The skinny hourglass is an often overlooked body type. Since the hourglass figure is always portrayed as big bust and slender waist bombshells in movies and TV shows, at times you may question yourself if you really have the hourglass figure. The truth is our body shape is determined by our skeletons, so even if you are skinny, you can still have the typical hourglass features, i.e. small waist and much wider hips, as well as a balanced shoulder/hip ratio.
In this detailed guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know on the best ways to dress your unique body shape.
TOPS
Wrap Style
As a skinny hourglass girl, you tend to have a smaller bone build, and while you clearly have the curves and proportions of the typical hourglass body shape, you may not look as voluptuously defined because of your skinnier frame. This is where a wrap-style top can help bring more noticeable definition to your hourglass shape because of how it has figure-flattering features.
Wrap tops cinch at your narrow waist with the help of an adjustable self-tie belt that you tie across the body. This creates an overlapping fabric that forms a V-shaped neckline, which is also a perfect opportunity to show off one of your best features – your decolletage.
The silhouette it creates naturally conforms to the shape of your upper body while also allowing you to flaunt your well-endowed bust line.
Structured Peplum
Structured fabric materials can also be very helpful for skinny hourglass body figures because of how they are able to hold shape and therefore give your skinny figure its much-needed depth. In addition to the additional depth and dimension structured fabrics give, having your top in a peplum silhouette will also substantially accentuate your curves.
The iconic peplum top features a very charming and feminine silhouette because of how it is strategically designed to amplify the appearance of curves by cinching the waist and subtly volumizing the top of the hips. This visually volumizing look is through the flared overskirt attached to the fitted bodice and gently skims over the hips.
Form-fitting V-Neck
Skinny hourglass body shapes, despite not having too much weight in your body, still have bigger breast sizes (usually at least a B-cup). Because of how shapely and defined your bust line is, wearing tops with open necklines such as a V-neck will help showcase this attractive body feature of yours.
It’s all up to you whether you would like to go for a higher or a deeper cut, depending on the level of skin exposure you feel comfortable in. Either way, your skinny hourglass body shape will get the same visual balance and style benefit due to the fact that V-necks in general are undeniably ideal for skinny hourglass body shapes.
Stretchy Halter
Halter tops have an open neckline and open back, which fully enhances the appearance of your upper body. It is also characterized by the strap that goes around the back of the neck, giving your breasts ample support and a flattering lift.
As someone who has a skinny hourglass body shape, you may have a more noticeable bone structure, particularly on your shoulder line and clavicle. This is something halter tops can also highlight in order to strengthen your features even more.
JEANS
Structured High-rise/High-Waisted
Skinny hourglass body figures can also significantly benefit from an elevated waistline as this gives your frame better distinction. One effective way to accentuate the narrowest part of your waist is to wear high rise jeans.
High-rise jeans feature a waistband that sits slightly higher than your natural waistline so it perfectly cinches your waist, while also giving your entire midsection snug support. As high-rise jeans sit on your high waistline, it also visually extend the length of your legs to make you appear leaner and taller overall.
Rinse Wash Curvy Fit
Having an hourglass body shape means that your hips are relatively wider and thicker than your waist, although the size gap between your waist and hips can be more significant if you are skinny. Because of the significant size difference between the two, the gaping of the jeans can be one of the most annoying wardrobe struggles you’ll have to face.
Most of the time, when you buy a pair of jeans in a certain size that accommodates your hips, you may end up with a waistband that fits loosely. To address this particular issue about gaping, always look for curvy-fit jeans as they are specifically designed to conform to the natural shape of your waist and therefore give you a very snug cinch.
Retro-Style Flared
Flared jeans can give you a balanced look by adding volume and width from the knee downward. As a skinny hourglass girl, you may find your curves not as immensely prominent as the ones with thicker frames so you’ll find the visually volumizing effect of flared jeans very helpful.
It also cinches the waist and then gradually flares out, making the definition of your waist more apparent. This visually balances the proportions of your skinny hourglass body shape as the flared leg shape gently complements your natural curves.
PANTS
High-Waisted Bootcut
High-waisted pants sit above the natural waistline, which draws attention to your very well-defined waist and also helps highlight your hourglass curves. Meanwhile, having your pants in a bootcut leg shape design visually balances your figure’s proportions as this particular style flares out slightly from the knee down, creating a curvier look.
Being skinny can mean that your hourglass curves may not be as pronounced as you want them to be (although you definitely have them!). So this way, the bootcut leg shape complements the curves of your hips and thighs through the added width at the bottom of the pants.
Straight cut
Wearing straight-cut pants is always an effortless style piece to pull off because of its timeless style and classic design. It’s something that can easily flatter and accentuate the best features of a skinny hourglass body shape.
The straight-leg design maintains a consistent width as it falls straight from the knees to the ankles, so this gives you a minimalist look while still having it hug the natural curves of your figure. This streamlined design gives you a more elongated look and a well-emphasized slender waistline.
This is a good choice if you’re going for minimal ensembles as straight-cut pants don’t have excessive flaring or tapering so it keeps the natural hourglass balance between the bust, waist, and hips. By going for this particular pants style, you will find it easier to layer your clothes without worries about piling up too much visual volume.
