September is finally here – and with autumn right around the corner – it’s time to talk trousers. Now, I get it… trousers may or may not be “your thing” – but I promise, all you need is to find the right type of trousers to flatter your figure and once you do, you’ll be fashionably set for life!
And I might not be a pro-stylist or anything, but I am a 20-year-old woman with thick thighs, wide hips, a bum, and a passion for fashion – so I know the struggle and how hard it can be to find the right pair of pants…
PS – none of this is to restrict you to a single category of trousers or any article of clothing. You can, and should, wear whatever makes you feel good!
First, Let’s Talk About Body Shapes & How To Know Yours
Like all beautiful things in this world, women come in all different shapes and sizes. And although we are slowly moving away from certain beauty expectations and standards, it can still be tricky to find clothes that not only work for you, but make you feel empowered and confident.
Fortunately, you can gain a little more insight into what works for you and what doesn’t by looking at a body type guide, like the ones pictured above. However, it’s crucial to note that these guides shouldn’t look exactly like your body type, but similar enough for you to be able to pinpoint certain characteristics and features.
For example, a bottom hourglass is when your hips stick slightly wider apart than your shoulders do. Conversely, a top hourglass is when your shoulders are broader than your hips are. And if your shoulders are in line with your hips – with a noticeably small waist in between – then you’ve got an hourglass figure! When it comes to trousers though, all of these body types tend to fall under one umbrella – aka hourglass – so let’s start off with that…
Hourglass Figures
If you’ve got an hourglass figure, then you should opt for generally simple and clean styles of trousers, like a classic bootcut or straight leg… And definitely ensure that you’re making use of that small waist!
You could even play around with wide-legged, loose-fitting, and slightly tapered jeans. And if you’d like to elongate your legs and accentuate your waist, then you should try out a mid-or high-rise pair of jeans!
Triangle, Spoon, or Pear-Shaped Figures
If you fall under any of these body types – which are some of the most common ones, by the way – then you’re going to want to look for a style that accentuates and adds volume to the bottom and leg line. In other words, find trousers that will draw attention to your legs. These include some really fun options too, like baggy pants, turn-ups, combat trousers, straight cut, palazzo trousers, flares, fitted, culottes, wide legs, and harem pants!
But beware of detailing. A particular cut of trouser may be absolutely perfect for you, but things like frills, pockets, decorations, or details might draw unwanted attention in certain areas. Instead, stick to more basic, plain garments and feel free to experiment with bright or light colours! As for the waist, you should opt for a medium or high-rise, because low-rise jeans and trousers tend to make the hips look wider.
Athletic & Rectangle Figures
You might think you’re at a huge disadvantage with an athletic, rectangle or a “boyish” figure – but you can actually wear all the tricky trends… lucky you! You just need to know how to play around with them…
If you’d like to add a little more volume and shape to your bottom half, then carrot leg or paperbag pants are a great option! They tend to add volume at the hips whilst enhancing a waist, especially if they have any pockets and zips around the hips.
In general, detailing around the hips tend to add volume, creating more curves whilst emphasising your waist (but you could also achieve this with a good belt)! Another great way of adding a little curve is by experimenting with flares, tapered leg, and boot cut styles – all of which are super in at the moment!
But if you’d like to take a step outside of your comfort zone, trust me when I say that masculine tailoring is a great choice. Its structure will simply add a little shape whilst making you look chic!
Diamond Figures
Although most types of trousers would suit a diamond figure, the only thing they should stray away from are skinny cuts. On a diamond figure, skinnier cuts of trousers tend to throw the proportions between the bust and legs off balance.
On the other hand, your best bets would be cigarette and flared pants, both of which beautifully lengthen the legs! As for your top-tier, elite choice though, you should try out dark trousers that fall from the widest part of your hips, like a mid-waist culotte! Don’t let the darker colour palette fool you though, because you can play around with some really nice greens, browns, and even reds here!
Round Or Apple-Shaped Figures
These figures might lack in waist, hips, and broad shoulders – but let me tell you about one thing, they’ve got great legs. More importantly, they have great legs that should be accentuated, which could be done with a straight or wide-leg trouser or pair of jeans. These cuts tend to balance out the hips and shoulder, but if you’d like to balance the lower body with the waist, bust, and shoulders, then you could try out a kick-flare!
Bonus Tip: looking for pants with back or side zips will help keep your front smooth. The less detail there, the better.
Inverted Triangle Figure
In similar manner to round body shapes, women with an inverted triangle body tend to have little to no waist definition – but they’ve got broader shoulders, which are significantly broader than the hips. Luckily for them, this means that they can pull of quite an array of trousers…
Wide-leg, flared pants are the best for these figures to create that ‘X’ shape, aka a makeshift hourglass. If they’re particularly confident about their lower half, then they can make use of a shorter hemline, otherwise known as cropped trousers. However, the funkiest thing that this figure can do is to play around with prints, be it large or microprints, and bright colours!
The last thing I have to say about trousers – and clothes in general – is to experiment the living hell out of them! There isn’t always a set guide for clothes… sometimes you’ll simply try something on, and it works. So, stick with it and above all, remember to have fun!
Do you have something you’d love to share with us at wham? Contact us or send us an email at [email protected]
Michela Muscat is a 20-year-old University student who strives on feminism, fashion, dancing, beauty, writing… and a good bottle of vino.
From waitressing to writing, she has been determinedly working ever since she was 15, started writing professionally at 18, and has never been afraid to speak her mind. In all aspects of her personal life and work, Michela has always aimed at keeping it real and prioritises female empowerment, independence, equality, and above all, unity.
