Life’s A Garden…

Dig it in figure flattering clothes!

(I promise there is body image stuff if you scroll down past me blabbering about my garden.)

If you read my personal posts, too, you know that I’ve been doing some gardening. I’ve started to transform my front yard from this:

to this:

I’ve since weeded that rose bush to the left of the porch and found another rose bush hiding in some tall grass nearby that has also been weeded. The dirt is cleared up now, as well, but I’ve been too lazy to go back out and take another picture. Oh damn it. Fine, Liz. Do it now.

I just walked outside to take the last picture. Obviously, the hubs needs to get a weed eater out there around the bushes and we are waiting for the bushes to grow, but they only have a medium growth rate. And we want to paint the stupid cable cords to match the color of the house so they aren’t so disturbing. The next step for the front yard is deciding which flowering ground cover to go under the tree. Any suggestions? We also plan on building a pergola in my back yard. And I’ve recently decorated my nails to match my determination.

But this blog post isn’t just about me. It’s about you and how you can dress in a practical way for gardening while also dressing in a figure-flattering way.

Life’s A Garden by lizkzook featuring embroidered t shirts

Hourglass: A simple top with flattering jeans go a long way on an hourglass shape. Be careful not to wear cap sleeve tops that can make you look top-heavy.

Column: I like a flowy top on a column as long as you’re sure to tuck it in to accentuate your smaller waist. The bell-bottom shape of these jeans give the illusion of a curvier hip to balance out your top-heavy proportions. The close neckline of the shirt also helps.

Apple: These wide-leg jeans are going to help minimize the appearance of your tummy. They also have a higher rise, which acts the same way. This top is loose around the midsection, but accentuates your bust with knitting detail. It’s subtle, but it works. The cap sleeves also help to make the top half of your torso appear wide, which in turn minimizes the appearance of a larger stomach.

Boy: Normally I don’t recommend capris, however, the cut and shape of this denim can create the look of curves in the hips. This top is great for accentuating a smaller bust with the baby pleats and the wider set straps on the shoulders.

Pear: This simple cap sleeve tee is going to help to balance out your hips by giving you a wider shoulder. These wide leg jeans also help to minimize the hips by bringing the line straight down from widest part of your body.

Follow my How To Wear board on Pinterest for more info on dressing for your body type!

White Party

It’s MAY, y’all!!!! And white is back!

So I’ve decided to pick out a few dresses for every body type! And for an added challenge, I’m going to try to keep them all under $50!

White Party by lizkzook featuring a capped sleeve dress

Okay, I did it. One white party dress for each body type; all under $50. Plus, shoes to match! Also, all under $50!

Next will be gardening looks! Mainly because I love to garden.

Follow my How To Wear board on Pinterest!!!

Apples in the Sun

Apple shaped women have a particularly hard time finding swimwear. It seems as though, these days, all swimsuits are designed to expose and flaunt your stomach. I would have loved to have lived in the 50′s when swimsuits were made to accentuate curves in a modest way. Of course, I find absolutely nothing wrong with an apple wearing a more revealing swimsuit or a two-piece. You just have to find the right suit.

Here are some tips:

• Find a one-piece with a pattern or dark solid color on the stomach to camouflage any unflattering areas.
• Use bolder patterns or brighter colors to draw attention to your bust or hips instead of your tummy.
• Find a suit that is going to show off the smallest part of your torso(directly under your bust). It will give your torso a longer/leaner look.
• If you’re going for a two-piece find bottoms that are going to accentuate your hipbone*. This will draw attention away from the tummy while making your hips appear curvier.

*I like the two bottoms that I found here. The cut-out bottom on the left will make straight hips look curvier while hiding a lower pooch. The second bottom has lines that pull your eyes down and out – away from the tummy. I paired the second bottom with a bright patterned top that is also going to help to pull the eye away from any tummy insecurities you might have.

Apples in the Sun by lizkzook featuring underwire bra swimsuits

Hey Hourglass, you’re next!

If you have more specific body typing questions, I’m always willing to answer them. In fact, that’s my favorite thing. So just leave your question in the comments!

Summer Is Coming!

And in Tennessee it comes a lot faster!

I’m getting very excited for flip-flops, strappy dresses, sunblock, braided hair, and a trip to Tybee Island!!!

