Designed & stocked in the UK
Pentlebay is based in Hertfordshire in the UK. All Pentlebay clothes are designed & stocked in the UK.

Fashion tips

Top 5 ways to flatter your shape

Outfit inspiration to flatter your shape

Have you ever wondered what you should be wearing to flatter your figure? Or are you un-inspired by your usual “go-to” outfit choices? Sound familiar? We’re here to help!

We’ve put together a list of 5 handy tips & tricks to consider when you next take a look at your wardrobe or (more excitingly!) when you next decide to purchase online! Feel free to mix ‘n’ match these tips based on your style, body shape and personality. Enjoy…

1) Identify shape & styles that are figure flattering

As we all know; fashion trends are ever-changing and it can sometimes be difficult to know how best to adapt them for our own individual figures. So, why not first of all identify if you’re a pear / hourglass / apple / athletic shape? There are multiple guides and tips across the web on this, but here are just a few dress style suggestions to get you started:

  • Pear shape: Try wearing “Fit & Flare” dresses
  • Hourglass shape: Try belted dresses (or add a belt!) …in shirt, wrap and fit and flare silhouette styles
  • Apple shape: Try smock or swing dress styles
  • Athletic shape: Try cinched waist dresses or dresses with embellishment or ruching 

2) Colour curate your wardrobe to suit your shape

Colour plays a hugely important part in fashion design & styling and some colours suit certain body shapes more than others. It’s generally thought that black is the most slimming colour to wear, followed by other darker colours such as brown, blue, grey and purple. Brighter and bolder colours are known to draw attention, so if you want to accentuate your favourite features why not wear bright colours (where suits) and then dark neutral colours when you want to downplay. Or if you’re wanting to make your figure look more curvy, white and other light colours are great for this.

3) Accessorise, accessorise, accessorise!

You can flatter your figure with fabulous accessories such as belts, necklaces, handbags and scarfs. Belts are a great way to break up the colours/prints of your outfit, highlight your waist, accentuate your curves and adapt the fit of nearly every item in your wardrobe. Whatever your shape, belts can become your new best friend and can be worn in so many ways! Scarves are also extremely versatile and can convey different looks to suit your fancy. Did you know that scarves worn loose are thought to elongate the neck and give you an overall elegant look.

4) Treat yourself to a little black dress

Say hello to Coco Chanel’s timeless classic – ‘the little black dress’. As Karl Lagerfeld once said “One is never over-dressed or under-dressed with a Little Black Dress.” – which we think sums up the LBD just perfectly! So, if you haven’t already got one, what are you waiting for?! The LBD will never disappoint, it will be your BFF – adding a splash of everyday glamour to your wardrobe and, (as we mentioned earlier), black is a slimming colour too! What more could you want? 😊

Check out our Pocket Dress in Black

Little Black Dress
Striped t-shirt

5) Wear (and earn!) your stripes

Although often understated, a striped top should be (and often is!) a staple go-to item in every woman’s wardrobe. This classic tee can be as chic, “going outy”, or casual as you like; depending on how you wear and style it. It’s widely thought (and previous research has shown), that wearing vertical stripes can make you look taller and slimmer. However, if we apply the Helmholtz illusion, it is horizontal stripes that are actually more slimming. The jury may be out on this, but one thing that we do know is that we LOVE a good stripe!

Check out our Red Stripe Cap Sleeve Tee

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