Compliment Your Figure: Exploring the Best Trouser Shapes and Styles for Every Body Type
Trousers are a wonderful and versatile garment, but it is often tricky to find the right fit for your body type. Although the process can take time, once you’ve found your perfect pair of trousers, the confidence boost will make you feel like you can take on the world.
We love how every body type is unique, from apples and pears to athletic and hourglass shapes. Join us as we explore the different types of trousers and how they can work for different body shapes.
Understanding Different Trouser Styles
There are so many different styles of trousers to explore and finding the best style for your body shape will help you dress with confidence. Four of the most classic types of women’s trousers include:
- Straight-leg Straight-leg and slim-leg styles are extremely versatile and help you achieve an effortlessly sleek look. They also work well for most figures.
- Wide-leg Floaty and comfortable, wide-leg trousers or culottes are ideal for warmer weather and suit lots of different body shapes.
- Tapered Tapered trousers are the style in between a wide-leg and a slim-fit. This is a timeless style that flatters all figures.
- High-waisted This shape is ideal for adding curves to your shape, as they tuck you in at the waist. They also go with most outfits.
- Cropped Cropped trousers work best for petite figures and depending on the material, can be worn casually or as part of your work wardrobe.
How To Feel Confident Wearing Trousers
We all want our clothes to make us feel confident, but what’s the key to dressing confidently?
Confidence is all about comfort; if you don’t feel comfortable in your clothes, it’s likely to show. Wearing trousers that are too tight, swamp your figure or cling to the wrong places can quickly ruin your mood.
Knowing your body shape and the best way to flatter it is essential for exuding confidence. Instead of trying to hide or disguise features you don’t like, focus on the ones you do like and build your outfit around them. Don’t shy away from embracing your own unique fashion sense and wearing the colours, patterns and materials you love best.
There are more beautiful and diverse body types than ever before and there are styles to suit each and every one of them, including the perfect pair of trousers! Follow our trouser style guide to find your ideal fit.
Trouser Styles For Apple-Shaped Figures
Apple-shaped figures typically have a larger bust and waist compared to narrower hips and slimmer legs. People with apple body shapes may think they need to hide behind baggy clothing, but there is so much to celebrate with this beautiful body type. Focusing on clothes that accentuate the arms and legs creates balance for apples.
There are plenty of trousers for apple shapes. A relaxed pair of wide-leg trousers will skim gently over the waist and balance out your legs, and straight, bootcut and flare styles also look super flattering. Try a style like the Kelsey, a beautifully tailored wide leg pair of trousers crafted in Europe.
Trouser Styles For Pear-Shaped Figures
A pear-shaped figure is usually narrower on the top half and heavier on the bottom half, with wider hips and thighs. The key to dressing this gorgeous body type is to draw attention to the upper body and create a defined waist.
Some great trousers for pear shaped women include high-waisted styles to add proportion to the waistline and wide-leg fits, which balance out the legs. Flared pants like the Kennedy also look amazing! Avoid low-rise and slim-fit styles, which tend to draw more focus to the lower half of the body.
Trouser Styles For Hourglass-Shaped Figures
An hourglass figure has an equal hip and bust size and a narrower waist, creating the shape of an hourglass. The key to dressing for this lovely body type is to accentuate your natural silhouette, keeping top and bottom in proportion and drawing attention to your waist.
Hourglass figures are versatile and suit a variety of trouser shapes. Some good examples of confidence-boosting hourglass trousers include high-waisted, wide-leg and flared styles. Adding a belt around the waist will help to accentuate it even more.
Styling Tips For Wearing Smart Trousers
From formal events and celebrations to the office, there are a variety of occasions where you may need a smart pair of flattering trousers.
When it comes to workwear trousers, there are so many ways to style smart trousers to suit your body shape. Straight-leg styles worn with ballet pumps are great for taller women and athletic shapes, or tailored slim-fit styles teamed with chunky loafers and a polo neck.
In winter, a stylish pair of wool or tweed culottes are good choices of smart trousers for apples and pear shapes like these Alexa tweed trousers. Dress yours up with a printed blouse, or keep it casual with your favourite tee and trainers. In summer, go for flowy crepe or linen styles.
A good pair of black trousers in any style is a workwear wardrobe must. Add a pop of colour with a patterned blouse, or pair with a black cashmere jersey for a chic, all-black ensemble.
A pair of smart suit trousers make a fabulous statement piece for parties and weddings, especially when worn with a matching blazer and heels. Experiment with your favourite colours or choose fun floral prints.
Styling Tips For Jeans
Jeans are one of the best-loved and most versatile trouser styles for ladies, and go with any outfit. When choosing the perfect pair of jeans for your body type, you can follow the same advice as before.
Straight-leg, bootcut and flared jeans flatter apple and pear shapes and go with virtually anything. Wide-leg jeans and flares flatter hourglass figures and can be balanced with a fitted blouse or tee. Those with a petite body type can wear cropped jeans or turn-ups to lengthen shorter legs. If you’re a fan of high-waisted jeans, pair them with a boxy cropped knit, or layer up with a tank top and tailored blazer.
Two more popular styles of jeans are mom jeans and boyfriend jeans. Mom jeans are high-waisted and have a relaxed fit, while boyfriend jeans also have a relaxed fit, but tend to be mid-rise or low-rise. There are lots of different variations of the mom and boyfriend cuts, but these are some of the best jeans for curvier body shapes. Try a style like the Melle dark indigo jeans for an easy way to try out the style.
Incorporating Trends Into Your Trouser Wardrobe
One of our favourite things about trousers and jeans is that new styles come into fashion all the time, giving you plenty of opportunities to experiment and be creative.
Some recent trouser trends we love include:
- Extreme wide-leg trousers: The perfect partner to a cropped vintage tee and trainers
- White trousers or jeans: A summer staple that goes with every outfit
- Cargo pants: A versatile style that can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion
- Suit trousers: Style with a matching jacket for workwear chic, or a tee and flats for a weekend vibe
We hope this article has helped you work out which of our trouser styles for women best suit your body shape. Remember that your unique body shape is beautiful and you have the freedom to celebrate it in any way, or with any outfit, you want!