Best coats for Body type A

Let´s remember first the ideal for Body type As:

To widen the appearance of her upper body, balancing it with her lower body.

Other names for Body type As are: inverted triangle, pear shape, or A shape. 

How to achieve it?

• Creating an A-line.
• Focusing attention on her upper body, choosing a cut with a fitted torso, where all the details will be concentrated: wide lapels, double breasted styles...
• Creating the widest posible line for her shoulders, either through cut or pattern (within reason, of course). Consider adding a dolman shoulder pad to the coat. A tailor can sew one into the lining or attach it with a couple of stiches to a seam if the coat is unlined.

Consider your height and weight before choosing:

1. The length of the coat: coats worn at knee-length are universally flattering (it is OK to show part of the skirt or dress underneath), mid-calf options are easier on taller people.
2. A single- or double-breasted option: single-breasted coats are universally flattering, but double rows of buttons can be flattering if you have a slim torso and a B or smaller cup, because they can contribute to create vertical lines that are lengthening. That, however, depends on how much the buttons stand out from the fabric (medium size fabric covered buttons will not stand out in the same way big brass military-inspired buttons will do, for instance).

With that in mind... What are Body type A's best coats?

A-line. An A-line shape that starts below the arms, flaring slightly to accomodate wider hips is always the best option for Body type As.

Best coats for Body type A: A-line by Caroline Grant. I have chosen an A-line Hobbs coat in burgundy brown wool that is extremely flattering for Body type As because it has wide, short lapels, and other details that contribute to subtly balance a Body type A's upper and lower body: a series of horizontal seams and a double row of buttons . The cloche hat, the faux fur scarf and the vintage brooch further contribute to keeping the attention concentrated on the upper part of the body. Brown tights matching the leather details in the tweed pumps (always comfortable Söfft shoes) elongate and slim the leg. [Style: Urban Tweed].

Hobbs Corby Coat / Hobbs Chelsea Dress / Radley Stables Handbag / Söfft Vivian Shoes / Hobbs Faux Fur Stole / Hobbs Kitty Hat / Stella & Dot Bianca Tassel Necklace / Czech Filagree Cameo Brooch (vintage) at eBay.co.uk / Revlon Lipstick Matte Rouge in Nude Attitude / Revlon Nail Lacquer in Sheer Nude.

Trench and military style. The detailing that makes for a military coat can be extremely flattering for a woman's figure: a vertical line created by a double row of buttons (although this depends on how far they are placed and how much the stand out from the fabric), wide lapels, epaulettes, storm flaps. When those details are concentrated on the upper part of the body, they are flattering for Body type As.

Best coats for Body type A: Trench/Military Coat by Caroline Grant. This Isabella Oliver trench coat has epaulettes, wide lapels and princess seams (the two panels at the sides of the coat that give the coat the A-line shape: notice that the central panel is straight, the lateral ones flare from high waist), perfect for a Body type A. The velvet tunic dress from Hobbs called my attention when it first got out because of the rich, sumptuous but at the same time slightly bohemian vibe it provides. I think a wider belt probably suits the richness and weight of the tunic better that the one provided with it. [Style: Urban Tweed].

Baukjen by Isabella Oliver Romee Coat / Hobbs Unlimited Cloud Flower Velvet Tunic Dress / Burberry Orchard in Check Jacquard Handbag / Söfft Broadway Shoes in Snake Print Cognac / Black Lily Spar Jennifer Silk Scarf in Cinnamon / Kamene Leather Cuff Gold Tiger Eye Bracelet / Iosselliani Tiger Eye's Fringe Earrings / NARS Lipstick in Autumn Leaves/ Revlon Nail Lacquer in Valentine.

Princess. This coat is has lateral pieces that start at some point between the chest and the under arm and then flare, contributing to create an A-line for a garment (dresses can also feature princess seams).

Best coats for Body type A: Princess by Caroline Grant.The slightly puffed shoulders and the asymmetrical neckline are flattering for a Body type As silhouette. The neutral coat is livened up by the golden beret and gloves, plus the mandarine makeup. [Style: Urban Tweed].

