What is a Body Shape?  | Most Common Body Shapes |  Why Should You Care?  | How Do You Determine What Body Shape You Are?  | How To Dress Your Body Shape?  | Your Notes  |  Can Body Shape Change Over Time?

As women, we all come in different shapes and sizes, and understanding your body and its form can help build a relationship with it and boost your confidence and self-esteem. In this article, I cover the five most common body shapes for women. Of course, not all women fall into one of these five categories, but I believe that most of us do.

What Is A Body Shape?

Body shape is a proportion between bust, waist, and hips measurements. Depending on the ratio of those measurements, the body falls into one of the body shape categories.

Here Are The 5 Most Common Body Shapes For Women

Rectangle

Women who have this body type usually lack curves. They have hips and shoulders roughly the same width and little to no waist. It is common for them to be taller and have an athletic body.

Hourglass

This is the most proportioned, shapely, and feminine body type. Women with this body type usually have proportioned and well-balanced shoulders and hips (roughly the same width) and a well-defined waist.

Apple

Women with an Apple body type usually have a fuller midsection than their bust and hips.

Strawberry

Women with this body type usually have shoulders and busts wider than their hips and waist.

Pear

Women with this body type usually have hips and thighs wider than their shoulders and busts.

Why Should You Care Which Body Shape You Have?

Understanding your body shape and dressing accordingly is crucial to building a practical, functional, and cohesive wardrobe.

We’ve all experienced buying an item that looked amazing on a mannequin, only to try it on and have it look completely different. Or we are seeing a friend wear something that looks stunning on them but not quite right on us.

This is because our body shapes and physiques vary greatly. Some of us have smaller hips, while others have smaller busts. Some have defined waists, while others don’t have any at all. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to clothing. Therefore, it’s essential to understand your body shape and dress accordingly to make the best choices for your wardrobe.

How Do You Determine What Body Shape You Are?

Determining your body shape cannot be easier! All you need is a soft & flexible measuring tape to take measurements and use that information to identify your body’s shape.

To get the most accurate measurements, it helps to have little to no clothing (make sure you avoid heavily padded bras, too).

So, strip down and take measurements of your bust, waist, and hips.

Then, compare the three measurements and summarise the ratio to determine your body’s largest and smallest parts. Try to visualize and relate your body shape to the body abovementioned body types.

To make a more straightforward and precise decision, you can also add a record of your top and bottom sizes. These are the sizes you go for when shopping. This information can help you to compare measurements more easily. By looking at your sizes, you can quickly notice if your upper body is broader than the bottom and vice versa.

Take Measurements

Bust

Wrap the measuring tape around the fullest part of your bust. Usually, it’s part of your chest in line with your nipples.

Waist

Locate the smallest part of your waist and measure it. Usually, it’s just below your rib cage and above your belly button.

Hips

Identify the widest part of your hips and measure them. Usually, it’s part of your body in line with your pelvic area.

Now that you know your body type, it will be good to learn how to dress it.

How To Dress Your Body Shape?

Our body shape is given by nature and inherited through genes. Unfortunately, many of us don’t like it and often want to disguise and conceal certain parts. Fortunately, changing our body lines through style, fabrics, and garment construction is possible.

Knowing how to dress your body type dramatically impacts how you feel. The rightly selected items will make you feel comfortable, flatter your figure, and boost your confidence and self-esteem. You actually will want to wear them over and over again as they make you feel good!

General Rules On How To Dress Your Body Type Are:

If you want to exaggerate:

Accent your best body features by creating the illusion that that body part is bigger and broader.

If you want to disguise:

Camouflage less-than-perfect areas by creating the illusion that that body part is smaller and narrower.

If you want to create a curve:

Style these areas with detailed embellishments like accessories, prints, colors, and “busier” textiles.

If you want to veil a curve:

Minimize detail. Use more muted and darker color tones. This is where shapewear, firm elastane, and medium-weight fabrics come to hand for better support.

However, as it happens more often today, not everything has to be followed by the rules… If you feel comfortable in something against all the above, wear it! Your confidence and comfort matter the most!

Can Your Body Shape Change Over Time?

Absolutely! The most common factors that can change our body shape are lifestyle, mental health, weight gain, weight loss, pregnancy, and aging.

If you feel that your body has changed and items you were wearing before may no longer flatter you well, repeat the process above – retake measurements, determine changes, and your new body type.

Keep Your Body Measurement Notes Handy

Knowing your sizes, keeping your body shape in mind, and having your body measurements handy when shopping is a big advantage. It is even better to make a Flatter Me list, which lists items that flatter your body shape so you know exactly what to look for when shopping.

Knowing the body measurements helps shopping online since clothing sizes vary so much from one brand to another. Simply compare your measurements and size charts of your favorite online stores, and you will save time and effort on returns.

Do you need help in making wardrobe notes? Or maybe you are considering reviewing your wardrobe and style journey altogether?

Dive into the life-changing experience with the UNIQUE YOU Minimalist Wardrobe Planner Workbook! The fillable worksheets will not only help you make notes and keep wardrobe records but also declutter, (re)discover your Personal Style, create a Wardrobe Color Palette, and build a wardrobe that reflects YOU!

This step-by-step, easy-to-follow workbook is your blueprint for curating an organized and functional wardrobe that will bring joy, peace, and confidence into your daily life.

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