Do you know your Body Shape? | Iowa Boudoir Photographer
“Body Confidence does not come from trying to achieve the ‘perfect’ body, it comes from embracing the one you’ve already got”- unknown
The most frequent question I am asked is “What the heck should I wear to my shoot?” and it is going to depend on different factors. Every woman has assets we want to cater to while downplaying areas that don’t make them feel like the true Vixens they are. But first, “Why the heck do I even care to know what my body type is Cassy?” you ask. Great question my friend. Simply put- power. Knowledge is power and the more you know, the more control you have. When you have the power to look in the mirror and feel good about who is looking back, there isn’t anything more powerful than that!
I help my clients dress for success when it comes to their shoot. In order to make customized recommendations, I designed 10 part questionnaire to learn as much as possible. Part of that questionnaire detailed what your body type is and most women aren’t 100% sure… and now I know why! Whew- I had NO CLUE I was going to open a HUGE can of worms when I decided to write this blog post.
Apples and Pears and Spoons and Diamonds and everything in between
I learned very quickly, two things: 1- there isn’t a ton of agreement amongst websites and “experts” on how many body types there are and 2- we love to name them after fruits and inanimate objects. Healthline.com has defined ten different shapes but hop over to Style Craze and they tell you there are twelve.
I dove in deep into the Google-sphere and just when I thought I was lost, I emerged with a solid eight I’m going to talk about. A few articles stood out: Corina from Frump Fighters along with Shop Your Shape were two of my favorites. They did a great job with descriptions and helpful tips for styling. Make sure to check them both out! Before we get started, let’s cover how to measure yourself. When measuring your bust, wrap a cloth tape measure at the fullest part making sure to go underneath your arms (armpits here). To measure your waist, bend to the side and where your body creases, is where you measure (should be above navel but below your ribs). Lastly, measure your hips at the fullest part of your rump. Now you’ve got that done, let’s get you some power from that info!
Oval
Where my Ovals at?! I’m starting here because a lot of women fall into this category. My pretty ovals have larger busts, fuller midsections, and narrower hips. In short, your measurements from broadest to smallest will be waist, bust, hips.
Apple
The Apple or Inverted Triangle is a buxom beauty with a larger bust, waistline that graduates down to narrower hips. Your measurements from broadest to smallest will be bust, waist, then hips.
Diamond
Shine bright like a diamond ladies! Diamonds have hips that are broader than shoulders and a narrower bustline. Your measurements broadest to smallest: waist then hips slightly smaller with bust being your narrowest point.
Pear
Juicy Pears! I fall into this category and us pears, or triangles, have smaller shoulders & busts with a waistline that gradual slopes to your hips. Your measurements broadest to smallest: hips, waist, and bust.
Spoon
The spoon is kissing cousin to the pear. I had no idea the Spoon existed until my research. Main difference between spoon and pear: waist is more defined which accentuates your hips more. Your measurements broadest to smallest: Hips, bust with waist slightly smaller.
Hourglass
Most people are familiar to the Hourglass. Corsets were created in 1830 to help women achieve this curvaceous shape and have remained popular even now. Your measurements are broadest to smallest: bust and hips same followed by the waist.
Top Hourglass
It’s only fair the hourglass have a kissing cousin too! Top hourglasses still have that well defined waist but their bust measures slightly larger than their hips. Your measurements broadest to smallest: Bust, Hips, and waist.
Straight/Column
Last but not least, column shape or commonly referred to as the rectangle. Your bust and hips measure close to the same and your waist is only slightly smaller. Typically an athletic build.
Keep in mind, not everyone fits perfectly into one category because just like the rainbow, women’s figures cover all spectrums and blend between the lines. And celebrate that! You know me- I hate categories to begin with but like I said, knowledge is power and sometimes we have to create definitions to make that powerful knowledge. If you are having difficulties figuring out what you align the most with, I would love to chat with you! You can give me a call directly at 319-849-5152. You can also email me at info@chrysalisboudoir.com
Have you thought about booking your own shoot with Cassy? Download your complimentary Dream Shoot Planner by clicking HERE. It will tell you all about the experience and what to expect.
[…] first post in a series of eight that delve into the more recognizable body types I discussed in my Body Types 101 post. I’ll be covering each gloriously, wonderful shape to give recommendations on what can […]
[…] the second post in a series that delve into the more recognizable body types found here in my Body Types 101 post. I’ll be covering each gloriously, wonderful shape to give recommendations to help you […]
[…] is the second post in a series that delve into the more recognizable body types found here in my Body Types 101 post. I’ll be covering each gloriously, wonderful shape to give recommendations to help you feel […]
[…] is the second post in a series that delve into the more recognizable body types found here in my Body Types 101 post. I’ll be covering each gloriously, wonderful shape to give recommendations to help you feel […]
My bestie had her photos done with Cassy and really thinks I’d have fun doing so. I’m not sure that I can muster that much confidence but I’d like to believe that I can. I’ve thought about a session like this before and she told me she felt so empowered after hers. Maybe if I could win I’d be able to see myself the way my husband does.
I truly believe ANY woman can do a session like this. You will get to the place of mustering enough confidence to do one AND then see yourself through everyone else’s lens. 🙂