What would Christina Hendricks do?

May 25, 2012 8:38 PM

What hourglass-friendly styles am I missing?

If you look in my history, you'll see that I've lost some weight in the last 18 months and I'm trying to come to terms with my new body shape.

So I've got a classic hourglass figure, where my bust and hips are the same size and my waist is 10 inches smaller. I know all about wrap styles, and to avoid stuff that doesn't skim the body since stuff that skims the boobs and not the rest of the body makes one look chunky. But what else is out there that I don't know about? Theoretically, I had read that A-line skirts were flattering, but I tried on a retro-style 50's shirtwaist/sundress thing today and wow, it was amazing! (Unfortunately, it was not top-friendly for me. But still, now I know what to look for.)

I'm going to make an appointment with a Nordstrom personal shopper, but can y'all offer anything else I should be looking for in the meantime? Should I just approach shopping with the mantra "What would Christina Hendricks do?"

Also, I live in Texas, which is something to keep in mind if you're recommending specific clothing items - cooler clothing is better! And I'm still losing weight (yay), so I'd like to keep clothes in a reasonable price range. And I'm no longer near my 20s, and have even left my 30s behind, so stuff that suits my age is good, too.

posted by Addlepated to clothing, beauty, & fashion (9 answers total)

Anything ruched.
posted by selfmedicating at 8:45 PM on May 25, 2012 [2 favorites]

I'm hourglassy, and my uniform these days is a pencil skirt or a mini skirt, belted at my natural waist, and a t-shirt or nicer t-shirt equivalent. An excellent part about this is that well, belts fit for a while, and this kind of shirt is cheap. Drapey necks and flutter sleeves are nice too, and the sleeves balance out my hips.

I stick to V-necks only. Crew or ballet necks make me look frumpy. Which is sad, because I so want to wear them.

I'm watching a non-Mad-Men show with Christina Hendricks in it right now, and earlier I thought, 'man, her style is exactly perfect for hourglass body types." So I'd say run with that until you get a better feel for what works for you.

Also, What Not To Wear has pretty great advice for dressing your body.
posted by punchtothehead at 8:56 PM on May 25, 2012

I'm also an hourglass, and I basically stick to two dress silhouettes--the wrap (which you've figured out) and empire waists with a-line skirts. Basically, you want things that nip in at your waist, or else you'll look thick. I get cotton/jersey everyday dresses at Target.com and wear them all summer. They're easy to dress up or dress down depending on the occasion.
posted by donajo at 8:56 PM on May 25, 2012

Sheath dresses. Princess seaming. Open necklines. 3/4 sleeves. The Pocket Stylist is a great resource.
posted by Iris Gambol at 9:00 PM on May 25, 2012 [2 favorites]

Pencil skirts, preferably to the middle or bottom of the knee. Fitted tees with a boat neck or a high crew neck might be good alternatives to a v-neck. Cap sleeves or 3/4-length sleeves are best, I find--you want to avoid a short or elbow-length sleeve that ends at your bustline because that can look boxy.

A good boot-cut pant is also flattering--you don't want too much of a flare, just enough to balance out your hips. Hem should be about an inch from the floor. Skinny pants are in right now--get them cropped to just above the ankle (not a capri that cuts across the widest part of your calf). You can wear skinny pants with a boxier top, just make sure it hits at the low hip--at least a couple of inches above your crotch. Tunics are tough to pull off with hips, although something belted might work if it's not too poufy. If you are worried about butt coverage, a longer cardigan can help.
posted by elizeh at 9:21 PM on May 25, 2012

I'm also an hourglass, and recently met with a wardrobe consultant. I learned a lot. Formerly, I stuck close to the What Not To Wear guidelines, but now see that there are exceptions. V-neck and open-collar are definitely good, but you can create a V with a pendant on a substantial chain or with a scarf. If you wear a tank, shell, or other under-shirt, you can leave your over-shirt open completely for a strong vertical line, or button it from your waist down -- and also try a belt outside the overshirt, with the overshirt closed at the waist.

I often find that buttoned tops are too small in the chest or too big all over. You can wear the too-small ones with something underneath. If the blouse fits well in the waist, it can be really flattering.

I thought flared pants were my best look, but the consultant showed me that narrow, tapered pants look great with a long, belted overblouse.

Stand a little further away from the mirror to get a good view. Check out your look in the 3-way mirror that many fitting areas have.
posted by wryly at 10:36 PM on May 25, 2012 [2 favorites]

I have an hour glass shape and have recently lost weight also. My favorite skirt ever, is a wrap snap skirt by Erin MacLeod, off of etsy. Or id you are lucky enough, some shops. The skirts are one size fits most. They are amazingly flattering, really they ROCK! Sexy for after work, great for work and daytime.
posted by jennstra at 11:34 PM on May 25, 2012 [4 favorites]

I'm hourglassy, and I've developed a few rules. My main one is to wear a tank top under every top I own; I stock up on Old Navy's in every color they offer. Second is to always carry a cropped cardigan with me for similar reasons. The combination has saved a lot dresses for me that weren't otherwise top-friendly; that might help you with your shirtwaist/sundress if it doesn't add too much weight to the outfit.
posted by RainyJay at 4:34 PM on May 26, 2012

If you're worried about heat and things being top-friendly, check out these half tank tops. They're a little cooler than a full tank (I just linked to an online store that sells them, but I think any place selling underwear sells ones like that).
posted by bluefly at 7:32 AM on May 28, 2012