More on Apparent Body Shape
As previously mentioned, Trinny and Susannah have come out with a 12 body shape system. When I first encountered this idea, it did nothing but make my head swim; as many of you know, I use a variation on the six silhouettes found in The Triumph of Individual Style
I still consider myself a figure eight, and I will NEVER admit to being a pear, but I am not embarrassed to be associated with Sandra Bullock and answer to this description: Small bust, long waist, flat tummy, saddle bags and heavy legs.
Not if Halle Berry is a skittle.
Rebecca, you probably read my comment on Angie’s blog, so you know where I’m comin’ from!
I personally thought the ‘circle’ reference was kinda cute; but consider myself more like an oval, on end, with a cinch around the middle. The cinch doesn’t make a waist, just an indent with a bulge all the way around above and below it. The bulge gets bumpy in the front and sides on top and in the.back, sides and front on the bottom. Get the picture? Yuck!
Wendy - I did notice your comment. I thought it amusing, once you pointed it out, that they only had inverted triangles with long legs. Which leads me to believe that they may have taken it a step too far.
Mom - *snort* (That, as you well know, is a laugh which comes through the nose)
I saw Angie’s post, and I got so confluseled. I really don’t know what I am. I think it’s b/c I don’t have a good objective understanding of my own body parts in relation to one another. I need Tim Gunn’s Opti-Tech imaging software so I can see myself objectively, I guess.
I know I have largish boobs (34D) and long legs so that means a very short waist. I have long thin arms. I have nice shoulders, but I dont’ know if they are broad or average. I struggle with a bit of a tummy, and always have. I don’t think I have much of a waist. My hips are wide or average, I’m not sure which.
I just don’t think I fit well into any of the twelve shapes.
Another- easy! - project you can do: Stand in front of your full-length mirror with a yardstick. Set the yardstick against the outside of your shoulder, perpendicular to the floor (going straight up and down). You are using this tool to compare the width of your shoulders with the width of your hips.
This is the reason why, even though I have a smallish bust and largish legs, I am a figure eight. My SHOULDERS are as wide as the widest part of my hips.
I agree with Trinny and Susannah that it is more important to dress the body shape than the size, but I think considering length issues here just makes it more confusing. Consider Wendy’s situation, she’s an inverted triangle with short legs; according to the 12 types list, her shape doesn’t exist!
All of this stuff can be figured out “from scratch”, so to speak, using the concepts taught in the Triumph of Individual Style.
Anyway, I peeked at your picture from the Christmas party (LOVE the red shoes and lipstick, btw!) and here’s my opinion: inverted triangle or hourglass. And it really doesn’t make much difference which you choose. I say “wear whichever you are comfortable in”. There! How’s that?
The Body Shape Bible over complicates for the sake of offering something different i feel. As a stylist I have always believed that there are simply 5 female body forms, the most common being the rectangle. In fact I have created a website which profiles your body shape and provides you specific style advice to suit… it’s an automated personal stylist service and simplifies the entire ‘what body shape am i question.
[…] the topic of silhouette, Chantelle sends in this comment: The Body Shape Bible over complicates for the sake of offering […]
The problem with the Body Shape Bible is that it tries to fit every kind of body shape, proportion and variation into 12 shapes - which is just too few considering how unique we all are.
I don’t fit into any of the shapes, and very few people I know do fit into their shapes. In many ways, and what I do with my clients, is work out what bothers you most, and work from there. So if someone has a flat chest and is happy, it’s not an issue, so we don’t spend time trying to make it look larger, but if they’d like more volume there, then we can create it via illusion.
When I try an categorise myself via their book I’m Lollipop (breasts and waist, long legs) but I don’t have slim hips. I”m Hourglass (breasts, big hips, short waist) but I don’t have generous thighs. I’m Brick (no waist, average tummy, flat bum) but don’t have broad shoulders, chunky thighs or calves. I’m Cello (big boobs, short waist, big hips, slim lower legs) but don’t have big thighs or bottom. I’m Vase (big tits, hips equal tits, slim thighs and legs), but I don’t have a long curved waist.
So where do I fit in? I don’t think the system works, unless you do actually fit into one of these groups. Most of us don’t.
It’s easier to use a system where you look at one element of your body at a time, rather than trying to fit every body shape, proportion and other variation onto 12 figures.
Oh and I think the way they’ve named them is really derogatory too.