Since knowledge gained from a body shape consultation can be applied to your current wardrobe, it offers good value for those wanting to improve their style investing in additional items.

Showing your body to a stranger and discussing your hang ups can be a difficult and vulnerable experience. So whilst I would always recommend an in person consultation where possible, I do offer a basic body shape analysis virtually.

My in person body shape analysis takes place at my dedicated studio in Cardiff Central. This comprehensive hands on session gives you the opportunity to try outfits in person and see the difference styling can make in real time. The in person consultation also includes a review of your style personality, and lifestyle to ensure all recommendations are tailored to your specific personal needs.

For You. Discover Your Shape. ABOUT body shape analysis. What is Body Shape Analysis? Do I really Need a Body Shape Analysis and is it Worth It? Online BODY SHAPE ANALYSIS. Why: The defined waist and flare over your hips create the illusion of lower-body curves and will help balance out your broad shoulders.

Find this by looking at your shoulder, bust, and hip measurements. Call the largest of the three measurements t usually it will be your shoulders , and the other two measurements y and z.

Multiply t by 0. If y and z are greater than the result of t x 0. For example, you are a rectangle if your shoulders are 36 inches and your waist is 27 inches or more.

What looks amazing on rectangle body types: Skirts or dresses with volume-increasing details like ruching, pleating, tiers, ruffles, bows, or embellishments.

Why: They fill out your slight hips and balance your upper body. For example, you are a triangle if your shoulders are 36 inches and your hips are What looks amazing on triangle, or pear, body types: Fit-and-flare dresses. Why: They will show off your waist and are roomier from the waist down for your curvier bottom half.

Find this out by looking at your hips and shoulder measurements. Call the larger of the two measurements t and the smaller of the two measurements y. If y is greater than the result of t x 0. For example, you are an hourglass if your shoulders and hips measure 36 inches and your waist is 27 inches or smaller.

What looks amazing on hourglass body types: Wrap tops and dresses. Why: They accentuate your waist and enhance your hourglass figure. She currently leads the vision for editorial content at WhoWhatWear. Working on the site with our editors takes up most of my day, but I also contribute trend direction for our namesake fashion line, the Who What Wear collection.

Prior to Who What Wear, I did assistant styling work for brands like Vogue, Teen Vogue, Lucky, and Oliver Peoples, as well as freelance fashion writing. I graduated from UCLA with a BA in communications and now call West Hollywood home.

As for my fashion perspective, I gravitate toward more tailored pieces and add touches of personality with items like a mesh metal belt or cow-print mules. Other versions of this page are available with specific content for the following regions:. Who What Wear UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher.

Visit our corporate site. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number Who What Wear Who What Wear UK.

UK Edition.

Instead of analyzing your reflection in the mirror and wondering which shape it resembles the most, we give you a fast and reliable way to determine what is your body type. Just input your measurements into the body shape calculator and let it classify you into one of the seven most popular groups.

Make sure to also calculate your ideal weight and BMI too! You can also use our maintenance calorie calculator to find out how many calories your body needs to maintain your current weight. Our body shape calculator needs four measurements to determine your body type accurately.

You can use the measurements you took for the body fat calculator. It doesn't matter which units you use for the measurement - our body type calculator deals equally well with imperial and metric units.

Our body shape calculator will classify your body into one of the seven most popular types. Naturally, not all women falling into one category are the same. Now that you have solved the pressing issue of "What body shape am I? Making informed choices while dressing or shopping for clothes will surely make you a more confident person!

Modern culture doesn't make it easier as well. Sometimes, you might even forget, that your body primarily allows you to do all those amazing things in the world. You can move from place to place, learn, feel the sensations, experience the environment, and create bonds with your loved ones because you exist in this world in your body.

Appreciate what it does for you everyday! A rectangle is a woman whose waist is less than nine inches smaller than their hips or bust.

Next are the bottom-heavy 'spoons' , whose hips are two or more inches larger than their busts. These are women whose busts are three or more inches larger than their hips. Finally are the hourglasses , women who have a roughly equal hip and bust, with a narrower waist. Yes, as a woman ages, the concentrations of hormones in her body will alter, causing her body shape to change.

The first changes occur at puberty. Pre-pubescent boys and girls have a similar hip-waist ratio, but the large amounts of estrogen produced at the onset of puberty cause a female's hips to widen and breasts to develop.

Estrogen also causes fat to be stored in the buttocks, thighs, and hips. Pregnancy causes estrogen levels to rise again , causing the breasts to enlarge, although this is generally reversed after pregnancy. Once you have finished puberty, it is largely impossible to change your body shape - your bone structure and proportions are mostly defined.

