Whether it’s brightly coloured denim pants, patterned shorts, or sexy fitted dresses, trends are about trying something new and playing up the body’s best assets. To alleviate the stress women may feel about spring’s new styles, Scarborough Town Centre (STC) created body shape and style tips and posted them online at  scarboroughtowncentre.com.  Many  STC retailers, including Forever 21, Aritzia, M for Mendocino, H&M, Melanie Lyne, Laura, and Le Château, are fully stocked with all of the hottest spring fashions including bright colours, Mad Men inspired feminine frocks, flowery designs, and tribal, graphic, and animal prints.

“Dressing for your body type is about enhancing your best asset. By highlighting your best feature, you’ll automatically camouflage problem areas,” says STC’s fashion director, JulieHanning. “This season, bright colours can work for everyone – if you’re larger on top, opt for a brighter colour on the bottom to show off great legs. If you’re smaller on top, that’s where the bright colour should be. ”

BODY TYPES AND TREND TIPS

Straight: The most common body type, also called rectangle or “boyish” figure. With a balanced bust and hip, the waist is not strongly defined. Shapely lower legs are a stand-out asset.

TRENDS THAT FIT:

• A Mad Men inspired form fitted dress: create a waist by adding a belt or ribbon.
• Bright, structured jackets with a short skirt to show of great legs.
• Bright colours on top AND bottom will add curves and maintain a balanced proportion.

 Hourglass: Bust and hips are well balanced with a beautifully defined waist and shoulders that align nicely with hips; Waist is well defined and gracefully curves out to hips.

TRENDS THAT FIT:

• Form-fitting dresses with a defined waist to show off this envious shape.
• Be bold! Mixing prints works great with the hourglass figure: try stripes on top with bold prints on the bottom.
• Head-to-toe colour exudes confidence. For a more subdued look, try combining different shades of the same hue.

Pear: Hips are larger than bust, waist is nicely defined. With an elegant neck and proportionately slim arms and shoulders, a narrow waist is a pear shape’s best asset.

TRENDS THAT FIT:

• Bright colours around the bust and shoulders to add volume and emphasis to upper body.
• Bold necklaces or earrings to draw the eye up to elegant neck and slim shoulders.
• Soft, feminine, flowing dresses that float away from the lower half.

Inverted Triangle: Proportionally larger upper body: broad shoulders, ample bust, a wide back, slim hips and a flatter bottom. Beautiful, shapely legs are a standout asset.

TRENDS THAT FIT:

• Keep bright colours and bold prints on the bottom to show off legs and balance upper half.
• Halter-style dress with a narrow neckline to visually minimize bust.
• Short, colourful skirts to play up great legs.

Diamond: Hips are broader than bust and shoulders, with a fuller midsection. Waist is undefined and the widest part of frame. Best assets are shapely calves and slender arms.

TRENDS THAT FIT:

• Dresses with nipped, ruched or belted to define the waist.
• Bright jackets with structure and a high collar to draw attention away from hips and midsection.

• Lightly gathered or an A-line skirt silhouette that skims the figure.

Scarborough Town Centre is located at Highway 401 between Brimley and McCowan Road. The Centre is managed by Oxford Properties Group and owned by AIMCo and Omers Realty. For more information visit STC online at www.scarboroughtowncentre.com.

Follow