Cool Moms: How To, Body Types
Proportion Dressing for Your Body Type
Alright moms, we’re talking body types. I know how hard it can be after kids (two under two over here), navigating all the changes and then trying to get dressed on top of it.
You just created a human. You’re a rockstar. And even if your body feels new or different, remember this when getting dressed: it’s not your body that’s the problem. It’s the proportions of what you’re wearing.
Repeat after me. It’s not my body. It’s my proportions.
Being a “cool mom” has nothing to do with bouncing back or finding your old body again. Cool mom fashion is all about understanding your body type and how clothes highlight your silhouette. Shoulders, chest, waist, rise, length. We have to make them work for us, not against us.
But when you learn how to dress your body type, everything shifts. You stop chasing trends and start choosing pieces that actually work. Getting dressed feels clearer. More intentional. That is the cool mom energy.
Let’s get into it.
Here’s to finding the right formula for you.
Grab a soft tape measure or even a piece of string and a ruler. We’re keeping this simple. You only need three numbers:
Shoulders: Have someone help you or stand in front of a mirror. Wrap the tape around the widest part of your shoulders, right at the points of your shoulder bones.
Waist/Stomach: For Apples, measure around the widest part of your midsection (usually across the belly button). For Rectangles/Pears, measure your “natural waist”—the narrowest part above your hips.
Hips: Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your hips and butt. Keep your feet together so you don’t “flare” the measurement.
The Apple
The Proportion Reality: Your waist is your fullest point. Your hips and legs are often slimmer than you think.
Where Getting Dressed Goes Wrong: Wearing “oversized” dresses or shirts to hide the middle. This makes you look bulky, hiding your slim limbs and making you look “round” everywhere.
What to Do Instead: The “Column of Color.” Wear a monochromatic base (all black or all navy) and add a structured jacket worn open. This nips in the sides of your waist visually.
The Refinement: Use shorter hemlines or slim-straight trousers. By highlighting your narrowest assets (your legs), the eye assumes the rest of your frame is just as lean.
Below are pieces that help create the right balance and structure.
Blazer, Reformation
Straight Cut Trousers, Mango
