Many women are obsessed with their body and perceive it to be lacking. According to a study done by Triumph:
- 70% of women are not happy with their body, but 79% of their partners ARE happy with their partners body (women, listen to your partner, they love your body and think its great!)
- 82% of women would rather a different body shape.
- 17% of women want to change the size of their thighs
- 47% want to change the size of their stomach, an issue which I’ve addressed here.
Having said that, and my experience with many clients, and a question that wasn’t asked was how do you feel about your hips – which really incorporates a bit of bottom and the tops of your thighs, and I’d guess that a lot more than 17% would say they would like to change them in some way as I notice that so many women dress that part of their body first, before even considering what they should wear near their face (which is where we’re all looking 90% of the time!).
Interestingly, I get a lot of email from women who have discovered that they are an 8 body shape (different from the traditional X – hourglass shape) and feel that knowing this about their shape has really helped them dress their hips in way that makes them feel happier about their shape.
More women want to make their hips look smaller, but there are a proportion who feel, as they describe it to me, ‘boyish’ and want to create more curves so both these issues will be covered here.
How to Flatter Your Curvy Hips
1. Know your shape – an X or A shape will dress their hips, bottom and thighs differently from an 8 Shape, even though they may feel that they want to make them look slimmer or smaller (but not all do!).
2. Understand your proportions – as much as body shape, dressing in a way that is proportionally pleasing will help to balance you as a whole.
3. Look for fabrics that drape – stiff fabrics that don’t drape smoothly past your curves will accentuate them.
4. Be careful of pockets – frequently on so many garments the pockets can add extra unnecessary detail to your hip region.
5. Ensure distressing on denim is not around your groin region
6. Make sure that fabrics have enough weight and are not flimsy.
7. Wear dense patterns that they eye can’t focus on.
8. Wear darker fabrics on your bottom half. Dark denim, brown, black, charcoal or navy dress pants etc.
9. If you wear a patterned bottom, take the light or bright color from the bottom to wear on your top and draw the eye upwards.
10. Be careful where you end your tops – never on the widest point of your hips!
How to Add Curves to Your Hips
1. Look for pockets around the hip region.
2. Look for fabrics that have some body and volume.
3. Wear lighter colours on your bottom and darker on your tops.
4. Wear patterned and coloured bottoms.
5. Tapered jeans were made for you.
6. Look for pleats in skirts to add some volume.
7. End tops on your widest points around the hip area.
8. Look for tops that have volume down low.
