Women's Figure Flattery Guide: Bottom Heavy

Elongate your figure while visually balancing your hips and shoulders. Subtly show your curves.

Look for...

• Drapey fabrics.
• Diagonal lines.
• Dark colored bottoms.
• Tonal outfits with darker shades on the bottom.
• Outfits that skim over your curves.

• Jackets & Coats
• Long coats: three-fourths and seven-eighths lengths lengths.
• Vertical detailing above the waist.
• Nipped-waist, tailored jackets that hit at hipbone length.
• A-line styles.
  
• Loose, straight cuts.
• Coats that flare at the waist.
• Slender lapels.
• Set-in sleeves.
• Slight shoulder padding.
• Slanted pockets minimize hips.
• Snug jean jackets.
• Biker jackets.
• Boxy jackets.

• Tops
• Fitted tops that float over your hips and bottom.
• Empire-waist styles.
• Wrap styles.
• Deep V-necklines.
• Wide necklines.

• Pants & Jeans
• Dark colored bottoms.
• Slightly lower-waisted bottoms.
• Bottoms with smooth tops, without waistbands.
• If you wear a waistband, it should be no longer than 1” high.
• Straight-legged, flat-front pants.
• Well-tailored pants with wider legs.
• Slight flare (boot cut shape) at ankle is flattering.
• Remove side pockets from pants for a leaner look.
  
• Jeans with a slightly lower rise.
• Dark denim is more flattering.
• Back pockets on jeans.

• Skirts & Dresses
  
• Skirts with smooth tops, without waistbands.
• Moderate A-line shapes.
• Wrap styles.
• Draped styles.
• Tapered knee-length skirts.
• Vertical detailing.
• Empire-waist styles.
• Matching dress and jacket sets.
• Show skin: shoulders, cleavage, or arms.
• Horizontal detailing on top.
• Open necklines.
• Dresses with plain bottom halves.
• Vertical detailing.

Swimsuits
• Dark colored bottoms, especially when contrasted with a lighter top.
• Embellishment above the waistline to draw the eye upwards.
  

Run from...

• Stiff fabrics.
• Oversized prints.
• Horizontal patterns.
• Shiny fabrics or thick textures.

• Jackets & Coats
• Styles that hit at the widest part of the hips.
• Double breasted styles.
• Bulky flap and patch pockets.
• Narrow-belted styles.
• Bomber jackets.

• Tops
• Tops that don’t cover the hips.
• Styles that hit at the widest part of the hips.
• Boxy shapes.
• Cinched waists.
• Detailing at the shirt hem.

• Pants & Jeans
• Bottoms with lots of detailing: pleats, gathers, back details, back pockets, prints, etc.
• Extremely high-waisted styles.
• Extremely low-waisted styles.
• Wide-legged pants.
• Bell bottoms.
• Drawstring pants.
• Tapered styles.
• Cropped pants.
• Tight legs.
• Small back pockets.
• Widely spaced back pockets.

• Skirts & Dresses
• Pockets: slanted, flap, or patch.
• Pleated skirts.
• Bias cut fabrics.
• Hem detailing.
• Severe flared skirts.
• Horizontal detailing.
• Dresses that cinch the waist.
• Bunching at waist.
• Stiff fabrics.
• Detailing below the waistline.
• Severely voluminous skirts.

Swimsuits
• Bottoms that are too small.
• Skirted suits that end at your widest part.