The Pear
Ok for all the lovely pears out there they key is to balance slim shoulders with wider hips. A coat that is 3/4 length with full shoulders is a must. Shoulder pads, shoulder detail and a full collar are great for drawing the eye up, while the simple finish lower down should slim over the hips without adding bulk. Avoid shorter styles that finish around the bum as they will only draw the eye to the larger are. Perfect example of a pear is Jennifer Lopez. She always looks balanced and totally in proportion. Simple styling and tailoring.
The Hourglass
Ah the coveted hourglass, the figure that everyone is trying to emulate. The trick is still the same with the hourglass. Balance is already there it just needs to be maintained. Tailoring is hugely important to trim in the waist. Avoid too much detail on the bust to avoid looking top heavy. An asymmetrical coat with belt is a great way to accentuate what is already there.
The Apple
The apple is often proportioned as hips and shoulders are in line, but can carry their weight on their tummy. But trust me there are ways to disguise this even in winter coats. Avoid bulky fabric over the bust tummy and hips. A simple tailored coat that nips in at the waist gives the illusion of a waist that may not be there. A deep v line on the bust is very flattering as it draws its eye up from the tummy, as is a funnel neckline that keeps attention away from the problem area.
The Strawberry
The strawberry is defined as being wider on the shoulders, narrower on the hips with a tendency to carry weight on the bust and sometimes across her back. They are usually blessed with good legs. The key here with the sumptuous strawberry is to keep the top half simple. A coat with no shoulder detail, single buttoned and collarless styles work great. A pleated waist line works great as it creates volume below the waist line creating fuller hips to balance out the wider shoulders. A dropped waist also works wonders.
The Rectangle
Also known as the ‘boyish figure’ in fashion circles the rectangle has a very straight waist with no real curve definition. The objective is to create a curves here. A coat with a belt of trimming in the centre in a different colour for breaking up the body to create curves around the bust and hip. Again a coat that flares out from the waist is great for this type of figure too, and a fur trim on a collar works wonders too.
So there you have it. There are a multitude of different coats for you all to look at this coming season. We all have a wardrobe full of coats we have spent a fortune on that we know just are not right so maybe this will give you some handy hints with a look to adding a bit or taking away as the case may be.
Blog post written by Siobhan Quinn – The Zip Yard Limerick City
