From bodycon skirts to pencil skirts, A-line skirts and flowing maxi skirts, there is an almost bewildering selection of skirts in the shops. But, sometimes one that looks so perfect on the model in the shop window doesn’t look quite the same on you. The trick is to choose one which flatters your body shape.
Read on for some styling tips and to find out the best skirts for your body shape.
Best skirts for your body shape
All body types have positive and negative aspects, and the key rules to dressing for your body shape are:
- Accentuate and draw attention to what you like
- Camouflage what you don’t, and finally
- Flaunt your assets (within reason!)
So, what are the five key body shapes and the best skirts for each one:
The hourglass body shape
The hourglass shape is often considered the most desirable and characteristics of this shape are a well-defined, narrow waist and perfectly proportioned hips and bust.
As you get older, you may also begin to put some weight on around the stomach area; in which case you will also have some characteristics of the apple body type as well. Some celebrities with this body shape include Sophia Loren, Dita Von Teese Salma Hayek, and Christina Hendricks.
The aim with the hourglass figure is to accentuate your feminine curves so fitted clothes are always a good idea and you should steer clear of boxy cuts and baggy clothing.
So, you should choose clothes that draw attention to your narrow waist. The perfect skirt for this body type is a high waisted pencil skirt as it will highlight your curves. And for an hourglass, most other skirts will look good too, (except for anything too baggy).
I consider myself an hourglass with a hint of apple, and I love pencil skirts, especially lace pencil skirts! As you may have noticed I am also a big fan of belts, which also serve to draw attention to your waist.
Have a look below for a few examples of the perfect skirt for the hourglass body shape.
The Apple body shape
As the name suggests, the apple body shape has no defined waist and tends to carry weight on the stomach. The best asset for the apple shape is their lovely slim legs! Some celebrity apples include Oprah Winfrey, Rebel Wilson and Drew Barrymore.
Although, some women are ‘born apples’, many of us tend towards this shape once we hit the big 4-0, but don’t be tempted to try to cover your stomach area with baggy, loose-fitting clothes but instead choose clothes that create the illusion of a waist and accentuate your assets (i.e. those amazing legs!).
You will look good in high-waisted flouncy or pleated skirts that end above the knee as the waistband will be at the smallest part of your body, the flouncy skirt will camouflage the stomach and the shorter length will showcase your legs.
Other tips to styling this body shape include skirts that have side zips, vertical stripes and a shorter hemline to show off your legs! A pencil skirt can also look great with this body shape but make sure it finishes above the knee.
Avoid anything with frills or zippers at the front and if you wear a belt, make sure to wear it higher up to emphasis the slimmest part of your body and not on your stomach area.
Here are a couple of ideas for apple shapes:
The Pear body shape
The key characteristics of the pear body shape are (again as the name suggests), a wider lower body, so your hips are wider than your shoulders, and pears often have noticeable rears and chunky legs. Pears have a tendency to put on weight on their thighs and bums! Celebrities with this body type include Kim Kardashian (hourglass/pear), Jennifer Lopez and America Ferrera.
To camouflage a larger bottom half (if you wish to!), choose skirts in a darker colour than your top and the best skirt for this body type is the A-line skirt, which will highlight the smallest part of your waist and then gently flare out over your hips, minimising the width of your bottom half. Keep bright colours, horizontal stripes and patterns for the top half.
The Rectangle body shape
The rectangle body (often called the “boyish” body type) is again aptly named as, in this case, your body goes straight up and down with no defined waist. Your waist, hip and shoulder measurements are all similar. Many models tend to have this body shape – celebrities include Cameron Diaz, Natalie Portman and Kate Moss and this is one of the easiest body shapes to style.
This body shape doesn’t have a lot of curves, and so the aim in dressing this shape is to create the illusion of curves, by defining the waist and creating curves on the bottom or top.
This body type will look amazing in body-con mini skirts, which will emphasise any curves you do have, and show off your flat stomach and slim legs. .
Patterned skirts are also a good idea, as the print will draw attention to your bottom-half, creating the illusion of curves, as is wearing a belt at the narrowest part of your waist. Peplum skirts are also great on rectangles as they create the illusion of an hourglass shape, as do skirts with ruffles and frills!
On the other hand, if you like the waistless look then rectangles can also look fantastic with a simple straight skirt.
The Inverted triangle body shape
So I am sure that you can guess that the inverted triangle has a larger upper body, with shoulders being wider that the hips. Your best assets are your slim waist and legs. Celebrities with this body shape include Demi Moore, Cindy Crawford and Teri Hatcher.
