How To Dress The Hourglass Body Type

I’m having a lot of fun with these posts! Today we’re looking at the Hourglass Body Type. This is the body type that is full of curves. I can’t help but picture Marilyn Monroe when I think of the Hourglass shape.

How-to-dress-the-hourglass-body-type

Here are the characteristics of the Hourglass Body Type. Do any of these describe you? (Added weight to this body type can give you the appearance of the apple body type.)

  • The bust and hip are approximately the same size
  • You have a defined waistline
  • A round bottom and you’re generally curvy all over.

How To Dress The Hourglass Body Type

{source}

Here are some guidelines on what the hourglass body type can wear. Remember these are only guidelines and they’re a good starting point.

  • Wear a good fitting bra
  • Opt for flat front boot cut trousers, preferably with some stretch
  • Wear darker colors on top to make your chest appear smaller.
  • A good rule of thumb is to keep the top relatively simple, and smooth
  • Choose tailored single breasted jackets with defined V-necklines.
  • Dresses are your friend! Wrap dresses are perfect for you because they create a V on the neckline and tailor the midriff
  • Flat-front, mid-rise, wide waist-band, boot-cut jeans are the obvious flattering choice
  • You can wear skinny or straight legs if you match them with A-line tunics, dresses and heels
  • Belted coats with a V neck line. Think classic trench coat

Clothes for the hourglass body type to avoid:

  • Straight shapes that hide your waist
  • Fussy styles and details that create additional volume around your bust, tummy, or thighs
  • Boxy jackets, or double breasted style jackets
  • High necklines such as a turtleneck

Here are some clothes that would work for the Hourglass Body Type. All these pieces can be found at Macy’s and I added them to my Fashion Over 40 Pinterest Board.

hourglass-body-type

Are you the hourglass body type? What do you find that works great for this shape?

Here are the other body types we’ve talked about:

Beauty For the Heart~~Would you change the way you live if you knew that every word and thought would be examined by God first? As you begin each day, determine that God’s love will guide what you say and how you think?

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

Have a blessed day!

leave a comment...

  1. Like many of those who have already commented, I’ve often wondered what shape I actually fit into and what clothing styles are attractive.
    I love this website and it will help me sort through my clothing to find
    only those items worth hanging onto, and give clarity to what I should buy as replacements. Thank you!

  2. Thank you! I am so glad I found this post! I have been struggling to dress my body type (hourglass)! Your tips will help me figure it out. I feel so oddly proportioned and nothing ever seems to look right on me. I’m 41 and feeling frumpy. I find your posts encouraging. Thanks so much!

  3. I think I’m a combination of hourglass and pear, I have broad shoulders, not a large bust, but a bit of a bubble behind, curvy legs and hips….I stick to v-necks so my shoulders don’t look so broad, I like jeans and boots, but find that accentuates my hips and I don’t like that…..I find I look more balanced if I wear a bootcut jean and v-neck top, elongates my upper body and gives me more balance on my lower half.

  4. Thank you so much for including pictures of specific clothing pieces for each body type. Im always on the hunt for tops that will flatter my shape! Now I have a clearer picture of what to look for.

  5. It seems we all can fit somewhere into the hourglass figure. LOL
    I seem to have curves all over.. Nothing straight on me. LOL
    I see that I wear most of the clothes in the “good” list and just disagree with one area of the darker colors on top. I have always worn the darker on bottom so not to emphasize my waist which is my troublesome area for weight gain. I am happy with the figure God created for me, it just needs some minor shrinking in some areas 🙂 Thank you for this repeat of what shape are we. I’ve enjoyed it and a reminder of a few things I’ve forgotten about!

  6. I love your website! I’m a long-time apple that is becoming an hourglass again–haven’t seen my waist since my 20’s– and your page will help me choose flattering, appropriate pieces now that I’m 42! I’m headed to Pinterest to create my ‘new wardrobe’ board as we speak! Many thanks! xo

  7. Thanks for this post, Cyndi. I am a slim hourglass with a tendancy to put weight on around my tummy, grrrrrr! I am high waisted and long legged. I love empire waist tops because they elongate my torso, but it must not have too much volume. I love tunics over leggings as long as the tunic has a fitted waist, otherwise I wear a belt. I love sheath dresses also and skinny jeans, again with a slim fitting empire waist top. Like a lady who commented earlier, I can`t really wear tucked in tops with skirts as my waist is too high. I love my dresses!

