Dress for Your Silhouette

Here at Micro-Closet, we are a sister duo that bears a resemblance to one another. From the neck down, we are quite different but we follow the same principle: dress to flatter your shape.   When you have limited space as we do, you should fill it only with pieces that suit your figure to maximize efficiency.  While Claire is a prime example of the “hour glass” shape, I am personally somewhere between that and the “pear” shape.  This has not stopped us from buying identical pieces on more than one occasion, but we both have different lists of what works for our shape and what we need to stay away from.  These are not strict rules, but we believe they can be useful to those out there with similar figures. 

The first step to finding your silhouette is establishing which part of your body is the narrowest and which is the widest.   Although this might not sound like a motivating task, it can help establish what styles can succeed on your body and which should be avoided.  When I look in the mirror, I see a leaner upper body with wider hips and shorter legs compared to the rest of the women in my family, hence the previously mentioned “pear” shape title.  What does this mean for clothes?  It means I dress to draw attention from my hips and enhances my shoulders and bust.  These styles that are my friends and foes:

Tops:                        Bottoms:                    Avoid:

-flowy                      -ankle jeans                -wide leg pants 

-form fitting             -A-line skirts              -form fitting skirts

-off the shoulder      -leggings

-tunics                      -skinny jeans

This short and basic list reveals how much freedom I have when picking a top and how limited I can be when it comes to the bottom.  Wide leg pants are a natural enemy due to how that I where I am my widest, why accentuate that?  Bottoms are also incredibly difficult to find in stores because of how my legs are short compared to other women of my height (5’5”.)  I’ve made a rule for myself of only purchasing bottoms in person in a store, instead of online. 

Hilary in a form fitting sweater and A-line skirt.

When Claire looks in the mirror she sees an hourglass; her bust and hips are proportional and her waist is significantly narrower. She dresses to accentuate her waist, the narrowest part of her body, while slimming her bust and hips.  Her friends and foes are:

Tops:                                         Bottoms:                       Avoid:

-Wrap tops and dresses          -Full skirts                      -Boxy clothes

-V-neck tops                            -High-waist denim         -Halter tops

-Nipped waist blouses            -Wide leg trousers         -Off the shoulders

-Belted jackets                        -Belts (!)                        

Claire in a wrap dress

Although these are our personal lists the basic concept is to pick pieces that accentuate the narrowest part of your body and are kind to the widest part it.   We know the key to a successful micro-closet is to make every piece of clothing count:  determine your shape, make a list of flattering cuts, and fill your space with those pieces.