Body Type Measurements Made Simple [Visual Guide]

Knowing your body type is the shortcut to nailing outfits that flatter you every single time, so forget endless guesswork—this guide strips it down, making your style journey a breeze from closet to street. Are you ready to try the body type made simple guide?

• Shoulders: Have someone help you measure from the tip of one shoulder all the way around you. The measuring tape should be high up around your shoulders, so it almost slips off.
• Bust: Pull the measuring tape taut across the fullest part of your bust and around your back. Don’t pull the tape so taut that your breasts start to squish!
• Waist: Measure the smallest part of your natural waist, just above the belly button.
• Hips: Start at one hip (below the hip bone) and wrap the tape measure around the largest part of your butt.

Inverted Triangle

You are an inverted triangle if your shoulder or bust measurement is more than 5% bigger than your hip measurement (shoulders or bust ÷ hips ≥ 1.05). For example, you are an inverted triangle if your shoulders are 36 inches and your hips are 34.25 inches or smaller.

Pear

You are a pear (also known as triangle) if your hips are more than 5% bigger than your shoulders or bust (hips ÷ shoulders or bust ≥1.05). For example, you are a triangle if your shoulders are 36 inches and your hips are 37.75 inches or larger.

Rectangle

You are a rectangle if your waist is less than 25% smaller than your shoulder or bust (waist ÷ shoulders or bust ≥ .75) and your shoulder, bust, and hip measurements are within 5% of each other

Hourglass

You are an hourglass if your waist is at least 25% smaller than your shoulder or bust (waist ÷ shoulders or bust ≤ 0.75), your waist is at least 25% smaller than your hips (waist ÷ hips ≤ 0.75), your shoulder and hip measurements are within 5% of each other.

Apple

You are an apple (also known as oval) if your waist is more than 5% bigger than your hips or bust (waist ÷ hips or bust ≥1.05). For example, you are an apple if your bust and hips are 36 inches and your waist is 37.75 inches or larger.

You’ve pinned down your measurements and figured out your body type, now it’s time to hit the shopping circuit or your closet with a cheat sheet in hand. Next up: a fashion-forward guide to streamline your search, highlighting styles that actually work for you—not against you.

What is Your Body Shape? Download

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