How to Dress a Diamond Body Shape

Your sparkling body shape has narrower shoulders and hips and a wider waist. You're a gem among women, so here are some tips to dressing fab with diamond body shape outfits.

You can shimmer and shine in several styles, so learning how to dress a diamond body shape is all about creating the illusion of a curvy silhouette.

Choosing women's clothes for your diamond body shape can help you feel more confident and shine like the jewel you are. If our body shape quiz pegged you as having a diamond body shape, here's what you need to know.

Keep reading to learn about characteristics of a diamond body shape, tips for dressing to feel amazing, and what to wear – including styles of tops, jeans, pants, dresses, and more.

Characteristics of a Diamond Body Shape

So, what are the primary characteristics of a diamond body shape? Let's take a closer look.

Your hips, butt, and thighs are narrow.
Your shoulders are narrow.
You have a wider waist.
Your midriff is rounded.

Famous women with a diamond body shape include Adele, Melissa McCarthy, and Rebel Wilson. To see how to style yourself, check out their fashion sense on the red carpet or as captured by photographers.

3 Tips for Dressing a Diamond Body Shape

If you have a diamond body shape, aim to balance your shoulders and hips in relation to your waistline. To pick outfits for diamond body shapes, we encourage you to choose pieces that showcase your assets while making your body look curvier. Here are three tips to help you get started.

1. Highlight Your Shoulders and Legs

With your upper and lower body measuring roughly the same size, play up those aspects of your diamond body shape. Choosing clothes that create visual interest at both the shoulders and legs can give you the illusion of curves more similar to an hourglass shape.

2. Keep Things Simple at Your Waist

To help create those curves, choose clothes with simple waistlines and no belts or accents in that area. This can help elongate your body and keep the focus on your top and bottom halves.

3. Select Draping Fabrics

When picking out clothes for diamond-shaped women, choose fabrics that drape well and don't cling to the body. Natural materials versus synthetics often work very well for this and create movement and texture to highlight all the right places.

Diamond Body Shape: What to Wear

Now that you know the characteristics of the diamond body shape and have some general ideas about how to dress yours, you can jump right into building a wardrobe. Here are tricks and tips to help you next time you're shopping.

Tops

Tops for diamond body shapes should accentuate your shoulders and show off your arms. Some great options for tops and blouses include:

Flutter sleeves: This loose-fitting draped sleeve falls over your shoulder and draws attention upward.
Off-the-shoulder: Keep the focus on your arms and shoulders by wearing off-the-shoulder styles.
V or U-necks: V- or U-shaped necklines draw the eye upward toward your face and shoulders.
Shoulder or bust embellishments: You will look great in tops with decorations at the neckline or bust.
Uneven hemline: An uneven hemline draws attention down to your hips and away from your midriff.

Jeans

When selecting women's jeans for a diamond body shape, you want to keep your bottom half neutral. The best jeans for diamond hips may depend on your overall look, but a good thing to keep in mind is to focus on darker, less embellished pairs of jeans.

Dark colors: Darker colors enhance your shape.
Bootcut: Skip the skinny jeans and opt for bootcut jeans that balance out your bottom and top halves.
Flare legs: Go bold bolder with your jean choice by selecting dramatic flares.
Wide leg: Choose a jean that falls straight from the widest part of your hips to elongate your legs.
Simple pockets: Avoid bold embellishments on your back pockets and keep the front pockets simple.

Pants

It's always a good idea to have a few pairs of professional pants in your wardrobe for the office. You may also want a few pairs of casual pants when jeans aren't the right look. Here are a few tips to help you find the right cut for your diamond body shape.

Straight: Avoid pleats and opt for straight front pants that help accent your hips and legs, drawing the eye down.
Flowing materials: Stay away from fabrics that cling to the body, like leggings, and choose natural fabrics with a good drape factor.
Palazzo: A perfect pants style for you is the wide-legged palazzo pant. They act more like a skirt but give you the comfort of pants.
Side zipper: Avoid buttons on the front of your slacks, and choose something with a side zipper instead.
Mid-waist: Neither high-waisted nor low-rise pants are generally the best choices for diamond figures, so a mid-waist pant may be an excellent fit for your body.

