A sporty, or athletic, body shape means having a straight body with an even distribution of weight and in which your waist, hips and shoulders are equally broad. With this type of shape, you can choose the areas you want to accentuate. You can wear either oversized bottoms or tops, but never both at the same time.

What kinds of basics to choose?

Important tip: try and accentuate your waist! This body shape has slender shoulders and upper arms, and its advantage is that even if you gain a bit of weight, it tends to spread out evenly across the core. A basic rule of thumb for this shape is to select tailored, layered outfits and to accentuate the waistline. The cut of the neckline will be determined by your bust size: bigger breasts should have a V-neckline, and round necklines go better with average or smaller-sized breasts (think classic t-shirts with a round neckline, for example). 

Layered clothes are great for this particular body shape and help highlight your upper body, and tight-fitting trousers can also work well. Both oversized blazers and slim fit vests are excellent choices, and you can accentuate your waist with a belt. When it comes to dresses, several kinds can be worn, including an A-line flare cuts that makes your waist look thinner. You can also free to experiment with various sleeve styles to broaden your shoulders. 

• A-line skirts
• A-line dresses that are straight & stretched at the waist or have empire or overlap tailoring
• Straight cut trousers and wide-legged, layered trousers with a wide waist
• Shirts and blouses with patterns (depending on size), wider collars, frills or V-necks
• Sleeveless tops with large necklines
• Tailored coats