Vivienne Westwood Camel High Collar Coat / Jigsaw Tartan Skirt / Alberta Ferretti Metallic Gold Tie Neck Silk Top / Hispanitas Cuero Handbag / Charles by Charles David Cory Boot / Betmar Sequin Beret / Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Leather Gloves / Kenneth Jay Lane Gold Tortoise Link Necklace / Alice Johnson Tiger Eye Ring / Tom Ford Lipstick in Wild Ginger/ Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Ginger Fire.

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This post was first published in "The Red Lipstick. Own Your Style" November 12th 2012. It has been edited and re-posted June 10th 2016.

Best trousers for Body type A. Part 1: The cuts.

General rules for Body Type A:

1. A skimming fit rather a tight one works best.
2. Uncomplicated styles in all respects, like stitching, pockets, etc. The idea is to focus attention on your upper body, where all those details can be concentrated.

Other names for Body type As are: inverted triangle, pear shape, or A shape. 

Cuts:

• Straight: low waist, flat front, and a full, straight leg (read ease through hip and thigh).
• Bootcut/Flared: a subtly flared hem to provide visual balance for your hips. The actual optimal width depends on how tall you are: the wider the cut, the shorter you will appear.
• Cropped, capri: you will be looking for the same kind of cut as above, i.e. straight, balancing cut that is not snug around the thigh.
• Shorts: it is best to avoid shorts altogether and go for skorts or Culottes in a solid colour, or straight to A-line skirts, either in knee-length or to the ankle. No pleats! 

Best trousers for Body type A: Straight by Caroline Grant. Nice dressy trousers in a dark shade and a sharp crease waistband elongate the leg, further helped by the 2" heels. The straight cut accomodates hips and thighs without pulling. The blouse contrasts in colour, but draws the attention upwards and add a bit of volume with the flounces. If you click on the image you can go to Polyvore, where you can have a closer look at the brooch, because it's a beautiful vintage piece. It was designed in the 1960s by Norwegian jeweller David Andersen, is silver guilloche (an intricate pattern engraved by machine on the metal) enamel. [Style: Urban Tweed].

Jaeger  Kensington Trousers / H&M Corduroy Jacket / Mulberry Peter Som Blouse / Hispanitas Cuero Handbag / Dune Aristotle Pump Shoes / David Andersen Bird Brooch (vintage) / Sylvan Earrings / Lindex Scarf / Estée Lauder Pure Color Lipstick in Red Tango / Revlon Nail Lacquer in Valentine.

Best dresses for Body type A

Best cuts

These are the best dresses for Body type A women:

• Empire dress: a type of dress where the waistline is above the natural one, often just below the bust. The emphasis is on the upper part of the body, especially with an interesting décolletage (look for wide oval or V-neck at mid chest necklines), or with embellishments on the bodice (look for pleating, ruching, flounces, or horizontal trims). Empire dresses contribute to create the illusion of length that is especially good for Petite Body type As.
• Wrap dress: a type of dress that creates a V-shaped neck and can be easily adjusted in the bust and then to the hips. Same characteristics as above in detailing and cut.

Specifics

• Fluid fabrics, that can drape, but not cling (lightweight knits, for instance, would cling and reveal every detail of your undergarments), that are firm, but not stiff, and matte, not shiny.
• An A-line skirt, that eases into a fuller shape smoothing over hips, bottom, and thighs. 
• Hemmed to knee length, to elongate the line of the body but not shortening the leg visually.
• Solid colours or tonal patterns consistent in size and spacing (all over small or medium pattern).
• Less or no detailing in the skirt of the dress. Anything creating a focus of attention is best reserved for the top. That means no appliqués, flounces, horizontal or oversized patterns.

