Style advice for the Paris Top
The Paris top’s hemline creates a horizontal line on your body. That means choosing the right length is crucial and will depend on your horizontal proportions (body shape) and your vertical proportions (leg length, torso, etc.)
Horizontal proportions
- If you have wide hips (A-types, X-types, 8-types), the top should end just above the widest part (around your hips).
- If you have narrow hips (I-types, V-types, O-types), then the top can be worn somewhat longer (around your thighs).
Vertical proportions
- Is your torso long and are your legs short? Don’t make the top too long.
- Is your torso short and are your legs long? Make the top longer to make your torso look longer.
Find out how to alter the length of your top at www.fibremood.com/en/shorten-and-lengthen-patterns.
The Paris Top for H-types
H-types have shoulders and hips of approximately the same widths. The only thing missing is a clear waistline. Your goal then is to work on the art of creating one!
The V-neckline subtly draws attention to the centre of your body. At the same time, it elongates your short upper body, making your waist look smaller; that’s exactly what’s needed to balance your proportions.
The ruffles add femininity to your angular figure and the peplum gives you curves.
Subtle prints look great on your body shape.
The Paris Top for O-types
Your goal is to create as many vertical lines as possible and shift the focus from your midriff to your face, slender legs, and wrists.
The Paris top puts the right accents on your upper body. The V-neck splits it up into smaller zones and emphasises your neck and décolleté. The peplum flares beautifully, not only giving you a waist, but making it look narrower too. Overall, it creates an X shape on your torso.
Feel free to make the sleeves a touch longer to shift volume away from your midriff.
Select a medium weight fabric with a fluid drape and avoid stiff fabrics.
The Paris top looks pretty over straight-leg (not too wide!) trousers, such as the Benita trousers, or a bootcut, such as the Bertha.
The Paris Top for I-types
You’ve hardly got any curves and no waist to speak of, so your figure is begging for curves and more volume.
That makes the shape of the Paris top a dream come true for slim rectangles. The V-neck subtly draws attention to the centre of the body, which combined with the flared effect created by the peplum, creates a waist.
At the same time, the gorgeous, big balloon sleeves add volume to your sides. These things create multiple focal points across your body, breaking up the typical pencil shape.
Choose a stiffer fabric, such as cotton, or fabrics that provide enough structure. Avoid thin, flimsy fabrics that drape lifelessly over your body. Giving this top plenty of body is a good thing!
Go for a print or something in a striking colour. Play with colours, prints, and textures.
The Paris Top for A-types
The hips are the widest part of a A-type's body and the shoulders are comparatively narrower. The pear’s perfect top should go all out highlighting the torso and making the shoulders look wider to restore balance to the silhouette.
The small V-neck narrows your shoulder line and makes your upper body appear longer. That’s less flattering on your body shape, unless your add more volume or interesting details at the shoulders so that they look a bit wider. For example, you can add ruffles or pleats to the sleeve caps to create a lovely amount of volume at the shoulders. That nicely evens out your figure’s proportions.
Be sure to pay sufficient attention to selecting the right length of your top. Ideally, the top and sleeves should both stop above the widest part of your lower body. Stay away from details in the hip area.
Go for a light or striking colour in a textured fabric, eyelet lace, or other details. Combine the Paris top with dark trousers or a skirt so that your lower body remains as plain as possible. Keep all the focus on your upper body. Colour contrasts are a fantastic way to balance your figure’s proportions.
Your body shape's best option is a heavy fabric that still has a fluid drape.
Extra tip: complete your look by wearing earrings like the Olga earrings, for example, which will draw attention to the top of your silhouette.
The Paris Top for X- and 8-types
Top tips for your body shape? Go for designs that follow your natural curves, accentuate your waist as much as possible and really highlight those feminine charms. The V-neck that says vavoom to your waist, the belt tightening it, and the Paris top's feminine ruffles all exude the perfect chutzpah your figure deserves.
Go for a fabric with a fluid drape that gracefully hugs your natural curves. A solid fabric or one with a subtle print would look fantastic.
Neat hourglasses? Pair the Paris top with straight-leg or slightly flared trousers (e.g. the Benita or Bertha trousers). An A-line skirt would also work. Full hourglasses? Pair the Paris top with straight-leg trousers or a pencil skirt.
The Paris Top for V-types
Inverted triangles have broad shoulders and/or are busty, but the lower body is more slender in contrast. Make your silhouette more proportional by softening the upper body and shifting the focus to the lower body. The Paris Top is perfect for inverted triangles.
The V-neck splits the torso up into smaller zones, making it look slender and longer. The small V-neck makes your shoulders look narrower and also create the illusion of a more delicate waistline. The hem that flares at the bottom of the top is an added bonus because it adds volume to your hips.
The volume at the bottom of the sleeves leads the eye towards the lower body and ensures plenty of extra volume in the hip area. Feel totally free to make the sleeves longer; however, be sure to select the right length for your top and the sleeves. Avoid making the top too short so that your torso doesn’t look overly puffy and short. Shifting the centre of gravity down works like a charm. The same goes for the sleeve length.
Pair the Paris top with wide trousers (jeans) or a skirt, such as the Bertha or Benita trousers. Or go for trousers or a skirt that taper towards the bottom, such as the Billie or Ebony trousers or the Pina skirt.
Make Paris in something dark and pair with trousers or a skirt in a lighter shade. Playing with colour contrasts is a fantastic way to even out your figure’s proportions.
