Finding the perfect winter jacket can be a challenge, especially when you’re trying to balance proportions that suit your inverted triangle body shape. If you have broad shoulders or an inverted triangle body type, the key is to find jackets that draw attention away from your shoulders and add volume or structure to the lower half of your body.
This post is about winter coats/jackets that are ideal for you, with style tips to help you make the most of your look this season.
What is the Inverted Triangle Body Shape?
The inverted triangle shape is typically recognized by:
- Broader shoulders or a wider upper back
- Narrower hips and a more streamlined lower half
- A tendency to have a straight waist without a lot of definition
- Often, the bust may be more prominent, although this isn’t always the case
This shape is all about proportion. The goal is to balance the wider upper body by adding volume or interest to the lower body, creating the illusion of an hourglass shape. Fortunately, fall fashion—with its layers, cozy textures, and structured pieces—offers plenty of opportunities to do just that!
Double breasted Coat
For the inverted triangle body, a double-breasted coat can help create the illusion of a balanced figure by drawing attention to the waist and downward. If the coat flares out at the bottom, it adds volume to the hips, balancing out broad shoulders.
Style Tip: Always go for designs with minimal shoulder padding and a slightly flared shape below the waist to emphasize your lower half. To add more volume, consider leaving the coat unbuttoned with a scarf on my your neck to draw attention away from your shoulders.
Wrap Coat with a Belt
Wrap coats with a waist-defining belt create an hourglass shape, drawing attention away from the shoulders. This accentuates the waist and adds balance to your figure.
Style Tip: Choose softer fabrics such as wool blends to keep the look streamlined, avoiding coats with heavy shoulder details that could add bulk.
Parka with a Drawstring Waist
A parka with a cinched waist allows you to define your middle, adding shape and volume to your hips. Features like fur-lined hoods or hip details help further balance the broadness of the shoulders.
Style Tip: Choose parkas with volume-enhancing details below the waist, like oversized pockets or side panels, for an even more balanced silhouette.
Down Puffy Jacket
Contrary to many recommendations, a long puffer jacket looks great on an inverted triangle body. The only time puffer jackets are an issue is when they hit above the weight. When that happens, they add a lot of bulk to your upper body. However long puffer coats, due to the stich lines, adds definition to your figure. Afterall, this coat is meant to give an oversized look, so a very safe option to balance out your entire silhouette while adding more volume around the hips, creating a balanced silhouette.
Style Tip: Go for jackets with diagonal or horizontal quilting, which create structure and further enhance your shape.
Cape Coat
The cape coat’s loose, flowing design adds volume to the lower half of the body, while its vertical lines elongate your figure and draw attention away from the shoulders. It creates a softer, more balanced look.
Style Tip: Wear with a fitted top underneath to contrast the loose fit of the cape and maintain a flattering shape.
A-Line Coat
A-line coats naturally flare out from the waist, helping to balance broad shoulders by creating a more defined waistline. The flared bottom adds volume to the hips, drawing attention downward and balancing out your proportions.
Style Tip: Go for neutral colors like Black, Grey or navy for a versatile wardrobe staple that can be worn with a variety of outfits.
Avoid Boxy Coats
If you have an inverted triangle body shape, boxy coats are generally not the most flattering option for your figure because they can emphasize your broad shoulders and make your upper body appear larger. Here’s why:
No Definition at the Waist
Boxy coats lack a defined waistline, which can make your upper body look wider and bulkier. Since inverted triangle shapes already have broader shoulders, this adds more volume to the area you want to minimize, creating an unbalanced look.
Creates a Squared, Top-Heavy Silhouette
The straight, boxy structure of these coats tends to make your shoulders and upper body the focal point. It amplifies the broadness of your shoulders, further highlighting the disproportion between your upper and lower body.
Misses the Chance to Create Balance
The goal with an inverted triangle shape is to add volume or structure to the lower half of the body to balance out the broad shoulders. Boxy coats do the opposite by keeping the silhouette straight and unstructured, missing the opportunity to draw attention to your waist or hips.
Lack of Shape
Boxy coats often look shapeless, which doesn’t complement an inverted triangle body shape that benefits from more tailored, waist-defining styles like wrap or belted coats. These styles help create a balanced, hourglass figure by accentuating the waist and adding proportion to the hips.
Avoid short/cropped jackets
Its also generally best to avoid cropped or short puffy jackets.
Emphasizes Broad Shoulders
Cropped puffy jackets often have volume concentrated around the upper body, especially in the chest and shoulders. For someone with an inverted triangle shape, this can make the shoulders appear even broader, drawing too much attention to the top half of your body.
Cuts Off at the Wrong Point
Cropped jackets end at the waist or just above the hips, which can create a horizontal line across your midsection. This tends to make your upper body look even more top-heavy, while failing to add the desired volume to the hips or lower body for balance.
Lack of Length to Balance Proportions
Longer jackets, such as mid-thigh or knee-length styles, help to visually balance out broad shoulders by adding length and volume to the lower half. Cropped jackets don’t offer this balancing effect, which can make your silhouette look disproportionate.
Adds Bulk to the Upper Body
Puffy jackets are designed to add bulk and warmth, but in a cropped style, the bulk is concentrated around the chest and shoulders. This bulk can make your upper body look heavier, while not offering any help in balancing your hips and legs.
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