Style Guide – Bronwyn Katzke

How to Use this Guide

You’ve booked your session and you’re super excited, but that excitement quickly turns to a small knot in your stomach as you realise, “what do I wear?” This style guide will take you step-by-step through dressing for your body shape to choosing a colour palette based on your specific type of session and location. You’ll be looking like a perfect, pulled-together Pinterest image in no time.

We start with figuring out your body shape and how to choose the most flattering styles for your body shape. The next step is to choose a colour palette based on the type of session you’re booking and the location.

How to Measure your Body Shape

Every body is different, so it’s hard to standardise something that’s unique. This guide is simply that- a beginning point to finding clothing styles that flatter your natural shape.

To find your body shape you need to measure your body at 4 points:

widest point of your shoulders
fullest part of your bust
narrowest point of your waist
widest point of your hips

Triangle: Your hips will be the smallest measurement and your shoulders the largest measurement.
Apple: Your shoulders/bust and waist measurements will be larger that your hips, which will be the smallest measurement.
Rectangle: All your measurements will be close in size to each other.
Hourglass: Your bust and hips will be close in measurement and your waist will be the smallest measurement.
Pear: Your hips will be the largest measurement and your waist the smallest measurement.

Body Type: Triangle

You are probably a triangle shape if:

Shoulders are noticeably wider than the hip-line
Little to no waist definition
Hips look straight and flat compared to broad shoulders
Body shape projects a sporty and athletic physique

The goal for dressing this shape is to balance the broader shoulders, chest and back with the narrower lower body to create a balanced silhouette. This is achieved by choosing clothes that add curves to the hips and bottom while creating a more defined waist, and de-emphasising the upper body.

To see a full break down of what clothing styles suit your body shape, click the button below.

Triangle Body Shape

Body Type: Apple

You are probably an apple shape if:

You are generally well-proportioned
Your shoulders are broader than your hips
You are not necessarily as curvy through your hips
You don’t have a well-defined waistline

The apple body shape can appear top heavy due to a full chest and upper body with little to no waist definition. In order to balance out the upper body, choose clothes that add curves and fullness to the lower body. In order to de-emphasise the midsection and to create a more defined waist, pull it visually in.

To see a full break down of what clothing styles suit your body shape, click the button below.

Apple Body Shape

Body Type: Rectangle

You are probably a rectangle shape if:

You’re not particularly curvy
Your shoulders and hip measurements are nearly the same
Your waist isn’t very small or well-defined, but rather straight up and down
Your weight is fairly evenly distributed throughout your body

The focus of this body shape should be on defining the waist by breaking up the rectangle. When enhancing your waist you have two options: if you are very slender and want to create more curves you can proportionally add volume to your upper and lower body and leave the waist as is. Alternatively, you can make your waist appear slimmer by visually pulling it in but leaving the upper and lower body as is.

To see a full break down of what clothing styles suit your body shape, click the button below.

Rectangle Body Shape

Body Type: Hourglass

You are probably an hourglass shape if:

You may be this body type if…

You’d describe your body as curvy
You have a well-defined waist
Your bust and hip measurements are roughly even
You may have fuller bust, hips, and thighs

The key to dressing this body shape is to follow its natural silhouette by proportionally dressing the top and bottom of the body while accentuating the waist. You need to ensure that you don’t unbalance the body frame by making it either top- or bottom-heavy.

To see a full break down of what clothing styles suit your body shape, click the button below.

Hourglass Body Shape

Body Type: Pear

You are probably an pear shape if:

You may be this body type if…

Your waist is wider than your bust
You consider yourself to have fuller hips
You have narrower shoulders in comparison to your hips
You have a fuller rear

The key to dressing this body shape is to take attention away from the wider hips and to draw it towards the upper body and defined waist instead. You want to create the illusion of volume on the upper body while emphasising the waist and de-emphasising the lower body to create a balanced silhouette.

To see a full break down of what clothing styles suit your body shape, click the button below.

Pear Body Shape

Studio Sessions

When it comes to studio sessions, the sky is the limit for the colour of your outfit/s. The number one deciding factor in choosing your studio session colour palette lies in what you’re going to use your finished photos for. For example, if you’re going to display your photos in your home, then look at co-ordinating your wardrobe colours with the colour scheme/s in your home.

The other difference for studio session is that a monologue colour palette works best. That means choosing colours that are similar and not including an opposite colour for an eye-catching accent. By using colours that are similar, you create a more classic, harmonious look and feel.

With having a muted colour palette, and factoring in studio lighting, it means that you have the perfect opportunity to incorporate more textures in your outfit/s to create interest.

Primary Colour. This is the main colour to wear for your outfit.
Secondary Colour. Use this for your partner or other family member/child to wear. You can also use this colour if you’re going to be wearing layers, like a blouse with a cardigan.
Tertiary Colour. This is a colour that can be used for accessories.
Neutral Colours. Use these colours for pants and shoes.

TIP: how to choose the right colours

It’s easier than you think. If you’re having a brightly lit look, stick with lighter colours; for a more dark and moodyl look with a black background, go for darker colours. You can also factor in the background colour we’ll be using for your session, and then co-ordinating your wardrobe colour palette from there.

Outdoor Sessions

The trick to having a pulled together look for your session is simple- you must co-ordinate your outfits and not match. Start by choosing your primary colour and use it for your outfit, then use the secondary colour for your partner/children’s outfits. From there you can add little pops of colour with the accent colour and pair all of it with neutrals for your pants, belt or shoes.

Primary Colour. This is the main colour to wear for your outfit.
Secondary Colour. Use this for your partner or other family member/child to wear. You can also use this colour if you’re going to be wearing layers, like a blouse with a cardigan.
Accent Colour. This is a colour that can be used for accessories for a little pop of contrasting colour.
Neutral Colours. Use these colours for pants and shoes.