Getting Real About Dressing for Our Body Types


If you would’ve told us a few years ago that we would eventually share personal information about each of our bodies (i.e. the good, the bad and the ugly) on the internet, we would have been convinced that you had lost your mind. But you would’ve been right.

travel-carmel-bridget-casey-rookies-fashion-dressTodayย we’re pretty sure it’s US who have lost our minds because we are going to do just that. Today we are baring all (not in photos… thank goodness) and sharing the vulnerable information behind our bodies’ imperfections. <— just typing that out makes us extra nervous to press publish.

Bridget_Casey_Chicago_Odyssey_Travel-13You guys overwhelmingly shared how much you enjoy us sharing the DIY Playbook Style Series every Wednesday (thank you!! we are so grateful for your kind, supportive words). Some of you mentioned that you like these weekly posts because you like seeing what we wear, while others mentioned the affordable price of our clothes as your favorite part. And then there were a group of readers thatย said that theyย liked this series because we were “just like you”, dressing just like you would.

Those comments were some of the biggest compliments we could get here on the DIY Playbook because that’s what we strive for… showing you that we ARE just like you! And we want to make sure we stay that way by being REAL and transparent and a little vulnerable (as scary as that is), especially through the DIY Playbook Series.

Emoji Halloween Costume Bridget & CaseyReal Talk: We each have imperfections on our bodies that we consciously try to hide when choosing clothes. But let’s be real…. don’t we all?! Skinny or curvy or somewhere in between, we all have parts of our bodies that aren’t our favorite. And guess what? THAT’S OKAY! It’s normal!!!

bridget casey happyWe hope to use this platform to reassure everyone that we feel the exact same way. But instead of focusing on these imperfections, we try to choose clothing that masks our insecurities while making our “strengths” stand out!

If you have a body similar toย Bridget’s, you can use her sizing tips every week or the tricks she uses to show off her assets. Or if your body is more similar to Casey’s, you can take her word for fit tips, size guides, and styling tips.ย And if your body really isn’t similar to either of ours, well heck… at least you can rest assured that we’re not perfect and that’s perfectly okay with us.

Casey’s Body Type

casey-fashion-styleTypical Size: M, Size 8

Height: 5’8″

Less than Perfect: Everyone has parts of their body that they don’t love, and I’m no different. As a typical “apple” shape, I am not the biggest fan of my midsection. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I will never ever have washboard abs, and if I’m ever carrying extra weight…it’s going right to my tummy! ย I also have wide shoulder and chest areas, so I’m not the biggest fan of structured dresses that are tight against those parts of my body. I wear a 36C (sometimes D), and don’t love having a larger chest (especially when working out without a proper sports bra #ouch)

casey-fall-fashion-4Favorite Assets: I’ve been so fortunate to get long, (fairly) muscular legs from my mom. I was a dancer my entire life, and I also do a fair amount of squats and lunges at the gym, but mostly they’re all genetics. ย They’re by far my favorite asset, and they’re something I don’t mind showing off! Short shorts, skirts, leggings, skinny jeans…those are my favorite because I can showcase my legs.travel-beach-casey-toms-jeans-fall-fashion-scarf

Casey’s Shopping Guide

casey-basket-built-ins

  • Shorter Hemlines: Because my legs are my favorite asset, I’m not afraid to show some skin! Short shorts, dresses, and skirts are all a part of my wardrobe. But if I’m showing a lot of leg, I’ll often cover up on top so things aren’t too revealing all over.

casey-fall-fashion-8

  • Skinny Jeans & Leggings: When it comes to leggings, I know there are definitely 2 kinds of women. Ones who don’t consider leggings to be “real pants” and others who wear leggings or athleisure all the time. I’m definitely in the latter group! I love me some leggings or skinny jeans! While I won’t wear leggings to work, I do wear them on the weekends and at night all the time.ย 
  • Flowy Tops: Because my tummy isn’t the most flattering part of my body, I tend to wear flowy tops that drape nicely over that area. It makes me feel much more comfortable, and I love the look of tighter pants with a looser top. It creates a good balance for me.ย 
  • V-Necks: Because of my larger chest, high necklines do not look great on me. While Bridget can pull off super cute button downs (all buttoned up), that just does not work for my body. Instead, I find that v-necks are much more flattering as they make my shoulders look more narrow.

Bridget’s Body Type

casual_necklace_flannel-bridget-laughing

Typical Size: XS-S & Size 0-2

Height: 5’5″

Less than Perfect:ย I have no butt, well technically it’s back there but it’s flat as a pancake. Iย don’tย haveย hardly any boobs either (I wear a 34A maybe a 34B if the bra has got some extra padding ;). I also have a really long torso, which isn’t necessarily a negative but it does make finding shirts a bit more tedious. And like Casey, the extra weight that I hold goes straight to my midsection. But probably what I’m most conscious of when choosing my outfits is my extra pale skin. I don’t think I personally look very good when I show a lot of extra skin because I’m so pale, so I typically try to choose outfits that are modest and cover my skin when possible. It’s weird though because often I’ll see other pale people and think they’re gorgeous pale! So I think it’s just a personal thing for me about showing too much skin.

bridget-fall-plaid-vest-booties-style-series-2Favorite Assets:ย I know that I’m considered skinny and I’m very grateful for my genes because it is not thanks to my diet that I have this body type. But more important than skinny,ย I’m very thankful to be HEALTHY. When I think of people who don’t have their health I’m reminded how minor these “body imperfections” really are. I vowed a few years ago to choose to focus on how thankful I am for a healthy body rather than focusing on its imperfections. And to do this, I strategically buy clothing thatย helps mask those areas while making me feel a whole lot more comfortable in my own skin. As long as I’m healthy, I’m happy!

bridget-travel-beach-carmel-leather-jacket

Bridget’s Shopping Guide

  • Longer shirts: I don’t love X-long shirts but I try to buy clothing that is a bit longer on the average person so that it fits me just right.birthday_bridget_cupcake_3_happy
  • High Necklines: I don’t love showing my chest area (except for v-neck t-shirts) so I typically opt for a high neck cut with sleeves. I’ll opt for a collar any day… peter pan collars are my favorite.Bridget Matt
  • Cover up: I’m very modest when it comes to clothing and don’t like to show a lot of skin, mostly because of my super pale complexion. If I show my arms, I typically won’t show my legs in that same outfit. But if I show my legs, I’ll try to cover up my arms. Too much skin is never a good idea for me.travel-carmel-bridget-white-jeans-loft-blousejpg
  • Flowing:ย I try to steer clear from tight shirts unless I’m pairing them with high-waisted pants. This helps me hide the midsection just a tad and makes me feel a whole lot more comfortable in my skin.

haven-conference-bridget-casey-diy-playbook-rookies-atlantaSorry for getting a little a lot personal today, we just figured we needed to start 2017 Style Series withย some REAL TALK. We’re obviously not perfect but that shouldn’t keep us (or anyone) from loving the bodies we have. Most importantly, we’re both very grateful for our health. We’re also very grateful for this platform, which allows us to shareย that imperfect is NORMAL and totally okay!

We hope this information helps you relate to our weekly fashion posts a bit more and helps you make more intentional decisions when purchasing clothes. But above all, we hope it makes you step back and love your body just a bit more… imperfections and all.

Bridget&Casey


The Year of Casey

Hey there!

Iโ€™m Casey Finn, the voice behind The DIY Playbook. I’m a Chicago gal teaching you how to design, DIY, and maintain your home…by yourself! Learn more about me right here.