There are however some changes that can be made. Gaining or losing fat will change the size of your buttocks, thighs, and hips if you are a premenopausal woman, or the size of your waist and abdomen if you are a man or post-menopausal woman. Gaining muscle mass is another way of altering your shape - by targeting particular muscle groups you can accentuate them, e.

There are three body types: ectomorph, endomorph, and mesomorph. If you tend to be on the heavier side and find it difficult to lose body fat, you are likely an endomorph. If you find it easy to gain muscle and have a high metabolism, you may be a mesomorph.

However, please be aware that you are unlikely to be strictly one of these body types, and they exist as a scale between all of them. Think of it as a triangle. The three main somatotypes are ectomorph, endomorph, and mesomorph.

Ectomorphs tend to be tall and slight of build and find it difficult to gain weight. Your favorite basketball player is most likely an ectomorph. Endomorphs , on the other hand, have no problem gaining weight and tend to have a lot of muscle and fat.

They are not always overweight, though - Marylin Monroe was an endomorph. The last type is mesomorphs, what you will typically picture when you think of an athlete.

They are strong and tend to have a high metabolism. A 36 24 36 figure is a type of hourglass figure. The three numbers each refer to a specific measurement of a woman's body.

The first is the bust, measured around the fullest point of the chest. The tape must be snug against the body, but not too tight so that it compresses the body - making the measurement inaccurate.

As mentioned before, chances are that you will have a primary body shape and a secondary body shape. To find out what they are, we can use three methods:. Below you will find the characteristics of the five basic body shapes commonly used in the fashion industry. If you have looked at body shapes before, you might have come across guides that contain more than these five shapes.

That is because the five basic body shapes can be broken down into sub-categories, and as mentioned earlier, you probably won't fit into just one of the five categories. But since we are not really concerned with a definitive categorisation but with determining which parts of your body require visual balancing, you can determine your primary body shape as the one you resonate with the most.

Learn how to dress the rectangle body shape. Your hips will be the largest of the three, while the waist will be the smallest. Your hips will be the smallest of the three measurements. Learn how to dress the inverted triangle body shape. Learn how to dress the hourglass body shape.

Your waist will be the same or wider than your bust. If your shoulders and bust are of similar width, your body shape category will be the same under both methods 1 and 2.

But if there is a significant difference, you might end up with different results. That's perfectly fine! For method 3 , stand in front of the mirror and look at your figure. Which features do you like the most and want to accentuate, which ones would you like to conceal more?

Looking at your body holistically will give you another opportunity to determine which body shapes you lean towards. Below you will find detailed guides on how to dress each of the five body shapes.

When looking through the guides, think back to the characteristic of each body shape. Say you have wide hips and wide shoulders, but your bust is quite small. In this case, you would either fall into the pear or hourglass category, depending on which method you use.

But the feature that you would probably be most concerned with is your small bust rather than your hips or shoulders since they seem to be balanced. The body shape that is characterised by a small bust is the pear, so you could find tips on how to add volume in that category.

If you dread getting dressed, a body shape analysis will prove to you that your body is not the problem, increasing your confidence and well being. Since knowledge gained from a body shape consultation can be applied to your current wardrobe, it offers good value for those wanting to improve their style investing in additional items.

Showing your body to a stranger and discussing your hang ups can be a difficult and vulnerable experience. So whilst I would always recommend an in person consultation where possible, I do offer a basic body shape analysis virtually.

My in person body shape analysis takes place at my dedicated studio in Cardiff Central. This comprehensive hands on session gives you the opportunity to try outfits in person and see the difference styling can make in real time. The in person consultation also includes a review of your style personality, and lifestyle to ensure all recommendations are tailored to your specific personal needs.

For You.

If you or others around you are worried that you may be underweight, please consult a doctor. Embed Share via. Body Shape Calculator Created by Bogna Szyk and Aleksandra Zając , MD. Reviewed by Steven Wooding and Jack Bowater. Jeong Yim Lee, Cynthia L. Istook, Yun Ja Nam, Sun Mi Park Comparison of body shape between USA and Korean women; International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology; October Table of contents: How to take measurements What is my body type?

How to take measurements Our body shape calculator needs four measurements to determine your body type accurately.

Bust : measure at the fullest point of your bust with a soft measuring tape. Make sure that the tape is not too tight by breathing in and out. Waist : your waist is the narrowest part of your torso. The measuring tape you bring around your waist should sit tightly, but it shouldn't "dig" into your skin.

Don't pull your stomach in, either. Hips : you measure your hips at the widest point below your waist. Remember to remove your clothing and keep your feet together so that the measurement is as accurate as possible.

