5 Tips for Dressing Your Hourglass Figure
If you are an hourglass, you are curvy. Va Va Voom! Think Marilyn Monroe, Sofia Vergara, or Salma Hayek.
Your bust and hips measure about the same, and you have a much smaller defined waistline (usually about 10″ between your waist and bust/hips). Your calves are shapely.
When you gain weight, you earn it evenly throughout your shape. The dressing goal if you are an hourglass is to play up your voluptuous figure but still be proportioned.
Dresses
Fitted dresses accentuate your curves, show off your waist and play up your feminine figure. A wrap dress is perfect because it is stretchy and follows the curvy lines of your body.
Dresses need to be fitted, not loose and flowing. Wearing a belt that shows off your tiny waist is a great way to dress over 40 when you have an hourglass shape.
Skirts
Pencil skirts that taper in will show off your sexy body, and a great belt will highlight your enviable waistline. A-line skirts will conceal a round bottom and full hips.
Pants
Choose straight-leg or boot-cuts, slightly flared bottoms to balance you out.
Baggy pants make you look rounder and heavier than you are, so wear fitted pants with some stretch to flatter your curves.
Tops
Choose simple, smooth tops in soft, stretchy materials. High-neck, loose or bulky sweaters make you look heavy. Go for body-skimming finer knits instead. Soft-fitted blouses and shirts with open necklines are fabs for you.
Jackets
Choose a jacket that is fitted, not boxy. It must nip in at your waist.
Jackets above or below your behind are best as they emphasize your waist. When a jacket ends at the rear, it makes your rear look bigger.
Colors/Prints
You’ll look great in a solid color head to toe because you’ll create a nice long, lean line against which to show off your hourglass shape.
You can also wear light on the top and dark on the bottom of the other way around, depending on what you are making your focal point. The eye will go to the light or bright area, not the dark one.
Are you starting to better understand how to dress over 40 if you are in an hourglass shape? Want to learn more about the styles of clothing that will work best for your body type?
To find out more, check out My Private Stylist. It’s a fantastic new computerized fashion tool that pinpoints your unique body shape and reveals the styles you need to wear to flatter your figure and make you look fabulous!
Click here to find out how to dress yours over 40 bodies.
In episode 6 of The Fabulous After 40 Podcast, I talk about the right and wrong Ways to Dress Your Hourglass Figure.
You’ll learn:
- what styles turn an hourglass figure from fab to frumpy
- the best tops to complement your shape
- pants to wear or stay away from
- the best and worst fabrics for this body type
- my favorite dress for this figure type
Have a listen and see if these tips ring true for you.
Also please Click to Review & Rate the ‘Fabulous After 40 Podcast’ on iTunes! I value every review I receive and often read them out on the show. If you take the time to leave one, THANK YOU – You’re Fabulous!
Here’s the podcast: How to Dress Your Hourglass Figure.
Good post. Thanks;)
Tailored shirts are a must if you have a big difference between under-bust and bust. The gaping/loose waist drove me crazy, so I bought some custom ones from Tailor Store. XD If you want to dress formally, a made-to-measure corset can never go wrong. Vintage 50’s dresses are often cut with hourglass measurements, too.
Thanks for the great tips. Do you think this body shape is the most accepted these days, or do people prefer skinny bodies?
I think both. Not sickly skinny, though. Of course, they can be both at the same time. One of my friends measures 36-24-37. XD
I, too, am short-waisted with an hourglass figure. I find it nearly impossible to find dresses that fit correctly. I would love to hear your advice on dressing a short-waisted woman.
What if we have an hourglass figure but are petite and short-waisted?
Precisely what I do to look and feel my best in my clothes. Thanks for the affirmation. Great tips.
Having a lifetime of experience dressing this body, I can attest to the validity of your tips! I found your lovely and insightful blog through gorgeous Annette’s blog…Lady of Style.