Hourglass figure: what to wear and how to dress?

There are five main types of female body shapes: pear/spoon, apple/oval, triangle, inverted triangle, rectangle and hourglass. Each of them is quite rare in its pure form; mixed variants are more common.

But is there a body type among them that absolutely everyone will like? The one that is recognized as the standard of femininity and beauty and is the subject of the dreams of many ladies and the lust of men? This is an hourglass figure.

In addition to its charms and natural, eye-pleasing features, it also has problem areas. But they can be hidden and gently adjusted. Let's look at how not to lose what Mother Nature has given us: what is better and healthier to eat, what kind of exercises to do and how to dress in such a way as to bring visual pleasure to both those around you and yourself.

Captivating curves and roundness

Determining your body type seems interesting, because in the process of analyzing this information it becomes easier to understand how close we are to the ideal, which wardrobe is best to choose and which areas of the body should be influenced by regulating nutrition and physical activity.

What are the characteristics of an hourglass figure? Its owners are also called “Lady-X”. The characteristic features in this case are feminine curves and roundness, a thin waist, rather pronounced chest and hips of almost the same girth, when the width of the shoulders is approximately equal to the width of the hips.

Thanks to its harmonious proportions, such a figure was considered ideal back in the 19th century, when ladies sought to tighten their curves into corsets and give the body clear lines and balance, in which the chest and hips are clearly visible, and the waist is approximately 0.7–0.75% of the girth hips

Famous owners of the “X” figure are Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, Scarlett Johansson.

If you're not sure if your proportions are stellar, you'll need to take some measurements to determine your own type. We will also need a three-dimensional visualization of the silhouette, which is easy to obtain at home, for which we will take a short selfie in a swimsuit or tight-fitting clothes: placing the phone at the level of the navel, we will take three pictures (front, side and back).

Problem areas of the "X" figure

Another feature of the “X” figure: there is often a tendency to be overweight. When the weight gain is 1–2 kg, it is not too noticeable, since the owners of such a silhouette, if they gain weight, do so evenly throughout the body.

With a significant increase in the number of extra pounds, the lower part becomes noticeably heavier. The thighs become massive and cellulite appears. I want to urgently start pumping up my abs in order to lose weight, because my tummy is starting to stick out, although my waist remains clearly defined.

The upper arms also become fatter. At the same time, the breasts also increase, but this usually does not upset anyone. And the legs become fuller along the entire length: both in the calves and above the knees. The main problem areas of a female hourglass figure are the triceps, lower abdomen, outer and inner thighs. But the waist remains graceful and clearly noticeable no matter how full you are.

Rectangle

The volumes of the waist, hips and chest are approximately equal. Fuzzy waistline, slender, often long legs. Gains weight: evenly or in the upper part of the body. Task: the “rectangle” figure is considered a model and the most universal. By and large, those with a “rectangular” figure can wear anything, you just need to be careful with elements of a romantic style; the New Look silhouette is not at all the story of “rectangles.”

Work well: - neckline; - dense, rigid fabrics; - sporty cut; — business style; - flat shoes (but heels, of course, are not excluded). Contraindicated: - emphasis on the waist (in a “rectangle”, the waist line is poorly defined; if you focus on it, the lack of a waist will only be emphasized! There is no need to emphasize what is not an advantage). - romantic style (ruffles, flounces, flowing dresses, and so on).

Recommendations for proper nutrition

Body shape is a direct result of genetics and lifestyle. The first is the biological program of ancestors, transmitted from generation to generation, which is almost impossible to influence.

The lifestyle we choose (diet structure and level of activity) is a completely accessible opportunity to transform our body for better or worse.

The “hourglass”, no matter how hard she tries, is not destined to turn into an athlete with a narrow pelvis. Adding a couple of extra pounds can be almost unnoticed, since this type is characterized by an average or even low metabolic rate.

Despite a fairly even distribution of weight throughout the body, such an unpleasant thing can happen as the appearance of unaesthetic “ears” in the hip area.

The diet recommended for any body type is proper nutrition. If it is balanced, rich in vitamins and minerals, then you will always look attractive regardless of your body type.

But there are still some tips that may be important for the hourglass.

1. It is extremely important for such women to eat regularly: three to four times a day. Due to a naturally slow metabolism, preference should be given to foods with a low glycemic index.
2. Don’t forget about drinking fermented milk at night (kefir, yogurt), which will help somewhat speed up the metabolic process and the removal of waste.
3. The first in importance in the diet will be vegetables (preferably raw), fruits, and herbs. The diet should take into account the need for large amounts of protein: lean meats and fish, veal, poultry, eggs.
4. You need to make various seeds a regular part of your diet: pumpkin, sunflower. And limit dairy products (except low-fat) and refined sugar.
5. The dietary set should contain (but in smaller quantities compared to vegetables and proteins) cereals: buckwheat, oatmeal; as well as muesli and natural juices.
6. Be careful when eating white bread, pasta, potatoes, rice dishes and fatty meats.
7. Significantly reduce the amount of flour products, nuts, coffee and alcoholic beverages in your diet. All this does not mean completely excluding the listed foods from your diet, but consume them sparingly and not daily.
8. At least twice a month, arrange fasting fruit and vegetable days.

