The clothes which will flatter you best will depend on your body shape. Today the choice of clothes is so varied that there's something for everyone no matter what colouring, scale, height, proportion or body shape you are.

When it comes to looking good, it's not your size or shape that matters, it's the fit of your clothes. Wearing the right clothes shouldn't be about following the latest fashion trends; it should be about choosing what actually suits you and what makes you feel comfortable and confident.

• The Inverted
  Triangle
• The Lean Column
• The Rectangle
• The Apple
• The Pear
• The Neat Hour
  Glass
• The Full Hour
  Glass

Knowing your basic body shape and understanding the types of clothes that will accentuate your good features (and minimise your less than perfect bits!), means you'll be able to dress in a way that really suits you. Today there are so many options to choose from so you'll always be able to find something that will complement your body shape, scale, proportions, colouring, personality and life style.

Before you know what clothes to buy and which styles look best on you, you'll need to know which body shape you are. When choosing clothes, your aim is to create the illusion of having a balanced body. The neat hourglass is considered to be the most perfect and balanced body shape with:

• Shoulders and hips in line
• A defined bust
• A waist, even with a softy curved tummy
• A curved bottom

The problem with understanding your body shape is that most women focus on specific area (i.e. problems zones such as the tummy, arms, bottom, thighs etc), which can cloud your judgement when it comes to seeing the whole picture. It's important to view yourself as a whole so that you can define your body shape.

To analyse your body shape, look at yourself in the mirror in your underwear. Stand with your legs together and your arms a bit away from your sides. Examine the area from under your arms, past your bust and ribcage, over your waist and hips to the fullest part of your thighs. Then look at the 7 body shape sketches above. Once you know your shape, you need to examine your proportion, scale and your features e.g. bust, tummy, arms, thighs.