Style 3

Dress To Flatter Your Figure: Pear

By Susan Moses @@SusanMosesNYC · On April 7, 2014

Generally the most bootylicious of all of the body types is the pear shape. Having a pear shape means that your upper torso is much smaller than your hips and your bottom. Your shoulders and your bust are significantly smaller and at a quick glance your frame is very deceiving. You have major curves and in order to appear more proportioned your get dressed strategy is to choose silhouettes for your upper torso that will broaden it and result in a more balanced silhouette.

For the pear shape the right jackets, blazers and tops can really make a balanced difference. Look for coats and jackets with major shoulder details like epaulets, color blocking or shoulder pads. Another great option is a jacket with wide lapels, this will broaden your shoulders so that will they will appear more balanced with your hips. Tops that are off the shoulder, u-necks and boatnecks are also great styles for giving you a bit more width across the shoulders and will totally flatter your figure.

For those special occasions or date nights look for dresses that are v-neck, scoop neck or sweetheart necklines that reveal a little cleavage. In addition to the bodice details dresses with asymmetric, godet and fluted hems look amazing on a pear shape. Lastly amp up that sexy dress with a pointy or open toe pair of heels your legs will appear longer and your figure will appear more naturally proportioned.

If jeans or pants have been a challenge for you I have a few great suggestions to help you get into the perfect fit. I highly suggest avoiding low rise jeans and jeans with whiskering or bleaching on your thighs. A low rise will result in a gap in the waist and the whiskering / bleaching will make you appear wider through the hips and thighs. Look for jeans and pants that have a curved waist and a normal rise. Sometimes you may have to invest in a little tailoring for a perfect fit in the waist. Lastly, straight legs look best on you.

Spring has finally arrived, and so have the seasonal trends. Moto jackets, boho skirts and beautiful blouses, let’s go shopping……….

Susan Moses

After being embraced by the Penningtons community, Susan Moses continues to bring her style savvy, insider knowledge and generous personality to plus-size women everywhere as the host of "Style Study". From the red carpets and stages of the Oscars, Golden Globes, American Music Awards and the Grammy's, Susan has styled such celebrities as Queen Latifah, Wynonna Judd, Jill Scott, Kathy Bates, and Nikki Blonsky. Now Susan brings our Penningtons customers that star style with fashion tips on how to dress your curves in our seasonal collections and how to get the most from your wardrobe. Susan's style begins with her mother's advice that fabulous fashion starts with good undergarments and great shoes, mixed with a touch of old Hollywood glamour and a little Pam Grier/Diana Ross swagger. Fashion designer Carolyne Roehm, who Susan worked for early in her career, summed it up best: "My tastes run more to the simple silhouette that emphasizes the woman, not the dress." In a business where everyone is known as a celebrity and trends come and go, Susan celebrates the art of fashion because fashion will ALWAYS be here.

3 Comments

Brenda Baldwin says: April 9, 2014 at 1:06 pm

I am a Curvy Fit and once again, I write to suggest that it sure would be nice to be able to have the colour choices in the Curvy Fit Pants. Once again, the only colours I can buy are Blue Jeans, Black Jeans and Black Pants. I look around the store and find the beautiful array of colours this year for Slightly Curvy and Savvy slacks and pants… Curvy Fit people cannot fit into those other styles!! Why can’t the Curvy Fit people have colour choices as well??? We like to have colour choices too. It forces me to shop around to other stores to broaden my wardrobe. Once again I feel like I’m being punished for being a Curvy Fit…. our colour choices are black, black and blue jeans.

karen says: April 9, 2014 at 4:29 pm

I was excited to receive your mail on how to dress for you type.
My type is missing. I am a rectangle: hips and bust measurements are similar and my waist is not defined, just a little smaller. How do you suggest we rectangles dress so we flatter our figure?

Thanks