  8. Hey girl! I have one more shape I’m going to share on Tuesday and I think that one may be you. You’ll have to tell me. But when you asked me to talk about different shapes it’s the one I picked you would be. 🙂
    Also, I checked with my web designer and she said if the pics aren’t showing up, you could have an outdated version of the browser or there’s some sort of filtering/virus software that is blocking images. I hope that helps!!
    Cyndi

  9. Describes me exactly. Rarily wear scarves as they take attention away from smaller waist. Fitted clothes with some stretch, nothing too stiff, definitely best!

  10. Hi Cyndi.

    Reading these posts has been fun. I love the other comments too! 🙂

    I am a slender hourglass with some pear tendencies. Is there such a thing? LOL My chest and hips are within an inch of being the same, and my waist is about 10″ smaller than my hips and 9 1/2″ smaller than my chest. As I said in another post, it all depends on my weight. If I am on the lowest end, I’m a slender hourglass. I am about 5 lbs. over my lightest right now, so my hips are a little wider than my chest, pushing me towards the pear tendencies. I wear what I like, mostly. My most flattering clothes include fitted clothing on top, and skinny, bootcut and straightleg bottoms. I do not like the wide leg pants, nor am I a big fan of wildly printed bottoms. The more fitted my clothes are, the more slender I look. When I try the tunic and leggings, I look much heavier. I don’t wear heels these days, but I live in boots, both tall and ankle…when I’m not in my gym clothes. 🙂

    Thanks for this series. It definitely gives me something to think about.

    I hope you have a fabulous Friday. I can’t wait to see your pins. 🙂

    Gina

  11. Thank you Cyndi! I’m going to Palm Springs with my husband next week on a business trip for him, relaxation trip for me and wanted something new to wear. I just ordered the cute blouse you showed, hopefully it will come in time (no store in my area has it).
    I’m an hourglass, with a large bust but I wear a good, minimizer bra, definitely my most important clothing item.

  12. Hi Cyndi,
    Is this one me??? I have been trying to figure out which one I am since you started the series I think this one best fits me. Let me know your thoughts if you have time! 🙂
    Also, I have had trouble all week viewing your pic’s….it could be my computer-I am at work ooops!!! Every girl vists blog land on a daily basis don’t that???

  13. This is me and v-necks truly are the best! As I lost weight it was great to see my hourglass form come back, as it had been with me for most of my life… It was fun to measure and watch the chest and hips size shrink in unison…In high school we measured for a home economics class and the teacher told myself and another girl that we had what was considered a perfect body shape(which I thought back then was a stupid term, cause perfection in human form is silly, but the fashion industry is messed up, as we all know!) with chest and hips the same and a 10 inch difference in waist… well, alas with age and chidlren that no longer holds true, but I hated the idea of perfection back then and love my imperfect hour glass figure… this series is wonderful because we do come in such different shapes and knowing how to dress the body we have is key to feeling good and standing tall in this world!

  14. Hourglass for me too! I do have a bit more hip so that make me a combo hourglass/pear. I would tend to take on the apple but a tummy tuck and breast lift two years ago made all the difference. A controversial move, I know, but I would do it again in a heart beat. I’ve loved this series, Cyndi! There has been tips from all shapes that I could use to help dress my shape more flatteringly. Thanks! Krista

  15. Oh yes, This is me all over…. hee hee I was thinking that I was an apple but with bigger hips, or a pear with bigger breasts….but this is it…both bigger hips and booty and breasts! I found me! LOL and to beat it all, I dress the same as most of the clothes recommended!! All accept for the bootcut legged jeans. I have never been much for that wide leg! but every thing else recommended, I do….the V neck, the single breasted coats and suit jackets, the skinny or straight legged jeans with tunics and so on….Just My Style…as you would say, Cyndi! Thanks for this post….I was beginning to think that I didn’t have a body type listed, with my D bra and my wide bottom! 🙂

  16. I am an hourglass shape and I have found all of the suggestions to be true. My favorite neckline is definitely v neck but deeper scoop necks also work well for me. I stay far away from crew necks. They are very unflattering on me. I would agree that dresses are my friend. Not only because of my hourglass shape but I am also short waisted. A blouse and skirt, especially when tucked in, often emphasize this. My favorite dress style would be a sheath dress. A sheath dress emphasize my waistline beautifully and they can be worn a number of ways. If I could have a closet full of them in all colors, I would be happy. The one item on your list which does not work for me is a tunic. I have never been able to wear them without feeling frumpy and short. I do think some taller girls might be able to pull it off, put only with some waist definition. I think one of the keys for dressing an hourglass shape is to always emphasize your waist.