Guest Blog | Dressing for Your Body Type

Written by guest blogger, Julia Diggins

​I’ve always been interested in “fashion.” I put that in quotes, because I’m not sure the blue corduroy jumper I picked out for my first day of kindergarten, with my super short haircut, actually qualifies as high-quality and tasteful. Shopping with my mom and thinking about how you can pair different things, how to stand out (in a good way), stay comfortable, and how to transfer the latest Hollywood fashions to not look ridiculous in Wisconsin have all been things I’ve loved as long as I can remember. I loved the “Shop ‘til you Drop Shirt” I got when I was about five. I like to think that my interest in clothing has developed over the years. It’s no longer so much about standing out, but more about finding the right things that make me feel good.

Last August, I expanded my love for fashion by starting my own LuLaRoe business. What fuels my passion for it the most is helping women feel good about what they are wearing—both in terms of comfort and how it makes them look. In this regard two lessons have been continually hammered home: 1) Every single woman on the planet, whether a size 0 or 30 or somewhere in between, all have parts of their body they don’t love. Their own personal “problem areas” as they say. And 2) That dressing in clothes that both fit and flatter you and your individual style will look best, no matter if you are tall, short, thin, fat or whatever other adjective you can think of to describe your size.

Exhibit A

Consider Exhibit A.
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What do you see when you look at this picture of me? (Wait, don’t answer that out loud, I don’t want to know!) My big stomach, right? It must be because that is what I can’t stop staring at every time I look at it. But, I bet that’s not what you saw, is it? We’ve always heard that what we see in the mirror is distorted but I never really believed that until I started selling clothing and watching and listening to women as they shop for something that will make them feel confident.

​I witness women off all shapes and sizes obsess about things that no one else notices! “My butt looks too big in this!” “Oh, I could never wear that, I’m too _______ (fill in the blank) “short” “tall” “fat” “thin”! “You’re sure this shirt doesn’t need to be:_____ (fill in the blank) longer, shorter, more fitted, etc. I could give countless examples of the self-deprecating things we say when we are trying on clothes. Don’t even get me going on swimsuit shopping! And, like I mentioned, we all do it. And there is no magic size or shape where you will ever stop thinking you need to make some body parts different, or better in some way.

So, how does one get past obsessing about certain body misgivings? I’m not sure with the culture we live in that truly getting past it is possible. However, I’ve found most friends and family to be completely honest when telling you how something looks. So, my advice would be to believe them. As you stare at your stomach (or whatever part you don’t like about your body), remind yourself that you are seeing a distorted image that looks way worse to you than it does to those around you.

The part you can control, though, is finding clothes that are the right fit for your body shape to give you the most confidence. Confidence will always be the best accessory, so it’s important to find the right clothes to make you feel good.

There are two main principles to dressing for your body type. The first is simple and the second a bit more complicated.

1. Wearing clothes that fit is most important. Shoving your body into something that is a​ size smaller just so you can say you wear a size “medium” instead of a “large” might make your psyche feel slightly better, but it will not make you look better. Conversely, wearing something baggy just because you think it hides that “pooch” you have is equally as unflattering. Don’t even get me started on pants that are way too long! You must be willing to try on clothing until you find what fits you. That is what will look best.
2. The second principle is more difficult and that is finding clothes that flatter your own personal body. We all come in different shapes and sizes and finding clothes that both fit, but also flatter, is important. Take a look at this picture of various dress styles that I sell in my clothing line. Are there a few people that look good in all of them? (Probably, but believe me, they don’t believe it.) Most of us, however, have different styles that will flatter our particular body shape best. And, it’s not always what you might think.

Julia: (The name is perfect, wouldn’t you say?)
The Julia is a t-shirt style dress that has a higher neckline and is cut straight throughout the body and lands right at the knee. Folks often think that Julia would be best for stick thin women who have no belly. While this fit will definitely flatter someone with a slight figure, it is also very well-suited for women who are well-endowed, or have a body that
has fewer curves and is a similar size on top as on bottom, even if that is a larger size. I’ve seen this dress flatter some women who almost won’t even try it on because they are worried about the shape.

Nicole:
The Nicole is classic silhouette with a fitted bodice and a full skirt. The Nicole also has fitted arms and a scoop neck. Because of it’s fitted top and full skirt, it is very flattering on women with narrower waists (read “I carry weight in my hips.”). The neckline is also flattering for well-endowed ladies and the fitted arm is perfect for ladies who have arms
worth hugging.

Amelia:
Amelia is a somewhat similar shape as the Nicole, but flatters a different body because of the fullness created by the pleats and the different arm shape. Contrary to what you might think, Amelia is very flattering on women who carry weight in the lower-tummy. (Read, “I’ve given birth and no amount of sit-ups is going to get rid of this pooch.) The
waist hits a little higher than the Nicole, which means the pleats completely mask any extra in that area. Often I hear women say that they can’t do anything with extra material where they carry their weight. In concept that makes sense. However, the pleats and flow serve to cover that area in a way that deceptively makes it look like it’s
the material that is making it “puffier” there.

Ana:
Ana is a long skirt, with a very similar cut to the Nicole. Ana will work well on the same folks I mentioned in Nicole; however, I do want to say one other thing about Ana. Long dresses are not only suited for tall people. Although tall women can wear an Ana, she can actually serve to lengthen the appearance of those of us on the shorter end of the
spectrum. If a dress is too long for your legs, you can always have it hemmed, but almost everyone can wear a long dress. The one exception is very tall women with longer bodices and shorter legs in comparison. In this case, a long skirt is a better solution than a dress.
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To find the best fit for your bod you must: try new things, ask for opinions, stop body shaming yourself in the mirror, and seek out advice of those of us who relish this kind of thing. And, find ways to highlight the parts of your body you love the most: Have strong, muscular arms? Find shirts with fitted sleeves or tank tops! Have Carrie Underwood
calves? Rock those shorts and cowboy boots. How about Kim Kardashian booty? Find that form fitting dress that hugs in all the right places and is forgiving in the rest. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, has stuff to show off. The trick is in finding yours and then finding the right thing to make it pop!

My favorite thing about selling LuLaRoe is the chance to help people feel good about themselves and what they are wearing. Please join my group Facebook page at LuLaRoe Julia Diggins for more styling tips or contact me for private shopping experience!