How to Dress Broad Shoulders and Small Bust

Real talk: If you have broad shoulders and small bust, your likely issue is that your body looks too masculine for your liking. Not that you don’t love your body. It’s just that from time to time, you’d have loved looking fancy with a sexy pair of dress and high heels. But with broad shoulders and small breasts, is that even possible? This guide says so. Here’s how to dress broad shoulders with a small bust.

So how exactly do you dress a figure broad shoulders and small bust? The key to dressing broad shoulders and small bust (if you want to look more feminine, that is) is to downplay the shoulders and enhance the bust. This is what this article is gonna be about.

Why do women have broad shoulders and small busts?

Out of the 5 female body types (hourglass, pear, rectangle, inverted triangle, and apple), the only ones with small busts are rectangle and pear.

And the only one with broad shoulders is an inverted triangle. But since an inverted triangle has large breasts, then you’re likely not an inverted triangle.

And since a pear’s shoulders are narrower than her hips, then you are not a pear.

That leaves rectangle as your possible body type.

However, that doesn’t explain the broad shoulders. Unlike an inverted triangle, rectangle’s shoulders have roughly the same width as her hips, not broader.

So how could a rectangle body have broad shoulders? There are two possibilities:

• You lift weights and the broadness of your shoulders is caused by muscles.

• Or, you excessively gained weight and most of the fats accumulated on your shoulders.

If one of these applies to you, then this post is for you. Here’s everything you need to know on how to downplay your broad shoulders and enhance your small bust.

Invest in a great push-up bra.

Not all breasts were created equal. So were push-up bras. To find the best push-up bra for your girls, you need to undergo a series of trial and error.

While I recommend this push-up bra, it’s not a guarantee that it’ll be a fit for every small-chested woman who reads this article. That said, if you already have a trusted brand for bras that you trust and has never failed you, choose it instead.

You can never go wrong with deep plunging necklines.

Deep plunging necklines (especially V-necks) are great at de-emphasizing the width of the shoulders by creating a diversion for the eyes to focus on.

The deeper the plunge, the more slimming the effect. Whether it’s a top, a blouse, or a swimsuit, you can never go wrong with a deep plunging neckline.

And if you wanna show off some cleavage, then your push-up bra could take care of the rest.

Go for wrap blouses and dresses.

What makes a wrap blouse or dress look flattering on broad-shouldered bodies is the diagonal line its drape creates.

Now, remember, horizontal line widens, vertical line elongates, and diagonal line minimizes and distracts.

Therefore, the inevitable diagonal lines that wrap designs create are crucial for downplaying the broad shoulders and overall torso and making it look more of an hourglass.

When going sleeveless, remember these strap rules.

If your goal is to downplay your shoulders, pay attention to which straps you should wear and steer clear from.

• Avoid thin straps: When placed on broad shoulders, tiny straps will only accentuate the broadness of the shoulders due to contrast.

• Go for thick straps: Wearing a thick-strapped piece will balance out your figure. This is especially crucial if you’re wearing halters as halters tend to highlight the shoulders.

Vertical and diagonal stripes will slim your torso down.

As mentioned before, horizontal line widens, vertical line elongates, and diagonal line minimizes and distracts.

This means that if you’re a broad-shouldered woman who wants to downplay her shoulders, you should wear vertical and diagonal patterns on your torso. If you want to widen your hips, then use horizontal lines on your lower body.

You can do these by wearing stripes but you can also use accessories like a belt and a necklace as long as they create the appropriate line.

When wearing a high-necked outfit, wear a necklace with it.

A necklace on broad shoulders body functions just like a plunging V-neckline. Its diagonal lines balance out the shoulders. This technique will come in handy if you have to wear a high-necked outfit which, in most cases, broadens the shoulders.

If you wanna bring attention to your cleavage, wear a necklace with a V-neckline top or dress.

Look for hip-enhancing pieces

Rule of contrast: Enhancing your lower body will slim down your upper body.

If you find your shoulders broad, then chances are, you find your hips disproportionately narrower than your shoulders.

This is why you should pay attention to how you style your lower body as much as you pay attention to your torso. Here are the designs that will enhance your hips.

A-line dresses

Dresses with extra embellishments at the hips (like ruffles)

What do the pieces above have in common? In one way or another, they hug the hips and flare at the bottom. By doing so, they create the illusion of an hourglass figure— a more balanced figure between the upper and lower body.

What to avoid

• Do not wear a horizontal line on your torso at all costs. It will only broaden your shoulders even further. You can, however, use it to widen your hips if you find them disproportionately narrower for your shoulders.

• If at all possible, avoid high-necked outfits. But if you couldn’t, wear an accessory that will neutralize the broadness of your shoulders. Wearing a necklace is one example but you can also use other techniques like wearing your hair long or choosing high-necked pieces with vertical and diagonal stripes.

• Keep your torso outfit’s color solid (if possible), simple, and devoid of any voluminous embellishments like ruffles. If you wish to add ruffles, reserve it for your hips.

I hope this article helps you with your shopping.

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