Middle-Figure Essentials

I admit that I have been procrastinating... :P But I finally compiled a list of all the essentials for the Middle-Figure body shape. :) If you have utterly no idea what I am talking about, please click on this link, and you will be directed to a post about the why's and what's of body shape! But for those of you who do know what I am talking about, please read on! =) 

The commandments for middle-figures: (Much of this information was adapted from cardiganempire.com, one of THE most fantastic Christian fashion websites ever. Period. Please check it out! :)

~Never accent your fullest asset with belts, tucking in your shirt, cinched waists, elastic waistbands, or anything that draws a line across your midsection. Yes, ladies. No horizontal stripes! ;)

Monochromatic colors are
colors in the same section.

~Draw attention to your lovely face! {yes, this is true for everyone, but especially this body shape} Leave your necklines open with v-necks, scoop necklines, or sweetheart as they frame your face. Stay away from anything which covers all of your skin on top. (no turtlenecks! :) Use your jewelry to draw attention upwards, and try not to cover your arms! (think: cap sleeves) ~Wear monochromatic clothes. No, I don't mean you have to wear matching tops and bottoms, but wearing colors in the same color family is very important. You don't want a huge color contrast that cuts your figure in half, but colors in the same family will streamline your figure. :) For example, don't wear a blue shirt with a pink skirt. Stick within the same color family.

Those are the principles to live by, but really, don't be legalistic. :) But, here are some practical examples:

Peasant Blouses look great on this body
shape because they skim over your midsection.
Try to get one like this example with an empire
waistline a a wide neckline. :) The cap sleeves
look gorgeous too! =)
galtech.org

Layered Ruffle shirt. :) Again, empire waist
always looks best on you. :D
http://image.yesstyle.com/assets/15/892/l_p1014289215.jpg

Any top that flows over your body
will look lovely. A rounded neckline
or a v-neck line look best. :) A dropped
waist (A waist that narrows at your hips)
will work very well for your body shape =)
cardiganempire.com 

Bottoms:
~Try to opt for a lighter color on the bottom, as you can appear rather top heavy. The lighter color will draw more attention downwards. 
The rise is very important in whatever pants you wear. The rise is the specific place a pair of pants sits on your body. Study the picture below. (Sorry about the bare midriffs!) The photo is from Nordstrom.com which has amazing videos about fitting jeans, by the way. ;)

The middle figure should embrace the mid rise at all cost. The high rise can create that mom jeans look, and the low rise can create those marks of love: love handles. So love those mid rise trousers/pants! :) When you get jeans/trousers, stay away from skinny jeans at all costs! :) {If you don't wear them anyway, just bear with me} Why? Since you may be somewhat top heavy, your slim legs will magnify that, and you could appear toppled. A good rule of thumb for the apple figure is don't go tight on the bottom! However, if you are a slim apple, you could probably go for the straight leg cut for your jeans/trousers. But the best options for apples are definitely bootcut and flare. Confused? ;) Here are a few photos explaining it all the options for the cut of your jeans/trousers:

A bootcut fit is not quite flared, but it
does not stay the same size from the knee
downwards like a straight cut. Think of
it as in between a flare and straight cut.
Technically, the thigh fit for this example is
quite tight. In reality, the fit would not be
this form fitting. (Same for the example below)
Nordstrom.com (Citizens of Humanity)

A flare cut is generally looser in the thighs
and flares much more than a bootcut. Choose
either cut, according to your preferences! :)
J brand, Nordstrom.com

If you are a slim middle-figure, you can go for
the straight cut style, which is the same width
from your knees downward. :)
Citizens of Humanity, Nordstrom.com

Skirts:

An A-line skirt hitting as high as you deem
modest looks wonderful on your figure. Low
hemlines on this figure aren't very flattering, so
go for knee length, right below the knee, or
calf length. :)
Nordstrom.com

Another flared skirt :) This is a good time
to mention that tucking your shirt in should
be avoided at ALL COSTS!

Oh, this is cute. :)

Chiffon and silk are great fabrics for your skirts. The golden rule for bottoms is: don't go tight! :) 
Now to move on to dresses! (The thing all you feminine girls have been looking forward to... ;)

This dress with the V-neckline and the
empire waistline would look GORGEOUS
on you. I am SO jealous. (It is on sale at
Chadwicks.com for 29.99!!!) Just had to
say that. ;)

Open necklines and empire waistline is
the way to go. From the waistline, just let
the skirt flare out (again, Chadwicks.com
29.99!!)

Did I mention Chadwicks is having a HUGE sale? :D I am very, very happy!!!

A gorgeous formal dress... *swoon* Just make
sure the waistline is not on your actual waist
but the empire waistline! :) Chadwicks.com
120 dollars only!!!! 

