THE BODY TYPE : BRICK

30/7/2013

The petit supermodel Kate Moss is a great example of the body shape, The Brick.
Bricks have a slight or no waist, longer legs, small bust and bottom, and usually have broad shoulders, rather thick thighs and calves. It means that your shoulder width is the same as your hip width, without any particularly prominent body area. Although! This shape can come in many sizes and for some the tummy is more prominent, which can lead to a square, masculine look.
Bricks usually find it more difficult to be feminine than many other body types, but it is not impossible. Carefully chosen clothes can bring really good results.

The most important guidelines.
- Many Bricks try to cover up with baggy clothes, but this normally only makes things worse as loose garments just hang off the shoulders, emphasizing the whole brick like shape.
- The key to dressing well as a Brick is to either embrace the "androgynous look" (Wich is also fabulous). Or try to reduce the masculine elements in your shape as much as possible.
- The bigger the belly the less of a waist, and gently draping jersey tops and empire lines are the best ways of creating an illusion of one.
- Belts are also good tools, just make sure you place them in the most narrow part of you tummy. For Bricks that is often straight under the boobs.
- Pants should be in a material that follows the curves of the body. Too stiff material won't do anything for your shape.
- A boxy, unstructured top on a dropped-waist dress that snare the widest part of your thigh, is by far the worst mistake you can make.

It might sound bad to have a bricklike body shape! But I'm just going to let the pictures of these very gorgeous Brick ladies speak for themselves, and hope you will be persuaded to seeing that there's nothing wrong with having a straight figure.
It definitely has it's perks when it comes to fashion.
Don't be afraid to go a little over the top, because your frame can easily carry glamorous and bold styles that many women would not even be able to attempt.

YES

GOOD FOR YOUR SHAPE:
Anything that creates a waist, such as tightly belted jackets.
Empire line coats.
Round neckline top
Graphic print and decoration.
Gently draping jersey tops.
Tops with a pattern to break up the larger body area.
Fitted tank top.
High-waisted wrap dress.
Asymmetrical and panelled skirts that drape nicely over
your hips and creates shape.
Loose but not too big trousers.
chunky, curvy shoes.

NEVER WEAR:
Boxy, unstructured tops, t-shirts and jumpers.
Bulky, boxy, broad shouldered jackets that make you look even bigger.
Anything that emphasises the width of your upper body (double breasted coats etc.).
Boxy dresses.
Very short skirts, that snare the widest part of your thigh.
Box pleats.
Trousers in stiff fabric, that don't hang naturally.
Clumpy, un feminine shoes.
Heavy, solid wedge shoes.

Other Bricks: Kim Cattrall and Jennifer Hudson.

(The 12 body shape and rules are mostly borrowed from Trinny and Susannah's Body Shape Bible. I have made some alterations. Photos in this post are borrowed from Google. Unknown source.)

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16 Comments

ETHICAL AND PERSONALIZED STYLE, FOR A "GOOD FOR YOU" WARDROBE.

Idealist style is a website and "slow blog" dedicated to ethical fashion and personalized style, including tips on how to find your very own "slow fashion" style by using color analysis, the body types system, and other slow fashion tips.»
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Ange link

9/12/2017 01:08:03 pm

Hi there,

I've found the information on your website really helpful in helping me identify my best colours. I was wondering if you could help me determine my body type. I'm not sure if I'm a Brick or Column. I'm average height (5ft 6) and I have many attributes of a Brick: slight waist and longer legs/shorter torso, small bust and bottom; although I don't have broad shoulders or thick thighs and calves. My shoulder width is slightly narrower than my hip width and I don't have any prominent body area. I'd really appreciate your insights. Thanks!

IDEALIST STYLE link

4/1/2018 09:36:50 pm

Hi, Ange! It sounds a little bit like you could be a Column. They have a lot of the same features as a Brick, but have a more narrow frame, shoulders, and slender legs. Or you could just be a slender and petite Brick. You definetely sound like one or these two as it doesn’t sound top heavy or bottom heavy, but balanced, but not very curvy either. Look at the Column posts, and also google Eva Longoria, as she is a petite Brick too, and see what feels more right.

I hope this helped :-)
Xxx, Sun.

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22/4/2018 07:46:09 pm

Wow! This is a great post. I love to wear different kind of dress that is why I can relate to your post. Your advice is very helpful, especially for those people did not know what their body type. The pictures are all beautiful. The content of your blog is every helpful and I think that I can use your advice. I will share this post to my friends and I'm sure that they also love this. I'm so happy that you shared this with us.

6/5/2018 06:20:56 am

Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. I'm so glad you found my page to be helpful :-)

Xxx, Sun.

Anne

5/2/2018 02:20:20 am

Hi!
I really enjoy your posts, and today I've come to realize I am a brick shape. However, I do not enjoy fitted tops. I can hardly find anything that has a good shape and still gives me freedom of motion. In a fitted jacket, I'm not able to lift my arms! Having small children, I need full freedom of motion in every outfit. Do you have any advice for dressing a brick shape in a more casual manner? I usually resort to skinny jeans, t-shirt, cardigan and scarf because at least I find that more flattering/interesting than sweaters.