Empire Dress by carol-grant featuring Aspinal of LondonBest dresses for Body type A: Empire Dress by Caroline Grant. A printed flower dress accentuates the area under the bust, combining coral, grays and browns that continue in the sandals, the bag, and the scarf. The cardigan has very wide lapels, helping to balance upper and lower body. The sandals help create a long uninterrupted line for the legs (V-shaped vamp in a nude colour).

Cutie Chiffon Dress / Alexander McQueen Tweed Knit Cardigan / Chie Miara Josie Sandals in Lavender / Hispanitas Handbag / Aspinal of London Chain & Pearls Scarf / Marni Runway Short Necklace / Jane Norman Pyramid Ring / Clarins Quartel Mineral Palette Eyeshadow / Dolce&Gabbana Shine Lipstick in Perfection.

Best dresses for Body type As: Wrap Dress by Caroline Grant. A wrap dress in terracotta adapts to a Body type A's figure. The flounces keep the attention on the upper body. [Style: Urban Tweed.]

Sonia Rykiel Ruffle Wrap Dress / Closet Lace Cardigan / Burberry Prorsum Woven Clutch Handbag / Hobbs NW3 Kite Slingback Sandals / Extasia Charm Du Jour Bracelet / Estée Lauder Lipstick in Modern Mercury / Guerlain Terra Inca Eyeshadow.

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Follow the label Body type A to see their best skirts, trousers...

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This post was first publish in "The Red Lipstick. Own Your Style" August 19th 2012 . It has been edited and re-posted May 20th 2016.

Eyelet vibe: Newport RI

I visited Newport, Rhode Island, a couple of times while I was living in Providence, and fell in love with the city and its history. I am really looking forward to return to the the east coast one day and spend a longer time there, go antiquing and travel along the coast soaking up history, visiting museums and shopping.
Obviously, it's not like I had access to the world Edith Wharton described, although I did visit The Breakers and other mansions, but I did want to convey what preppy eastcoasters look like on their leisure time.

Eyelet vibe: Newport RI by Caroline Grant. Eyelet vibe: Saint Tropez by Caroline Grant. The dress is Delia's, a shop for teenagers and young women, but sometimes, especially if you are not tall (the dresses tend to be short), you can find nice, inexpensive, summer dresses in cotton that you do not need to be very careful about. [Photo credits: Harbour Boats and Waterfront Houses and Village Rooftops and Church Tower by David Tomlinson, and Pizzeria and Diners, by Wayne Walton, all at lonelyplanet.com]. [Style: Ladylike with a Twist, Urban Tweed].

Delia Kellie Eyelet Dress / Kate Spade New York Waverly Terrace Handbag / Söfft Raphaella Shoes / Battenberg Lace Parasol / Kate Spade New York Be Art and Part Idiom Bracelet / Kate Spade New York True Colors Idiom Bracelet / Hervé van der Straeten Earrings / San Diego Chill Out Ribbon Hat / Yves Saint Laurent Lipstick in Corail Légende / Yves Saint Laurent Nail Lacquer in Corail Divin.

MORE?

• Eyelet: How to wear it. Part 2. Eyelet versatility: the message you're conveying. Paris, Rome...

This is the last past of the Eyelet series. 

There are no affiliated links in this post.

How to choose... Leather Cover-ups

Think about your body type before making an investment of any sort in this material, especially if we are talking about a coat.

Leather: Big lapels by Caroline Grant. The A-line skirt and pussy-bow printed silk blouse are perfect for a Body type A, and so are the big lapels. The jacket hits at high hip, an optimum length for them. The shoes are from beloved brand Chie Mihara, from SS2013, and offered in other colour combinations. Nude hosiery, of course. [Style: Urban Tweed].

Random Theory Black Leather Jacket / MaxMara Studio Upupa Blouse / L.K. Bennett Dover Suede Skirt / Chie Mihara Backon Shoes / Radley Acklington Handbag / Oscar de la Renta Gold-plated Resin Clip Earrings / Tom Ford Lipstick in Scarlet Rouge / Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Smoke Red.