A gorgeous empire waistline wedding dress :)

Now onto the shoes. :) You're probably thinking, "Shoes?!? There are right and wrong shoes to wear?"
The answer is yes! Please read on. =)

Wedges are absolutely the best shoe for you as they balance
your upper body. These lovely espadrilles are perfect for casual
wear. They feel like flats and are SO comfortable!
shoes-pedia.blogspot.com

I admit, this wedge is over the top. Uber-much.
But for those of you who find wedges rather boring,
I hope this has blown that misconception away. ;)
Jessica Simpson Wedge

Some more ADORABLE wedges. :)

The last category is your outerwear, or coats. :) I have one suggestion for you in this section:

The first button on your coat should
ideally button right below your bust.
A V-neck looks gorgeous on you! :)
Think fitted, but not tight.
http://www.bodyshapefashionadvice.com/
(A great website which I get a ton of
inspiration from. :)

I hope this post has helped all of you middle-figured ladies to learn to dress well for your shape! :) If you would like more information, I urge you to visit cardiganempire.com, run by a Christian personal stylist. She is so fashionable, and she does personal style sessions. =)
The next shape I will be writing the essentials for is the "Hourglass Figure"! Stay tuned and God bless, my dear readers!
~Southern Belle

Body Shape

Psalm 139:13-16 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately women in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

God created us all to be unique.  Creating our shape, sculpting our bones, knitting us together, God knew exactly what he was doing. God loves each of our unique shapes that he planned and crafted. If we put down our bodies and criticize ourselves, we are actually criticizing God, because he is the one who made us. We as humans don’t always see things from God’s perspective. Many of us have probably envied that gorgeous supermodel’s body. ;) However, if we take a step back and see things from God’s perspective, we can understand that all of us are beautiful in His eyes. We are all lovely because we were formed by THE master craftsman. Truly, we are fearfully and wonderfully made. J

The point? Every single shape and size is beautiful and unique. We need to stop criticizing our bodies and thank God for creating us perfectly for his will. He has a plan for our bodies, and we must take care of them. One way that we can do this “fashion-wise” is by learning to dress for our body shape, frame size, and torso.

Many of you have probably heard the terms “Hourglass”, “Pear”, and “Apple” tossed around. But body shape is not just a term. It is a way of life. When we find out our body shape etc, we have to dress in a way that flatter’s our unique body. Why wear something that flatters a supermodel when you are an hourglass? J Get it? Wearing something that looks good on your body is more important that squeezing into a size two, just for the number. Are you prepared to embark on this adventure? If you are, I need to ask you to leave preconceptions OUTSIDE!! Bon voyage! :D

Here are a few principles that every lady needs to know:

~Respect your body. No putting down here, ladies!

~You must know thy measurements. The key here is updates. You are not going to have the same measurements at eighteen and forty, so keep measuring!

~Never compare yourself to anyone else. We are all unique and beautifully made by God. Remember that!

Now that we have laid down the principles, it is time to get into the concrete. J Firstly, we have to get your measurements.

~Measure your waist. (this is usually a bit above your belly button) If you have no idea where to measure, stand up straight and bend from your waist sideways. A crease will appear at your side and that is your waist. Measure where the crease appeared. 

~Next, measure your hips. This will be around the fullest part of your derriere. (check the picture for more help)

~Finally, measure around the fullest part of your bust, while wearing your undergarments. If you need more help, check the photo for reference.

Now for the body shapes! (At the moment, I will only categorize, but later I will post about dressing for you body shape :)

~Middle Figure:

This body shape has an average to large bust, slimmer hips and legs, and a rounded, feminine abdomen. :) If you gain weight, you tend to gain it in your midsection, but your legs stay long and lithe for years. Your silhouette is beautifully soft and blooming. :D You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Your hip measurement should be the same as, or smaller than your bust measurement, since the apple shape is often somewhat top heavy. Your waist is 3 inches (at most) smaller than your hips and bust. More on this beautiful shape later!

~Hourglass:

With a small to large bust, small to large hips and legs, and a wasp waist, your shape is feminine to the core! You are curvy and beautiful, proportionate on the top and the bottom. With a ten inch difference between your hips/bust and your waist, this shape is not very common. Furthermore, there can only be a two inch difference between your hip and bust measurements. If you think this is you, I will post more on this gorgeous shape later. :D

~Inverted-Triangle:

With a large bust, small to medium abdomen, and slim hips, your shape is curvaceous on the top and slim on the bottom. You are robust and magnificent, beautifully focused on the top. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. :) Your hips should be at least 4 inches smaller than your bust, and your waist should be 7 inches smaller than your bust. If you think this lovely shape is yours, stay tuned!
~Lower-figure:
With beautifully rounded hips, a slim waist, and a dainty bust, you are slim on the top and curvy on the bottom. You have a exquisitely feminine on the bottom and svelte on top. :) Your waist is at least 7 inches smaller than your bust, and your bust is 4 inches smaller than your hips. You are magnificent! If this description rings true with you, stay tuned. :D
~Linear:
With slim hips, a vague waist, and a dainty bust, you are willowy and slender, like faerie or elf. When most people think of this shape, they usually associate it with models, but there are most certainly petite linears. :D Your shape is gorgeously svelte and you will stay slim for years. You have an almost identical hip and bust measurement, and a waist that is not more than 4 inches smaller than your bust/hip measurement. Think this is you? Well, check back later! :)
Any questions or suggestions? :)
God bless!
~Southern Belle
(Note: Some of this information was inspired by cardiganempire.com. Do check it out; it is amazing!)