Dressing tips for a top-heavy figure – Faking the dress

I’ve noticed that a lot of the busty bloggers that I love have an hourglass figure. That means that some of their clothing suggestions don’t work for me and, I guess, for others like me. I’d described myself as a reverted triangle, or top heavy. Just like every body type, it comes with its own set of challenges and perks. I also happen to think that a lot of the advice for apple shaped/narrow-hipped busty women is whack! So, I thought I would share a few tips that have worked for me.

I believe that the hardest item to find to fit a figure like mine is a dress. Hourglasses often complain that they have to deal with a baggy waistline in order to fit their boobs and hips. In our case, the waist might be ok, as long as there is enough boob space, but the hips area will be baggy. In my experience, most size charts, even those of bust friendly companies, assume that your hips are larger than your bust. That being said, dresses get all the love, but being one or several sizes larger up top than down bottom means that separates are your friends!

Matching separates can give you the look of a dress, with the option to get different sizes in each item. Plus, you can still rock the top and skirt separately.

You can buy a specifically matching top and skirt set, like this one I got from Etam a few years ago.

 Every time I’m wearing this, I get complimented about my “dress”. I like to pair it with the red shoes below. I have no idea where they come from as they were a handout from a friend.

You can also make your own matching separates. Here, I’m pairing an Urkye top with a skirt that I also got from a friend, with whom I sometimes swap clothes.

 As you can see (well not so clearly, sorry about the blurry pics), it is quite easy with black.

But you shouldn’t shy away from colour! I didn’t buy the top and skirt below to be worn together. I just happen to like orange a lot.

The top is from Etam (a few years back) and the skirt from H&M (last year’s collection).

These are actually not the exact same shade and they’re made of very different fabrics. This is not very noticeable from afar, but to tie them up together more and accentuate the dress illusion, I like to throw my Urkye cardigan on top like this:

 People who’ve seen me in this top gazillions of times have asked where I got my “new dress”!

Belts are not my thing, but they can also be a good way to “tie up” top and bottom. You can also match solid fabrics and prints and stil get this illusion if you manage to get the shade right. If you shorten the hem of a printed skirt, you can keep the trim to adorn a top so that it matches the skirt. The possibilities are endless. Your skirt can be an S and your top an L and nobody will be the wiser…

I am not the type to keep an extensive wardrobe and I tend to buy clothes ony when I need them, so I’ve owned all the items presented for several years, except for the Urkye top and cardigan, which I’ve reviewed here. The idea was not to write a fashion blog, but to share this simple tip, that you can duplicate with what’s in your wardrobe.