The inverted triangle body type comes across as top heavy because of your broad shoulders. Additionally, if you happen to be overweight, the imbalance of your full top half and relatively narrow hips and legs can appear more obvious. In this detailed guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know on the best clothing styles to flatter your unique body shape.
Traits
- Strong and very broad shoulders – Your shoulders are the most distinctive part of your figure and this is also the broadest point of your body.
- Lean and athletic features – Strong features like the presence of muscles may still be visible in areas where you don’t gain weight, such as your limbs.
- Arms and legs are relatively slimmer – Despite being overweight, your limbs are still slimmer compared to other bother shapes when they gain weight. You may still see some excess fat but it’s rarely noticeable because of your athletic features.
- Large bust size – Since inverted triangle body shapes gain their excess weight from the waist above, you most likely have large breasts too. Most likely at least a cup B or C.
- No waist definition – The size of your waist and hips are very close to each other, so the supposed indentation of the transition line connecting the two is not obvious.
- May have a bit of tummy bulge, but not too pronounced – Being overweight means that you may have some of that extra weight present in your belly. However, since you barely gain too much weight from the waist down, the bulge may not be as big and noticeable.
- Small and narrow hips – They are usually overwhelmed by your very broad shoulders because they are the narrowest points of your body.
TOPS
Dark-colored Stretchy Tops
Being an overweight inverted triangle-shaped girl, you may struggle with the natural imbalance in your figure as well as the right fit of clothing due to the extra weight you carry. This is why the combination of slimming dark colors and a forgiving fit of stretchy fabric can easily help you complete your ensemble without any worries.
Dark-colored stretchy tops are versatile and flattering for your figure because the stretchy fabric can provide superior comfort while also allowing the top to conform to your body. This will give you a more streamlined appearance as the dark color can also help minimize any potential bulges you may have in your figure.
Dark colors can balance out your figure by toning down the broad appearance of your upper half, therefore creating a slimming effect.
Wide V-Neck Tops
Tops that come in wide V-neck cuts will help produce a vertical visual line that draws the eyes to your decolletage while also elongating your heavy upper frame. The V-neckline highlights the best assets you have in your upper half while also causing a visual break to diminish the overwhelming appearance of your broad shoulders.
Wide V-neck tops can help you achieve a more balanced and proportionate figure by shifting the focus away from the upper body and evenly distributing attention all throughout your figure instead.
Three-Fourth Sleeve Tops
Three-fourth sleeve tops can be a stylish and practical choice for you ladies who have an overweight inverted triangle body shape because these tops offer modest coverage for the upper arms, which may potentially look chubbier. But because it exposes the forearms, three-fourth sleeve tops can still manage to showcase the leanness of your limbs to create a more harmonious balance in your frame.
The sleeves end at a point where the arms start to narrow, therefore contributing to the slimming effect of the top overall. This can be particularly flattering for individuals with fuller upper bodies such as those who have broad shoulders and big busts.
One-Shoulder Tops
I will never ever get tired of recommending one-shoulder tops to inverted triangle-shaped women simply because they exhibit a sexy look without overemphasizing your broader upper half. The asymmetrical design effectively diverts attention from the overpowering prominence of your shoulders and bust and the single exposed shoulder creates a captivating focal point while showcasing your gorgeous arms.
The way that the neckline dips from one shoulder strap down to the armpit is a subtle way to break up the strong horizontal line drawing your broad shoulders. This also provides decent support and coverage for overweight figures who may have larger breasts.
JEANS
Straight-Leg Jeans with Whiskering
The consistent width of straight-leg jeans can help create a streamlined silhouette that neutralizes the heaviness of your upper half and the bulges you may have in your waist down. Combined with the detailing of whiskering that’s strategically placed at the hips, you can bring more depth and shape to your narrow hips to make them look more aligned with your wider upper half.
Straight-leg jeans with whiskering provide a sleek and balanced look because they subtly cause a distraction to take the focal point on your narrow waist and lean legs. Just remember to not overdo the whiskering as too much of it may look quite overwhelming rather than flattering.
Vintage Style Bootcut Jeans
This particular style of jeans not only oozes with a charming vintage flair but is also very effective in visually tweaking the proportions of your figure. The slight flare at the hem balances out your broader shoulders, which causes a more harmonious proportion between the heavier upper body and the less pronounced lower body.
The gradual widening of the leg starting from the knee provides a visual taper, which helps streamline the appearance of your legs and make them look longer and leaner. Additionally, the higher rise characteristic of vintage-style bootcut jeans can effectively cinch your waist and therefore emphasize a narrower midsection to promote a curvier look.
