Ever put something on and think, “Yes this is the one!”. Whether that article of clothing helps you feel like yourself, or reminds you of one of your favorite things, what we wear can massively affect our mood and overall vibe. One piece of the dizzying puzzle of loving our own sense of style is how your clothes actually look on you. Just remember, YOU get to decide what that means. 

If you look at your shape and want to balance out a bigger top, you might have what is sometimes called an “inverted triangle” body shape, one that has strong shoulders, a large or high bust and a narrow waist. This body type is generally shaped like an upside down triangle.

Typically, you’ll want to soften your shoulders and upper body or enhance those lovin’ hips. It’s your choice! Also included in this particular shape might be a large bust. In which case you’ll want to learn how to style a large bust. 

Here are a few tips for body shape styling an “inverted triangle”:

• Think less structured & more flowy when it comes to choosing tops and focus on soft jackets without ribbing.
• Shoulder pads of any kind will only make your top half look bigger, so best to avoid them!
• Accentuate those hips by adding volume down low with rounded or curvy bottoms and thick fabrics.
• Choose darker colors up top and lighter or bolder ones on the bottom. This creates an optical illusion that makes your top half appear more narrow than it actually is.
• On the top half be tactful of choosing your prints, while stripes and circles work well, make sure the print is on the smaller side.
• Any kind of print on your lower half will do, especially ones with bright colors.

The main thing to remember when dressing for an inverted triangle body shape is to have a balance your top and bottom half. If you have a broader shoulder line, you can try wearing tops to minimize volume and bottoms to maximize. Got long legs too? Learn how to style long legs to enhance your shape as well.

Let’s see it in action!

The beautiful Jennifer Garner, for example, has always been known for her strong shoulders and broad upper body shape. See here how she is adorned with a dark top that isn’t too structured and shows off her arms without creating extra volume. Learn how to style a long neck to finish off a look like Jennifer’s!

Angelina Jolie is also known for her upside down triangular shape. See how the line of this dress help to soften the upper body lines?

You can do it too! Velvety is your go-to resource for sustainable outfit ideas for any shape! Interested in learning more about your unique shape? Check out our resources on how to know your body shape.