When it comes to finding your fashion style, there are fewer things more important than understanding how to dress for your body shape. Understanding your body type and the most flattering clothing is key to feeling confident and stylish in your clothing choices. Not every outfit you see on a model will look the same on you—and that’s OK! Every body type is beautiful and has its own stunning features to accentuate.
Learning to dress for your body type instead of against it is a true game-changer. This guide will help teach you how to determine your body type and dress to enhance your natural shape. Keep reading to discover the styles most flattering to your shape and a few universal styling tips.
What is a Body Type, and Why Does It Matter?
Does it really matter if you know your body type? You’d be surprised how much knowing your body type makes shopping and styling clothes easier. A female body type describes the natural shape of a woman’s body using physique measurements. There are five main body shapes that we will cover in detail later on: hourglass, pear (triangle), apple (inverted triangle), rectangle (athletic), and round (oval). Each body type has certain clothing styles that are most flattering.
No body type is better than another. All body types are beautiful, and the point of knowing your body type is to dress in ways that make you feel your best. Body types are simply used as helpful guidelines for finding the most flattering pieces for your current shape.
It’s also important to note that your body type may change throughout your life. Women often fluctuate in weight throughout their adult lives and may change body types several times. No matter what body type you fall under, remember the goal: to dress in a way that boosts your confidence.
How to Identify Your Body Type
Identifying your body type isn’t as difficult as it may seem. To determine your body shape, you will need a measuring tape and a calculator. We’ll guide you step-by-step through measuring your proportions.
To identify your body type, measure your shoulders, bust, waist, and hips. Write each measurement down on a sheet of paper or your phone for later reference.
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Shoulders: To measure your shoulders, take your measuring tape and wrap it behind you, around the top of your shoulders. Then, meet at the front to get your shoulder measurements.
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Bust: To measure your bust, place the measuring tape around the widest part of your breasts without a bra on.
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Waist: To measure your waist, find the smallest part of your torso and wrap the measuring tape around it.
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Hips: To measure your hips, wrap the measuring tape around the widest part of your body, starting at one hip and going around your backside.
These measurements do not need to be exact. Just try to get a rough estimate of your proportions.
Next, use your measurements and these formulas to determine which body type most closely aligns with your proportions.
Hourglass
Women with the hourglass body type have similar measurements on their shoulders and hips, with a defined waist. This creates a physique that mimics the look of an hourglass shape. There are a couple of formulas for determining whether you have an hourglass body type.
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Formula 1: Waist ÷ Shoulders and Bust = ≤ 0.75.
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Formula 2: Waist ÷ Hips = ≤ 0.75.
Pear (Triangle)
The pear or triangle body type is defined by having hips that are wider than your shoulders. You can use this formula to see if you fit into the pear body shape category.
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Formula: Hips ÷ Shoulders or Bust ≥ 1.05
Apple (Inverted Triangle)
The apple or inverted triangle body type is the opposite of the pear shape. It means that your shoulders or bust area is wider than your hips. Use the formula below to determine if you have an apple body type.
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Formula: Shoulders or Bust ÷ Hips = ≥ 1.05
Rectangle (Athletic)
The rectangle or athletic body types have similar shoulder and waist measurements and little waist definition. The formula below can determine if you have a rectangle body shape.
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Formula: Waist ÷ Shoulders or Bust = ≥ .75
Round (Oval)
Women with round or oval shapes have broad shoulders, narrower hips, and little waist definition. Use this formula to identify if you have a round body shape.
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Formula: Waist ÷ Shoulders and Bust = ≥ 1.05
Flattering Styles for Every Body Type
After you determine what body type you have, you can start styling with the most flattering pieces. Specific elements of dresses, tops, and bottoms help accentuate each body type’s gorgeous features.
Hourglass
The hourglass body shape is known for its defined waist and wide hips. To flatter this body type, we recommend fitted styles that emphasize the contour of the waist. Some top clothing options include wrap dresses, mermaid dresses, and belted coats. Avoid loose-fitting or boxy clothing when possible, as it will not highlight your figure. Some celebrity style influences to reference include Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé, and Scarlett Johansson.
Pear (Triangle)
Women with pear-shaped bodies should consider A-line dresses and skirts to accentuate their curves. Additionally, tops with detailed necklines help balance this body type’s proportions. A few style icons to consider with the pear body type are Paris Hilton, Rihanna, and Kim Kardashian.
Apple (Inverted Triangle)
Women with the apple or inverted triangle body shape should consider wearing styles that emphasize their shoulders or bust. Empire waist dresses and flowy tops that draw attention away from the midsection are ideal for this body type. Oprah Winfrey, Drew Barrymore, and Adele are three examples of women in the limelight with the apple body shape.
Rectangle (Athletic)
The rectangle or athletic body shape is less curvy than the other shapes and can benefit from clothing that creates the illusion of curves. Styles like peplum tops and high-waisted trousers can accentuate the rectangle shape. Cameron Diaz, Anne Hathaway, and Jennifer Garner are a few big-name actresses who have a rectangular body shape.
Round (Oval)
Vertical lines are extremely important for women with round or oval body shapes when choosing outfits. Try wearing structured pieces that elongate your silhouette to create a slender appearance. Fabrics that are fluid but don’t cling to the body are typically most flattering. A few famous women with the round body type include Queen Latifah, Nikki Blonsky, and Rosie O’Donnell.
At Porterist, we offer many different dress styles and shapes, which can be filtered using our dress collection's style filter.
Universal Styling Tips for All Women
Understanding your body type and what styles are most flattering is important, but it’s also critical to know universal styling tips for all women. A handful of styling tips are relevant to every body type to help you look and feel your best. These tips include:
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Choose fabrics that fit well and allow you to move comfortably.
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Invest in high-quality basics like blazers and jeans.
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Add accessories like belts or scarves to enhance your outfits.
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Determine what color palettes work best with your skin tone/hair color/etc.
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Wear the right undergarments to complement the style of clothing you choose.
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Create balance effectively when styling your outfits.
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Have fun experimenting with different trends and styling techniques.
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Wear clothes you love!
These universal styling tips will help you level up your fashion looks and feel confident.
Building Confidence Through Style
Every woman’s body is unique—and that’s a wonderful thing. Dressing for your body type isn’t about rules, but rather, it’s about empowerment. You shouldn’t feel like there are clothes that are off-limits, but understand what types of clothing make you feel most beautiful. It’s all about you and your personal style. So, experiment with different types of fashion styles, colors, patterns, and materials that make you feel your best.
Explore Porterist’s Collection for Every Body Type
We hope this guide helps you determine your body type and learn how to dress to complement your body features. Embrace your unique body type and use fashion as a tool for self-expression. Shop Porterist’s collection of women’s clothing for pieces designed to flatter every body type. Don’t forget about accessories, shoes, bags, and jewelry! We carry a wide variety of quality pieces at affordable prices so you can shop like the queen you are.