The aim to styling an inverted triangle is to accentuate your lower body, so it’s a great idea to wear a brightly coloured, printed or horizontally striped skirt (keeping the darker colors for the top!).
Any skirts that create the illusion of a wider bottom half will look good on inverted triangles, so you should consider A-line skirts and any full skirts.
Finally, what if you’re not happy with your legs? Then, a maxi skirt could be the perfect option for you! Depending on your body shape, follow the rules for body shape above but adapted to a maxi skirt.
For example if you’re an hourglass, opt for a high-waisted maxi that cinches your waist or add a belt. If you’re an apple, opt for a flowy style that skims your stomach area, if you’re a pear, choose an A-line style maxi, if you’re a rectangle opt for a body con style maxi skirt that clings to your legs, and patterned skirts will work well for you, and if you’re an inverted triangle, you have the perfect body shape for a maxi skirt which will balance out your larger top half! You can wear pretty much any style!
No matter what body shape you are, as long as you put your mind to it, you can find a skirt that suits your body type. If you want to make your skirts unique, you can also decorate them with some stylish accessories. For example, custom patches. You can customize them at Patches Co. with your favorite pattern. These patches are chic in design and exquisite in quality. Use them to adorn your skirts or other clothing to create your own fashion style!
If you’re not very tall, then pair the maxi skirt with heels, and opt for a slightly shorter version that stops at the ankle!
I hope you enjoyed this feature about The Best Skirts for your Body type, and have a look here for more of our style features.
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With love,
Great advice! Thank you so much for sharing!
xoxo,
Stephanie
Glad you found it helpful, Stephanie xoxo
really useful post- thanks for sharing!!
http://www.londonstylegirl.com
Thank you so much! Glad you found it useful! xo
I luv wear skirt and I really love this post so much!
Thank you so much Rin xo
Great post and lovely outfit! 🙂
Hadasah Love || http://www.styletolove.com
Thank you so much Hadasah 🙂
Great info. I tend to like midi skirts and skirts that accentuate my waist. I may be a combo of body types lol. Happy Monday!
http://www.fashionablyidu.com/
Thank you Idu! I love skirts that accentuate my waist too 🙂
Lovely inspirations <33 I love it 🙂
http://anna-and-klaudia.blogspot.com/
Thank you Ania 🙂
Awesome selection!
Have a nice week-end!
Gil Zetbase
Thank you Gil!
I think I bounce between hourglass and pear, this was really helpful to me as I never know which type of skirt is to flatter my shape!
Rosy
Thanks Rosy. I am a ‘combination’ body type too, so I draw tips from both! Glad you found it helpful! xo
I love the post!
Dora
Thank you Dora!
Wow I feel like you read my mind. I just pulled out a few of my favorite skirts, and I had a hard time making them “work” with appropriate shoes and fashionable tops. So I opted for jeans instead. I love wearing skirts but maybe I’m wearing the wrong skirt for my body type. This is a great post! I have a hourglass figure, I’ll be trying a fitted pencil skirt on my next skirt adventure.
Thank you so much Mary! A fitted pencil skirt is perfect for the hourglass figure xo
GREAT post keep up the informative content !
Much Love,
Priscilla Ivette
Thank you so much Priscilla. I’m glad you enjoyed it x
awesome post!
xoxo
Patinka
Thank you xoxo
Loved this guide! I had no clue about which skirts would look good on me and now I do 😀
Thank you Marta! I’m so glad you found the guide useful! 🙂
I think the inverted triangle are my favorite kind of skirts. I find it sooo pretty.
Kenza
Thank you Kenza! xx
What a great post Julia, I sometimes struggle to find skirts that will look good on me but you just helped a lot. Have a fantastic day!
Camila,
My Vogue Style
Thank you Camila. I’m so glad that you found it helpful xo
Great post darling! Haha I love all things tight fitted on me personally 🙂 xo, sharon
http://www.stylelullaby.com/
Thank you Sharon! You look stunning in everything 🙂
amazing!
Thank you 🙂
I have an hourglass figure so I totally agree that a pencil skirt perfectly flatters my curves.
LaToya
http://www.toyastales.blogspot.com
Thank you LaToya! I agree a pencil skirt would be perfect for you! xo
Such a great skirt styling guide, lady!
-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
Thank you so much Ashley! xo
I’m pear-shaped and I love the skirts you picked out for my body shape! This is such a great post!!
http://thecourtneydiaries.com
Thank you Courtney! I’m glad you liked my picks for your shape xo
I am definitely a pear and I do LOVE my fit and flare skirts!! Excellent post!:)
~Krisztina
Thank you Krisztina xo
This was most definitely an interesting and useful roundup. I’ve found that skirts either need to be super short or very long to work for me. Thanks for putting together such a cool chart.
