Female body types
Everyone has a different body structure and genetics, that’s why we all have different body types. But remember, all body shapes are unique and beautiful. Knowing your body shape makes your life a bit easier, because it helps to choose clothes which fit perfectly and shows the beauty of your body.
Now let’s dive into the different body types women:
- Triangle or Pear: “This shape features narrower shoulders and bust compared to the hips.
- Spoon: It’s similar to the triangle or “pear” female body type. Spoon body type usually have larger curvy hips, smaller upper body.
- Hourglass: It features equal size in hips and shoulders plus a well-defined waist.
- Top Hourglass: You have the general hourglass figure, but your bust is slightly larger than your hips.
- Bottom Hourglass: This hourglass shape features nearly equal size hip and bust measurements.
- Round: Also known as apple body shape, the round body shape features a bigger bust than the hips with no defined waistline.
- Diamond: It features broader hips, a narrow bust, and a well-defined waistline.
- Athletic or rectangular body shape: A long, thin, muscular body with no curves.
Here you will find more detailed information about female body shapes and how to know what your body type is.
Triangle or Pear Body Shape
People with pear body types are the opposite of those with apple women body types. This type of female body visually appears in the lower part of the body. A bigger butt and thighs than your upper body, including shoulders and bust, characterize it. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian belong to this body type.
The triangle body shape is the most curvaceous. It's easy to notice it by looking at the legs as they are visually wider, fuller, and more muscular than other body parts.
Here are the characteristics of women with triangle body shapes:
- Easily noticeable hips, thighs, and butt.
- Narrower and sloping shoulders.
- Noticeable curves.
Spoon Body Shape
A person with a spoon-shaped body looks almost the same as someone with a triangle or pear body shape. The only difference between a spoon-shaped body and a pear-shaped body is that the spoon-shaped body may feature a bigger tummy.
Spoon-shaped bodies have the following characteristics:
- The bust is smaller than the hips of a person with an hourglass shape.
- Fully defined waistline.
- Slim arms.
- The delicate neckline and upper body.
- The lower half is noticeably larger due to the contrast.
- People with a spoon-shaped body shape accumulate excess fat tissue on their hips and thighs.
Hourglass Body Shape
An hourglass body shape is the least common women's body shape, with only 8% of women forming a part of this group. If you don't know what an hourglass figure looks like, you need to understand that a person with an equal size of hip and bust with a narrow waist possesses this body shape. Usually, people with this body shape have a proportionate top and bottom with a defined waistline. There are various dresses for this body shape, so it’s up to you to know how to dress for your body type.
Here are the characteristics of this body type:
- A well-defined waistline with a proportionate top and bottom.
- Curvy on top and bottom.
- People with fleshy upper arms, wider shoulders, or fuller bottoms can have this figure.
Top Hourglass Body Shape
As we mentioned earlier, the hourglass body shape is characterized by nearly equal hip and bust measurements with a narrower waistline. That said, people with top hourglass figures have everything that fits into the category of hourglass body shapes, but their busts are slightly bigger than their hips.
Bottom Hourglass Body Shape
While the bottom hourglass body shape fits well all the characteristics of an hourglass figure, it's the opposite of the top hourglass figure. This type of female body features slightly bigger hips than the bust. You can choose dresses that accentuate some of your strengths.
Round Body Shape
Round body shape is also known as apple or oval shape, which consists of a heavier body than the lower part of the body. Usually, people who belong to this body shape have broader shoulders and bigger bust lines, with most weight settling around the midriff. Most people often refer to this body type as “top-heavy.” About 14% of women belong to this body shape and have a three or more inches bust bigger than the hips.
By standing in front of the mirror, you’ll notice these characteristics:
- More weight gathers around your midsection and chest, making your bust bigger and providing the appearance of a protruding stomach.
- Slim arms and wider shoulders.
- Weight tends to gather more around your midriff, especially if you have a bigger bust.
- Little or no waistline definition, often giving the appearance of a "top-heavy" description of the apple body type.
- Slimmer legs.
Diamond Body Shape
This body shape features broader hips than shoulders, slender limbs, and a small bust. A diamond body shape can look great in A-line, belted, or flared dresses because they help showcase the upper torso, revealing the defined waistline.
Key characteristics:
- Little or no defined waistline.
- Average or wide hips.
- Narrower shoulders.
- Small bust.
- Slender but shapely legs.
Athletic Body Shape
Athletic body shape is also a rectangle body shape because of a well-defined straight shoulder line consistent with the hips. Most women (46%) belong to this body shape with a waist of about the same size as the hips and bust. People with this body type don’t have curves like those with pear or apple bodies. Often you’ll appear straight with flat shoulders.
Key characteristics:
- The waist is one to eight inches smaller than your bust.
- When you stand up straight, you will not notice any curves around the waist.
- Your rib cage defines most of your body shape because of no waistline definition.
- Some women have curvy bottoms, yet they have rectangular body shapes.
- You can also have a broad chest with the extra weight gathering around your midriff.
How to dress by body type
While there are various dress types for body shapes and many inspiring ideas, it still is a challenge to pull off a suitable one for your body type. However, with a dress style by body type guide, you can find a perfect outfit that suits your body shape while showcasing your strengths.
