Great Style News for Triangle Bodies

This falls into the “don’t knock it if your haven’t tried it” category, but the trend toward shorter jackets is a huge boon to women with lower body dominant shapes. To me, the value of following trends is simply to know when the things that most flatter you are readily available for you to buy.  Many women think in terms of covering up broader hips (or any other feature they don’t particularly like) BUT in truth, if you draw attention elsewhere, nobody will notice those so-called flaws anyway.  Here are multiple reasons why you might want to embrace this trend …

Here are a few examples, attesting to the prevalence of this look in the marketplace.  These are not necessarily styled to flatter –  I’d skip the cargo pocketed pants, the ankle cinching, the lug sole combat boots and the baggy jeans in a brighter color.  But read on for tricks to make this style actually work …

#1 – A shorter jacket side-steps the fitting challenges of being a larger size on the bottom than on top.  In a longer jacket you have to either buy to fit your hips and have the shoulder area too large – adding overall body bulk – OR fit your shouder area and have the front spread open at the bottom, calling attention to the differential.  With a short jacket, you fit only your upper body … so no problem.

#2 – If the jacket is the most interesting, eye-catching element in your outfit — and it certainly can be – then all the visual focus is going to the smaller part of you.  Look for shorter jackets with brighter colors, interesting patterns, compelling details and/or great buttons to rivet attention where you want it.

#3 – A higher jacket hemline means exposing more lower body length.  The  longer your legs look, the taller and trimmer your entire body appears.

If you’re not convinced, put on an outfit with a longer jacket and look in the mirror.  Then fold the lower part of the jacket front to the inside, simulating the look of a short one.  See the difference?  I realize it’s counter-intuitive; workshop audiences are always amazed when I demo this.

The optical illusion works best when the bottom garment is a pant or a midi-length boot skirt, maintaining a 1/3 to 2/3 proportion. And the best skirt jackets are either shaped to the torso at the side seams or gathered a bit into a bottom band for a slightly blouson effect — defining the waist one way or the other.  A slightly shaped hemline – dipping a bit at center front – can add to the flattery.

Of course the bottom garment needs to be a deeper, darker color than the top and needs to be perfectly fitted – no pulling or excessive cupping – and moderately tapered.  Read more about tapering in this post …