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Dress for your Body Type and Height

Last Updated on January 2, 2023 By Valery

The Complete Tops Styling Guide for Inverted Triangle Shape

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If you have an inverted triangle shape, you are known for having broad shoulders and relatively narrow hips. Most of inverted triangle also have a full bust, which combined with your shoulders can easily make you come across as top heavy.

That is why choosing the right styles for your tops can be critical to balance out your shape. You should look for styles that minimize your shoulders and add volume to the hips to achieve an overall more balanced silhouette.

Below is the complete guide with 8 best styles of tops for inverted triangle, and 4 styles you should use caution or even avoid.

Table of Contents

  • One shoulder top
  • Peplum tops
  • Belted tops
  • V-neckline tops
  • Wrap tops
  • Tops with dark colors
  • Tops with dolman sleeves
  • Fitted tops
  • Avoid tops with shoulder pads
  • Avoid off-the-shoulder tops
  • Avoid tops with horizontal stripes

One shoulder top

BEST TOPS FOR INVERTED TRIANGLE-One shoulder tops

An inverted triangle shape has a broad shoulder that should be downplayed with the right top and one of those designs is the one-shoulder top. This type of top is a simple asymmetrical top that would easily minimize the width of your shoulders.

It is a flattering top that makes the shoulders the least prominent part of your overall figure so you can easily achieve balance on your figure. The one-shoulder top would definitely make a difference and would look super great on the inverted triangle shape.

The neckline of the one-shoulder top would not let those broad shoulders of the inverted triangle shape reduce the confidence you need when you get dressed up. The one-shoulder top is very simple and pleasing tops that you should include as a major wardrobe essential for your figure.   

Peplum tops

This top is great for the inverted triangle shape because it is fuller at the bottom and draws more attention to the hips and waist region. A peplum top has flounces that can easily disguise the smaller part of the inverted triangle shape without offering an undesirable structure to the woman.

Having an inverted triangle shape also means not having a defined waist and that is why you need the peplum top. The volume the flounces offer is very necessary and it is also important that you make sure they cinch well at the waist and are wide enough so they can be more effective.

BEST TOPS FOR INVERTED TRIANGLE-peplum tops

Why opt for peplum tops

These are very flattering top styles that can help to minimize the views around the wide shoulders and give you a proportion that aligns with the wide upper half.

Peplum tops are very stylish and versatile tops that a woman with an inverted triangle shape should own.

Belted tops

BEST TOPS FOR INVERTED TRIANGLE-Belted tops

A belted top is a design that can give the inverted triangle shape woman a signature look that offers her a proper waist definition. Take advantage of the belted top as it is designed to draw attention away from the broad shoulders and keep them fixed on your defined waistline.

Belts are very beautiful accessories but it is also important that you choose the right size that could work efficiently with your overall body frame. The right belted top for your inverted triangle shape must be one with a wide belt that can be easily noticeable by the eyes.

A wide belt is super flattering on your shape and they are better than the thin-sized belt because the latter is ineffective in highlighting your waist. Also, if the belts have a contrasting look from the color of the dress that would also be perfect for your inverted triangle shape.

V-neckline tops

This is a type of top that can manipulate the eyes to assume the broad shoulders of the inverted triangle are minimal in appearance. The top has the tendency to easily create a vertical effect on the shape of the woman so the width of the shoulders isn’t accentuated.

They are designs that can help you restructure how you look and define your overall body frame so you do not have to become too conscious of the shoulders. A V-neckline top can elevate your look without having to over-emphasize the concern in your top half.

BEST TOPS FOR INVERTED TRIANGLE-v-neck tops

V-necks are for you if you have an inverted triangle shape

V-neckline tops are unique designs that also work well for your shape because it breaks up the shoulders and draw attention to the chest and bust area.

The idea of the V-neckline is simply to visually reduce the exact width of your shoulders.

Wrap tops

BEST TOPS FOR INVERTED TRIANGLE-Wrap tops

This is yet another gracious top that should be confidently owned by the woman with an inverted triangle shape because they have a full taste of perfection. Wrap tops are greatly designed for your figure and you are advised to never let go of them.

This top has is super flattering on the inverted triangle shape because they do not only have effect on the shoulders but they also have a strong positive effect on the waist. Wrap tops have a V-neckline which happens to be among the most desirable necklines for your figure.

The neckline in the top breaks the horizontal line in your broad shoulders and further constitutes a wrap that helps to define the waist. With a wrap dress, it is very certain that you would achieve a balance figure for your shape. 

