February 13, 2019

Dress For Your Shape

Alisha Linen Dress

We know there are a gazillion names for women’s body shapes – from apples to vases to cellos, goblets and skittles – yes really... But for the sake of this blog post, we’re going to keep it simple and go with the four best known shapes; apple, pear, hourglass and column.

At Aspiga we take holiday and beach dresses very seriously and as part of our creative process, we think about body shapes and how they will look in our designs. The good news is that whatever your body shape, we have dresses to suit you. In case you are unsure of yours, below is a very brief summary of the four main types for the purposes of this blog:

Apple:

A rounder shape with the tummy being bigger than the bust, a flat bum.

Pear:

Smaller bust, small waist, heavier below the waist and upper thighs.

Hourglass:

Bigger bust, bigger hips, small waist and more generous thighs.

Column:

Often tall, with shoulders and hips being the same width. The waist isn’t obvious so the challenge is finding dresses that give shape.

SHOP DRESSES

Our top dresses for the apple body shape:

Hem length is a personal choice but if you like wearing a shorter dress, the Dori Linen Dress works well because of its open neckline, looser waist and straight shape. It comes in a wide variety of colours to suit most skin types. If you prefer a longer length dress, then the Alisha and Samara linen styles work well for apples. The Alisha has a lower neckline to break up the bust area and falls loosely over the tummy to the mid-calf. The Samara works well for the same reasons.

For a printed option, the Sophia Shirt Dress comes in a variety of beautiful colours and will work well on an apple figure as will the Mila Shirt Tunic. 

Our top dresses for the pear body shape:

Pear shapes look good in dresses that fit the upper half of the body and flow over the lower half, minimising the hip area. At Aspiga, we have a wide variety of styles that fit the bill:

Starting with any of our wrap dresses, these styles celebrate the top half of the body and skim easily over the bottom half. Try the Lucy Maxi Dress for a soft print with subtle splits in the skirt. The Carmela Midi Sundress comes in slightly at the waist and then flows gently out to mid-calf length. The Georgia Midi Dress has a v neck top, with a more fitted waist and a high low skirt shape. For shorter dresses, the Lenu would be a great option and for a more dressed up occasion, the Stella, Brandy, Kara and Lexi Embroidered Cotton Dress are all great options. The Lagoa Midi Dress is a pretty shape, with a seam under the bust and then flowing to above the knee, decorated with sequins and a very elegant sleeve shape. The Mila Shirt Tunic is another great day dress/beach cover up option.

Our top dresses for the column bodyshape:

Columns are lucky in that they can wear most styles; their challenge is in finding dresses that define the waist. Belted shirt dresses such as the Linen Midi Shirt Dress or the Kendal Maxi Shirt Tunic which comes in at the waist will help to give shape. The Alba midi dress is a simple day dress that has a tie waist.

The Lola Embroidered Cotton Dress has pretty embroidered detail and a tie waist to give definition. The Lemon Floral Maxi Dress again has a tie at the waist to give shape and pretty tiers that give gentle volume around the skirt. The Vienna Chiffon Dress has a very soft silhouette and a seam at the waist.

The St Tropez ¾     Halter Dress is another great option as the top has removable padded cups to add shape and the dress comes in under the bust. It can be worn for both day and night with some more funky accessories.

Our top dresses for the hourglass shape:

Last but not least, the hourglass shape works well in shapes that show off the bust, elongate the waist area and skim the hips. Wrap styles are an obvious choice and include the Lucy Maxi Dress with its soft print with subtle splits in the skirt. The Carmela Midi Sundresscomes in slightly at the waist and then flows gently out to mid-calf length. The Georgia Midi Dress has a v neck top, comes in at the waist and flows down to mid-calf length at the front. The Lilla Bandeau Maxi Dress works well for anyone with a medium size bust as does the Sonia Embroidered Midi Dress.

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