Dresses and Jumpsuits

Dresses are a must-have in your closet. For either casual or formal dresses for diamond body types, check out these options.

Straight fit: A straight fit that gives your upper and lower half the same silhouette while evening out your midriff is a great look.
A-line: A-line dresses look great on almost every body shape, but it's the details you should consider. Choose dresses without embellishments at the waist.
Shirt-style: A shirt-style dress that emulates a men's tailored shirt can look fantastic on your diamond body shape.
Small prints: Choose smaller prints that add interest without large details, as these are often most flattering for your shape.
Knee-length: To elongate your body, choose dresses that are knee-length to show off your calves.

Don't forget jumpsuit options. Be sure to choose jumpsuits with wider legs and flowy fabric to balance your diamond body shape.

Skirts

The key to dressing your diamond body shape well is to choose pieces that accentuate your legs and elongate your body. These skirts are great to create that balance.

Flat front: Keep your waistline simple by choosing flat-front skirts.
Uneven hem: An asymmetrical hemline adds interest to the bottom of your skirt and draws attention to your legs.
Side zipper: Select skirts with side zippers or button closures to maintain a flat-front look.
Knee-length: Show off your calves with a knee-length skirt.
Flowing fabric: Choose fabrics that flow with the movement of your body.

Jackets

Choosing jackets and coats isn't just about staying warm. It's also about staying stylish and showing off your diamond body shape.

Vest: A vest, or even a sleeveless cardigan, looks great to show off your narrow shoulders.
Shoulder detail: To balance your body, choose jackets with shoulder details.
Moto jacket: A moto jacket, or fashion-forward motorcycle jacket in real or faux leather, can look great on your diamond body shape because it just grazes your hips.
Double-breasted: Double-breasted jackets are a formal or professional look that accentuates your figure.
Empire coat: For a longer coat, choose an empire cut that falls to your knees to draw attention to your shoulders and legs.
Short trench: You can pull off a great short trench coat that falls to your hips or mid-thigh.

Swimwear

Ready to hit the beach or relax at the pool and show off your diamond body shape? Here are some great swimwearstyles to check out:

Deep-V: To draw attention to your neckline and shoulders, choose a suit with a deep V-neck.
One-piece: One-piece swimsuits in dark colors are an excellent choice for your diamond body shape.
Embellished two-piece: A two-piece swimsuit with embellishment, such as long fringe, on the top, is a great look for your body type.
Cups: Choose a one-piece with cups to help accentuate your bustline and shoulders.
Boy shorts: You look great in boy shorts or board shorts when at the beach or poolside.
Shapewear: If you’re a bit anxious about swimsuit season, you could choose a one-piece with built-in shapewear to help you feel more confident.

Shoes and Accessories

The right shoes and accessories can complete your look. Here are some options that help accentuate your diamond body shape.

Booties: Booties can accentuate your ankles and legs.
Short, chunky necklaces: Necklaces are a great way to add embellishment to your neck and shoulders. Choose large, chunky pieces that stay close to the neckline.
Chokers: You look great in chokers. Choose fashion-forward designs that accentuate the neckline of your dress or top.
Statement earrings: Draw the eye upward to your shoulders and face by choosing large statement earrings.
Shapewear: You can also help give your body a more balanced shape by choosing shapewear under your garments.

3 Outfit Ideas for a Diamond Body Shape

Now that you've seen the pieces that work for you, here are some outfits you can put together to show off your diamond body shape.

For Everyday

A great everyday look is something you always need. Choose a top with lace embellishment at the neckline and flutter sleeves. Pair it with dark, wide-leg bootcut jeans and a pair of comfortable boots or high-top sneaks.

For an Event

Look fab at a formal event and show off your figure with the right dress and accessory combination. A straight dress with a small print in a dark color will look great on your body. Pair it with a pair of chunky earrings and wedge sandals.

For the Office

You can command the boardroom in a stylish, professional outfit when you're on the job. Choose a flat-front pencil skirt and an untucked v-neck blouse to pair with a sleeveless cardigan sweater and chunky necklace. Slip on some simple dark-colored heels or flats to finish the look.