Food for Thought
If you thought you left lessons on fruits and vegetables behind at your mother’s dinner table, think again. As it turns out, the healthy food groups have followed us into adulthood. This time around, they have more to do with how we dress than how we eat.
Comparing fruits to body types began with pears and apples. The former represents a body with more weight on the bottom, or a curvy figure similar Beyoncé Knowles’. The latter demonstrates a figure like Queen Latifah’s with weight gravitating to the mid-section.
We’ve taken the liberty of adding two vegetables to describe body types — the string bean and the broccoli. String bean bodies are the long, slim types and are often referred to as boyish. Look to Kiera Knightley for an example of this body type. Broccolis carry their weight on top and have a smaller lower body, such as the busty Scarlett Johansson.
In most cases, pears wish they were string beans and broccolis envy apples — or some variation. We happen to think each, individually, can be a delicious treat. The key is to recognize which fruit or vegetable category you fall into and then to dress to accentuate the best features and camouflage the worst.
Chances are you already know which figure represents your own. Now comes the hard part. We’ve solicited the help of Ellianna Placas, Life & Style’s fashion director, to help identify which fruit or vegetable category you fall into. Because as wonderful as fruits and veggies can be, the dressing is what determines the taste.
APPLE OF MY EYE
Queen Latifah is an apple, and true to her name she always looks like royalty. "Queen Latifah tends to dress quite monochromatically. She wears color, but it’s head-to-toe," Placas said. "It’s a great trick for this shape."
Apples try to distract attention from their waistlines. Bold accessories can help accomplish that, Placas says. A big handbag or a loud pair of shoes make stylish distractions. For shoes, wedge heels will slim your figure but still be comfortable. Also, a long necklace will give the impression of a lengthened top half.
Select tops that create the illusion of a defined waist. Tunics, empire waists and tapering at the sides of waists will all remarkably make an apple appear curvier.
Apple Don’ts: Stay away from sleek, straight hair. "Apples should have full hair, very voluminous," Placas said. Full hair will help make an apple look proportionate with the weight of the mid-section.
Placas also cautions against belts; they will only accentuate the waist you are lacking and "won’t highlight areas" for you. And be sure to avoid low-rise pants by all means. Everything you’re trying to conceal will be on full display with this rise. Go for either a medium- or high-rise instead.
WHAT A PEAR
With celebrities like Beyoncé Knowles and Jennifer Lopez regularly gracing the covers of fashion magazines, this body type has been celebrated in recent years. While many pears have learned to appreciate their assets, some still think of their curves more as bruised pears. For this group, Placas recommends drawing the eye elsewhere. "The Oscar dress Beyoncé wore had beautiful detailing across her shoulder and into the bust that really held the eye," she said. "Either draw the eye to the shoulders or to the legs."
This means choosing garments that reflect your best asset, a defined waist, but have interesting features either toward the top or the very bottom of your body. Bubble sleeves, bows at the neckline, wide-legged jeans and graphic print tops all work well for pears. So do pencil skirts, wide belts and skinny jeans as Knowles often wears, but these work better for the pear who embraces her curves.
Pear Dont’s: Placas says pears can wear just about anything, but recommends staying away from donning a skin-tight look. "It creates an ’80s look that hasn’t translated to current times," she said. "And don’t do anything too short."
HANGING BY A STING BEAN
Three words: volume, volume, volume. It will lend a sense of body mass, which the string bean can appreciate. "Kiera Knightley is rather slender but she never looks too slim," said Placas, who also used Cameron Diaz as a good example of this body shape. "Anything voluminous will look good on them. They can wear form-fitting things, but pair them with something that has volume."
She advises to look for garments with conspicuous details, such as extra buttons, ruffles, puffed sleeves and pleats. Feel free to get a pair of skinny jeans in every wash because, well, they were made for you, and they will be very stylish with a cropped, voluminous jacket and ballet flats. Embrace large prints and horizontal stripes, which will widen the perception of your body. Also, show off those legs with a mini dress or baggy, cuffed shorts. "The most common mistake (string beans) make is wearing minis with heels. From Cameron Diaz to Nicole Richie, the best look is to pair (them) with flats," Placas said.
String Bean Don’ts: Features to stay away from include vertical stripes, which will only exaggerate your thinness, and monochromatic looks that will make you fade into the background.
BEAUTIFUL BROCCOLI
Most of the other body types consider you blessed, but dressing a large chest can be a challenging feat. The most important thing for a broccoli to remember is to buy and wear the appropriate bra. This means not only getting a professional fitting to determine your correct size, but it also means wearing a bra that works with the tops you select. "The right bra will have the right structure for whatever you’re wearing," Placas said. "There are different bras for different occasions."
You’ll worry about the bra once you’ve selected your clothes, which really aren’t hard to identify once you’ve got the features down. Placas stresses tailored jackets and shirts. "If they’re very tailored, they will provide the right type of support," she said. "You want to make sure you’re not so cha-cha and a little more conservative (than the other body types)."
Look for tapered sides and seams just below the bustline on shirts and jackets. Also, to balance your shape out, select pants that are wider on the bottom. Gauchos, flared jeans and wide-legged pants are all good choices. Skirts should be full and flare out from the waist. The most flattering shirts you can purchase will be wrapped and/or V-neck.
If you’re like Scarlett Johansson you’ll want to show off what many broccoli consider their best feature. Taste is crucial here. Go for pretty, round necklines that scoop just enough for a hint of cleavage. Don’t shy away from trends like strapless tops or mini dresses, just be sure they have volume in the bust.
Broccoli Don’ts: You’ll want to keep your distance from crew necks. "They’ll make you look like you’ve got a shelf coming out in front of you," Placas said.