High hip : this is also a hip measurement but taken in a different place than the previous one. It is taken at the top of the hip curve - not at its widest point! You need to localize the upper swell of the hip over your pelvic bone. What is my body type?

Hourglass : this body shape is balanced and harmonious. The bust and hips are proportional and well-balanced, and the waist is clearly defined. Top hourglass : it is similar to the regular hourglass with a defined waist. Your bust is visibly larger than your hips. Bottom hourglass : this body type has a clearly defined waist like the top hourglass.

Your bust is smaller than the hips. Spoon : if you're a spoon, your hips are much larger than your bust. Your hips have a shelf-like appearance, and you have a well defined waist.

Triangle : triangles have a slim upper body and wide hips typically wider than the shoulders. Their waist is not clearly accentuated. Inverted triangle : inverted triangles have a subtle waist and a proportionally larger upper body.

Your bust and shoulders are pretty broad, and the hips are slim. Rectangle : your hips, waist, and bust are about the same size. Your body is well proportioned and athletic in appearance.

FAQ What is the most common body shape? Does a woman's body shape change with age? Can you change your body shape? What are the 3 main body types? What are the 5 female body types?

The 5 main female body types are as follows: Rectangle - A rectangle is a woman whose body shape has waist measurements less than 9 inches smaller than the hip or bust measurements. So, you are not particularly curvy, your waist is not well-defined, and your weight is fairly distributed throughout the body.

This shape of the body is also called the straight or ruler body. Triangle - Aka pear, hips wider than bust, defined bust but not waist, proportionately slim arms, and shoulders, weight is distributed to bottom and legs rather than upper body.

Hourglass - Hip and bust measurements are nearly equal, while the waist is narrower. Their most flattering styles will generally be well stocked, and there will be a ton of inspiration in the media. However those of us with more irregular proportions can find shopping quite oppressive and be made to feel like there is something wrong with us.

If you dread getting dressed, a body shape analysis will prove to you that your body is not the problem, increasing your confidence and well being.

Since knowledge gained from a body shape consultation can be applied to your current wardrobe, it offers good value for those wanting to improve their style investing in additional items. Showing your body to a stranger and discussing your hang ups can be a difficult and vulnerable experience.

So whilst I would always recommend an in person consultation where possible, I do offer a basic body shape analysis virtually. My in person body shape analysis takes place at my dedicated studio in Cardiff Central. This comprehensive hands on session gives you the opportunity to try outfits in person and see the difference styling can make in real time.

This body shape describes a person who has hip measurements greater than their bust measurements. This body shape typically presented as the "ideal" describes a person with hip and bust measurements nearly equal in size, with a narrower waist measurement.

The female body shapes are based on societal standards that are subjective and are different in different cultures. The algorithm used in this calculator is based on a study published in the International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, which breaks down the body shapes of women into 7 categories 1.

There are very wide ranges of actual sizes within each shape. Also, some body shapes may not fit into any of the shapes listed below. Waist-hip ratio WHR is defined as the ratio of waist circumference to hip circumference. The value is calculated by dividing waist measurement by hip measurement.

Waist-hip ratio is sometimes used as an indicator of certain health conditions. Research has shown that people with more weight around their waist, or who have "apple-shaped" bodies, are at higher risk than those with more weight around their hips, or who have "pear-shaped" bodies.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases NIDDK , women with WHRs above 0. WHR is also used as a measurement of obesity. The World Health Organization WHO defines males with a WHR above 0.

Your shoulder to hip measurement is more important when determining your proportions. You are blessed with curvy, shapely thighs and bottom and can have shapely calves as well. Your bust size can vary from very small to very full.

You tend to have slender arms and a well-defined, slender waist. Your musculature tends to be naturally softer. A pear-shaped woman gains weight from the waist down first, including lower abdomen, hips, seat, thighs and calves, and your proportions become even more obvious. The last place you gain is above the waist.

With weight gain you may go up a pant size or two and not at all in your top. You tend to wear a smaller clothing size up top and a larger size on bottom, or at least you probably should for best fit. For many pear-shaped women, their primary complaint is a large bottom, hips and thighs, but they are really your best assets!

You lean towards an apple shape if you gain weight in your tummy, especially after childbirth and menopause. As an inverted triangle woman , your defining proportion is your shoulders are wider than your waist and hips.

Your waist is not well-defined, and you have a strong shoulder line that creates a V shape with your body. You are blessed with a strong shoulder line that provides excellent structure to tops. Your legs and arms tend to be slender but muscular and toned looking. Your musculature is well-defined with little to no effort, you gain muscle easily and have a naturally athletic, healthy look.

