Everything you need to know about V-shaped body types

By playing with fabrics, cuts, shades, and prints, you can highlight your proportions with elegance and creativity. Ready-to-wear fashion then becomes a playground where each carefully chosen piece reveals your personality and style.

What matters most isn't following the rules to the letter, but feeling good, confident, and radiant in what you wear. Your style is your power—so have fun, be bold, and shine!

The V-shaped body, often misunderstood

While the V-shaped body is undeniably toned and elegant, it is sometimes—quite wrongly—linked to thinness or androgyny.

Too often associated with broad shoulders, a barely defined waist, and an angular silhouette, the V-shaped body has actually been shared by many famous beauties, including Ursula Andress, Angelina Jolie, Jessica Biel, and Cameron Diaz... who are among the most glamorous women in the world.

In short, women with a V-shaped body have a slender frame, a defined bust, narrow hips, and slim legs and arms: beautiful assets that are easy to highlight by following the advice of our Fashion Consultants.

Elora is here to guide you, confident that you'll find what makes you happy in our new collection.

What clothes suit a V-shaped body?

Women with a V-shaped body often have a bust or shoulders wider than their hips, so the trick is to draw attention to your assets—your legs and/or neckline—rather than your bust and waist.

So, go for pieces with patterns or volume for the lower body, V-necklines to open up your chest, and tops that soften the shape of your shoulders.

The idea is to make the most of your lovely, slender silhouette to enhance your femininity.

Which dress for a V-shaped body?

The dress cuts that flatter women with a V-shaped body are those that slim the upper body, highlight the waist, and soften the hips. Several styles are specially designed for this type of figure. You'll find a wide selection, in all sizes, in Elora's new collection.

First of all, the basic straight dress in a solid color is a great option for your wardrobe. Choose a fluid style that still fits close to the body to perfectly flatter your V-shaped silhouette. To accentuate your hips, add a belt... and slip on your favorite pair of heels.

The peplum dress is also perfect for women with a V-shaped body! Very chic, it instantly balances your silhouette and highlights your beautiful legs. It can be worn on its own, or paired with delicate jewelry and a pair of heels.

Sleeveless V-neck dresses, skater dresses or long-sleeved dresses, fitted at the top and flared at the bottom, are also excellent options for you.

What types of tops suit a V-shaped body?

As with dresses, the goal is to soften the shoulders of women with a V-shaped body. and soften your shoulders. So choose plain, flowy tops without shoulder pads. An openwork or ruffled knit top below the waist, a flared sweater, or a peplum cardigan will be a great option to highlight your hips!

A sweater with a V-neckline will be perfect for you... so don't hesitate to build a real collection—you'll never risk a fashion faux pas and you'll subtly highlight your chest.

When it comes to jackets and coats, cardigans, A-line coats, and straight jackets help balance your silhouette and soften the width of your shoulders.

Which pants for V-shaped women?

Basically, everything suits you... and to enhance the femininity of your lower body, treat yourself! Discover Our selection of Elora pants and jeans.

Carrot pants, cigarette pants, and chinos are great options for V-shaped women. Choose them with side pockets to add more volume to your hips and wear them for any occasion. Finally, bootcut and flare cuts with seventies vibes are your best allies to balance your silhouette. Good news—they've come back in style in recent years!

Which clothes should you avoid with a V-shaped body?

If there was only one piece to avoid in a V-shaped woman's wardrobe, it would be the biker jacket, as well as any jacket or pea coat with shoulder pads. These types of jackets highlight the upper part of your torso and don't flatter your silhouette. They emphasize the squareness of your shoulders, when it would be better to soften them.

Even though it's making a strong comeback in the fashion world, shoulder pads (in all their forms) are definitely not the ally of a V-shaped figure!

In general, here are the clothes to avoid when you have a V-shaped body:

Tops and shirts with patterns or stripes, which don't flatter your curves
Boat necks and square necklines, which accentuate your shoulders
Turtlenecks, which confine your chest and cling to your torso
Slim or skinny jeans, which emphasize your already long legs and can create an imbalance
Knit skirts that are too tight
Hoods, which are bulky and too 'boyish'

The must-haves for V-shaped women

This guide has already mentioned the timeless carrot pants, ideally with side pockets to add volume to the lower body. But that's not all!

