If you have shoulders that are broader than your hips, medium to very full bust, straight or short-to-average hips, narrow hips and/or slim legs, you have an Apple shape body type. You´re one of the roughly less than 14% of women who rock this type of figure. In dressing, your aim is to create a longer-looking middle if your bust and torso are full or if you have a short waist.
If you´re an Apple shape and your figure is boyish, you need to look for shapes and details that create definition for your waist.
A common misconception about this body shape is that “most apple shape women are fat”. Wrong. In fact, apple shape is the shape for a lot of models. Your strong shoulders, narrow hips and slim legs give you more choice and versatility.
See: Fashion Tips for Hourglass and Pear Shaped Body Types
Some of the famous celebrities who have apple shape figure are Drew Barrymore, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Liz Hurley. These gorgeous stars were able to dress for their body type making them look sexy and fashionable.
The Pants for Apple Shape
Because you have narrow hips and slim legs, you can wear just about any pants and jeans – hip huggers, crop or floor grazing, or old-school Levis 501s – worn low waist to hipbone. Don´t wear belts with pants as this will add volume on your torso.
The Shorts for Apple Shape
Again, with your slim lower body, you wear shorts with any lengths. Hot pants are great for petite or shorter girls and knee-length pedal pushers look best for taller apple shape girls. Keep your overall line slim by sticking with skimming tops that hit around the hip bone. Avoid oversized tops.
See: How to Wear Dressy Shorts
The Skirts for Apple Shape
You need to create a little shape and drape for your skirt. Look for skirts with constructions that give the illusions of curviness. A-line skirt (if you´re heavy on the torso, choose skirts with zips on the side to steer the eye away from the torso), torso skirts (or peplum), godet, circle or flare skirts (skims over hips and a wide, full hem), pencil (without waistband, hit below the knee-length and worn with high heels), and bias skirt (always inspect your rearview and make sure you don´t have a very flat look from behind).
See: 6 Types of Skirts
The Tops for Apple Shape
You´d look great with a tailored shirt hitting from high hip to just below the bottom length worn untucked over skinny pants. Depending on the fullness of your bust and the length of your torso, you can choose shapes from tapered to a slightly fuller cut. Opt for cotton shirts with finished shirttail.
See: How Celebrities Wear Button-Down Shirts
V-Neck, U-Neck and Wrap Around
In order to distract the eye from focussing on your torso, and to lengthen the vertical line from your face, neck to your torso, opt for V-neck tunics or v-neck tops that hit just on your hipbone. If you have a full bust (and especially if you have a short waist) choose U-necklines at midchest or higher to create a longer upper body.
Wrap around v-neck cardigans are great to hide a full torso, especially if you´re big in tummy. If you´re a thin apple shape, look for v-neck or u-neck sweaters and cotton tops and add a slim contrast belt for a little waist definition.
See: How to Wear Green Sweaters
The Jackets and Coats for Apple Shape
Remember that in choosing jackets and coats, your aim to create balance between your shoulders and lower body. Look for a blazer with a high cut arm, single breasted, for an illusion of a longer torso by drawing the eye upward. If you opt for a double-breasted jacket, wear it unbuttoned to give you curves. Peplum jacket also helps in giving you more hips.
Shirt jacket is great in creating a streamlined vertical line for short waists and full torso. Look for something with mandarin collars, funnel necks, smooth and undetailed across the breast. Let the details on the hips to add you curve.
Another trick in faking a longer torso is by going for coats which arms´ cuff hit exactly where the coat´s hem hits (check this while standing straight with your arms on your side). More coat options for you include – classic coats (slightly A-line), pea coat (worn with slim skirts), cardigan coat (collarless with straight-lined construction), wrap jacket or coat, and trench coats.
See: 13 Types of Coats – Which Style Are You?
The Dresses for Apple Shape
For the dresses, you´ll look great in a shift dress worn at knee-length with high heels. Tunic dresses with flat sandals and a lot of slim legs, torso dresses with slim belts, and slim and straight constructed strapless dress with pencil skirt or gored skirt preferably with a slim belt that rests immediately below the busts. A-line, wrap and coat dresses are your other options.
See: Florals, Striped and Colorblock Dresses for Spring
The Swimsuit for Apple Shape
One piece swimsuits with bust foams, and classic tanks will look good on an apple shape. A one piece suit will elongate your torso. If you have full bust, try a halter suit or a wrap style with built-in support for good shaping. If you have a long torso, you can go for one piece swimsuits with belt.
See: How to Look Fabulous in Swimsuit with Color and Details
Do you have an apple shape figure? How do you dress up for your body type?