Today’s Closet Confidence Challenge is to wear something that supposedly doesn’t flatter my body type.
I actually had no idea what my body type was and probably spent the equivalent of 24 hours over the past week researching body types. It is all so confusing and I STILL don’t fit perfectly into a shape. I have landed on the fact that I most closely fit an apple body shape.
- Big boobs (CURSE them! Although my husband loves them, I don’t think I would mind if they were much smaller)
- Fuller mid-section
- Rounder shoulder line and flattish butt (Asian genes are guilty for the flat derriere)
- Good legs (my favourite body part right now)
I read somewhere that if I was still unsure whether I was an apple or not, that I should divide my waist measurement by my bust measurement. If the result is above 0.8 then I am an apple. My result was 0.86, so I suppose that settles it then.
So based on the apple body shape, what supposedly doesn’t flatter on me?
- clingy jersey knits
- wearing belts, big or small
- sleeves that finish next to the bust
- any details, fuss and volume near bust, hip or tummy (ie. lapels, double breasted coats, high waisted trousers or waistbands, cropped jackets)
- skirt above knee length
- gathered or tiered skirts
- excessive fabric at the midsection
- clutch bags or shoulder bags
- petite shoes, kitten heels, boots with buckles or UGG boots
Wow. That is quite the list. And it has a lot of items on it that I often wear.
Anuschka Raes of Into-Mind wrote this post about how she doesn’t believe in dressing for body types. Please go have a read as I think her message is so important and empowering.
With her words in mind, I set out to give the whole body shape concept an F-U. Here’s the outfit I put together.
What rules am I breaking here?
- clingy jersey knits – both the skirt and top are very body-hugging.
- wearing belts, big or small – this bow belt is a favourite. I throw it on anytime I want to inject a cute and girly detail to my outfits.
- sleeves that finish next to the bust – yes, the sleeves on this shirt do that.
- any details, fuss and volume near bust, hip or tummy – the ruffle detail at the bust is actually why I really love this top.
- skirt above knee length – this pencil skirt sits immediately above my knees. It is a favourite length of mine, so I will need to do more research if I care to understand why my body shape shouldn’t wear skirts that sit above the knee.
I really love this outfit and how it makes me feel. I’ve broken quite a few rules regarding my body type with it, but I think this challenge proves that sticking to the hard and fast rules are not always necessary. In my opinion, this goes for everything in life!
What do you think about dressing for your body shape? Do you believe in the whole concept, or are you more for wearing whatever makes you feel good and happy?
