Background:

Susan was aged 48, married with 5 children and particularly challenged in creating balance in her shape and proportions.
Challenge: Dressing the Pear Shape
Susan was particularly conscious of lower body & short legs - Was a Petite Pear - and she wanted to incorporate more dresses into her wardrobe.
Solution: Bring Balance
In order to bring balance to her Pear shape (where the hips are the widest part of the body and the shoulders are proportionally narrower), I advised her to keep all the interest and detail in her clothing to the top half of her body to draw the eye upward and de-emphasise the lower half of the body.
Add Volume to Shoulder Area
I also encouraged her to add volume at the shoulder area through the use of design details such as puff shoulder details and oversized collars, which add some much- needed bulk and draw the eye outward to add width to the shoulders bringing them into balance with the hips.

Challenge:

Once you understand your Body Shape, identifying your Style Personality is the next step, as both elements impact your choices:
So, while shoulder pads or epaulettes on a trench coat for example would also add volume and width to the shoulder area, these design details would not suit this ‘Romantic/Feminine’ Style Personality.
Solution:
Susan’s dominant Style Personality was ‘Natural’, but even her aim of wanting to incorporate more dresses into her wardrobe, indicated the presence of a ‘Romantic/Feminine’ style personality.
However, the use of puff shoulder details or a ruffled oversized collar would compliment this.

Make Up as an Extension of an Outfit:

It is my firm belief that Make Up is an extension of your outfit and can be used much like an accessory.
This is particularly true in the case of a ‘Romantic/Feminine’ style personality, where attention to make up and the introduction of that ‘pretty’ aesthetic can transform even the most basic outfit.
Where Colour comes into the Mix:
Incidentally, Susan was also a ‘Summer’ in terms of her physical characteristics & the colour palette that works for her. “Summers” will always look best in:
• Cool Colours
• Soft, Muted, Dusty colours
• Lighter colours
• Lighter Shades of Darker Colours
Her Pear body shape is a soft, curved shape, also very feminine in nature. I often see this with clients, where all the elements work together, to achieve the harmony we are aiming for.

“Amazing Results”
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