Power Dressing 

Wearing clothes that make you feel great and flatter your shape is a powerful tool. It can turbo charge your self-confidence, making you walk taller and feel like you can handle anything life throws at you. Here are some tips and tricks to help you find a style that suits you. 

By-line: Rachel Spillane 

There are multiple studies on the relationship between what we wear and the impact it has on our confidence. Feeling and looking great increases both our self-esteem and comfort. The key to real power dressing is in finding that perfect dress, trousers or top that makes you feel on top of the world. We all have that one item in our wardrobe that we wear when we need an extra boost, something that looks good, slides on effortlessly, enhances the shape of our body and requires minimum effort or fuss as we go about our daily activities. There is nothing worse than wearing something that doesn’t quite fit, or reveals more of a part of our body we aren’t comfortable with, so we end up pulling and tugging at our clothes when we should be concentrating on something else. Feeling invincible is being able to dress for your shape. We each have a body that is beautiful and unique, so knowing how to accentuate our best features is an easy way to help us feel good about ourselves and look good while doing so.

Our style inspiration over lockdown may have drifted more towards comfort than style but as we open up again, it’s timely to start thinking about some key pieces that give you that confidence boost to face the world again. Here, at Woman’s Way, we have done the hard work for you. So here’s how to shop for your shape and some great buys that will have you sashaying into the summer, dressed to impress. 

How to identify your body shape

Before knowing what styles suit your figure, take some time to discover your body shape. There are so many different shapes and sizes, we are all different, but here are the five most common shapes. 

Hourglass  

Hourglass body shapes have the same width shoulders as their hips with a narrow waist, full curves and an even fuller bust. 

Round  

Round body shapes are quite curvy with a less defined waist and a larger bust. (Also known as apple or circle body type) 

Pear  

Pear-shaped bodies are characterised by having large hips which are wider than the width of their shoulders. Pear shaped bodies tend to have a small, defined waist and narrow shoulders. 

Inverted Triangle  

Inverted triangle body shapes have broad shoulders and may have a larger bust. Generally they have a wider upper body than their lower body, meaning slimmer thighs and legs. 

Rectangle  

Rectangle body shapes are normally found on athletic figures. Shoulders, bust, waist and hips are all relatively close in size, forming a ‘rectangle’ or slightly square shape. 

How to dress for your body shape

Hourglass  

Hourglass body shapes are naturally balanced. With shoulders and hips the same width, the waist is already defined. Focus on enhancing these already defined curves.
Peplum style tops or wrap dresses will flatter your upper body without making you look top-heavy. Ultra-flared jeans will lift your bum and lengthen your legs, especially when you throw on your favourite pair of heels.
Top tip: Make sure to avoid any styles that are ‘boxy’ or square – don’t hide that waist! 

Pink Organza Wrap Peplum Hem Top €48, visit riverisland.ie
Nashville Slim Flared Jeans €119, visit mintvelvet.co.uk 

Round 

If you have a round body shape, adding structure through tops, blazer and trousers will be the most flattering styles.
Accentuating your shoulders, neckline and bust by wearing wrap-style tops and tops with square necklines will give you a defined, stylish look.
High-waisted jeans with a sexy flare or standout boot-cut will suit this body shape the best. The high-rise style will give you the illusion of a smaller waist, showcasing your fabulous curves. 

Pink Animal Print Crinkle Wrap Top €35, visit simplybe.ie 

Authentic Flared Jean €129, visit whistles.com 

Linen Cotton Blazer €299, visit ie.tommy.com

Pear 

Typically when dressing a pear-shaped body, the main goal is to take some of the attention away from the hips and draw it up to the upper body and already defined waist. This will create the illusion of a more balanced figure.
High-necklines for dresses work really well to focus attention on the upper body, as well as Bardot style off the shoulder tops.
Top tip: avoid wearing tight jeans or trousers that enhance your hips – try a tapered fit trouser instead. 

Colour Block Rib Knitted Pointelle Vest €99; Relaxed Button Split Hem Wide Leg Trousers €155, visit karenmillen.com 

Emma Willis Jumpsuit €51, visit next.ie

Inverted Triangle

If you have an inverted triangle body shape, look to balance out the broadness of your shoulders and create the illusion of a small waist. As the right neckline can downplay your shoulders, choosing V-neck tops and dresses or tops with asymmetrical necklines will help to achieve a more balanced silhouette. Wider jeans and trouser styles sit well on inverted triangle body shapes, balancing out your silhouette. 

Printed Tea Dress In Sustainable Viscose Pink €46, visit monsoonlondon.com

Maria Metallic Asymmetric Top €86, visit reiss.com

Rectangle

Rectangle-shaped bodies usually have a lack of curves, with little to no waist definition. If you want to have the illusion of curves, add some dimensions to break up the straight figure. For example, a good bra to lift your chest will often add some easy definition to your upper body.
Avoid loose, flowy clothing that won’t flatter your rectangular shape. To create some curves, try a scooped neckline in tops and dresses. Embellishments also help to draw attention to your chest and make your upper body look wider. Try wide-leg or flared bottoms to round out your shape too. 

Boden Green Fun Voop T-Shirt €44, visit next.ie 

Savida Print Dress with Belt €35, visit dunnesstores.com

Belt Denim Jumpsuit €59.99, visit shop.mango.com