If you are a skinny rectangle, your body shape tends to look straight up and down, which is why adding curves through what you wear can be quite flattering. In this detailed guide, we’ll first help you understand your unique body shape, and then walk you through the most flattering ways to dress your body.
Traits
- You look straight up and down. You’ve got an angular figure as blunt, straight lines draw your silhouette.
- You have small breasts. Rectangle shapes in general may have different bust sizes, however, you are most likely flat-chested because of the fact that you are skinny.
- You have very toned, slim limbs. Your arms and legs don’t gain weight so they are naturally slim and well-toned.
- The width of your shoulders, waist, and hips are almost similar. This is what constitutes your rectangle figure, so while you look symmetrical overall, there’s clearly an absence of feminine curves in your body.
- You barely have waist definition. Because of the very little difference between the width of your waist and hips, the transition line that traces the two is barely curved.
- You have an athletic figure. One of your strengths is that you can nicely tone your muscles despite having a skinny build.
- You most likely have a flat rear. There’s not much volume in your figure overall so it’s highly possible that you have flatter buttocks.
TOPS
Peplum Tops
One of the major struggles of skinny rectangle shapes is their lack of curves and depth in their figure. To combat this visually shapeless or boxy appearance, it will be very beneficial for you to wear a top that can bring your body more volume and depth.
Peplum tops are perfect for skinny rectangle shapes because of how they flare out at the waist, resulting in the illusion of a curvier figure. This particular silhouette defines the waistline and creates a flattering shape similar to an hourglass.
Sweetheart Neckline Blouses
The romantic shape of the sweetheart neckline alone can already do so much when it comes to giving your angular figure the illusion of curves! It has a curved, heart-shaped design that dips in the center which also mimics the shape of your cleavage, while also revealing a portion of your decolletage.
This neckline also leads the gaze to your bust to make it look fuller and more voluptuous, hence providing the appearance of a fuller upper body. Because of the distinct curved shape of this neckline, it helps break up the straight lines of the torso to add softness and curvature to your upper body.
Tops with Ruffled Sleeves
Wearing tops with ruffled sleeves can effectively enhance your overall silhouette as it adds more depth and shape to your straight-looking figure, specifically your upper body. Ruffled sleeves add just the right amount of volume to your shoulders, which can help draw attention away from the lack of curves and create a more balanced look.
The dynamic details of ruffled sleeves break up the harsh straight lines of your figure while also incorporating a feminine touch. The volume of the sleeves adds width to the shoulders to make them look broader and to prevent your figure from looking too monotonous.
JEANS
Straight-leg Jeans
You can never go wrong with a pair of straight-leg jeans no matter what your body shape is! For skinny rectangle beauties out there, straight-leg jeans can be especially beneficial because they create a clean and streamlined vertical line that visually elongates your legs, without highlighting your less prominent lower body too much. This cut accentuates your natural figure by skimming seamlessly through your legs without the tight fit, making you look effortlessly chic.
Plus, they’re also incredibly versatile so they are totally easy to pair with almost any top, from flowy blouses to snug-fitting tees, giving you endless fashion options! Whether you’re dressing up for a night out or keeping it casual for a brunch date, straight-leg jeans are something you can effortlessly pull off.
High-rise Mom Jeans
Mom jeans usually have a high-rise waistband and a relaxed, slightly slouchy fit through the hips and thighs. This higher waistline effectively gives the illusion of a more defined waist as it cinches at the narrowest part of the torso to instantly add a touch of feminine curvature.
Additionally, the slouchy fit of these jeans adds volume and shape to your lower body, which breaks the flatness of your figure. This will not let the attention focus too much on your skinny and straight figure, but more on your better features.
Jeans with Distressing Details
For someone who lacks depth and volume to your figure, going for details that will add more interest to your ensemble can fully benefit you in a stylish way. Distressing details such as tattered denim introduce texture and depth to the jeans and this can draw attention to different areas of the legs.
The distressed areas strategically disrupt the uniformity of the denim fabric, which can be especially helpful for your skinny rectangular shape that typically has very few natural curves. The tattered fabric breaks up the straight lines in your lower body to give a more dynamic and visually engaging look.
PANTS
Pleated Palazzo Pants
Additional volume is something a skinny rectangle-shaped woman would appreciate having and one of the best and instant options to bring this into your figure is through wearing pleated palazzo pants. They are wide-legged trousers that have a loose, flowing silhouette and are usually high-waisted, creating a billowy effect down the legs.
The pleats that run through the palazzo pants draw a continuous vertical line to your frame that gives you a more elongated and streamlined figure. Paired with the ample volume of palazzo pants, they can visually balance out the proportions and add some visual weight to your figure.
