The top hourglass body shape is a variation of the “full”, or “typical” hourglass body type. For you to understand what is a top hourglass, let’s first look at what body features a “full” hourglass body type has.
- A full bust, typically a C+ cup
- Waist significantly smaller than hips
- Shoulders and Hips are equal widths
- Full hips
In other words, the “full” hourglass shape has a very balanced profile for the top half and bottom half. Given there are many different variations of the human body, it is quite common that many women find themselves having certain features of the hourglass, but don’t fit in every criteria.
For that reason, the most common variables are the “top hourglass shape” and the “bottom hourglass shape.
Characteristics
As a top hourglass shape, your top half has the same features as a typical hourglass. That means the following:
- A full bust, normally C cup and above
- A slender waist
Since the top hourglass emphasizes the top half of your body, your lower body may not fit into the typical hourglass figure. Therefore you may have the following features:
- Your hips are narrow compared to your shoulders, instead of the equal shoulder and hip width like the full hourglass body shape
- Your shoulders are broad
In other words, the top hourglass body shape can have certain features of the inverted triangle shape.
TOPS
Scoop Neck Shirt
Your broad shoulders can also be considered as an asset, however, they tend to be overwhelming if you’re an hourglass figure with narrower hips. So to make the balance between your broad shoulders and narrow hips more proportionate, wearing scoop neck shirts will help tone down the wideness of your shoulders a bit.
The open neckline of scoop neck shirts also elongates the neck to give you a slimmer appearance. Plus, the curved shape of the scoop neckline nicely softens your relatively stronger features on the upper body and complements the curves of the hourglass figure without the unnecessary volume.
Button Shirts with Vertical Patterns
Creating a sense of verticality on your figure, especially on your upper body, is significantly helpful for top hourglass body shapes. First of all, button shirts are a classic wardrobe staple that also adds verticality to your figure due to the neat, vertical row of buttons placed on the garment.
Meanwhile, vertical patterns also efficiently create a visual elongation of your upper body and this can be particularly helpful in bringing balance to your look by neutralizing the prominence of your broad shoulders and drawing the eyes up and down to create a slimming effect. Since top hourglass body shapes tend to have narrower hips compared to the width of your shoulders, vertical patterns visually elongate the upper body to create a sense of harmony in your overall frame.
V-Neck Blouse
Choosing the right neckline is very important for top hourglass body shapes because the key features that you’d mainly workaround are the ones in your upper half. One of the best necklines you can go for would be the V-neck as it leads the gaze towards the center of your body, away from your relatively broad shoulders.
It creates an invisible vertical line right at the front, from where the sharp “V” dips all the way to the hem. This style effect can visually minimize the width of the shoulders just slightly, in order to bring out your curves and create an even look between your shoulders and hips.
V-neck blouses also highlight the slender waist as the downward V shape draws the eyes to the waistline, and this perfectly enhances your overall hourglass frame.
One-Shoulder
Again, the key to creating a pleasing upper and lower body balance is to try to match the visual width and weight of your broad shoulders to your narrow hips. This is what exactly one-shoulder tops do because of how this neckline draws attention away from the broader shoulders and creates a more proportionate hourglass ratio.
In addition to these visual benefits, the exposed shoulder that this particular top style has creates a visually elongated neckline to add a touch of charm and elongation to the upper body. It significantly blurs out the difference in the size between your upper half and lower half to make your hourglass body ratio really stand out.
JEANS
Wide-Leg
As a top hourglass figure, you tend to look heavier on your upper body because how your shoulders are broader than your narrow hips. So one way to counterbalance this is by wearing wide-leg jeans as they considerably add volume to the lower body to create the illusion of more balanced hourglass proportions.
In addition to this, wide-leg jeans also help highlight your slender waist as the loose fit provides a boost of volume to make your hips look more shapely. This makes the distinction between your waist and hips more apparent to properly enhance your natural hourglass curves.
Boyfriend Jeans
If you’re looking for a pair of jeans that looks effortlessly chic and casual, your top hourglass figure will find boyfriend jeans both stylish and flattering. The relaxed and slightly loose fit of boyfriend jeans efficiently balanced out your broader shoulders by giving your narrower hips additional volume.
This particular structure and design create a sense of proportion between your more prominent upper body and less pronounced lower body to allow your natural hourglass curves to shine. Boyfriend jeans can also accentuate your slender waistline as they typically come in high-rise styles.
Bootcut
The distinct leg shape of bootcut jeans wherein it slightly flares out from the knee down to the ankle, helps create symmetry to visually offset the broad shoulders and emphasize your hourglass curves more. The wider leg opening also creates a longer and leaner appearance because of the elongating effect this silhouette gives.
When shopping for bootcut jeans, look for those that come in lighter washed so they can visually magnify your hips and achieve better prominence in balance with your broad shoulders. Going for a mid-rise or high-rise can also be both very flattering because they cinch your slim waist.
PANTS
Palazzo
What’s a better way to add volume to your less pronounced lower body than to flaunt a pair of Palazzo pants? Yes, it’s very apparent that they can be tremendously helpful in balancing the proportions of your top hourglass body shape because of their wide and flowing design.