Whether you want to wear skinny jeans, short bottoms, plus-size clothes, or you prefer dress modestly, there are various looks for different body types. Remember it is not always about fashion trends, it’s more about your personal style. So if you will feel great and dress what suits you - you’ll definitely feel great and get some compliments!
Here's how to dress by body type:
How to dress a triangle or pear-shaped body
Choosing the perfect type of dress can be tricky, especially if you don't know how to dress for your body type. Pear body shapes require something that accentuates your shoulders or bust areas. Minimize the attention to your lower part of the body by wearing something that drives attention to your upper part of the body.
Here’s what you need to do:
- You can make your hips and butt slimmer.
- Avoid tights or pants that make your legs narrow.
- Wear a bra that enhances your bust area.
- Choose straight-leg or slightly flared pants over skinny pants.
How to dress a spoon-shaped body shape
Spoon-shaped bodies are similar to triangle women's body shapes. A-line styles or princess cuts, and baby doll styles are flattering dresses that work well on this body shape. They help to enhance your narrow waistline and cover your big belly and hips. Styles that fit your mid-thigh and the knee help accentuate the best features of your legs.
How to dress an hourglass body shape
People with this body shape should avoid anything that makes them look boxy. Instead, they should wear clothes that accentuate their admirable curves.
- Use your waistline as a focal point when dressing.
- Balance your top and bottom.
- Wear a supportive bra to enhance your bust.
- Dress to reveal your curves.
- Wear V-neck dresses and tops.
How to dress a top hourglass body shape
Dressing a top hourglass figure requires you to balance your top and bottom. People with top hourglass figures can flaunt their strengths by wearing boot cuts, slightly flared pants, or A-line skirts and tailored jackets that enhance their bust area while slightly flowing through their hips.
- Wear darker colors around the waist area.
- Wear clothes that balance your top and bottom.
- Avoid straight cuts and boxy styles.
- Avoid necklines that unbalance the natural appearance of the hourglass figure.
How to dress a bottom hourglass body shape
Like the top hourglass figure, you should create a balance between the top and bottom. Since the hips appear slightly bigger than your bust, you should choose clothes that help you create a proportionate top and bottom.
- Wear wide-legged and loose-fitting trousers that go down to the floor.
- Wear mid-waisted trousers.
- Wear dresses that fit at the waist but flow gently through the chest and hips.
How to dress an apple or round body shape
Ensure to drive attention away from your midriff if you want to dress accordingly. The best thing to do is to wear clothes that accentuate your best body parts.
- Divert your attention away from your waist and shoulders by wearing long sleeves and direct it towards your neck by wearing V-necks.
- Move the attention towards the top parts of your body.
- Avoid too tight or fitting dresses and belts around your waist.
- Cover features that are far away with dark colors.
How to dress a diamond body shape
Since this body shape features narrower shoulders and hips and a wide waist, you should consider wearing clothes that create the illusion of a curvy silhouette.
Here’s what you should do:
- Balance your shoulders and hips and keep them consistent with your waist.
- Aim to showcase your strengths while making your body appear more curvier.
- Choose simple things around your waist.
- Wear draping fabrics.
How to dress a rectangle or athletic body shape
Rectangular body shapes are long, thin, and lack curves. Consider choosing clothes that flatter your thin body and create curves.
Check out how to dress for your body type:
- Pinching the waist to create the illusion of curves.
- Choose ruffles and frills for extra volume, texture, and femininity to your body shape.
- Avoid wearing baggy jeans and track clothes because they kill the femininity of your body shape.
- Wear miniskirts and bright tights to showcase the best parts of your legs.
- Wear shapewear.
How to determine your body type
It’s important to know your proportions because it helps to determine your body type. Let's look at various body features that also help show your body shape.
NOTE:
Ensure to use cloth tape but not metal. The tape should be tight enough and loose but snug to a point where you feel it will slip. It will provide accurate results of your body silhouette.
Shoulders
It’s difficult to measure your shoulders using tape while ensuring the tape is intact, making it difficult to get accurate measurements. That’s why it’s necessary to let someone help you do it. You should begin at the tip of any shoulder side and take the tape around your shoulders until it meets the tip of the same shoulder. Keep the tape closer to the shoulder to accurately measure your shoulder.
Bust
Ensure to stand straight before you start measuring your bust. You need to get the measurements of the fullest part of your bust.
Waist
Most people tend to pull in their stomachs when measuring the waists, making it difficult to determine their body shapes.
Ensure to maintain an upright posture as you stand straight. You need to find the natural waistline (the slimmest part of your waist above the belly button and below the rib cage. Another way of finding your waistline is bending to the side. The bending point is the waistline.
Take the tape around your stomach until it meets where you began. If you like wearing clothes below the belly button, it might be necessary to take those measurements too.
Hips
Accurate hip measurements involve measuring the circumference of the fullest part of your buttocks. Start from one end of the hip while taking it from the rear to the other hip.
Conclusion
To find correct plus-size outfits might sound challenging, but once you learn what your body type is and what suits you it gets much easier. So what can you do to dress accordingly?
You first need to understand your body shape so that you can find the best dress for body type. Fortunately, there are varieties of dress types for all body shapes you can wear to flaunt your best features.