We don’t stop at what nature has given us

An important addition to nutritional correction will be properly selected physical activity, which will give confidence, calmness and peace of mind. Since the body weight of the “X-type” is distributed evenly, you need to lose weight by loading all muscle groups.

A suitable option is “circuit” training, which allows you to work the entire body in one session and includes compound exercises to use maximum muscles. Make a training plan so that the load is distributed evenly on both the upper and lower body.

Apple

Full waist, sloping shoulders, slender legs. Gains weight: waist, stomach, arms, neck. Task: from the soft lines inherent in the “apple” figure type, make them harder, hide the belly, and lead to a “rectangle”.

They work well: - emphasis on the legs; - neckline (but don’t forget that we only emphasize the advantages of the figure!); — semi-fitting silhouette for a slender “apple”, A-silhouette for a full one; — Balenciaga silhouette (bomber jackets); - emphasis either on the upper body or on the lower; — V-neck. Contraindicated: - soft tissues; - top tucked into trousers/skirt (emphasizes the full waist); — emphasis on the waist: belts, contrasting lines, prints, belt; - three-quarter sleeves; — cropped jackets and cardigans (the illusion of horizontal lines expands); - high waist in tight-fitting clothes.

Clothing for an hourglass figure

As a rule, women with hourglass body proportions do not need any special recommendations for choosing clothes. More often they have to proceed from other external features: hair length and color, hairstyle.

And, of course, take into account some parameters of your figure: the length of your legs or neck, straight or sloping shoulders. After all, with the help of clothes you can make visual corrections of certain nuances.

Even such ideal forms as those of representatives of the “Lady X” type need to be able to be emphasized. Basic rules for choosing clothes for such a figure:

1. Highlight a graceful waist.
2. Maintain balance (do not overload the upper or lower half of the body).
3. Using clothing, gently and harmoniously outline the natural curves (hips and chest).

To highlight the beauty of such a figure, stylists advise choosing softly curved fabrics and under no circumstances wearing baggy or too loose clothes. You should choose a tight or semi-fitting silhouette, but at the same time, the dress should not be too tight.

The choice of fabric depends on the complexion:

1. For slender women, light, flowing materials are suitable - those that gently drape, following the smooth curves of the body, and do not create hard corners. For example, knitwear, linen, cotton, silk and synthetics.
2. If you have a fuller complexion, be even more careful when choosing fabric. Do not use hard or heavy options under any circumstances. Let these be materials of low density and not too pronounced texture: medium-thick knitwear, woolen crepe, tweed, cotton, linen, silk.

Wearing wide belts over dresses is a great way to highlight a slimmer waist. It is preferable to tie the belt on the side. Choose blouses, shirts, sweaters, tops that fit your figure, but are not too tight.

Shirts that flow freely from the chest and do not highlight the waist are not recommended. Tops with an accentuated bodice that go further along the figure look good. And since ladies of this type usually have a full bust, the selection of the neckline and collar style cannot be ignored.

The optimal blouse neckline for an hourglass look is below in the table:

Be careful with puffy sleeves. They visually make the upper part of the figure heavier. If you don't want to give them up, then balance them with a full bottom to maintain the visual balance of the silhouette.

For jackets and jackets, choose fitted styles. If the clothing contains shoulder pads, they should be very small (provided, of course, that your shoulders are not too sloping). The length of blouses and tunics should be below the widest part of the hips.

Tops with ties at the neck or without straps at all (if bust size allows), wrap dresses, silhouettes with an accentuated waist and either a loose skirt or an A-line skirt (A-line), as well as clothes that follow the curves, will incredibly decorate and emphasize femininity. body, made of soft materials.

If you are the owner of an ideal figure, then all its advantages will be evident in a dress made of plain fabric.

Highlighting the waist

A great way to define your waist is to wear high-waisted jeans, a skirt or trousers. The top should be chosen in the form of a top or blouse that needs to be tucked in. The belt works universally: with its help it is easy to emphasize your figure. When choosing a tight-fitting dress, you should choose a thin strap, while a wide one looks great with a men's-style jacket or a “rough” sweater.

Another option to draw attention to the waist is flared jeans, as well as the famous palazzo pants. In such clothes you can easily distract attention by creating the perfect “sand” silhouette. Blouses and wrap dresses that emphasize the waist and draw attention to the chest will help you get closer to the figure of your dreams. If the model is supplemented with hangers, this will visually enlarge the shoulders, further emphasizing the proportions.

Flared jeans allow you to make your waist more visible. Another trick that will help you create the desired silhouette is contrasts. Use the bottom and top of clothing in different, resonant colors: black and white, yellow and purple. Choose shades carefully so that they complement each other but help create a clear line between top and bottom.