The hourglass-shaped women are known for having the “ideal” curves. That said, it also comes with its unique challenges, and not every top looks equally good in your shape. This detailed guide will take a deep dive into your body features, especially your top half, and help you find the most flattering tops.
MAIN CONSIDERATIONS
Hourglass body shapes have very notable and balanced curves so it’s quite important to look for tops that will embrace those. In choosing the right top to suit your figure, you need to consider your balanced sloped shoulders, voluptuous full bust, and small waist.
Rounded Shoulders
Your shoulders are either slightly sloped or fully rounded, and they are in perfect balance with the width of your hips. They feature great symmetry which can be beautifully enhanced with tops that have a streamlined shoulder line structure.
Full Bust
One of the most coveted features of hourglass-shaped ladies is their full and well-shaped bustline. This also means that you have a prominent cleavage that can be your ensemble’s focal point if you go for the right neckline.
Small and Well-defined Waist
Your waistline has a very defined curve that becomes very apparent due to the fact that it’s way smaller compared to your upper and lower half. As this is also one of your figure’s best features, you need to make sure that you keep your waist cinched and defined by going for fitting seams or belts.
Tops come in varying styles, fits, and designs so when shopping for them, you need to take these three main considerations in mind. They always need to be enhanced, balanced, and highlighted.
FIT
The goal is to find shirts or blouses that provide a snug fit and a supportive hold on the natural curves of your upper body. Stay away from shapeless silhouettes because they will surely overwhelm the natural beauty of your hourglass figure.
Form-fitting
You have amazing curves so you always need to take full advantage of that! Form-fitting tops softly hug the curves of your hourglass figure, which helps bring the spotlight to your fuller bust and narrow waistline.
Because of its particularly curve-enhancing fit, these kinds of tops create a visually appealing and feminine silhouette that brings perfect balance to your form. The way they contour your upper body gives you a more polished look that’s easy to pair and layer with many of your wardrobe pieces.
Tailored
Just like form-fitting tops, the reason why a tailored fit is beneficial for hourglass body shapes is due to the fact that it can also embrace your natural curves. The slight difference is that tailored tops feature more prominent seams and lines inspired by a bespoke fit.
They may be less fitted compared to form-fitting tops, which is particularly present in tops or blouses of a more formal nature such as those you wear at work. A tailored fit usually uses strategic darting and shaping to provide a structured and contoured look and this can be essentially achieved through features like princess seams, darts, and cinched waistlines to accentuate the curves in a sophisticated manner.
STRUCTURE
Choosing the right structure when selecting tops for hourglass shapes is essential in a way that it plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance and proportion of the overall appearance of your hourglass body shape.
There are many different factors that have a significant impact on the overall structure of a particular top. Basically, you need to consider the seams, darts, detailing, and their specific placements on the garment.
The goal is to choose a structure that doesn’t bunch up on areas where a flawless definition is present, such as your bust line and waist. Tops that cinch your waist such as peplum or wrap are some of the ideal structures that you can go for.
SLEEVES
Since you have well-balanced, rounded shoulders and potentially toned arms, you’ll need tops that feature sleeves that aren’t too voluminous and dramatic. It’s ideal to go for sleeves that look more polished and minimalistic.
Three-fourths
¾ sleeves hit at the right length of your arms where it’s not too distracting or overwhelming. They typically end midway between your elbow and wrist which is usually at the same level as your waist.
As the sleeves end right where your waist is, the eyes become fixated on this area and therefore perfectly draw the spotlight to your well-defined waistline. As long as you keep the sleeves neat and without too many voluminous details, you’ll maintain a flattering and balanced silhouette.
Fitted
Fitted sleeves are great at maintaining your hourglass body shape’s proportional and balanced look by preventing any excess fabric or bulkiness around your upper body. Tops that feature fitted sleeves also provide a streamlined and tailored look that gently complements the overall proportions of your hourglass figure.
The close fit (note that this doesn’t mean “tight fit”) of the sleeves allows them to follow the natural contours of your arms, which results in a sleek and polished appearance. This polished look contributes to the overall harmony of your features and enhances the curves of your bust and hips.
Flutter
Does having a curvy hourglass figure mean that you’re not allowed to don a bit of frill on your sleeves? Definitely not! If you’re looking for something that offers more dimension and a dainty touch, flutter sleeves can be a good option for you too.
The gentle draping and flaring of the sleeves create a sense of movement that helps enhance the symmetry of your shoulder line. This way, you can flaunt just the right amount of volume without overshadowing the natural curves of your hourglass body.
