Hi, I'm not sure if anyone else has this same issue? I am definitely an A (thin, rectangle shape - no boobs, butt, hips or waist to speak of). My problem is that a lot of the advice for tops for A's don't seem to work for me. Wrap tops look terrible, as they emphasize the complete lack of cleavage. Flowy tops make the top half of me look weirdly larger than the bottom. Anything with ruffles makes me look like I'm pre-pubescent. The A advice also seems heavily focused on minimizing wide shoulders, which I don't have (I actually have difficulty finding jackets that are narrow enough across the shoulder, while still having long enough sleeves). The rest of the A style advice (bottoms, dresses, etc) is spot on for me, so I don't think the answer is changing types. I am completely confused about what I should look for in shirts though. I just wear T-shirts mostly right now :(

Peplum tops may suit you, as they give a shape to the body. If wearing a looser top, you could wear a belt at the waist, also to give shape.

I'm not an A, but I have a co-worker who is. She often wears V-necks -- the V isn't as deep as a wrap top, but it does give her some shape. I suspect drape-neck styles would also look great on you. You could also try playing with printed or striped tops, which would add visual interest to your upper half while drawing attention away from your lack of curves. Good luck!

V-necks I do like - I will try on some drape necks too, that is a good idea. I was thinking about this, and I guess my issue is that I don't feel the need to "add on" up top - pretending there is some there there that is not. Maybe as a teenager it bothered me, but now I am, for the most part, content with my shape. I also feel that one of my few assets is a flat stomach, and I feel more attractive in tops that don't visually add a tummy. I see gorgeous clothing in the style articles like this [IMG]http://g.nordstromimage.com/ImageGallery/store/product/Large/19/_13304599.jpg[/IMG] and am in love. Then I open my personal shopping profile and get things more like this [IMG]http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq157/rebeccathegreat1/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_1376_zps3mitnzre.jpeg[/IMG]. Gorgeous on some, I'm sure, but can't see how it would be flattering on me. I'm not trying to complain, I'm more just lost. Does any other A feel similar? Or should I just shut up and buy the suggested tops already (lol). (Or cheat, and just go for the stuff I like in the style article :))

Sorry, I did the images wrong. In a nutshell, this:

I hear you about being happy with your body shape and not being interested in "minimizing" or "maximizing". There's a distinction you can make between trying to make your body look *different* vs. *the best version of itself.* Sometimes MSP recommends styles that don't work for me personally, or I want to try a style that she doesn't necessarily recommend for my body type. What I do then is apply the general principles in my personal profile to get something I'm happy with. I'm speaking in generalities here, but I hope that's helpful!

I think it's also hard for us to tell everyone else's perception of us and how we dress, and it does make a difference of how people treat us. I grew up with a battle between my parents over clothes, and I was the one who lost. I ended up using my allowance so I could have clothes, and it was what I could get. I remember buying this one shirt--it was cheap, I liked the color, and one of the girls asked me I was pregnant! I was mortified. I'm sure I missed out on job interviews because my clothes didn't make me look put together and competent. I've never gotten any compliments on my clothes--ever--until I started here. I've had times where my family was dressed so badly that we nearly got kicked out of a restaurant and here, I'm getting compliments. It feels good when you know you're walking around and you look good, and people are noticing that you look good.