All over the world, a major topic of conversation and indeed a consuming interest is the world of Fashion and looking good. Popular fashion is of great interest because it’s all about enhancing one’s own image and either becoming more admired, acceptable, recognized or, conversely, independent, individual and outrageous. Either way, you are dealing with the subject of how to look the way you want to look – usually with idea in mind to make the best of yourself. Doing this gives you self esteem as well as admiration from others. The media of magazines and television, etc is full of promoting what is considered the current fashion, the currently accepted “in” way to look. One could easily think that “image” is all, in today’s modern society, but how one looked and was regarded by one’s peers has always been asubject of importance down through the ages – both for men and women! We are here in these series of articles – covering the 4 Basic Body Shapes – Pear, Apple, Hourglass, and Rectangle, and have come to the star of the show so far, what nearly everyone would agree as being that which they are envying, striving, or wishing for – the Hourglass!

1: The Hourglass

If the news-stands, supermarkets, et al, that display fashion magazines are anything to go by, the hourglass figure is the one that all women strive for. It is seen in popular fashion everywhere across the globe and there is an endless stream of media reporting an imagery continually bombarding our senses and repeating this one message “the hourglass figure is the one you must have!” The truth is that we all “agree” as to what is the commonly accepted ideal of the human female figure, and this tends to change down the ages. As you move east across the globe, for example, the fuller (apple) figure becomes more and more the adopted ideal. However, in Western Society, and over the last 100 years, the classic hourglass figure has come to rule supreme. If you’re one of those people lucky enough to have an hourglass figure, then you have already found the “balance” that most of us, especially pears and apples, are looking for. Because with your hips and shoulders being more or less equal in size, you don’t have to be afraid of patterns and colours and you can go for tops with V necks and wear some stretch denim jeans with larger hips and the smaller waist. As for skirts you should wear three-quarters length or full length skirts. Probably the most valuable of all body shape fashion tips for women with an hourglass figure is – don’t hide your body by wearing baggy clothes. If you’ve got it – flaunt it – but tastefully wherever possible, please! Remember, the Golden Rule: Always use what you’ve got to good effect!