Know Your Body Shape

When shopping for the clothing that will look best on you, you must first understand what body shape you are. Our bodies have a specific structure that can largely be broken down into five basic shapes: Apple, Pear, Hourglass, Rectangle and Inverted Triangle.
Each shape has a certain set of characteristics that differentiates it from the other. Keep in mind – body shape is not the same as body size. Body size is an individual’s body measurement. So someone who is a size 2 can be a pear and so can someone who is a size 22.
Women's Body Types: Find Out Which

 

Apple Shape

Apple shape
Image: Karen Cox/SheKnows

Celebrity apple shapes: Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Hudson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Tyra Banks

How to tell if you’re an apple: “Your shoulders and hips are around the same size,” Roché says. “Apple-shaped ladies have little difference between the measurements of their chest, waist and hips.. You as an apple-shaped girl have chest and waist measurements that are fairly close, but your hips are about six inches smaller than your chest.”

Apple body shape traits:

  • Hips and shoulders have the same width; waistline has the same width or is wider.?
  • You gain weight mainly around the waist, at least in proportion to the other parts of your body.?
  • You probably have slender lower legs and arms.?
  • Your high hip is wider than your lower hip.
  • Your bust and/or midriff are larger than your hips.
  • You might be short-waisted.?
  • Your thighs or hips are probably the narrowest part of your body.?

 

Pear Shape

Pear shape
Image: Karen Cox/SheKnows

Celebrity pear shapes: Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Kelly Clarkson

How to tell if you’re a pear: “Your hips are wider than your shoulders,” Roché says, “They are also wider than your bust, making them the widest area of your body. In numbers, your hip measurement is more than five percent bigger than your shoulder or bust measurements. With a pear figure, one of your best assets is you slim midriff, which many women envy you for. Make sure to show off your killer waist and balance your wider lower half. These basic items should be the foundation of a great

Pear body shape traits:

  • Your hips are wider than your shoulders.?
  • You have round, sloping shoulders.?
  • You have a well-defined waistline (and might even have killer abs).?
  • Your buttocks and thighs are full and round.?
  • Pear body shapes gain weight on their thighs.?

 

Hourglass Shape

Hourglass shape
Image: Karen Cox/SheKnows

Celebrity hourglass shapes: Kim Kardashian, Dita Von Teese, Eva Longoria

How to tell if you’re an hourglass: “Your shoulders and hips are around the same size,” Roché says. “Your waistline is significantly smaller. The rule of thumb here is about 75 percent: Your shoulder and hip measurements are within five percent of each other. Your waist is at least 25 percent smaller than your shoulder, hip and bust measurements. Your waist is eight to 12 inches smaller than your hip or bust measurement.”

Hourglass body shape traits:

  • Your hips and shoulders have about the same width.?
  • You have round and sloping shoulders.?
  • You have a well-defined waistline.?
  • Did we mention cleavage?
  • You buttocks are rather round.?
  • Your lower hips are wider than your high hips.?
  • Your thighs are full but narrower than the lower hips.?
  • Hourglass body shapes gain weight through the hips and above the waist.?

 

 

Rectangle (or ruler) Shape

Rectangle (or ruler) shape
Image: Karen Cox/SheKnows

Celebrity rectangles: Anne Hathaway, Queen Latifah, Cameron Diaz

 

How to tell if you’re a rectangle: “Rectangles have a very athletic frame,” Roché says. “That allows them to wear boyish clothes as well as a wide range of feminine ones. Your shoulders, waistline, bust and hips are around the same size. Your shoulder, bust and hip measurements are within five percent of each other. Your waist is less than 25 percent smaller than your shoulder or bust measurements. Waist measures from one to eight inches (2.5 cm – 20 cm) smaller than the bust.”

Rectangle body shape traits:

  • Your hips, waistline and shoulders have about the same width.
  • Rectangles gain weight evenly, but may gain some more through the upper back or neck.
  • You have rather straight shoulders.
  • Your buttocks are flat.
  • You have an athletic build and a small bustline.

 

 

Inverted triangle shape

Inverted triangle shape
Image: Karen Cox/SheKnows

Celebrities with inverted triangle body shapes: Naomi Campbell, Demi Moore, Renée Zellweger, Miley Cyrus

How to tell if you’re an inverted triangle: “Your shoulders are wider than your hips,” Roché says. “They are the widest part of your body. Your shoulders are more than five percent bigger than your hip measurement.”

Inverted body shape traits:

  • You have prominent and broad straight shoulders — wider than your waistline or hips.
  • You have an athletic build.?
  • You probably have rather flat buttocks.?
  • You might have a larger chest and fuller back than rectangles.?
  • When inverted triangles gain weight, they usually gain it through the torso and back area.?