13 Closet Essentials For Summer If You’re An Apple Shape
And not ONE of them is a shapeless sack!
Image from Able
by The Candidly Team
Most of us, especially after 40 (thank you hormones), carry weight around our middle. Even the pears among us have gotten more apple-y over the years.
And while, we are 300% against hating ourselves over any inch of our appearance, we also really like to dress for our shape.
Can we say that?
All we mean is that we unapologetically enjoy clothes that flatter and feel good on our specific bodies. And when the weather cranks to temperatures that make us want to crawl into the sea, we also want those clothes to breathe and float and still make us look effortlessly summery and chic.
Well, we’ve found them - 13 of our absolute favorite warm-weather pieces that look perfect on our apple-shaped selves.
But before we dive in, what even is an apple shape? Basically, being an apple just means, you tend to have:
a full bust or wider chest
narrow hips
a thicker waist
…what some call a bust, waist, hip ratio of 4:4:3
And here are those 13 pieces that make our own 4:4:3 look like 10s across the board:
1. This Spacious Yet Structured “Dress Up” Top
Pomander Place Navy Finley Flutter Sleeve Top
It isn’t easy to find spacious tops that have actual lines and aren’t just shapeless sacks. In fact, the biggest pitfall of wearing something loose-fit is that it often comes at the expense of looking at all tailored or “crisp.” This top, with its chic fluttery 3/4 sleeve (the most flattering length) and perfect A-line waist (the most flattering shape), completely solves that problem. We wear it over our stretchiest ankle jeans with a cute wedge sandal. And because it’s such a superhero piece, we naturally want it in every color it comes in…and there are many.
Price: $98
2. This Breezy Weekend Dress
In addition to having its elastic waist placed in the precise curve-complementing position, this floaty midi dress is endlessly breathable, so we’re not slowly descending into a complete puddle underneath. It’s what we’re wearing to brunches and picnics, high-teas and garden parties (should the fantasy of being invited to one ever come to fruition). It sizes up to 3X and also comes in midnight blue for those spooked by white.
Price: $150
3. This Ideal Everyday Dress
Everlane The Daytripper Shirtdress
If anyone asks you the trick to not having your stomach-skimming dress look like a complete mumu, it’s this: make it a neat A-line. This dress narrows your shoulders, has cute long-enough sleeves, and still has all the roominess we need to move about without a care. We pair it with these slides (#3) all summer long but are more than happy to switch to tights and booties and keep right on wearing it through the winter.
Price: $118
4. These Most-Comfortable-Waistline-On-Earth Shorts
Universal Standard Juniper Linen Easy Pull-On Shorts
Shorts are rarely fun, high-fashion things that we’re dying to wear. However, we also get hot. And when we do, we want something comfortable and waist-nipping, and long enough to cover our butt but short enough to make our legs look a few inches longer. And so, we turn to this airy linen pair, which come in every matchable hue we need and thankfully size up to 4XL. The elastic waist feels excellent and looks especially good with a ribbed tank and an open, airy button-down. Our personal summer uniform.
Price: $57
5. This Perfectly Cut & Endlessly Cozy Summer Dress
Cozy Earth Boardwalk Breeze Dress
If you’re the sort of person who dreams of a soft-as-all-heaven house dress that transitions into the ideal, wear-to-any-occasion dress, then this is the dress for you. For all of us really. It comes in 4 colors, each better than the last. And while it feels like something you’d take your most glorious nap in, it has the most flattering silhouette, so you’ll want to wear it out. A lot. Fortunately, it’s machine washable for extra frequent wear. And it sizes up to XXXL.
AND you can get 35% OFF using the code CANDIDLY.
