Fashion Today: How to dress for your body shape

No matter what you've read in the fashion magazines, there is no cookie-cutter approach to style. The fun thing about fashion (and the reason we're so obsessed with clothes and shoes) is that literally anything goes — if it makes you look and feel good too.

The first step to finding the right clothes to bring out your inner goddess, or rock star or CEO is to figure out your specific body type so that you can play up your best features:

Determine and embrace your body type

Body shape is all about proportion, and fashion is all about dressing those proportions to look their very best. When you think about body types, don't focus on height and weight... focus on shape. A slender gal can have the same body shape as a curvy gal, just as a short woman can have the same body shape as her taller friend. And it's not about trying to look thin; it's about accentuating your shape and enhancing what you have so you feel your best in every outfit you own.

Each of us is unique — and our bodies are, too! Nevertheless, our body shapes are generally narrowed down to five general categories: pear, wedge, rectangle, apple and hourglass. You might fall into one category, or you might be a blend of two or more categories.

Once you've determined your body shape, you can begin to consider which fashion trends to embrace and which to avoid. Spend some time in front of the mirror and do a fair and honest assessment of your body. Then put these fashion tips to work.

Join us next week for more details.