for years and years to come.

This dress cost me $17 and is perfect for this point in time. It fits my growing baby bump and is something I’ll probably wear once or twice next summer even without a bump. Beyond that, I don’t think it will last long. But that’s OK because it’s just a bag of Cheetos.

The goal is to have a balance in your closet so that you can keep your look fresh, but not cheap.

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You’re Cordially Invited to Wear This to a Wedding

There’s an unbelievable amount of thought put into wedding invitations. For example, did you know how the parent’s names are listed indicates who’s paying for the wedding?

If the parents names are written as inviting you to the wedding of their son Billy Bob then the parents are paying, but if Billy Bob is listed as inviting you together with his bride Tookie, then ole’ Billy is footing the bill.

Invitation should also indicate the level of dress. They’ll do this by either explicitly saying “IT’S BLACK TIE” or more subtlety with the look of their invite and the location.

But even if everything’s spelled out for you it’s still hard to determine what to wear. So I’ve found four looks that will help with wedding guest attire conundrums.

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Outdoor Weddings:

These days it seems everyone is getting married outside. Whether it’s in a barn, near the lake or in someone’s backyard, the biggest problem an outdoor wedding poses is the ground. Walking through a field is definitely not 4″ stiletto friendly. Therefore if the wedding is outdoors, regardless of the time of day, you’ve got to craft your outfit around wearing wedges or flats.

The two options I’ve put together are perfect for either shoe. The daytime look from Ann Taylor is nice and light and would work perfectly with nude colored wedges.

For the nighttime look I went a little crazy and picked out a jumpsuit from White House Black Market. It seems you can’t walk five steps in a store without bumping into a jumpsuit these days (unless it’s just me and my prego belly).

It’s definitely a refreshing choice over a dress and is probably pretty comfortable (except for when you have to pee which I do about every ten minutes and oh yeah…this would look crazy with my prego belly). Choose one that’s short enough for you to pair it with flats.

Indoor Weddings:

Daytime weddings can be a little tricky especially if there’s no indication of dress on the invitation. For this I say, dress as if you’re going to church. This blue number from New York & Co. would work in that instance, and it’s definitely a great choice for indoors as it would look great with ankle strap heels (like that girl is wearing). It’s also great for disguising a larger midsection (notice the rouching) and the little bit of sleeve will help hide heavier arms.

An indoor nighttime wedding? *Rubs hands together* They are my favorite! Typically they’re dressier so you get to pull out all the stops. And if you ask me, this black and white dress from Chico’s pulls out all the stops and throws them as far as they can.

I made an audible “wow” when I scrolled down and saw this. I love the whole look – from her bun to her chunky silver bracelet (although I would put the bracelet on the other arm to balance out the look). This is the kind of dress you wear when some of the wedding guests include people you haven’t seen in a while.

Be sure to walk in the room in slow motion like the camera is slowly panning your look and there’s a sexy song playing behind you…or would that look ridiculous? You be the judge.

By the way, all of these stores are at West Town Mall so be sure to get out and grab something glam for your next wedding invite!

Want to wear something you already own, and just add new accessories? Check out these great options from Vera Bradley…even jewelry!


Shopping My Closet

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How to Dress for the Weather

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The funny thing about the weather here in Tennessee? It’s one big surprise party.

This past Saturday they called for 90% chance of rain and guess what…we didn’t get a drop. Not during the day at least. And I was all prepared for a good rainy Saturday (pssst: the fact that it didn’t rain didn’t stop me from binge watching Gilmore Girls #lazyday).

But with the onslaught of outdoor events on the schedule this time of year combined with the mixed bag of weather possibilities, it helps to know just how to dress so that you’re cute AND weather appropriate.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when getting ready to attend outdoor events this spring/summer…

Start your outfit planning by checking the weather.

This time of year especially it can be cool, hot, rainy, windy – you just never really know. Begin putting your outfit together by realizing what weather you need to dress for and go from there. I always always want to be both comfortable and weather appropriate (wearing sandals in the middle of a cold spell draws the wrong kind of attention to my outfit…especially if my toes start to turn blue ;)

If you see the weather doesn’t coincide with what you had planned to wear, immediately start coming up with alternates. By working on your outfit in advance, you save yourself from running around like a headless chicken the day of. The alternative can be as simple as adding a cute little jacket to your maxi dress, too!

Now I know there are millions of life factors that get in the way of doing these things sometimes, so even if you do end up wearing a sun dress in 55 degree weather, or sinking in the mud in your favorite heels – be sure to press those shoulders back and keep a smile on your face the whole time.

Complaining through a frown doesn’t make anyone look good.

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A Double Dog Dare for Your Closet

asos, floral, floral dress, spring dress, dress, easter dress, maternity dress, maternity wear, fashion blog, knoxville fashion

asos, floral, floral dress, spring dress, dress, easter dress, maternity dress, maternity wear, fashion blog, knoxville fashion

asos, floral, floral dress, spring dress, dress, easter dress, maternity dress, maternity wear, fashion blog, knoxville fashion

Dress Asos // Shoes Off Broadway similar here // Earrings New York & Co.

I double dog dared myself to break out of what I normally wear (leopard, animal print, black and white, leopard…) and try something new. Pastels! Floral! A dress that dips down inappropriately low!

With the addition of a black cami, I think it turned out pretty fantastically.

It’s good to know your boundaries when it comes to what you wear. It helps to really hone your style and give you direction when shopping. I know that I’m not a super girly dresser with bows and lots of frills and for a long time no floral whatsoever.

But it’s ALSO good to break out of that and push yourself a little bit. Even if you only get as far as wearing it in the dressing room, try to take a risk every now and then. It will either introduce your style to something new and fresh, or it will reinforce why it is you love what you love.

Listen, I’m not suggesting you bungee off a bridge. I’m saying try a new pattern – when you put it in that perspective it’s not so bad, right?

Now I don’t know if I’m going to go out and buy a whole bunch of floral print, but I’ve now got something I can wear on occasion that will liven up my wardrobe. And in going with a floral print dress, it really stretched my accessorizing ability. I can usually have a dress styled by the time I hit the cash register, but this one was a challenge I was completely up for. I didn’t want to wear earrings that looked like flowers, as there was enough of that going on. So I opted for a simple diamond and pearl drop. Diamonds because I wanted a little sparkle and pearls because the dress called for something soft – and they make it more daytime appropriate.

It keeps people guessing when you try something new, and can even break you out of a style rut.

To read more about how I chose this dress and get some more dress inspiration of your own, click here!

I double dog dare you to try something new this spring!

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