The generous cut of Palazzo pants significantly gives your lower body a boost of volume while also draping gently from the waist down to the hem. The wider leg opening of palazzo pants effortlessly complements your broader shoulders, to create a more pleasing sense of harmony between the upper and lower body.
Apart from the style benefits of their wide leg shape, they also have the ability to accentuate your slender waist. As additional volume is created on your bottom half, the curved transition between your waist and hips becomes more noticeable.
Pleated Suit Pants
If you’re not a fan of wide-leg silhouettes, you can still get that much-needed volume you need for your narrow hips with a pair of pants that has a more streamlined, straight cut. Pleated suit pants fall somewhere in between smart casual to formal, and they can flatter your top hourglass figure with the help of the strategic placement of pleats around the waist.
These pleats create a subtle fold in the fabric and this exact detail is what gives extra room in the hip area to counterbalance your broader shoulders. This will result in a more symmetrical and proportionate appearance between the upper and lower body.
Flared Trousers
Just like the effect of bootcut jeans (which I mentioned earlier in this article), flared trousers can also be as equally flattering because they are pretty close in structure. The widening shape of the trousers from the knee down creates symmetry and visual balance that makes your lower body look more even with your upper half.
It works in a way that the flare adds volume to your lower legs, offsetting the broader shoulders of your top hourglass figure. Additionally, this leg shape also elongates the legs while also accentuating your well-defined waist.
DRESSES
X-Line
The silhouette of X-Line dresses alone is already a clear depiction of the ideal hourglass body figure, so for someone who may lack some of this body type’s features, this is the best dress style to go for. X-line dresses are fitted at the waist and flare out gently towards the hem so it adds volume where it’s needed.
For your top hourglass figure, wearing an X-Line dress is particularly advantageous because of how they accentuates your hourglass figure’s most defining point – your slender waist. The flared skirt of this dress adds volume to your lower body, where your hips are relatively narrower, creating a sense of balance for your overall look.
Peplum
For top hourglass figures, you will find peplum dresses stylish and very beneficial as they cinch your well-defined waistline, add slight volume to your narrow hips, and highlight your natural curves to create a visually balanced look. The peplum design can also disguise any potential problem areas you may have around your midsection to give you a flattering and comfortable fit.
The peplum detail, which is the flared overskirt attached to the waist seam, adds volume and shape to your hips. This beautifully complements your broader shoulders to give your overall frame a symmetrical look.
Wrap
Wrap dresses are universally flattering and they are also especially helpful for top hourglass body shapes because of their design that efficiently accentuates and complements the curves of your top hourglass figure. The most beneficial feature of a wrap-style dress is its ability to be adjusted and tied at the waist to emphasize your narrow waistline.
This particular waist cinch draws attention to your defining curves and creates a more feminine appearance. In addition to this, the V-neckline of the wrap dress also helps create a more elongated stature as it creates a sense of verticality that balances your overall proportions.
SKIRTS
Straight Cut
You can never go wrong with simple and straightforward silhouettes, that’s why going for straight-cut skirts can also be a great style choice to flatter your top hourglass figure. Straight-cut skirts have a consistent width from the waist to the hem, so you can easily work around your ensembles to play with your proportions.
The straight cut of the skirt doesn’t have any additional details so your very narrow waist remains the focal point of your silhouette.
Skirts with Flounce Hem
The flounced hem of the skirt relevantly adds some dimension and movement to the lower part of your body and this can balance out the look of your broader shoulders. Additionally, the flounced hem draws attention to the hips and thighs to effectively enhance your hourglass curves even more.
OUTERWEAR
Belted Blazers
Belted blazers can offer a customized fit because it allows easy adjustment to ensure comfort while still highlighting your distinctive hourglass features. The belted waist of the blazer cinches and accentuates your highly coveted narrow waist, which also draws attention to your curves even more and creates a more feminine and symmetrical silhouette.
Moreover, the belted waist helps neutralize the appearance of your broader shoulders while also creating a subtle flare that goes over the hips for additional depth.
Princess Seam Jackets
Princess seam coats can be a very smart style choice for top hourglass body shapes due to their tailored and contoured design that truly brings out the best of your hourglass figure. Princess seams are characterized by vertical seams that flawlessly run from the shoulder to the hem and this creates a fitted and feminine silhouette that highlights the waist.
For your top hourglass figure, these neat, strategic seams help accentuate your slender waist while also adding just the right amount of volume to really show off your hourglass curves. Also, the contoured fit of princess seam coats embraces your figure snugly, without the unnecessary excess fabric that usually causes bulk or unwanted volume.
Single-Breasted Coats
Unlike double-breasted coats, single-breasted structures do not add any volume to your upper body, which is the last thing a top hourglass shaped-woman would want. Since you already have a prominent upper body, particularly broader shoulders and fuller breasts, adding more details to the upper part of your coat will only make you look top-heavy.
Single-breasted coats are simply flattering, thanks to their streamlined structure and a singular row of buttons. They also typically cinch at the waist with the help of seams or a belt, so it effectively highlights your slender waist, which is one of your body type’s best features.
