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How to Find Your Winning Style

Written by: Ariane Sylvain Montréal - December 17, 2018

As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, the clothes you choose to wear are a direct reflection of your personality. It’s therefore important to carefully select your fashion pieces and accessories.

However, I know that following trends, honouring your silhouette, and working to develop your unique style is no easy feat. But I promise, it’s inevitable that after a few (or many) fashion mishaps, you’ll find the key pieces that let your personality shine through and the cuts that most flatter your figure – vavavoom!

This is where I come into play. Girls, here are my top tips to help you shop in stores or online:

1- Make sure you choose clothes that flatter your silhouette/figure.

 

Hourglass or X Silhouette
Upper and lower body with similar proportions. Small waist. You have a harmonious and balanced silhouette.

Tip: know how to highlight your shape and small waist. To do so, choose clothes with belted cuts and flowy materials. Showcasing your waist with a cinched belt is always a winning idea.

Celebrities who can inspire you: Sienna Miller, Nicole Richie, and Kendall Jenner.

Rectangle or H Silhouette
Long and slender silhouette. Your shoulders and hips are aligned. Your waist isn’t very defined and your chest is small.

Tip: opt for straight cuts that will lengthen your figure. Choose flared pieces, prints, and bright colours for your bottoms to create the illusion of curves around the hip and bum area. Another tip: wear low-waisted pants or skirts and flowy dresses belted at the hips.

Celebrities who can inspire you: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kate Moss, and Victoria Beckham.

Round or O Silhouette
Curvy women. Small shoulders, a generous chest, a small waist, wide hips, and a sizeable bum.

Tip: be bold with your necklines! Avoid clothes that are cut too wide. Opt for pieces that hug your curves (but say no to tight, shiny, and stretchy materials). As for colours, monochrome outfits with dark tops and bottoms are recommended to make you look slimmer. Add joy and personality to your outfits with accessories!

Celebrities who can inspire you: Adele and Nikki Blonsky.

Inverted Pyramid or V Silhouette
The V-shaped silhouette is most seen in athletic women: wide, square shoulders, small hips, and thin legs.

Tip: highlight your legs, your main asset! How? Opt for jeans and tight pants. Choose printed and bright bottoms. For your tops, favour V-necks. Forget tight tops, quote t-shirts, and horizontal stripes.

Celebrities who can inspire you: Cameron Diaz, Pink, and Zoe Saldana.

Pyramid or A Silhouette
The most common silhouette among women. Shoulders narrower than hips. Generous or petite chest. Smaller or larger waist.

Tip: choose V-necks, patterns, and bright colours. Also, opt for voluminous tops, which will help balance your silhouette and give the illusion of smaller hips. As for bottoms, choose flared shapes and dark colours that will slim down your hips and bum.

Celebrities who can inspire you: Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, and Eva Mendes.

B Silhouette
Very similar to the X shape, but with more curves. Shoulders and hips are the same width. Defined waist, generous bust, and sizeable bum.

Tip: to enhance your chest, choose shirts that are belted or have a décolletage. Wrap tops and dresses as well as flowy materials worn close to the body are always winners. For bottoms, go with high waisted skirts and pants.

Celebrities who can inspire you: Marilyn Monroe, Scarlett Johansson, and Kim Kardashian.

2- Choose clothes that resemble you.
Before undergoing a dramatic makeover, take the time to carefully think about the style of clothing that suits you best. Do a little brainstorming. What message do you want to project to the world? To help you, look at what your favourite celebs are wearing. Create an inspiration board on Pinterest! Be careful, the goal isn’t to copy them, but to draw inspiration from them. Always keep in mind the recommendations related to your particular figure.

3- Adapt your style to your lifestyle: opt for comfort.
What does a typical day in the life look like? Choose clothes that you can wear every day. Comfort is key! Too often, money is thrown away for non-practical clothes and accessories that end up gathering dust in your wardrobe! If you’re dreaming of a beautiful shimmering dress seen on your favourite star, consider renting clothes (reference to my article here).

And finally, I want to invite you to step out of your comfort zone every now and then. Dare to be bold and try different things in your search for the perfect pieces. Too often, we limit ourselves to what we’re used to, to what we already have in our closet.

When planning to go shopping, be sure to give yourself tons of time. Wear comfortable shoes and easy-to-remove clothes to make trying on pieces more fun and enjoyable. Invite a friend who will give you an honest opinion and make sure to leave your pride at home!

Does this all seem like a confusing puzzle to you? Don’t panic and refer to your favourite stylist for help https://www.arianesylvain.com/.

xox Ari

Written by:

Ariane Sylvain

Styliste montréalaise, Ariane Sylvain a un instinct pour les tendances et un style distinctif. Sa signature est sans contredit l’audace de défier les conventions. Pour elle, la mode est une forme d’art, un moyen d’exprimer sa personnalité et de s’amuser. Reconnue pour son talent naturel, sa créativité, son ouverture d’esprit et son entregent, Ariane est sollicitée pour des séances photos, des productions télévisées, des tapis rouges et du stylisme personnel. Elle veille principalement à toutes les tenues de Marina depuis maintenant quatre ans. Elles partagent ensemble la même vision de la mode et forment ainsi un duo solide et explosif qui ne laisse personne indifférent.

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xox

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