Personal Stylist Los Angeles

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BY CATHERINE CASSIDY

Women want to be you and men want to be with you. Aren’t you lucky! You’re part of the 8% of women who actually have an hourglass body type. The rest of us are simply trying to create the illusion.

Your body is curvaceous with a full bust, defined waist and full hips. You gain weight very evenly, so you always maintain your shape.A few famous Hourglass celebs:

Marilyn MonroeHalle Berry

Their keys to successful style:
Accentuate the waist
No empires! They hide your shape. You should look for wrapJessica Biel dresses and tailored jackets. Jackets should hit at the waist or just below the bottom for the correct proportions. Otherwise, you cut off your fab figure and you want to elongate it! The same goes for sweaters – cardigans or pullovers should hit at the waist or just below the bottom. Check out where Jessica Biel’s gorgeous jacket hits (and subtly shows off her fab figure!). PS. I want her hair!

Once more, I’ll also encourage a belt. Though, for the hourglass figure, a slim belt at the waist is more flattering than a wide one. This is because you’re not trying to create a waist, you already have one!

Skirts to the knee
To avoid cutting yourself off, skirts and dresses should hit at least mid thigh. Anything else shortens your proportions and you’ll look stocky instead of curvy. No!

A skirt to the knee, a la Halle’s, perfectly accentuates your curvaceous body.

Streamline your look
When possible, avoid breaking up your figure by wearing dresses or monotone outfits. Otherwise, you have to create the streamlined look such as adding a belt at the waist to tie the top and bottom pieces of your outfit together.

A wide leg easily balances out your straight frame to give you those elusive curves. With this volume you on bottom, you want a fitted top (possibly tucked in and with a belt!) or jacket.

V-necks
Show off your bountiful bust (subtly, of course) with a v-neck. They also elongate your look to make you look nice and slim and draws attention to your perfectly proportioned curves. Avoid turtlenecks as they close you off and make you look heavier than you are because of your Kate Winsletbust.

Another advantage to v-necks is that they highlight the collarbone, one of the most attractive feminine attributes. And everyone’s collarbone looks great, so it’s easy to show off and make yourself feel slim and sexy!

Flaunt your Assets
Wear clothes that fit! It sounds simple, but some women are afraid of their curves and the attention they bring. This is when you wear a tailored jacket or a shift dress that skims your body, while still showing off your curves … just not totally flaunting them. Now, when you really want to work it, something like this gorgeous LBD Kate Winslet is wearing is perfect for you. Just smile and say ‘thank you’ to every compliment you get!

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BY CATHERINE CASSIDY

Apple might be one of the more frustrating body types. Especially when you gain weight, as the majority of it hits your waistline.

Your body has it’s narrowest point above the natural waist, at the ribs. You also probably have pretty rockin’ legs!

A few celebs with Apple bodies:

Catherine Zeta JonesJessica Simpson


Their keys to successful style:


Create the Illusion of a Waist
Empire waists are perfect for apple bodied women. Your rib cage is your sm
Jennifer Hudsonallest part, so this is the best asset to accentuate (aside from your legs!) to create the hourglass illusion of a waist.

The second best for you are wrap tops and dresses. These don’t fit too tight and the way they wrap across your body creates the look of a beautiful waist and perfect curves.

Remember: No matter your size, it’s all about balancing proportions to create the look of that perfect hourglass ideal shape (which, by the way, only about 2% of women have the luxury of flaunting).

Add a belt
Here I go again! But, yes, a wide belt at the waist works to create your waist. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but trust me! If you’re not comfortable wearing a belt just yet, try a belted jacket (and if even that’s too much for you, simply a tailored jacket).

Joie Tunic

Lengthen the Torso
Wear tops that fit your figure – skimming the body. Definitely not tight, but not too loose either. Ideally, this includes a v-neck as well as a bit of tailoring to keep a shape and structure. This tunic from Joie is an excellent example.

Dark on Top
Wearing darker colors on top is an instantly slimming trick. Of course, this means you have to work your legs – so accentuate those great legs in lighter color skirts, pants, and denim. You have the luxury of wearing whatever color you want on bottom b/c you have such great stems.

A-line Dresses & Skirts
Goes back to three things I’ve highlighted – skimming your top half, empire waists, and accentuating your great legs. Need I say more?

Skinny Pants
Be careful of wearing anything too skinny as you’ll look out of proportion, but you can wear the skinny pant with boots look quite well. Or, skinny pants with great, chunky heels. But please, no skinny legs with flats. It just looks like you have chicken legs! Instead, definitely look for slim fitting or straight leg pants that, again, accentuate your great legs.

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A Guide to Loving the One You’re WITH!

BY CATHERINE CASSIDY

This fabulous picture to the right is my best friend and I inHS Lacrosse our high school lacrosse uniforms (yes, as much as I love clothes, I do love sports as well!). This is relevant because I still distinctly remember the first time I tried on my kilt and how I felt.

I literally cried.

I was SO upset because it made my butt look big.

Now, to put this into context, I was wearing a size 4-6 at that time of my life (at 5′6″), which is by no means anything to be upset about!

So, really I had nothing to be upset about. I was healthy and fit and had a great shape. Yet, all I could focus on was my butt and how it looked in the kilt.

Fast forward to more than 10 years later and I’m just now loving my body and my shape. Seriously, it’s really just in the last year that I’ve stopped obsessing over my weight, what I ate for the day and getting in a workout.

It probably didn’t help working in the corporate world of Fashion where I pretty much ignored some of the trends (try stuffing my curves into skinny jeans? ha!).

Though, it was ignoring those trends and re-working them to fit my style and my body type that ultimately led me to an acceptance of my curves.

This is a quick guide to help you identify your body type with a few overarching tips for dressing your best. Each week, I will go into further detail for each body type with examples and new ideas.

In no time, you’ll be dressing your absolute best!

Pear
Your body is fuller at the hips and rear, and smaller on top.Wear darker colors on bottom and draw attention to your slimmer top half. Try dresses with fitted open-neck or strapless tops enhance your upper body and draw the eye up, while full or A-line skirts help hide wider hips.

Apple
Your body has it’s narrowest point above the natural waist, at the ribs.Bring the focus up to your collarbone and rib cage by adding neck details. Take advantage of the fuller blouse trend to draw the eye up, taking attention away from the middle and allowing a looser fit. Full skirts and A-line styles create an hourglass illusion.

Straight

Your body has little definition between bust, waist and hip measurements.Create curves by adding a belt over a sweater or flowing top. Fitted sheath dresses play up your lines, while babydolls and A-line styles will also help create some curves. Look for jackets, sweaters and dresses that have details that create curves and interest.

Hourglass
Your body is curvaceous, with full bust, defined waist and full hips.Work the curves in clothes that fit. An advantage to this shape is that no matter your size, hourglass can work it! Wear those belts and fitted tops. Choose clothes that skim your curves rather than hug them too tight. Wraps, knits and dresses with fitted waists enhance your classically feminie form. Look for adjustible-waist styles for the best fi

Full Bust
Your bust measurement is fuller than hips and rear.Do not add bulk to try and hide it! And definitely do not wear anything high-necked. That just accentuates your bust. U-necks, V-necks and halters draw the eye dowward for a slimming effect. A-line styles, full skirts and details at the hem help balance out the bottom half.

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