Tops with dark colors

An inverted triangle shape is one that needs a warm feel that could help visually minimize the concerned area in your figure. That is one major reason tops with dark colors are recommended for your figure.

BEST TOPS FOR INVERTED TRIANGLE-dark colored tops

Why opt for dark-colored tops

Colors have a strong effect on any shape and the choice of color can either work against your shape or align well with it.

Tops with dark colors are super great colors that do not seek too much attention and are made to visually slim down wide shoulders.

Tops with dolman sleeves

BEST TOPS FOR INVERTED TRIANGLE-Dolman sleeves

Tops with dolman sleeves are designs that have fabrics that are made to extend beyond the shoulders of the inverted triangle shape. You need a top with dolman sleeves to help camouflage the wide shoulders.

Tops with dolman sleeves are designs that work wonders for the inverted triangle shape with fabrics that can help to soften the broad shoulders of the woman. These types of tops does not highlight the width around the upper half but work better in downplaying the wide shoulders.

It is much easier to minimize the broad shoulders when you wear a top with dolman sleeves than other voluminous sleeve designs. They can be really flattering on your body shape making it easy to own your feminine frame.

Fitted tops

You can de-emphasize the width around the shoulders when you wear a fitted top on your inverted triangle shape. Wearing a fitted top on your figure doesn’t necessarily mean you should wear designs that would snug tightly to your upper half.

Whenever your tops sit comfortably on your shape, you would always be at your best looks and that is super incredible for your shoulders. With tops like these, the irregularity in your feminine figure becomes a less prominent point of attention to peering eyes.

BEST TOPS FOR INVERTED TRIANGLE-fitted tops

Fitted tops are the best

A fitted top is basically a simple design that can rightly structure your feminine shape and conceal the width around the concerned area.

The inverted triangle shape naturally appears to be heavy at the top and anything bulky can alter your frame as such it’s most important that you keep tops fitted.

Avoid tops with shoulder pads

BEST TOPS FOR INVERTED TRIANGLE-Avoid tops with shoulder pads

An inverted triangle can look less proportionate when tops designed to have shoulder pads are placed on them. Shoulder pads are embellishments that can easily make more voluminous the region around your shoulders and that is not a wonderful styling idea.

Tops with shoulder pads would emphasize the width around the shoulders and strongly pull the eyes to your upper body which carries your concerned area. You are not advised to own designs that have shoulder pads if you want to feel less conscious about the broad shoulders.

Tops with shoulder pads would not aid you in achieving balance in your overall body frame and cannot also give you an edgy and stylish look.   

Avoid off-the-shoulder tops

BEST TOPS FOR INVERTED TRIANGLE-Avoid off-the-shoulder tops

Here is a top you should not attempt trying on your figure because it has a high tendency of adding more emphasis to the broad shoulders of the inverted triangle shape. Off-the-shoulder tops would draw attention to the shoulders and cause you to easily lose balance.

It is not a beautiful dress that you should opt for if you have an inverted triangle because you would not achieve the best styling goal with them. It would offer the top region of the woman horizontal lines that run across the figure and alter the natural body structure.

Designs with necklines that would break up your shoulders are most preferable so make that a point to pay close attention to. Off-the-shoulder top is less flattering on the inverted triangle shape as they would not fit your frame as you would desire.

Avoid tops with horizontal stripes

BEST TOPS FOR INVERTED TRIANGLE-Avoid tops with horizontal stripes

Whenever the woman with the inverted triangle gets styled, one major point to pay attention is the shoulders because that is the widest part of the woman’s body frame. It is therefore important that you try to eliminate the horizontal lines that visually exist in the upper body.

Tops with horizontal stripes would only broaden your shoulders causing them to appear wider than they are natural and that is not a good effect for an inverted triangle shape. Emphasizing your broad shoulders with horizontal stripe tops is not flattering designs and it is necessary to avoid them.

If you must wear a top having stripes, then those designs with vertical stripes are most efficient in downplaying the volume in your top half. They help move the eyes upwards and downwards so you can achieve a visual lengthening effect as desired.

Hello there! My name is Chi Li, 5'2", founder of PETITE DRESSING, the clothing line for women 5'4" & under. Are you petite and have you been frustrated with what to wear?
This is an issue few truly understand and even fewer brands truly address.
Being petite myself, I have been writing about fashion for short women since 2016 and my brand petitedressing.com has touched the lives of millions.
My styling concepts for petite women not only focus on the perfect fit but also on flattering & elongating the petite frame for a lean silhouette, optimizing the proportions.
Shop my clothing line here.

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