Society’s obsession with thinness has reigned for decades. And while diverse bodies are finding their way on to our screens, runways and magazines more frequently, sometimes the pathway to progress feels anything but straightforward.
Although it may be slow going, “body and beauty ideals are radically changing,” says Susan Dimasi, the designer and founder of Material By Product. “The look that is emerging will be diverse. No singular look will be the new ideal for the next 100 years.”
Conventional style advice generally includes tips to look taller (dress all in one colour), make your legs look longer (wear trousers or skirts on the highest point of your waist) and make your hips seem narrower (balance them with a full sleeve). But dressing for body positivity or body neutrality requires a different approach.
Wear what feels right
The starting point is letting go of ideas about how things used to be and embracing how they are. “We now have the freedom to dress across and between the traditional binaries of clothing,” says the tailor Emily Nolan, who makes suits for women and members of the LGBTQI+ community.
“No matter your body shape and size, people should be able to look and feel their best without subscribing to certain body ideals.”
Make peace with your body
Shaking off certain body ideals can be hard to do after a lifetime of programming, so it’s important to examine these beliefs and challenge their validity.
When Dimasi starts working with clients, the first thing they do is address their deeply held beliefs about their bodies and rewrite them as a positive narrative. She says, when this work is done, “a world of possibilities opens up”.
“They find the confidence in their choices and the right pieces to fit and flatter them.”
She uses the singer Lizzo as an example of someone rebelling against society’s expectations of how women should look and dress. “If Lizzo applied conventions to herself she would have zero choices, but because she’s cut herself free … and given herself permission to like what she likes, everything she wears looks amazing,” says Dimasi.
Celebrate the things you love
Stylist Sally Mackinnon works with her clients in a similar way to Dimasi, helping them feel comfortable with the body they have. By prioritising what feels good, different clothing choices come naturally. “Let your intuition guide you to things you really love, things that really make your heart sing. Then you’ll never look better,” she says.
For Mackinnon a shift in thinking is key. “I encourage clients to flip their typical thinking about dressing to ‘hide’ or ‘minimise’ their flaws,” she says. “And instead think about the parts of their bodies they like. Dress to enhance that area instead.”
Develop your sense of personal style
Ultimately, looking good comes down to how clothing makes you feel when you wear it. Mackinnon says the fastest way to achieve this is by knowing who you are and your own personal style. Self-assurance in your clothing choices will help you feel comfortable in your own skin.
For people who don’t work in fashion or spend a lot of time around clothes, this might seem like an elusive concept. Dimasi insists it is all about self-examination and carving out time to think about the clothes you enjoy wearing, and the way you want to present yourself to the world.
Once this internal work has been done, she advises talking to and building relationships with professionals who can help you find quality garments, whether it is retail assistants, personal stylists or tailors and dressmakers.
Functionality and form
It’s true that we look more at ease and confident when we’re comfortable. And although this might seem like an excuse to opt for jersey fabrics and stretch waistbands, there are other ways to ensure clothes are a pleasure to wear.
“The most important thing for my clients is that they feel comfortable to move and go about their day,” says Nolan. This means tailoring her garments for functionality, for example, ensuring pants have enough height through the rise of the seat so that sitting down or bending over is never an issue, or properly structured shoulders and sleeves that allow for a full range of motion.
Quality fabric and drape
For Dimasi, beautiful materials are critical. “Fabric with good drape always flatters,” she says. A good woven wool that might be used for tailoring or a dress made from pure silk crepe will naturally flow over the body, rather than clinging, bunching or crumpling. “We’ve lost the art of dressmaking to the rise of stretch-in-everything, so there tends to be a limited understanding of how fabrics can look and feel.”
Dimasi suggests browsing high-end stores for beautiful fabrics, then trying some of the pieces on, even if they are out of your price range. “Something that is really hard to understand until you experience it, is feeling good in really beautiful quality cloth,” she says. “It can help you perceive yourself differently.”
This article was amended on 9 January to correctly attribute a quote to Sally Mackinnon.