Colour Trends SS2013: Poppy Red, Monaco Blue & Lemon Zest

Energy colours

This group of colours are deep and saturated. The first two are eminently wearable, the third one should be approached with caution.
Poppy Red. Although the name of this colour corresponds to a slightly yellow red, that of poppies, I think it is best to approach it as a true red in my palettes.

Colour trends SS2013: Poppy Red by Caroline Grant. I own a dress very similar to this one from Hobbs in gray from two seasons ago and it is my absolute favourite dress. You slip it on and you are perfectly dressed, you can make it more or less formal with shoes, accessories and handbag. Talking about handbags, I love the Aspinal's Hepburn style, they make it every season in different colours and patterns and it's always the perfect classic handbag. [Style: Modern Classic and Ladylike with a Twist].

Hobbs Zoe Dress / Weekend by MaxMara Elodia Floral Print Mac Trench Coat / Aspinal of London Hepburn Handbag / Geox Egizia Shoes / Carolee Lux Red Sea Bracelet / Amrita Singh Remsey Earrings / NARS Semi Matte Lipstick in Heat Wave / NARS Nail Lacquer in Dovima.

Monaco Blue. Strong, electric shades of blue have been all the rage for a couple of seasons now. The best equivalent in my palettes is cobalt blue.

Colour trends SS2013: Monaco Blue by Caroline Grant. I tried to play with different shades of blue, from the strongest cobalt to pale blue gray. I like the look of Geox Egizia sandals, but when I put them on in the shop I found them a bit tight for me (I'm a 7.5 M/37/4.5) but it's hard to tell with sandals in winter when you are used to comfortable winter shoes. [Style: Modern Classic and Ladylike with a Twist].

Ted Baker Aude Dress / M Missoni Patterned Cardigan / Kate Spade New York Parker Place Tamera Handbag / Geox Egizia Shoes / Dannijo Roe Necklace / NARS Lipstick Funny Face / MAC Nail Lacquer in Steamy.

Lemon Zest. This colours is the representative of all the neon colours we have been seeing for quite a while but that I think won't be here for the long run (difficult to wear, not elegant, plus, very few people look good in them). As a strong, vivid yellow with a hint of green inside, I think we can consider it either a cold lemon yellow (all Winter palettes, with a softer variation for Clear Winters and Soft Summers) or a warm, mustard shade in my palettes (suitable for Deep and Warm Autumns).

Colour trends SS2013: Lemon Zest as Mustard by Caroline Grant. I love Orla Kiely dresses, although I think they are a bit too retro for me. Her dresses look better on the person that they do on the hanger, which initially can be a drawback for a brand, but these are so worth it. These are Hispanistas AW2012/13 boots and handbag, one of their classic styles, always comfortable, well-made, and in exceptionally good quality leather. [Style: Urban Tweed].

Hidden Hedgehog Print Silk Crepe Placket Dress / Burberry Prorsum Wool Tweed Trench Coat / Hispanitas Handbag anbd Boots / Oscar de la Renta Knot and Tassel Earrings / Trina Turk Hammered Dome Ring / Tom Ford Lipstick in Black Orchid/ Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Black Orchid.
 

Colour trends SS2013: Lemon Zest as Lemon Yellow by Caroline Grant. Jumpsuits are still around, fortunately (one of the most comfortable things to wear on a bike, let me tell you). Obviously, you don't need to buy an Alexander McQueen one, I make do with a NewLook viscose plain one, easy to accessorize up and down. I love the combination of black and lemon yellow, it instantly cheers up any all-black ensemble you may be wearing. [Style: Modern Classic, Urban Woman].

Romwe Shoulderpads Yellow Blazer / Alexander McQueen Jumpsuit / Diane von Furstenberg Gracie Clutch Handbag / Reiss Paula Suede Platform Shoes / Oscar de la Renta Gold-plated Cuff Bracelet / Enya Jewelry Bubble Necklace / Zara Wide Sash Belt / Borsalsino Wide-brimmed Hat / Tom Ford Lipstick in Black Orchid/ Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Black Orchid.

MORE?

