So, what defines the Pear shape? Well, let's review. We classic Pears have a smaller torso (including a small bust), small waists, and larger butt/hips/thighs. I've seen women that wear a size 2 in a blouse and wear a size 8/10 in pants. That's not uncommon with the Pear shape. Also your "pearness" can become more exaggerated as you get older, have kids, and gain weight. So the difference in your upper body to lower body ratio may change over time. But one thing remains the same - you will always be smaller on top than you are on the bottom.
One thing that makes feminizing a pear shape easy is that we're born with natural curves. Maybe we're not as curvy as the Barbie ladies (hello, C or D..or beyond...cup size), but we have some pretty fluid curves of which to take advantage! Let's see below a few things we can do to maximize our shape in a feminine manner.
1. Play up your best asset...YOUR WAIST! - Ladies, we are not like the Asparagus shapes that have to try so hard to fake a waist; we are not like the Apple shapes who gain weight through the midsection and lose their waist definition. We have beautiful, curvy waists....no faking necessary. Even during weight gain/loss, that waist definition remains the same. Even when the thighs are rippling with fat (don't laugh...my thighs ripple when I walk...or my son in his swim goggles tells me they do when I swim) and you feel like your butt could float a yacht; your waist will remain relatively trim in comparison. Take advantage of that fact! Wear tops or dresses that nip in at the waist or tie at the waist. For cooler weather, buy a trench coat that you can cinch at your waist. One of my absolute favorite ways to feel feminine, as a pear shape, is to wear a belt. I own umpteen belts. Skinny belts, jean belts, wide woven belts, patent leather belts, fabric belts. I belt dresses, cardigan sweaters, blousy tops, jackets....you name it and I've thrown a belt over it. Making my waist look tiny makes me feel feminine. Try it and let me know what you think!
2. Be discriminating when buying and wearing pants. - Pants are a troublesome area for us Pear shaped women. Here's our usual predicament: if they fit in the hips/thighs they gape in the waistband; and if it fits in the waistband, they may make our hip/thighs look like they were stuffed into sausage casings. We usually buy the pants to fit our larger area and then deal with waist gape by wearing a belt or just letting the pants sit lower on our hip (potentially exposing more of our backside than we intended - not feminine at all). In order to find a well-fitting pair of jeans you many need to try on 20+ pairs (I'm not joking). Here are a few tips learned from trial and error...and my husband making what he thinks are helpful comments along the way.
Wider-leg pants are more flattering and feminine
I have skinny jeans and wear them occasionally. I have boot cut pants and find they are great for all-around wear. But if I want to feel more feminine, I break out my wide-leg pants/jeans. Try on several pairs to see how wide-leg you can go without looking ridiculous. Wear your wide-leg pants hemmed to the floor else you will risk looking like a flood is coming.
Higher waisted pants are more flattering and feminine
No, they don't need to look like 70's high-rise pants, or Monica-on-Friends-circa 1994 high-rise pants...but explore the mid-rise or higher on your pants and jeans. This is where husband's not-so-appreciated comments come in. I had worn low-rise pants forever because I thought they made my torso look longer and they took advantage of my relatively flat stomach. He told me they tended to make my legs look stumpy (I took this to mean short and fat) and my torso look out of proportion with my lower half. He has always complimented my higher rise jeans and pants; and this from a man who doesn't notice when I dye my hair from dark brown to light blonde. Higher waisted pants will elongate your legs and make them appear longer and leaner, as well.
3. Dresses are beautiful, functional and easy peasy. - Nothing makes me, as a Pear shape, feel more feminine than wearing a dress. I have nothing against pants, capris, and shorts. But there is something about the way a dress swishes around your legs that just feels feminine. Skirts fall into this same category but I don't have a multitude of skirts because then you have to have tops to go with them and a dress is just easier to throw on and go. I wear them for work, for play, for lounging around the house, for going out, for church....basically everything. When I get home from work, I can put on a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt; or I can put on a jersey dress. Both are functional and appropriate for doing chores, cooking supper and lounging; however only one of those options makes me feel pretty while I'm doing those things. Guess which one? I know there are women who don't like dresses and skirts. Please don't think I'm saying you cannot be feminine in your pants. I'm just making a point that dresses are made for women, to highlight our specific female bodies, and I think we should take advantage of one of the only articles of clothing made exclusively for women. Besides, ladies, nothing hides those bigger butts/hips/thighs like a swingy skirt!
4. Take advantage of supportive undergarments. - If you feel less than feminine due to jiggly thighs or extra baggage on your hips; or you feel that things just don't fit as well as they should, you might want to invest in some quality undergarments. And by undergarments, I mean Spanx. Call it a girdle if you want, but if you want to feel taut, curvy and "held in place", nothing does the job like a great pair of Spanx (or cheaper substitute). These kinds of undergarments can smooth out lumps and bumps, help to define your waist even more, or just give you more confidence when wearing something that's more fitted than your usual style.
5. Highlight the best part of your legs. - Ladies, don't hide your legs just because they're bigger. They are curvy and feminine. If you're not comfortable enough to bare anything above your knees (I'm falling into this group the older I get.), then play up that curve of your calf in some knock-out shoes. Wear knee-length dresses, flippy skirts or bermuda shorts. Buy some nice wedge shoes that will lengthen your legs. I have a tutorial on finding the perfect spot on the leg to balance out proportions and maybe this will give you some guidelines....so watch for that post in the future.
6. Maximize your upper body. - I'm not talking about flaunting your assets, so please don't misunderstand. But I think we spend so much time trying to camoflauge the "flaws" in our lower half that we pay no attention to how to play up our upper half. The idea in dressing your shape is to create balance between your upper and lower halves. You need to feminize that upper half as well. We may not have the assets that others do, but then again (as I've heard from other women) we don't have to deal with the back pain, indecent glances and hard-to-fit shirts with which other ladies struggle. Take your small bust and do the best you can! There is no excuse for letting your "girls" hang out in a plain stretch jersey bra when they are umpti-million options available to lift and enhance your bust. I'm not saying buy expensive "cutlets" and insert them into your shapewear, although some women do and to each her own. I'm saying you can go to Walmart and find a nice push-up bra that will make the most of that A or B cup. I will tell you that no bra in the world that I've found is enough to give me cleavage; however, there are many that make me feel pretty and feminine. Wear v-neck blouses, scoopneck blouses, or boatneck blouses to draw attention to your upper body and face and away from trouble spots. Wear beautiful necklaces and earrings that highlight your face. Wear ruffles and embellishments on the upper portion of your tops to give the appearance of more "volume" up there...it's feminine, classic and beautiful.
In conclusion, Pears, we have it easy compared to some. Yes, those lower body trouble spots are annoying and hard to fit sometimes, but we have curves...sometimes in spades! Take advantage of them, feminize them, and see how it makes you feel. Ruffles, floral prints and lace can be feminine. But so can tailoring, clean lines and solid colors. See how the clothing makes you feel, how it makes you walk (I dare you to try to schlump around while wearing a beautiful swishy skirt with heels) and then decide if this clothing defines femininity for YOU! If it doesn't, keep experimenting until you find something that does.
I am totally pear shaped. I cannot count the number of times that I have tried on pants that fit my butt but gaped at the waist! Thanks for all the helpful tips! :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you are finding them useful...and for your choosing to follow along!
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