Design for Your Body – Bottom Dominant

The woman whose hips are larger than her bust has many ways of describing her body type – the triangle, pear-shaped, hippy, and many other less flattering – but my favourite is Bottom Dominant. I’m not sure who first coined the phrase, but the first I heard it was from Nancy Nix-Rice http://www.nancynixrice.com in a seminar at the ASDP Conference http://www.paccprofessionals.org. The biggest struggle for bottom dominant women is to get an outfit that fits both her hips and her shoulders and flatters her. Fitted dresses and suits are truly difficult to purchase and this figure type can really benefit from some custom made pieces in her wardrobe. For some patterns designed by a local Vancouver designer with your figure in mind check out http://www.sewaholic.net .
In this blog we are going to explore some style options that will flatter the bottom dominant figure.
The idea is to draw attention to your face and shoulders and away from the hips, so patterns or horizontal stripes should be placed above the waist. Jackets and sweaters that end right at the widest part of your body should be avoided as much as possible. If your favourite sweater ends at your hips try pushing up the sleeves to just below the elbow to break the visual line. A suit jacket with a shaped lapel that ends less than 6 inches below your waist will look better than a longer one with no collar. Blazers and blouses should be of a lighter or brighter colour than the pants or skirt. Straight or tapered skirts are particularly flattering, whereas a flare will emphasize the triangle. Try straight leg slim pants, you’ll be pleased with the way they look. Your pants and skirts should start at or just below the waist. Hip-huggers are not a good choice.
You should avoid halter style tops as they simply emphasize the triangle and are better suited to women with broader upper bodies. Try a wide v-neck with cap sleeve for summer or evening wear. A boat neck or wide draped cowl are also good choices. Shirt-dresses are being shown this year and this style can work well for you if you choose a wide lapel and narrow belt over a full skirt – very ‘50s and fun to wear.
Remember to always draw the eye up!
As always, your comments and questions are welcomed.
E: Diana@dianarose.ca
W: http://www.dianarose.ca