Five Female Body Types

Do you know that women come in different body types or shapes?What body shape do I have is a question most of us have been asking ourselves. It is very essential to know your body shape as a woman because, knowing your body type will help you choose dress styles that are befitting enough to compliment your stature. But you must keep in mind that there is no ideal body type, there are at least five. This article will help you find out what body shape you have. The different types we use here are pear, apple, rectangle, inverted triangle and hourglass.

The body type is mainly defined by your skeletal structure, as well as your muscle and fat distribution. Your body type should be defined after puberty however it can still change based on exercise or hormonal level changes.

Note that your body type will stay with you your whole life. No matter how much weight you lose or how much you exercise, you will not attain “the one ideal” (which is usually a body shape you do not have). Whether you wear a size 2 or a size 22, your body type affects what suits you best. Proportions are as important for women with curvy figures.

Instead of wanting to change your body type – emphasize your advantages! Each body type has several beautiful parts you can highlight and please never downplay others if you do not like their body shape.

Of course not every woman falls exactly into one of the categories. You might not be exactly an hourglass, but an hourglass with pear tendencies. Or a pear with a little extra weight around your waist. The point is in choosing the body type that is the closest to your body and then use the information here to find your way to dress with your style.

You can best determine your body type standing in front of a full, wide length mirror.

Stand naked* in front of a full-length mirror (some feet away). It always helps to ask some friends to join you as they might have a second opinion!
*Underwear can disguise your real shape!

You can now observe your overall body shape. Focus on the shape of your torso – shoulders to hips. How do your shoulders compare to your waistline and your hips? Is your weight equally distributed?

• Shoulders wider than waistline and hip line: Congratulations, you are an inverted triangle!
• Hips wider than shoulders and waistline: Congratulations, you are a pear!
• Hips and shoulders same width, waistline a lot smaller: Congratulations, you are an hourglass!
• Shoulders, waistline and hip line about same size. If you gain weight, you gain it evenly in all areas: Congratulations, you are a rectangle!
• Shoulders and hip line are about same size. Waistline is same size or wider than shoulders and hips: Congratulations, you are an apple!

Below are the various features of the different body types;

Apple body type

Your shoulders and hips are around the same size. Rectangle 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 chests.

Qualities:

• 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.

Rectangle body type

Your shoulders, waistline, bust and hips are around the same size.

Your shoulder, bust and hip measurements are within 5 percent of each other. Your waist is less than 25 percent smaller than your shoulder or bust measurements- Waist measures from 1″ to 8″ (2,5cm – 20cm) smaller than the bust.

Qualities:

• 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 bust line.

Hourglass body type

Your shoulders and hips are around the same size. Your waistline is significantly smaller. thew rule of thumb here is about 75%, this is what we use in the body shape calculator linked in option 2.

Your shoulder and hip measurements are within 5 percent of each other. Your waist is at least 25 percent smaller than your shoulder, hip and bust measurements. Your waist is 8″ to 12″  (2,5 – 30cm) smaller than the hip or bust measurement.

Qualities:

• Your hips and shoulders have about the same width.
• You have round and sloping shoulders.
• You have a well-defined waistline.
• Your cleavage is great.
• 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.

Pear body type

Your hips are wider than your shoulders. They are also wider than your hips, making them the widest area of your body. In numbers, your hip measurement is more than 5 percent bigger than your shoulder or bust measurements.

Qualities:

• 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.

Inverted triangle body type

Your shoulders are wider than your hips. They are the widest part of your body. Your shoulders are more than 5 percent bigger than your hip measurement.

Qualities:

• 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.

So, here we are ladies, we have come to the end of this article. Hope it helps you know your body type as well as the clothes that best fit you. Guys, I’m sure by now you already know the body type of your woman or you’re vigorously trying to figure it out. Just share this with her and the two of you can best choose the exact type.