• Colour Trends SS2013, Pantone dixit.
• Aquas and Whites, represented by Dusky Blue and Grayed Jade, and Linen, respectively.
• Pastels, represented by Tender Shoots, African Violet, Emerald (which is not emerald but a green turquoise) and Nectarine.

Full Skirts: Styling tips for Body types

Styling tips for Body Types:

• Body type A and Body type B. Full skirts are great for you. Just stay clear of the full volume skirts with gathered pleats at the waist, they add too much volume to all but the very thin.



Best skirts for Body type As by Caroline Grant. This outfit creates an unbroken line from head to toe through a tonal combination of colours. The circle skirt in a fluid fabric is visually light, so it does not add volume to a Body type A's lower body. Additionally, all detailing and accessories are concentrated on the upper body, including the envelope purse, worn under the arm. [Style: Urban Tweed].

Modcloth It's School Skirt / Toast Sartene Top / MaxMara Weekend Cosmos Leather Blazer / Mat & Nat Nirvana Ikat Handbag / Charles by Charles David Cory Boots /  Burberry Modal and Cashmere Scarf / Kenneth Jay Lane Gold Tortoise Link Necklace / Alexis Bittar O'Keeffe Matte Gold Scarab Brooch / Yves Saint Laurent Lipstick in Corail Légende / Yves Saint Laurent Nail Lacquer in Corail Divin.



Best skirts for Body type B by Caroline Grant. A circle skirt for Body type Bs should have no waistband, or a small one, worn both just below natural waist and at low waist. A blouse in a soft material can be tuck in and  a belt could be added around the waist. Full skirts are best for medium to tall Body type B women, or with medium to high heels for the rest (or at least a kitten heel to elevate their rear view). [Style: Modern Classic].

Modcloth It's School Skirt / Mexx Floral Print Cardigan / Talula U-Turn Tank Top / Sophie Hulme Leather Tote / Hobbs NW3 Kite Slingback Sandals / Hobbs Arbour Belt / Kate Spade Triple Thread Bangle Bracelet / Janeo Gold & Rhodium Enamel Bangle Bracelet / Kate Spade Small Clip Earrings / Stratton Compact (vintage) on rubylane.com / Estée Lauder Lipstick in Scarlet Siren.          
• Body Type C. Choose style in which the full volume does not start at the waist: try one with a yoke or a pleated style like the broomstick skirt (pleats stitched down to low hip). You will get the benefits of the full skirt (additional curves), without looking top-heavy (if your bust is full) or short waisted (especially if you already are).


Best skirts for Body type Cs by Caroline Grant. Full skirts are a great option for Body type Cs provided there is a smooth part that skims over the hips and then gains volume, as they create curves and hide a sometimes flat bottom. Torso skirts (a skirt with a yoke to which soft pleats or gathers are attached), broomstick skirts ( a skirt in which pleats are stitched down to high hip), circle skirts (cut either in a circle or two semicircles) or flare skirts (for instance, by adding godets, triangular pieces of fabric that add length to the hem) and tiered skirts in light-weight materials like silk, wool or cotton, all work well for Body type Cs [Style: Quirky Menswear].    
Hobbs Brigitte Skirt / H&M Jacket / American Vintage Massachussetts Tank Top / Radley Stables Handbag / Hispanitas Cordones Shoes / David Andersen Large Bird Brooch (vintage) / Anton Heunis Art Deco Renaissance Pendant Necklace / Missoni Zig Zag Ruana Shawl.  

Styling tips for Petite and Tall Women

Both Petites and Tall women should take first into account their Body type. You can read more styling tips for both by clicking on the links below. Also:

• Petites. Beware of girly styles (prints, ruffles, tutu imitations). Also, go for sophisticated, ladylike styles that do not create too much volume or you will be overwhelmed.  Filmy gauzy materials are romantic and proportionate.
• Tall women. You can pull off wider an fuller silhouettes in solids or medium to big patterns.

MORE?

• How to wear a full skirt: Styling tips.
• Full skirts for formal events.