How to Dress for an Hourglass Body Shape

How do I determine if I am an hourglass body type?

If you’re not sure you have an hourglass body shape, be sure to read my previous post about determining your body shape and fill out the form below to access the body shape quiz. If you already know that you have an hourglass body shape, keep reading below.

Today’s post is about the hourglass figure. Much like the rectangle and the oval, this body type is already balanced because an hourglass body shape has a bust/shoulders that are within a 5% difference of the hips and the waist is well-defined being at least 25% smaller.

The ultimate goal for this body type is to maintain balance between the upper and lower portions of the body and to emphasize the narrowness of the waist. One of your best “go to styling tricks” is to tuck in your shirts or leave your shirt out and put a belt around it. 

Silhouette

The hourglass body type can pull off many different silhouettes. The sheath, fit and flare, trumpet,bellshaped and mermaid are just some of the silhouettes you can toy with. As an hourglass shape, you’ll want to avoid boxy or shapeless styles that hide your figure. These tend to appear to add pounds to your frame.

Line

​Vertical lines will elongate the figure and make it look thinner while horizontal lines will make the figure look wider. You can use these tools to either play down your curves or play them up. Using vertical lines in the waist section will make your waist look narrower while using horizontal lines at the bust and the hips would really exaggerate the difference.

Pattern

Use pattern in proportion to your frame. If you have a small frame, be careful to not wear patterns that are too large. You can use pattern in just one area of your body or an all-over pattern. If you use pattern to add visual weight to one area of the body, make sure you counter it evenly on the other half to maintain balance. Keep in mind that solid blocks of color carry visual weight too. Although your body is balanced, I would still caution you to use horizontal direction patterns wisely. They could undo the effect of your defined waist and make you look boxy

Texture

Using fabric texture is a great way to add visual weight to your shoulders and hips. Use textiles that advance like those with a pile or sheen to create curves. Use matte or dull textures at the waist to make it appear smaller. If you would rather play down your curves, stick to matte or dull textures all over.

​Color

If you wear one color from head to toe, you will look longer and thinner. If you wear a pure, bright or light color, it will advance or look larger and be a more dominant element in the design of your outfit. Deeper, darker colors will recede or look smaller. Remember, all seasons have their own versions of bright, light, deep and pure colors. So whether you’re a Summer, Spring, Autumn or Winter, you still have a variety of types of colors to choose from. 

Proportion

​If you want to play up your curves, you can follow the same rules of the rectangle. You can’t always pull off styles with the same degree of added volume that a rectangle can, but you can add SOME fullness. To play up your curves, look for shirt hems that end at the widest part of your hips as well as horizontal details at the shoulders of your garments. If you want to play down your curves, opt for leaner, elongating styles with vertical elements. You’re ideal pant and skirt rise is your natural waist because it is the narrowest part of your body. Where every the waist of your pants or shorts hit you will be a focal point.

Now let’s look as some recommendations for different garment types that will flatter your figure.

Kim’s Recommendations for the Hourglass Body Shape

Outerwear

Here is a classic flared trench from Amazon that is certain to flatter any hourglass figure. The shoulders and hips are balanced and the waist is accentuated with a belt. If you’re starting a capsule wardrobe, invest in a classic trench. You can wear it for decades and no one will know because it’s such a perfect classic staple. I suggest getting one in one of your neutral colors: black, brown, khaki, camel, or navy.

Here is a fun statement piece from Amazon you can add to your wardrobe. The design elements of the jacket are balanced at the shoulder and the hip. The sash/belt doesn’t break up the vertical lines, but it still cinches it in at the waist showing off your hourglass figure.

Tops

Feminine blouses, like this one from Amazon, suit your figure better than boxy ones. This blouse offers some options. Leaving it untucked gives a more casual look, but tucking it in gives that instant waist definition.

Peplum tops, like this one from Amazon, not only work for rectangle and inverted triangle figures, but they work for hourglass figures as well. Anything that is fitted at the waist is a win for the hourglass. I just love this coral pink color of this top. I think I need to add this one to my collection!

Dresses

Sheath dresses are always a home run for the hourglass body type. This one from Amazon is no exception. Sheath dresses are nipped in at the waist so you don’t get lost in excess ease around the middle. This one has the appearance of a belt. The slight color blocking around the arms and down the sides is also a nice touch.

If you’re an hourglass figure that wears dresses, the wrap dress is another must have silhouette for you (snag the one in the picture with this link). While the sheath dress has a professional look and feel, the wrap dress can vary from professional, to fun, frilly and flirty. Check out this lighthearted color with a floral print.

Pants

Can I say “at your natural waist” again? I hope so, because I’m going to say it at least 4 more times. Check out these cute, wide-ish leg pants that hit at your natural waist. These jeans from Amazon have some interesting detail at the waist so they won’t make your rise look abnormally long and just a tad bit of fading adds some interest. They seem to fit more like a denim trouser than a pair of jeans.

Here is another pair of at waist slacks (also from Amazon) that would be perfect for an hourglass body shape. The waist hits at the right spot, the waistband is wide, so the length of the rise is broken up a little bit. They are pretty straight-legged but have a slight flare from the mid-calf down so they create sort of a barely boot cut look. These slacks come in several different colors. There is at least one color for each of the seasons, so be sure and click on the picture to check them out.

Skirts

One of my favorite pieces is the pencil skirt (snag this one on Amazon). Again look for skirts that hit at the natural waist. I really love the origami look of the details on the hip of this skirt. To maintain balance, remember to pair this with a top that creates a little extra visual weight at the bust or the shoulders. Balance could also be maintained with a statement necklace.

Look at this super cute A-line skirt (add this one to your wardrobe from Amazon). This one comes in so many cute prints. If skirts are your thing, you have to check out all the super cute prints they have in this style on Amazon. This style has kind of a retro vibe, which is kind of my thing, but it’s also very much a classic that will still be in style for years to come. You can dress it up with pumps or dress it down with sneakers.

Lastly, I hope this has been a useful guide to help you select some optimal pieces for your wardrobe that will suit your body and your style. If none of the things are your style, add a comment below. I’d love to help you find things that suit not only your body, but your personal style as well. Any of the pictures above will take you to the product page. You can also follow the hourglass section of my body shape Pinterest board.