Cuffed Trousers
Wearing trousers that feature a well-tailored cuffing at the hem, despite bringing a subtle detail, can totally amp up your whole ensemble especially if you have a skinny figure. Cuffs add a distinct detail to the hem which brings the focus to the ankles and this diverted attention can break up the vertical line of the legs to prevent the legs from appearing overly straight.
Also, they can add a subtle volume and structure to the lower part of the legs. This additional depth can help in creating the illusion of curves and shape, which is quite helpful if you’re someone who doesn’t possess too much volume all throughout your body.
Khaki Cargo Pants
The neutral, light color of khaki, combined with the voluminous structure of cargo-style pants can be a very flattering choice for your skinny rectangle body shape. Cargo pants are known for their unique pocket details and seams, which are not just stylish but also helpful in terms of adding more depth and dimension to your angular look.
This will help the eyes get distracted from the straight lines of your rectangle body shape, creating a more dynamic look that’s more dimensional rather than monotonously flat.
SKIRTS
Flowy A-Line Skirts
Since you lack volume in your figure, it will help to bring more dimension to your hips which can be achieved with the gradual flare of an A-line skirt. This silhouette visually widens the hips to give you a more proportionate look.
Additionally, A-line skirts usually come in a design that features a defined waist, so this helps to highlight and accentuate the curves of your waist. This can give the appearance of a more defined waistline, even for those with a straighter figure.
Tiered Skirts
The tiers or layers in the skirt effectively break up the straight, vertical lines of a rectangle body shape and add a bit of horizontal interest instead. These subtle horizontal lines can visually widen the hips and create a more balanced proportion between the upper and lower body.
Skinny rectangle body shapes often have angular features, we already know that for a fact by now. With this considered, the soft, flowing layers of a tiered skirt can contrast with and soften these angles to give you a more feminine and graceful appearance.
DRESSES
Dresses with Ruffle Details
Ruffles are more than just a dainty addition to an outfit because their transformative power in reshaping your straight-looking figure is absolutely noteworthy! One of the most remarkable benefits of ruffles in dresses is their ability to craft the illusion of curves and distract the eyes from focusing on your figure’s very angular lines.
Also, depending on the placement of the ruffles, they can draw attention to specific areas of the body that you’d like to further enhance. For example, a dress with ruffles at the bust can highlight this area and make your bust size look fuller, while ruffles at the hips can give the illusion of wider hips.
Structured Belted Dresses
The combination of structured fabric and belt detail in dresses is like a fashion match made in heaven for skinny rectangle shapes due to this particular design’s defined and tailored silhouette, complemented by the presence of a belt at the waist.
The belt cinches in the waistline, which is helpful for your figure that lacks waist curves and definition. This gives your straight figure the illusion of curves, which can enhance the overall silhouette and make your body appear more shapely.
Puff Sleeve Dresses
Puff sleeves add volume to the shoulders and upper arms, so going for dresses that feature puff sleeves creates a broader and more balanced look. This will visually offset the straightness of your torso, which is usually very apparent if you’re rectangle-shaped and skinny at the same time.
The added volume of puff sleeves effectively provides a flattering contrast to the narrowness of the waist and hips. This contrast gives you the appearance of more curves, especially when combined with a cinched waist or a dress that flares out slightly at the hips.
OUTERWEAR
Coats with Oversized Lapels
Coats with oversized lapels have been conquering the fashion runways in recent years for their stylish and sophisticated look. Not only this, they can also be very versatile as they naturally add a touch of fashion-forward flair to an outfit, elevating your ensemble’s overall aesthetic!
Because of its distinct, wide lapels, the gaze is naturally directed upwards to create more dimension to your rather flatter upper body. The exaggerated lapels can visually create curves and depth by enhancing the width of the shoulders, giving the impression of a more prominent top half.
Blazers with Shoulder Pads
The goal of wearing blazers with shoulder pads is to elevate the appearance of your upper body and break up the sameness in width between your shoulders and hips. They significantly add structure and definition to your shoulders to make them look broader and more prominent.
This additional volume and structure situated on the shoulders will balance out the proportions of the body. In addition to this, shoulder pads can also emphasize the shoulders and therefore make your waistline appear narrower rather than symmetrical to your shoulder width, resulting in a more defined waist.
Moto Jackets
Moto jackets are not just chic and edgy but are also visually beneficial for women who have straighter and skinnier figures. Moto jackets feature very distinctive details such as notched lapels, asymmetrical zippers, and sometimes, studded hardware.
These particular design elements add visual texture and shape to help create a more dimensional look for a skinny rectangle body shape. They often have a structured silhouette as well, so they effectively hold the shape of the clothing to prevent your ensemble from looking too flat and monotonous.
