Finding a Bag that Flatters Your Figure

The holiday season is upon us and you might be looking for a nice present for a woman in your life you love (this can easily be you, just so you know). A new bag is a great present that’s both stylish and useful, but not all bags are created equal. Since your bag is something that will go with you wherever you go and stay close to your body, it’s important to get a bag that flatters your figure instead of highlighting your flaws. How to choose the right bag for a specific body type?

Athletic

An athletic figure or a rectangle body type usually has shoulders, bust, waist and hips that are all approximately the same width. This silhouette needs to be accompanied by accessories that will give it an illusion of curves. Narrow and angular bags (think rectangular clutches) will only make your body look more rough and simple. To give the body some dimension, a clutch or a slouchy hobo bag is a great idea. Bags that rest on the hip or fall below the hip only accentuate the lack of curves even more.

Inverted triangle

This body type is characterized by shoulders that are wider than the bust, waist and hips. To give some weight to the lower body, the aim is to put some attention on the waist or hips to achieve a better sense of balance. The best bags for the inverted triangle body type have long straps to allow your bag to ret on your hips, so think satchels, shoulder bags or cross-body bags with long straps. Belt bags are also flattering, but wear them on your hips instead of across the body—you don’t want to further accentuate your shoulders. When it comes to bags that won’t really flatter your figure, don’t go grabbing for clutches or anything with a short strap.

Apple shape        

Women with an apple silhouette usually have the waist as the widest part of the body, while shoulders and hips are narrow. Some women from this category have a big bust as well. The goal here is to drag the attention from the midsection and give some more focus on other parts of the body to create an illusion of a smaller waist. The best thing you can do here is to opt for a boxy bag with top handles. A model from a creative fashion illustrator with interesting prints will attract the right amount of attention and look good with any style. While these rectangular printed bags will flatter your apple body type, try to avoid crossbody bags or anything too small—it will only accentuate your midsection.

Pear shape

Pear silhouette usually makes women look bottom-heavy since the body flares out from the shoulders to the hips and thighs. Therefore, it’s best to grab a bag that will put focus on the upper body like something that falls on the waist. Something worn across the body is a good idea, just don’t let it sit on the hips. As long as the bag is not too small or fall on the hips, it can be a great addition to your wardrobe. Something with studs, glitter or other embellishments can also attract attention from your wide hips.

Hourglass

Traditionally, the hourglass figure is the most desirable among women because it allows you to look flattering in almost any clothing and sport any type of bag. However, there are still some rules to remember because you want to look proportional no matter if you’re tall, tiny, plus-sizes or heavy in the bust—hourglass figures also come in different shapes. When choosing a bag for you, make sure to opt for a model that attracts attention to your best feature (usually your defined waist). Any bag will look flattering for you as long as it’s proportionate to your height and build—something oversized will look great on taller ladies (shorter women unfortunately should consider giving up things like book totes since they will make them look stumpy and even shorter). Shorter women with an hourglass figure might aim for something smaller to be proportionate to their height.

There you have it, a perfect and clear guide for buying a bag that will flatter your body and highlight all of its best parts. Remember that every body type is beautiful and can be made even more attractive with the right bag, so happy shopping!