JOHN GALLIANO

As the Leading London Personal Stylist I have clients from all over the world,my clientele is mainly upmarket women. Are these women size zero? Absolutely not.

The most common body shape is hourglass and whatever their size my hourglass clients complain that fashion does not suit them. They are right.

I am a UK size 8 – US size 6, I have not bought a pair of trousers for 6 years, many of my clients are the same.  This is not a size thing but a shape thing. I have curves. Is fashion missing a trick? I refuse to wear hipster trousers. In fact, I refuse to wear anything that does not suit me.

If you have a waist, hipster trousers cut in at the wrong part of your body. However slim you are the result is a roll of flesh. Elegant? I think not.

Hipster skirts ride up and down as the hourglass has no defining flat area, so tops hang out and you are left with about 6 inches of spare material at the back, as the “too big” top will end up on the waist. This makes the skirt unflattering at best, and it looks like you are wearing someone else’s clothes, a much bigger someone. 2 sizes bigger in fact.

To overcome this fashion has designed lots of nifty tops that are either empire line, i.e. cut under the bosom or smock based, i.e. baggy. These were originally designed for preganat women. For the past two years my hourglass clients have all the same complaint. “I can’t wear trousers any more. Skirts no longer suit me, the tops don’t fit me and make me look pregnant.” Many like me refuse point blank to buy them and have very few clothes as a result. I am simply too style conscious to wear clothes that don’t suit or fit me.

I would like to reiterate that the majority of women have hourglass shapes.

So some style rules for the most desirable shape on the planet.

Wear fitted clothes.

Celebrate and exaggerate that great waist.

Refuse to buy hipster skirts and trousers look for high waisted styles.

Buy tops that are fitted and shaped to the waist.

Wear short fitted jackets.

Buy fitted shift dresses.

Choose pencil or slightly A line skirts.

Belt whenever you can.

Vivian Westwood, Roland Mouret, John Galliano, Dolce and Gabbana,

Karen Millen, Pinko, Tara Jamon,Thakoon, Victoria Beckham all make for the hourglass.

Gabrielle Teare is currently Alexa ranked No 1 globally for Personal Stylist.