Designs for the hourglass figure

The hourglass figure is seeing a return on our screens: Mad Men is one of the current television shows that are responsible for this new ‘trend’. This means that designers will soon be more forgiving of women who have ample curves. This translates into a flood of new designs that can liven up the wardrobes and lives of our curvier folk.

In the meantime, there are many ways to draw attention to an hourglass figure, which is one of the figures that most women would love to have. It is, after all, an indication that everything is in proportion. The hips and the shoulders have the same dimensions and the tummy area demands jackets that accentuate it.

The most important part of any woman’s outfit is her underwear, most notably the bra. This wardrobe staple dictates how the rest of the outfit looks. The right bra can transform nearly any outfit to goddess proportions.

Dresses

Dresses are any hourglass’ perfect companion, no matter the season or the reason.  Dresses that hug, not hide, the curves work wonders on these figures so go for empire-style dresses and anything that focuses the attention on the waist area. Use a belt to add some more definition to any dress. One of the best ever dresses for the hourglass figure is the wrap dress. This draws the attention to the upper body instead of the typical problem area – the thighs.

Pencil skirts

Skirts in and of themselves are great to play with but pencil skirts are any curvy lady’s best friend. These skirts work well at showcasing the hip and waist ratio. This helps to give a silhouette that is successful at pleasing everyone’s eyes.

Another skirt style that may look good on an hourglass figure is that of the A-line skirt. Just be sure that the skirt be fitted around the waist and hips.

Trousers

Do not wear trousers that are too baggy as this can just translate into looking frumpy. Try to wear trousers in darker colours. This need not be black, as not all women look good when they wear this colour. Wear pants that are straight legged – boyfriend jeans spring to mind – or just slightly flared.

General tips

Try to sneak in a belt wherever possible. This will add some definition to your waist and it will also pull your outfit together. V-necks are a great investment: buy dresses and tops with v-necks as these flatter your neckline.

Get thee to a tailor: shop-bought clothes only look good on a small percentage of people. The rest of us have to keep a tailor’s number on our speed-dials.