Have a great day
KaSonndra
http://LiveWellBeFabulous.com
Thank you so much KaSonndra! I’m glad you liked it! xo
These are great tips. I like this skirt on you.
Nina
Nina’s Style Blog
Thank you so much Nina x
Great post, darling! It’s always nice to be mindful of our shapes when styling.
Funmi x
http://www.funmialabi.co.uk
Thank you Funmi – I agree x
I love this informative posting
Filipa xxx
PlayingWithApparel.com | Instagram
Thank you Filipa xxx
Hi Julia! This post is very well-written and helpful. Thank you for the useful tips! Personally I’m a bit scared of wearing skirts, but this guide makes me realise that there’s a flattering style for everyone, which is good to know! I especially like the suggestions for pear shapes. It’s great that you’re working on a new style guide. Keep up the good work!
Lots of love Saba xx
Thank you so much Saba! xx
This is such a helpful reference! I’m pinning!
Jill
Doused In Pink
Thank you so much Jill! I’m really glad you found it helpful! xo
This was helpful, thanks for sharing!
Thank you Katherine! I’m glad you found it helpful xo
To be honest I do not know how to look good in dresses so I often settle on rompers. I am short and dresses tend to make me look even shorter.
I’ve gained some tips from this post though, I’ll try to incorporate it the next time I need to wear a dress.
– Gretch
Thank you so much Gretch! I’m glad you found it helpful! You could always opt for a shorter hemline if you are quite short xo
love this post thanks for sharing
http://www.thestyleride.com/
Thank you Mahi x
I actually don’t know what shape would best apply to me. I have no boobs but a bit of a waist lol. I definitely think that your shape makes a difference when dressing yourself. Thanks for the insight!
xoxo Rina
http://www.andshedressed.com
I agree – I think dressing for your shape is so important, but it’s possible to be a mix of two shapes. xoxo
Goodness, I am still not sure what type I would fit into out of all of these. I might be a combo of the two. I am smaller on top, wide hips, but thin legs. These are all such great tips on what types of skirts to wear!!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Thank you Carrie. Actually, I think quite a few of us are a combo of two shapes, although one may be more predominant!
Such great tips, Julia! I personally LOVE wearing skirts and these tips are super helpful! I prefer midi skirts on myself even tho I’m not the tallest person in the world! But they are so chic, and I’m somewhat conservative! 🙂
xoxo, Vanessa
http://www.WhatWouldVWear.com
Thank you so much Vanessa! You always look stunning in all your outfits! 🙂
this is so helpful 🙂 thanks for sharing 🙂
http://www.pinkoolaid.com/
Thank you Angel! Glad you found it helpful 🙂
Those skirts are to die for! So good!
xx
Mónica Sors
MES VOYAGES À PARIS
Thank you so much Monica xx
Such a great guide, Julia! I’m such a huge proponent for knowing one’s body shape and dressing in a way that truly flatters. Thanks for sharing and I hope you’re having a great week so far!
XO,
Jalisa
http://www.thestylecontour.com
Thank you so much Jalisa!
So many great skirts!!
Kisses,
BLOG | TAISLANY
Thank you xo
Helpful post! It is amazing what dressing for your body can do.
Amy Ann
Straight A Style
Thank you Amy Ann. I agree – the right clothes can transform how you look and also how you feel! xo
Love your skirt!
Have a nice day,
Natallia
Thank you so much Natallia x
Great tips and nice to learn more about what shape is for us!
Thank you Violette x
Gret tips my dear!!! You look stuning in this outfit, I love your lace skirt 🙂
Thank you so much Alice 🙂
Skirts are my favourite clothing piece!
Mine too! xo
Love all the tips you share hunny. Amazing!! Thanks for sharing.
Chayani
Thanks so much Chayani xo
I am defenitely the peare 🙂 Thank you for these tips. Looking forward to the guide.
Thank you Darina! Glad you found them useful 🙂
This is a great guide. I have an hourglass figure, and I usually opt for pencil skirts, they’re my favourite!
xo
Siffat
http://icingandglitter.com
Thank you Siffat! You look fabulous in pencil skirts, but you look fabulous in all your outfits! xo
This post is spot on with your amazing styling tips! If I ever have a client that has questions about skirts, I’m sending them here! Thanks for sharing and have a great week Julia!
http://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thank you so much Kathrine! xo