If you have a rectangle body shape, your shoulder measurement and hip measurement are aligned, you have little definition between waist and hip, you tend to wear the same size on the top and bottom and are usually neat with straight hips. Your upper body shape is likely to appear like a column or rectangle. You are unlikely to have curves and your waist is not particulary defined.

Your Styling Goals

Your ultimate goal as a rectangle is to create a silhouette, define the waist and maintain the proportion of your shoulder and hip whilst pulling in the waist.

How

Add dimension to the shoulder and hip with flared sleeves, puffed sleeves, high paperbag or pleated waists to create waist definition

If you already feel ‘wide’ at the shoulder and hip and are not comfortable adding any more, then keep the shoulder and hip details clean, and pull the waist in with high waists, belts, tying tee shirts in side-knots and wearing ruched tops/dresses.

Invest in a good push up bra to add dimension to your body shape

Create shape interest with interesting necklines such as sweetheart, one shoulder, assymetric styles.

Wear streamlined bodysuits.

Fully tuck in your tops, French tuck, or side-tie to create waist shape

Wear neat fitting tops with wider leg bottoms and A-line skirts

Try print and texture at the top of your body and lower body

Wear waist-length jackets and fitted blazers or jackets with darting

When wearing a looser fitting jacket or open shirt, wear a neat fitting scoop or v neck top underneath either cropped or a bodysuit for streamlining.

Three-piece dressing works best for a rectangle as you can break the body up with jackets, tops, skirts/trousers, creating dimension with three pieces of clothing.

Create a fully elevated look by ensuring your statement footwear matches back to a detail in your jewellery or belt. See more on Accessorising here.

Don’t forget to sandwich your colours which distracts from any areas that you don’t feel comfortable with, and creates a fully put-together look.