by Sucharita Ray

Created on: August 25, 2009

Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and cringed at the small breasts, narrow hips or large belly? Please remember no woman, including that fabulous lingerie model, has a faultless body. However, some women through clever clothing choices,manage to downplay their flaws and accentuate their strengths better than others. These women are able to pull it off mainly because they understand their body shapes.

The female body can be broadly categorized into five different shapes based on bust, waist and hip proportions. Body shape is independent of overall size. For example, though Debra Messing and Keira Knightley may look very different in size, they essentially have the same rectangle body shape.

BANANA

If your bust and hips are almost the same size and your waist is undefined, you have a banana or rectangle body shape. Your waist measurement is less than nine inches smaller than your hips or bust measurement. Though there may be fuller versions of this body shape, you are more than likely to have a small or medium bust with proportionally slim legs and arms. While dressing, your main aim should be to add curves to your body by defining your shoulders and waist.

Feminine dresses and girly skirts will add the necessary curves to your body. Look for semi-fitted clothes that skim your body but do not cling to it. Anything too clingy will only accentuate the straightness of your frame. Wrap and draped dresses will give the illusion of a well defined waist. Invest in cute waist defining belts to wear over shirts, cardigans and coats. Pinched or pleated waists too can help in creating the right curves at your waist. Fashion details like halters, ruffles, laces and beads will give you that ultra feminine look.

Stay away from baggy tops and pants as they will only accentuate your absence of curves. Chose slightly flared flat fronted pants over narrow ones to soften your shape. Please never go bra less under a flimsy top even if you have small breasts as it looks extremely tacky. Unless you are uncharacteristically well endowed, stick to high and medium necklines.

Celebrities sharing your body shape include Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith, Hilary Duff, Keira Knightley.

PEAR

If your hip measurement is at least two inches more than your bust measurement and your waist is well defined, you have a pear or triangle body shape. You are likely to have proportionally narrow shoulders and a medium bust. You should try to balance your bottom half by adding volume

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