Pleated Dress Pants
The pleats in a pair of structured dress pants can have subtle but exceptional visual style benefits to enhance your hourglass figure even more. With your skinny stature, the placement of the pleats efficiently adds volume to the hip area to boost the natural curves of your hips and make them look fuller.
This extra volume will also make your narrow waist appear even narrower and therefore draws significant attention, so your hourglass body shape gets emphasized even more. In addition to this visual benefit, the pleats allow the fabric to drape elegantly down the hips and thighs to maintain a smooth and sophisticated silhouette.
Sailor Pants
Sailor pants typically come in a high waist design and this alone already makes this pants style already very flattering for your skinny hourglass figure. To take this flattering effect to a level higher, sailor pants also feature a row of decorative button details along the front panel and a wide-leg silhouette, which can both be visually helpful for your silhouette.
Having a skinny frame can mean that your figure may need a bit of a volume boost for your hourglass curves to look more prominent, so this is where the wide-leg silhouette of sailor pants comes in. Its wide-leg naturally skims over the curves of the hips and thighs while adding a subtle amount of volume to achieve a more balanced proportion with the upper body.
DRESSES
Tailored Fit and Flare
The silhouette of the fit and flare dress can add volume to the hip area to create the illusion of fuller hips and accentuate the curves. This can be especially helpful for skinny hourglass shapes because you tend to need additional volume to bring your curves to prominence.
One of the defining features of fit and flare dresses is their cinched waist, which significantly draws attention to the narrowest part of your hourglass figure. This perfectly highlights your voluptuous shape as the cinch makes the distinctive transition curve between your waist and hips.
Sweetheart Neck
Dresses with a sweetheart neckline feature a curved dip in the center of the bodice, which resembles the top of a heart. This particular shape draws attention to the bust area by tracing the curves of your cleavage and highlighting the entirety of your decolletage for a romantic and feminine look.
When looking for dresses that feature a sweetheart neck, look for those that come in a fitted bodice because a snug fit will provide better support and enhancement to your bust line. Since you have a well-defined waistline and curvy hips, you may either go for an A-Line or bodycon and equally get the same flattering effect.
Soft-knit Bodycon
One of your most coveted body features is your natural upper and lower body balance which are all defined by your voluptuous curves. Going for a dress that fits tightly to hug all these curves would be very ideal for your body shape and one way to do this is by wearing a bodycon dress.
A bodycon dress is made of stretchy and form-fitting fabric material so you can expect that it will definitely cling close to your body. For skinny hourglass body shapes that may not have too much muscle mass, going for a bodycon with textured fabric such as a soft knit should be a wiser style option.
Belted A-Line
For skinny hourglass figures, the belt accent and the A-line silhouette of the dress can both be extremely flattering in a way that it gets tight at the waist and adds volume where it is needed. The belt cinches the waist and therefore highlights the narrowest point of your figure to further enhance your hourglass body shape.
Meanwhile, the A-Line silhouette provides ample space around the hips and thighs to allow the dress to gracefully flow over the body. This results in a more proportionate look, as the A-line skirt balances out the curves of the bust and hips.
SKIRTS
Mermaid
The charming silhouette of a mermaid skirt embraces the natural form of hourglass body shapes, most specifically your curvy hips and thighs. The mermaid skirt is fitted through these areas which further accentuates your slender waist definition.
But the distinct characteristic of mermaid skirts is how they flare out around the knees or calves, adding volume to the lower part of the body and balancing the curves of the bust and hips to create a captivating and graceful silhouette.
Skirts with Asymmetrical Hem
Skirts with asymmetrical hems are pretty much a very good choice too because of how they add dynamic movement to the outfit, evenly distributing attention to your frame. With the proper fit, it also plays an important role in accentuating the natural curves of your skinny hourglass figure.
For skinny hourglass shapes, the asymmetrical hemline breaks up the straight visual lines present in your body frame while also adding volume and dimension to the lower part of the body. This helps create the illusion of fuller hips and thighs to balance out the curves of your bust and hips and therefore enhance your gorgeous hourglass proportions.
OUTERWEAR
Wrap Coat in Structured Fabric
The wrap style is undeniably universally flattering, whether it’s for tops, dresses, and even coats. It features a structure that cinches the waist, which is as we all know, one of the defining focal points of hourglass body shapes. Your skinny stature may limit the prominence of your curves so to add more depth and volume to your body, go for structured fabrics.
Structured fabrics have the ability to hold shape, which is a great attribute if you are looking into adding depth to your frame in a subtle way. You wouldn’t want to overwhelm your curves so make sure you opt for wrap coats that fit your skinny frame properly.
Peplum Jacket
Peplum jackets can accentuate your waist and add subtle volume to your hips to create a more shapely silhouette. This can be especially helpful for hourglass body shapes that are skinnier because the peplum detail adds subtle volume to the hips to make them look slightly fuller.
More importantly, peplum jackets emphasize the narrow waist, which draws attention to the waistline and creates a more defined waist-to-hip ratio.
