Recently I shared a blog post that I wrote for my good friend and stylist, Maggie Killick – if you missed it you can read it here.
It focussed on how to feel good in your body now, rather than waiting until you reach your “ideal” size or shape. It looked at how clothing can dramatically affect not only appearance but also mindset. If you feel great in what you wear it improves your mood, confidence, stress levels and energy.
With all of the above in mind, it’s really important to remember that your body responds to what you are thinking and feeling which has a huge effect on health, weight and your immune system.
As a sequel to my blog post, this week I asked Maggie to share her advice on how to dress well for your shape, which can be a challenge for many of us as, ultimately, we are all unique.
Here’s what Maggie had to say…
Body Shapes – Ignore the rules and simply focus on balance
The most common reason women give me for feeling unhappy in their clothes relates to their body shape. They usually say “I’m a difficult shape to dress” or “I’m a (insert name of unattractive vegetable or fruit!) so I can’t wear…”
The reason this is such a common view is that we are bombarded by articles, books, and magazines that dictate specific shapes and strict rules of dressing each one. These rules can overwhelm us, confuse us and make us focus on what we see as negative parts of our figure. The good news is, as a Stylist I get to change women’s minds and help them see their figures for what they really are – remarkable.
If you are someone who struggles with this problem let me share some simple, straight-forward advice that I hope will change your mindset:
- Remember clothes create illusions. They can make us look taller, smaller, broader, create a waist, improve our posture…the list goes on. So, why not give yourself a break when it comes to striving for a “perfect shape” that constantly feels unobtainable. Let the clothing create it for you.
- Forget about the body-shape labels: apple, pear, cello, brick, cornet… shall I continue? We are all unique. If we continue to associate with labels and follow set rules, we’ll never get it right. For example, if you’re a typical ‘pear shape’ you are meant to have wide hips and bottom, a small bust and narrow waist, a flat stomach and a longer torso and shorter legs. Well, what happens if you’re a 6ft, very slim pear shape with a large bust – where do you go with the rules then? Also, these body-shape labels rarely create a positive mindset. For example, I see women with great figures who, if you had to put them into a category, would be, say, ‘apple shape’! Who wants to be compared to an apple?
- Take a good look in the mirror and see your figure in its entirety. We rarely do this because we are hard-wired to focus on the parts we are less happy with. In everyday life nobody looks at you in this way, they see the whole person – so should you.
- When you try on an outfit and look in the mirror, ask yourself: Am I in proportion? Have I created balance (top and bottom) in my outfit? Do the proportions work? These are the questions that will help you tweak your outfit to create a great hourglass (ie. balanced) shape. These questions will stop you looking too top-heavy or bottom-heavy, too short and/or too square. It is all about creating symmetry which, trust me, is far more intuitive than you may think.
A final thought. If, like me, you think about the fantastic women in your life you may see similar traits among them. In my case, they are smart, funny, kind, interesting and interested in others. They do not all have perfect figures (who does?). They simply focus on their positive attributes and understand the power of creating balance in terms of clothing as well as life. Amen to that!
…I love the fact Maggie’s advice comes back to balance because it really is everything in life – including what you wear and how you wear it.
To learn more about Maggie’s style services, and to be inspired by clothes and fashion visit her website www.maggiekillickstyle.com. I also recommend signing up to her Style Post blog for continual advice on style, trends, new brands and how to feel incredible in the clothes you wear – you can sign up here.
Kate x
