Welcome to the Dress Your Shape Series. This training was originally posted inside the Petite Style Society.

Today, I’m going to share about the Figure -8. If you think you’re an hourglass, but still have a hard time with best styles for an hourglass shape, you might be a figure-8.

The hourglass and figure-8 silhouette are very similar. They both feature a defined waist with shoulders and hips about equal width. The determining fact between the two is the shape of the hips. A figure-8 has a high hip, whereas an hourglass has a low hip. See the images below.

Look for where the widest point of the hips falls.

As you can see above, the widest point for the figure-8 is at closer to the waist, falling right at or below the belly button. This “high hip” curve is like a shelf that makes it easy to balance a baby or bag of groceries while keeping both feet flat on the floor.

For the hourglass, the widest part of the hips is lower below the belly button closer to the crotch line. She will have to pivot her hip up to balance a baby.

Read on to see what styles best suit the figure-8 shape.

BEST TOPS FOR FIGURE-8

Tops that have curved shoulders can be very flattering like the dolman style on the left.
Knits, fitted or skimming styles that show your curves are best.
Waist definition is essential!
Peplum and wrap styles are great for this shape.
Tops that have room or stretch right under the waist to accommodate the curve or shelf right below are essential for your top to fit right and feel comfortable..
Tucking in tops and adding belts will help accentuate your small waist.

BEST PANTS FOR FIGURE-8

BEST SKIRTS FOR FIGURE-8

When it comes to pants and jeans, the best styles are:

Straight leg
Slim
Skinny

High rise is probably the most comfortable.

The best skirt silhouettes will taper in at the hem.
Look for:

Pencils skirts
Wrap skirts
Aline that fall straight down
Yoked skirts
High waisted styles
Have room right below your waist for the “shelf”

Hems that curve in toward your legs like the red skirt in the middle will balance your figure and look the most flattering. Avoid the skirts that flare out at the them.

All the principles we talked about above are combined for tops and skirts:

Emphasis your waist
Have room to accommodate the shelf/high hip
Taper in at the hem is most flattering
Body con and wrap styles look amazing

BEST JACKETS FOR FIGURE-8

Like tops, jackets and coats with waist definition and follow the line of your curves.

Belted and cinched in styles are great.

Please Share:
What body shape are you?

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