Just last Sunday we sprang forward for daylight savings time, and already this week it’s been warm enough for women to break free from their coats and let their hourglass looks see the light of day. Below are two looks that caught my eye this morning. Although on the surface they’re quite different, they share three features that are a bonus for the busty:

  1. They build on a base of one knit top–something that we can all find to fit us off the rack or via the full-bust brands;
  2. They layer versatile basics in an interesting way–if you take a look in your own closet, you’ll probably find your own equivalents to the pieces you see here;
  3. They incorporate a “third piece“ for visual interest.

I’m willing to bet that after you study their looks, you’ll feel like coming up with your own.

spring layering for the hourglass

I love this woman’s use of a bright base that she keeps from being too overwhelming by layering it beneath a sleeveless waterfall cardigan.  Then she keeps the white cardigan from being too overwhelming by cinching it with a simple black belt that contributes to a vertical line with her black scarf, black bag and black boots and tights. The triangle of orange above her waist reinforces her hourglass shape and also breaks up the white. Surprisingly, she isn’t wearing high heels (take note, Tina!) but her outfit has a presence that makes her seem like she’s wearing them. I think even those of us who are short and want to wear flats could get a similar effect–as long as we’re careful with lengths. If her cardigan fell past the top of her boots, not even heels could save it from frumpiness. (My first impression was that the belt constituted her “third piece”. Only after I uploaded this photo did I notice her attention to detail in her bracelets!)

blazer and palazzo hourglass look

You can barely see the “third piece” that first caught my attention in this woman’s look–a simple necklace comprised of a multitude of chains (bib-like but not quite). I liked how it dressed up her simple grey tee shirt. Then I realized that while the entire outfit looked relaxed and comfortable (she told me she was dressed for a long drive), it also looked put-together. Finally, it dawned on me that there’s nothing holding busty women back from creating a similar effortless-but-pulled-together look that has more personality and presence that a mere tee shirt with jeans. We already have access to casual black jackets from Urkye and BiuBiu, as well as a few color options from Pepperberry, and our bra size isn’t a deterrent to finding patterned pants! Start with a basic tee and end with your favorite necklace, and you’re ready to go. The great thing about this look is that it can be adapted to a multitude of color palettes.