You can wear these without moderation:

Peplum tops and tote bags, to highlight the hips
short or patterned skirts, to draw attention to the legs
V-neck tops and dresses, to highlight the neckline
straight coats, to balance the silhouette...
And in summer, two-piece swimsuits will shine on the beach, along with harem pants, tied and draped pareos, and long boho skirts!

The perfect summer collection for a V-shaped body type

Swimwear

Ideal shape: high-cut or ruffled bottoms to add volume to the hips.
Recommended top: triangle or bandeau to soften the shoulders.
Color: dark solid top, colorful or tropical print bottom.

Linen pants

Fit: flowy, high-waisted, slightly loose or palazzo.
Color: beige, terracotta, sky blue, floral or geometric prints.
Style: pair with a solid camisole or V-neck top.

Shorts

Shape: paperbag, high-waisted, with a belt or pleats to enhance a slim waist.
Color: pastel, white, horizontal stripes or floral patterns.
Top to pair: crop top or flowy blouse tucked into the shorts.

The perfect winter collection for a V-shaped body type

Jeans

Fit: flare, bootcut, wide leg, etc... to (re)discover at the Elora Jeans Bar
Waist: high, to structure your silhouette.
Color: preferably raw, black, or heather grey.

Coat

Shape: straight or slightly flared, with a belt at the waist.
Cut: avoid broad shoulders or collars.
Color: understated on top (navy, camel, khaki), prints or details on the bottom (contrasting belt, visible pockets).

Boots

Style: high, mid, or wedge heels to highlight feminine curves.
Color: nude, camel, or matching your pants to elongate the line.
Details: buckles or textures on the bottom to draw the eye to your legs.

Your signature colors and prints

For a V-shaped body, choose dark tones and subtle prints on top, and dare to wear bright colors, bold patterns, and unique fabrics on the bottom to balance your silhouette.

If you prefer a classic style, timeless plaid or houndstooth skirts and pants will make you happy. If you love a boho vibe, go for skirts with animal, geometric, or floral prints. Fall for brightly colored pants that will draw attention to your slim legs!

Flowy pants with ethnic or floral prints are perfect for summer, to wear with your favorite white sneakers or wedge sandals. In winter, try a leopard print or a textured fabric for a bold touch...

Here’s a detailed guide to harmonize a V-shaped body (broad shoulders, narrow hips) using colors and prints:

Color palette to favor

The key: soften your shoulders!

Dark or neutral shades: black, navy, charcoal grey, khaki, burgundy.
Matte or cool tones: avoid shiny finishes or thick textures that add volume.
Solid or subtle: so you don't draw too much attention to your shoulders.

On the bottom: draw the eye and create volume

Light or bright colors: white, beige, pink, red, green, bright blue.
Luminous or textured fabrics: velvet, satin, light denim.
Contrasts are welcome: a colorful bottom paired with a more understated top visually balances your silhouette.

Well-chosen prints

On top: minimalist effect and fluidity

Fine and subtle prints: micro-patterns, vertical or diagonal stripes.
Avoid large prints or prints placed on the shoulders: they emphasize the width of the upper body.

On the bottom: creativity and boldness

Bold and dynamic prints: florals, checks, horizontal stripes, geometric patterns.
Pleats, pockets, visual details: anything that draws the eye to your hips and legs is a plus.
Printed skirts or pants: perfect for balancing your silhouette and adding a feminine touch.

Fashion tip:

Pair a flowy V-neck top with colorful or printed bottoms to create a vertical line without drawing attention to your shoulders. Accessories worn below (colorful shoes, handbags) also help balance your look.

Enhance your body shape with style and confidence

All women can dress however they like, playing with fashion as long as they feel comfortable and in tune with their personality, size, and lifestyle...

Every body shape is a wonderful foundation for style, and the V shape is no exception... far from it! It's even envied by many women, as it's often seen on slim, tall, and athletic silhouettes.

Good to know: This Guide gives you a few tips to highlight your V-shaped features. However, if you feel confident about your shoulders and actually want to show them off, go for it!

Every cut, every piece of clothing can be combined to create a unique look.