PANTS
Sailor Pants
Sailor pants are the type of trousers that can cinch your waist, bring volume to your hips, and effectively camouflage your midsection area. They feature a high-waisted cut and wide-leg silhouette in which the design draws attention to the waist to make it look more curved and defined.
Meanwhile, the distinctive button detailing placed at the front or along the side pockets, can steer the view towards the center of the body, and further enhance the waistline. This creates a focal point away from the broader shoulder area and therefore helps you achieve a more proportionate silhouette.
Pleated Palazzo Pants
The wide-legged and loose style of palazzo pants, as well as their distinctive pleats along the waist, can be immensely flattering for an inverted triangle-shaped woman who also carries a bit of extra weight. Their roomy fit makes them more comfortable, especially if you are a bit more overweight because with more space to move around with, the comfier it can be for your figure.
Apart from this, the wide leg shape of the pants visually extends the lower body to effectively counteract the broader appearance of your upper body. Its flowy and wider design can give a more forgiving fit while also balancing out your frame proportions.
DRESSES
Tailored Peplum Dresses
The tailored nature of the peplum dress ensures a precise fit and this factor is quite crucial for accommodating and flattering the specific contours of an overweight inverted triangle-shaped woman’s body. The fitted bodice of peplum blouses hugs the upper body in a way that highlights the narrowest part of your waist to bring definition to your figure.
Meanwhile, the peplum detail, where the overskirt flares out over the hips, provides decent coverage for your midsection while also giving more depth to your narrow hips. This tailored silhouette not only provides a polished, sophisticated look but also balances out the proportions between your heavier upper half and less prominent lower body.
Flowy Fit and Flare Dresses
Inverted triangle body shapes naturally lack waist definition and this is sometimes even more of a struggle when you’re overweight. By wearing a well-tailored fit and flare dress, you can bring emphasis to the waist by defining it as fit and flare dresses cinch at the waist to create a focal point and give the illusion of hourglass curves.
Additionally, the flowy nature of the fit and flare dress allows the fabric to drape gently over any areas where there may be more weight present. As a result, you won’t have to worry about having your heavy features highlighted.
Dresses with Ruffled Hemline
Dresses with ruffled hemlines are exceptionally flattering for overweight inverted triangle body shapes due to the fact that they are able to create a more balanced silhouette by adding the necessary volume to your lower leg and therefore catch up with the broadness of your upper half.
The graceful movement that the ruffles at the hemline create, helps to divert attention away from your heavy upper half (shoulders and bust, in particular) and instead draws the gaze downward to your slim and toned legs. In addition to this, the gentle cascading effect of ruffles can efficiently soften the angular lines in your athletic frame.
SKIRTS
Skirts with Pocket Details
Pocket details such as flap pockets, buttons, embroidery, or pretty much anything that attracts attention, can be an effective way to give your narrow hips a nice volume boost. The presence of pocket details will draw the eyes towards the hips and therefore create a more balanced look by taking some of the attention away from your broad shoulders and big bust.
This can help you work around your top-heavy figure while also enjoying the comfort and potential functionality of the added pocket details! After all, skirts with pockets often have a more casual and relaxed vibe that can be your easy-to-wear option for everyday activities.
Tiered Skirts
As we already know by now, inverted triangle shapes typically have a smaller but leaner lower body. However, you may have a bit of a tummy bulge when you carry some extra weight in your inverted triangle body shape, so this is where tiered skirts can be especially helpful.
Tiered skirts evenly distribute volume and visual interest throughout your lower body and this extra volume can also be a strategic way to camouflage a potential belly bulge. Moreover, this design and silhouette can help balance out the broader appearance of your shoulders and blur out the stark difference between your larger upper half and your smaller lower half.
OUTERWEAR
Long Blazers
The length of long blazers, where the hem hits way past the hips, is a strategic way to steer the focus away from your overwhelmingly broad upper half. This consistent cut that starts from the shoulders down to the hem, balances out your proportions by adding more depth to your lower half.
Long blazers provide a visually elongating effect to the torso, which can help balance out the broader shoulders and large bust. In addition to this, long blazers help promote the appearance of unbroken vertical lines to draw the eyes up and down and keep your look streamlined.
Princess Seam Coats
The vertical seams of princess coats run continuously from the shoulders to the hem and this type of strategic stitching is very helpful for giving your bigger frame a more elongated and slimmer look. This princess silhouette flawlessly follows the line in your body while also providing a subtle waist seam to cinch your waist.
This vertical seam that runs along the waist can add definition to your midsection, making you look curvier and more dimensional. In addition to this, princess seam coats are designed to fit closely to the body and this feature helps prevent the appearance of excess bulk or fabric around the torso.
