Body Talk

Today we’re going to talk about your body types JUKI Lovers! Do you ever feel like clothes look great on hangers but don’t flatter your own body? Our number one trick is remembering that it’s essential to style your body first and then worry about the clothing style. Make clothing that fits you perfectly, and give yourself that confidence you want!

People come in all different shapes and sizes, creating their fitting challenges. But don’t worry, with the clothing you sew and the body types your sewing for in mind, you can truly make a difference in any fashion statement.

Below we dived into some different body types and the best way to style and sew for them. Take a look and see what new ideas this might bring you!

Finding your Body Type

It’s always best to start with figuring out which body type matches you most. Use our cheat sheet below and see which one best resembles you! It’s 100% better to get a piece that fits you well after sewing for hours over your new project.

Sewing and Accessorizing for Your Body Type

The Teardrop Body
The teardrop body, also known as the A-types, becomes wider from the hip down. If you’re someone who wants to accentuate the top of your body, use bright color fabrics and prints; for the lower body, focus on muted tones. This will help your upper body stand out! You can also add decorative stitching around the bust and shoulders for an extra pop. If you find yourself wanting to accentuate your legs, look into designing pants with long straight wales or skirts that have open slits. Try to avoid vertical lines and bands, yokes, and hemlines at the full hip.

The Hourglass Body
Hourglass figures are known for their narrow waist and similar sizing in the bust and hips area. It’s best to maintain a balance in your outfits by avoiding the addition of volume to shoulders and hips. Try selecting patterns that follow natural curves and allow you to emphasize your waist. Try to avoid styles that conceal or widen the waist. Simple things like tucking in your shirt or wearing wide-legged boot cut jeans are great ways to complement the body.

The Figure Eight (8) Body
These body figures often have rounded shoulders, sturdy hips, a slender waist, and a short upper body. Usually having a larger bust and curves, we recommend accentuating your features by creating beautiful belts that outline your waist. Creating projects like pencil skirts for yourself or using fabrics with a fluid drape are perfect ways to sew for yourself! A practice we recommend is using contrasting colors at your waistline to accentuate or choosing styles and patterns that sit at your natural waistline. Balance your style by adding interest with volume found in ruffles using gathering techniques. Try to avoid boxy, loose styles that conceal the waist.

The Oval Body
There are many ways to accentuate the oval body shape, like narrowing your waist with styles that use vertical or diagonal details at the body’s center. Break up the waist and hip using vertical line designs. Try to avoid pieces that are bright or light since these shine at the waist. Draw attention to your shoulders and hips by adding dimension with volume using gathers or ruffles. Avoid using designs that widen the shoulders and go towards pieces that balance out your look. Accentuate your legs by creating your own slit skirts or straight dress patterns to create a more extended look.

The Keystone Body
Usually obtaining a more athletic build, keystone body shapes are built with shoulders that are broader than the hips. Depending on which you prefer to accentuate the waist or shoulders, you can follow different design paths. Using design patterns for skirts with bright colors or patterns is a great way to bring attention to your lower body. If you want to accentuate your upper body, try to stay at hip length to focus on your waist. Embrace your looks with halter tops and diagonal shoulder seam lines, but avoid shoulders with sleeve-cap detail or padding.

The Column Body
The column body tends to have shoulders and hips more or less the same width and less of a defined waist, but for those that want a defined waist, it’s easier than you think! Use tricks to make your upper body look longer with tops that stop at your waist. Using tight jeans instead of looser ones will help accentuate the waist better as well. Look into patterns that offer knee-length dresses to make yourself seem taller. A great tip is equaling out your shoulder and hips to narrow the waistline. Using diagonal lines at the shoulder and hem, direct people to see toward your center front. Avoid using contrasting colors at the waist to create a more balanced look.

When you create with the idea in mind to match your clothing style with your figure or body style, you will create projects that have you enjoy clothing construction for yourself more. Remember to keep a balance between your frame and fashion. Focus on playing up the parts of your body you enjoy and create pieces that drive focus away from those features you don’t want to emphasize. We hope you enjoyed these suggestions! Have fun with fashion.