Price: $108 - $180
6. This Wrinkle-Resistant Button-down
Chico’s No Iron Stretch 3/4 Sleeve Tunic
Every button-down we own loses its sophisticated powers by turning into a crumpled pillowcase half an hour into wearing it. Enter this wrinkle-resistant tunic. Once again, it’s sliiiiightly A-line. So it still looks tailored but with plenty of space around our stomachs and plenty of stretch around our shoulders, so we can actually move our arms. We wear it over a slim cigarette pant (see below) and with THESE flats. Because any outfit that evoking of Audrey Hepburn is foolproof as far as we’re concerned.
Price: $98
7. These Blessèdly Stretchy Cigarette Pants
J. Crew Slim Cropped Ruby Pant In Stretch Twill
These pants are made of magic “hold you in” material and have all the structured stretch we could want in a slim-fit trouser. They’re cropped which makes them perfect for hot days, both as part of a daily work uniform and as a chic bottom for all our going-out tops. J. Crew’s sizing has become exemplary over the years. But it’s the price that has us scooping these up in multiple colors.
Price: $59.50
8. This Dress That makes Your Legs Look 8 Miles Long
Pomander Place Olive Green Cassia Dress
If you can imagine for a moment this dress accompanied by your chicest tote and a pair of your comfiest espadrilles, then you, my friend, have just imagined the entire contents of the carry-on bag we’re packing for vacation right now. So we won’t need to worry when they inevitably toss our checked bag into the sea, because this is all we’ll be wearing anyway. Join us!
Price: $118
9. This Most Flattering Round The Middle Swimsuit. Period.
J. Crew Ruched V-Neck One-piece
There is nothing more powerfully smoothing and shaping around a thicker waist than ruching. However, this suit additionally topped our list because it has that ultra-flattering, supportive neckline and a full-coverage bottom. It sizes up to 3X and thankfully comes in long torso. And if you wear it with this, you basically have your most flawless pool/beach/backyard party look settled for all of time.
Price: $70 - $118
10. This Mini Skirt We Fearlessly Wear All. The. Time.
J. Crew Tall Linen Smocked Mini Skirt
Behold the thick elastic band up top (an apple shape’s best, most comforting friend) and then it poofs out just enough for just long enough to make us feel completely covered up. We throw it on over swimsuits but also with THIS perfect ribbed tee, and naturally, all our prettiest, coziest sandals.
Price: $50 - $89.50
11. This Jumpsuit You’ll Question For 17 Seconds Then Never Take Off
The inside story with this jumpsuit is that we all bought it, one by one, like coze-craving dominos. Then, as we wore it outside our house, friend after friend asked about and bought it. And yes, every one of us started off by asking the question “can I really do this?” A onesie? A wildly spacious, deeply pocketed, loose-legged onesie? And the answer is yes. Because this onesie is somehow incredibly flattering, entirely “feminine.” It skims over our middles, complementing every curve it encounters along the way. It’s the most comfortable thing you’ll ever wear, and we are wearing ours right now.
Price: $70
12. This Gorgeous Going-Out-To-Dinner Dress
Pomander Place Red Finley Flutter Sleeve Dress
Yes, this is the dress version of the very first top we showed you on this list. But this dress was worthy of its own write-up, no? It has that same floaty, yet tailored ratio we mentioned. But add to that, the chance to showcase a little more leg (always nice when we’re covering something else up). Wear it with the kind of heels you could stomp across a city in and a statement bag, and you’re the chicest version of your summer self. And you never have to worry about unbuttoning an obnoxious waistband that makes you want to end your night right after dinner because you cannot wait to transition into some poofy nightdress. Because, of course, you’re already wearing one.
Price: $128
13. This Kaftan You Can Wear To Formal Events
Rachel Pally Long Caftan Dress
A caftan is chic, guys. We laid out a whole case (along with our 7 favorites HERE). But this one could be our most favorite of favorites, because it is a proper maxi length, so we can wear it to actual occasions. However, it’s also soft and easy enough to toss on daily. The fit is beyond flattering with those fairy-like sleeves, the gently pleated waistline, and the length that makes us look a mile long. It’s the ideal dress-up dress for an apple shape, but, realistically, any shape.
Price: $255
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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