18/3/2018 09:38:02 am

Also, in case you haven't seen this post, here it is.

https://www.idealiststyle.com/blog/body-type-brick-your-best-looks

18/3/2018 09:36:59 am

Hi, Anne! Thank you so much for your lovely feedback.
The best solution for a Brick, is to find clothes that are fitted and wide in the right places, but also elastic. Cardigan, jeans and a top can work perfectly, as long as you pick the right type of cardigan and top. You want to make sure it has the right neckline, where the to button it, maybe one with a belt to tie it, and so on. Personally, as I skittle, I do the same too. I wear comfy clothes when I'm doing errands and only dress up when I'm being social. It's usually a little difficult finding the right styles for most body types, as trends keep changing. Some years ago was shopping heaven for my body type. Then I've had a dry spell, for it starting to turn around only recently with all the retro style dresses. Elastic material can be great for your body type, as stiff materials is really what is not that great. Unless it's stiff and sculpting, but as you said, that doesn't fit you right, because most brands make clothes for one shape. Usually a Column shape. Look closely at the shapes and tricks in both the Brick posts, and try to translate those shapes in to more casual materials and styles. A one button or belted blazer, can easily to translated into a belted elastic cardigan. You just want to make sure the shape is right and not too stiff, then the material can be comfy. Elastic peplum tops in a casual look, can also be a good casual solution for any body type who want comfort and shape, as it hugs the waist and top, but flares too. Skinny jeans work for most people, so just keep wearing them the way you do. Just make sure they have the right stuff on the top. You can also wear tops that are a bit looser as long as they have a little curve/shape to them, and don't seem boxy and square. Even using a belt or tie something in your waist would give you the right shape. My sister who is also a Brick, swears to dresses and thick panty hose or leggings. And then a cardigan on top of that. So take the look you feel the most comfortable in and tweek it using the shapes that's best for your body type. It might be difficult to find the right stuff sometimes, but it's worth the search once you find the perfect things. Getting things tailored or altered to fit you better is also a great option, as long as you invest in quality items that you want to keep for a while.

I hope this helped :-)
Xxx, Sun.

love

12/4/2018 06:39:56 pm

nice dress

6/5/2018 06:43:24 am

:-)

Solenn

9/6/2018 03:55:14 am

How come Jennifer Hudson be a brick, i see she tends more to be an hourglass, no ?

12/8/2018 12:56:28 pm

Hi, Solenn! I totally get why you ask, as I thought the same myself at first glance. You see it clearer in the photos from when she was larger, but even in more fitted dresses you can tell that her waist is not very curved. It just appears curved as the bum and chest creates a curvy look. She's also very good at dressing herself, so her body looks very balanced. Jennifer Hudson, just like Eva Longoria, is what I like to call a Soft Brick. I want to make a separate post about this at some point too, to clarify and show that Bricks come in more that two versions. The two versions being the one with a flat bum and large tummy, or the very straight and petite Kate Moss version. My sister, and several of the people I know are Soft Bricks, and this version looks great in form fitting dresses, as the Brick too is a balanced body type. So, in short, a Soft Brick is kind of a Brick that is flowing into a curvy type, and can borrow clothes from these groups (Vase, Hourglass and Cello). But, they should always make sure they don't forget completely that they are a Brick, as they should still use Brick styles too, or combine the too.

I hope this cleared things up!
Xxx, Sun.

12/8/2018 12:57:15 pm

*two not too

Jennifer

4/9/2019 06:49:32 am

Hi there! I just found your blog and am really enjoying your advice. I wondered if you could help me figuring my body type. I am almost 6' tall, long torso, thin hips/thighs (a bit smaller than my shoulders), shapely legs (my friends call them runner's legs) and large breasts. My main issue is that I carry lots of extra pounds in my tummy, I look pregnant. From the front, I look like a column shape (just tall and straight), but from the side I look fat/pregnant. Not much going there for my bottom, either. Thanks!

14/10/2019 03:12:17 pm

Hi, Jennifer! Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. That makes me so happy to read.
From what you're describing it sounds like you're most likely a Goblet. Could be a Lollipop too, depending on the overall balance.
Check out the Goblet first and see if that is a fit. If not it's also possible that you're a Lollipop, Brick, Column, or even an Apple.
Hard to know for sure without having seen you, but it sounds a lot like a Goblet body type.

Also, I'm almost 6 feet tall too (182 cm). Not often I hear of or see other women with the same height. :-)

I hope this helped!
Xxx, Sun.

Roxy

26/10/2019 12:04:58 pm

What do you think ciara Harris the singer body shape is?It looks like mine & we both have round hips.Im 5'10 but she is 5'8.
But our bodies look alike.

2/1/2020 06:16:57 pm

HI, Roxy! Ciara Harris's body type is not a very obvious one, but the total does look the most like a Cello. She had broad shoulders, a full chest for her weight, a somewhat straight waist only small because of chest and bottom being wider. She also has a curvy but and large thighs compared to slender lower legs. So, even though it could be possible that she's a Vase, Skittle, Cornet, Brick, Column, or Goblet. The fact that she kind of feels like a mix of all these other types, often point to a Cello. Her description is also most like a Cello, and would most likely just be a slender one which is usually more difficult to type because of less drama in the shape.
I hope this helped.

Happy New Year!
Xxx, Sun.

THE BODY TYPE : BRICK

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ETHICAL AND PERSONALIZED STYLE, FOR A "GOOD FOR YOU" WARDROBE.

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