Two of my favorite things about this time of year: I get to make more dresses for my little Zo to wear, and I get to jog more.

It was just last June that I started my fitness adventure. (There is a small explanation on the Dream page of my website.)
I am in better shape now than I have ever been and the thought of more improvement excites me. I’m still a pear shape. The more I work out the more pear-shaped I get! My husband claims that it’s my hip bones that are large. I think he’s right. Plus, working out makes some parts smaller and other parts bigger, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, my point is that I’m excited. I’m so excited that I’ve already started thinking about all of the summer clothes I can wear. I’ve started thinking about all of the summer clothes that you can wear, too!

This week, I’m going to start working on posts for dressing for summer for different body types.

In the meantime you can check out my other summer wear posts here:

• 90′s Summer Concert
• Don’t Hide This Summer (my article in B.Real Magazine – link to article is at the bottom)
• Summer Looks For Less
• How To Mix and Match for Easy Summer Looks
• Picnic and a Barbecue
• How To Wear A Romper
• How To Dress for Bonnaroo

Have a great week!

APPLES

If I have previously written about a staple it will be linked to that post.

T-shirts:

T-shirts must always be fitted. Otherwise, follow the rules for casual shirts.

Casual Shirts:

You need to find a casual top that emphasizes your bust and brings as little attention as possible to your belly. (However, baggy shirts with embellishments around the bust are a no-no, because they make your bust disappear into your stomach.) You need attention to be drawn to the smallest part of your torso.

Blouses:

I recommend a very structured blouse for you. Go with something that, when laid flat, is cut like an hourglass. You can also look for blouses that are cut under the bust to bring attention up. Ruffled sleeves are also good. So is ruffling along the bust. Tunics are great for your body type, because they can easily camouflage a tummy if you follow the other rules for blouses.

Sweaters:

Cowl neck sweaters distract from your belly. If they’re big enough they can also minimize the appearance of your belly. Tunic sweaters are good as long as they are pulling in at the smallest part of your torso – right under the bust.

Blazers:

Blazers that are going to de-emphasize your belly are going to have a wide-open lapel and neck line. They need to be very structure – like your blouses.

 

Skirts and Mini Skirts:

Look for skirts with very defined waists and a flared, or ruffled, skirt. You’ll need a slightly stiff fabric that will hold the shape well. (Stiff does not mean uncomfortable.) High-waisted skirts are an option as well. They will minimize a larger tummy and lengthen the look of your legs. Be wary of pencil skirts or any skirts that are cut close to the leg. They can actually put more attention on your stomach.

Skinny Jeans:

I DON’T RECOMMEND SKINNY JEANS FOR ANY BODY TYPE.

That being said… mid-rise, flat front skinny jeans are going to be best. One great thing about skinny jeans is that they look great under tunics.

Jeans:

Apples look best in wide leg jeans. Bell bottoms make your tummy look bigger. You will also look best in a mid-rise or higher waist. To avoid the “mom jeans” look, find jeans with a flat front panel. No pleats, please!

Pants:

Wide leg, flat front, mid-rise trousers are going to work best. Anything less than something that falls straight down from your hips is going to create an ice cream cone shape.

 

Little Black Dress:

The best dress for an apple is going to be an empire waist dress, because an empire waist dress is going to pull in at the smallest part of your torso. Even better would be an empire waist dress with ruching, lace or embellishments at the bust to bring the eye up. Even better than that would be an empire waist dress that draws your eye up to the bust and pulls your eye straight down from the belly with a straight skirt – minimizing the appearance of a larger stomach.

Rompers:

Look for a color-blocked romper that has darker bottom and a brighter top. Also look for rompers with a high waist and wide legs. If you can’t find one that is color-blocked like that, it’s okay. Just stick with a high waist and wide legs. It would also help if the romper had a wide neck or ruffles over the bust to bring attention to your bust.

Swimwear:

Finding a swimsuit for women with an apple shape is harder than it is for any other body type. BUT it’s not hopeless. There are actually a lot of swimsuits that are made especially for minimizing a bigger belly. If you’re looking for a two-piece – you can wear a two-piece – you want to find a bottom that has a built-in waist minimizer or one that minimizes the appearance of the waist with darker colors or solid colors at the waist. If you’re looking for a one-piece it’s as easy as finding a suit that gives the optical illusion of an hourglass shape with a pattern or decoration in that shape.