From Monica's Closet: How to Dress as a Curvy Pear

Ok ladies, so we all have our unique body shapes. Recently here on Yours Truly three beautiful ladies guest starred to show us what they wear and why it works for their body types.  (Allie, Annie, Kinsey.) Yours Truly is now stepping up to share expertise on how to dress if you're a curvy pear. What is a curvy pear, you ask? Basically, it's a body type that falls into the standard category of having hips wider than the shoulders, but unlike the classic pear, has well-endowed bust and shoulders.  As a curvy pear Yours Truly attempts to create balanced outfits that give the equal-portioned look of an hourglass. 

Here's one of my favorite looks from my closet! I'm proud of all these pieces because they were all awesome bargains. 

The leopard print of this dress is classy but also just a wee bit sassy.  The pattern draws attention away from problem areas.  This dress is great for a pear because it's form-fitting on the top, where a pear is slimmest, but follows the natural curves of the hip without enlarging them visionally. This done by the oh-so-flatteirng black side panels: 

Isn't that just fantastic? As a curvy pear I really glory in a good dress that accents all the right curves without making me look like a bottom-heavy buoy. 

I added this open sweater for a light layer.  It adds dimension to the shoulders to balance out the wideness of my hips. 

I had such a nice hair day. I love those days. 

Ok, now on to these boots. I call them my Musketeer boots because they lace up in the back and have a equestrian-esque embellishments. And they're real suede! Here's the kicker: I found them at Plato's Closet, never worn, for $20. It was the find of a lifetime. 

They are an amazing pop of color and texture that adds whimsy to an outfit, but the color is subdued so they don't look like the leftovers of a pirate halloween costume. 

They are soft, warm, and the perfect heel height of 4 inches. Not too tall, but enough to give my 5'4 a boost. I'm totally in love. 

Where Yours Truly found the look:

// Dress (Lauren Conrad at T.J.Maxx, $25) // Sweater (Goodwill, $4) // Suede boots (Plato's Closet, $20) // 

As a curvy pear my advice is look for side paneled dresses. High-waisted dresses look amazing too, but if you're looking for that sleek, curvy, hourglass, body-con-dress type of look, side panels are the way to go. I love this dress because it's classy but has a definite flirtatious attitude. The boots add both edge and depth because of the suede texture. Always remember to go into thrift stores with an open mind. You never know what you might find. 

Yours Truly, 

Monica