Sleeveless
I know we’re talking about sleeves here, but if you’re trying to free yourself from the scorching heat of summer, you can absolutely let them go and still flaunt your beautiful hourglass curves! Sleeveless tops can nicely showcase your shoulders and make the balance between your shoulder width and wide hips more apparent.
NECKLINE
Necklines create a huge impact on your desired focal points. A gorgeous-looking bust with a well-shaped cleavage is just one of the several assets you can easily highlight with the right shape of the neckline.
Off-the-Shoulder
If you’re looking into highlighting the roundness of your shoulders, tops with off-the-shoulder necklines can instantly do that for you. It also exposes your collarbones and in some cases, your cleavage as well, which makes your flattering upper half the focal point of your ensemble.
As off-the-shoulder tops draw attention to your decolletage, it makes the natural balance between your shoulders and hips more apparent. Your bare shoulders and neckline create a visually appealing frame for the face to make you overall look more polished and proportionate.
Sweetheart
It’s quite obvious how the sweetheart neckline adds a touch of romance and charm to the outfit. But apart from this, wearing tops with a sweetheart neckline can further enhance your hourglass shape’s most coveted curves.
The distinctly curved shape of this neckline mirrors the natural contours of your bust, which makes it a very efficient way to highlight the fullness and voluptuous shape of your beasts. This results in a balanced and visually appealing silhouette that draws ample attention to the bust area while still maintaining the overall proportional look of your figure.
V-Neck
The V shape of this particular neckline is never difficult to pull off because of its classic appeal. There will always be wardrobe pieces that you can find to flatter your V-neck tops in a way that’s highly advantageous for your body shape’s best features.
V-neck tops bring out a visually elongated and streamlined effect that helps maintain the naturally existent proportional balance of your hourglass figure. The V-shaped neckline draws the eye downward resulting in a vertical line to create the illusion of a longer torso.
Square
The beauty of a square neckline is that it gives a structured and angular frame that complements the well-defined curves of your hourglass figure. The clean lines and geometric shape this type of neckline creates produces a visually pleasing contrast to the rounded curves of your bust and hips.
Square necklines also help to showcase the décolletage and collarbone area to add a touch of sophistication while maintaining the symmetry of your upper half. The squared-off shape draws attention to the upper body and makes your neckline the focal point.
Scoop
Another best open neckline style to flatter your hourglass features is the scoop neck. Its gently curved neckline follows the natural contour of your bust and therefore accentuates its shape without revealing too much.
This draws attention to the bust area to give additional depth to your naturally curvy upper body.
Also, regardless of how low you’d like the scoop to dip, it opens up enough space on your upper half to elongate your neck and create a taller and leaner frame.
They are quite versatile so tops that feature a scoop neckline won’t be a hassle to pull off, that’s for sure!
PRINTS & DETAILS
The natural curves of your hourglass figure obviously need no amplification as they are already stars on their own! With this mentioned, keeping the details on your tops minimal brings out the best of your body shape even more.
Try to stay away from details that are too bulky such as dramatic fabric flounces, large prints, and protruding embellishments. It’s best to avoid these types of details because they can overpower the appearance of your curves and make you look top-heavy.
STYLES TO AVOID
Oversized Fit
Hourglass body shapes should generally avoid oversized fit tops because of the fact that they tend to hide the natural curves and well-balanced proportions of your figure. These types of tops often have loose and boxy silhouettes that can mask your narrow waistline and make your overall figure appear shapeless.
Since your well-defined curves are your hourglass body shape’s best features, opting for oversized tops can undermine the natural balance and symmetry of the figure. They can also create the illusion of more bulk and can make the body appear larger than it actually is due to the excess fabric and loose fit that adds unnecessary volume.
Tube Tops
If you want to be free from worries of a wardrobe malfunction, tube tops should be out of your fashion shopping list! Tube tops lack structure and support, which can lead to an unflattering appearance.
Without straps or sleeves to provide superior support, tube tops may struggle to stay in place and can easily slide down or shift throughout the day, which makes them uncomfortable and distracting to wear.
Closed Necklines
One of the worst things you can do to your captivating hourglass shape is to cover all your natural curves up! This is exactly what closed necklines can do to your figure.
Closed necklines (such as turtlenecks or high collars) can create an obvious visual imbalance that makes the upper body appear bulkier. These necklines tend to draw attention away from your best features, most particularly your full bust and small waist, resulting in an unflattering look.
Styles that elongate the neck and create vertical lines are quite advantageous to hourglass figures as they enhance the overall balance and grace of the figure. However, closed necklines work in contradiction to this because they create the illusion of a shorter neck and a less elongated silhouette.