If you gain weight, it tends to show up in your belly and upper body evenly. When shopping for clothes you probably wear a larger clothing size up top and a smaller clothing size on bottom.

The best asset of a inverted triangle shape is your natural muscle tone and shapely limbs, and your primary complaint is usually your shoulder to hip ratio. You lean towards an apple shape if you have a big bust and weight around the midriff.

You lean towards an hourglass figure if you have slight curves. You lean towards a rectangle body shape if you have weight or strong bone structure around your hips.

As a rectangle body shape woman , your defining proportions are your waist to hip to shoulder measurements being very close. Your hips and shoulders are the same measurement remember, this is where your actual shoulder ends, not including your arms , and you have a straight shoulder line and ribcage.

Your bust measurement is very close to your waist measurement. Your hips, bust and waist are very close in size. You are blessed with a naturally athletic, healthy look, and your body is the easiest to shop for off the rack because your proportions are so even.

Your arms and legs are slender and athletic looking, and when you gain weight, you gain it proportionally, which gives you a naturally slim look.

Your bottom tends to be flat, and your bust size is typically small to medium. When shopping for clothes, you wear the same size on top and on bottom.

Your best asset is your naturally athletic, healthy look, and your primary complaint is usually a lack of curves. You lean towards an inverted triangle shape if your shoulders are slightly broader than your hips. You lean towards an apple shape if you are bustier along with extra weight around the abdomen.

As an apple-shaped woman , your defining proportion is your bust is your largest measurement. Your shoulders and your waist are also wider than your hips. Similar to an inverted-triangle shaped woman, your torso makes a V shape, but your waist is wider.

You are blessed with slender, shapely, gorgeous legs, particularly your calves. Your arms are also slim. As an apple-shaped woman, you usually have a flat bottom, and your bust size can vary from full to very full and shapely. When you gain weight it shows up primarily in your midsection while your limbs remain quite slim.

From the back your body does create a V-shape as your torso narrows from your shoulders to your hips. When shopping for clothes, you typically wear a larger size up top and a smaller size on bottom, unless you need to accommodate for your waist size. The best asset of an apple-shaped woman is her gorgeous gams, and sometimes her shapely bust.

Your primary complaint is usually your proportionally larger waistline. You lean towards an inverted triangle shape because your shoulders and bust are wider than your hips. If you are full-breasted, you can lean toward an hourglass figure if you lose weight and the waist gets smaller.

Your hips and shoulder have a more rounded, softer look. You are blessed with curves galore! Your legs tend to be curvy and shapely, but not necessarily naturally muscular and defined. Your bust is shapely and full, but can range in fullness. Your arms tend to be slender but soft.

Your bottom is curvy to very curvy, and your musculature tends to be naturally soft and rounded rather than well-defined. If you gain weight it shows up first in the bust, hips, seat, and thighs, but you can also gain in the midsection, especially after childbirth and menopause.

When shopping for clothes you typically wear the same size in both top and bottom. The best asset of an hourglass figure is all your curves, and it can also be your primary complaint. It can be hard to find clothes that fit your curves and your waist.

You lean towards an inverted triangle body shape if you have slightly fleshy upper arms, which make your shoulder line appear wider. You lean towards a pear shape if you have a slightly fuller bottom or extra weight around your hips. You lean towards an apple shape if you carry extra weight around your waist.

You lean towards a rectangle shape if your waist is undefined particularly after childbirth or menopause or you have a short torso. Maybe you have negative beliefs about the body shape you have identified and you feel disappointed or upset. Your body is perfect! Each of us has our best assets, and learning to feature those is how we can work WITH our bodies instead of against them.

When you dress the body you have, you create the body you love. Enrollment is open now and you can start the course today when you sign up! Does the answer come out larger than the other two? Instead, the waist-hip ratio, which is also shown in the results of this calculator, is a better indicator of health.

When measuring, be sure to stand straight with arms to the side. Make sure the tape is snug against the body, but not too tight such that it compresses the body making the measurement inaccurate.

Bust size —the circumference measured around the chest over the fullest part of the breasts, while wearing a properly fitted bra. Waist size —the smallest circumference measured around the natural waist, just above the belly button.

High hip size —the circumference of the upper swell of the hip over the pelvic region. It is around 7 inches 18 cm below the natural waist. Hip size —the largest circumference measured around the hips over the largest part of the buttocks.

This body shape describes a person who typically has waist measurements that are less than 9 inches smaller than the hip or bust measurements. This body shape describes a person who has hip measurements greater than their bust measurements.

This body shape typically presented as the "ideal" describes a person with hip and bust measurements nearly equal in size, with a narrower waist measurement. The female body shapes are based on societal standards that are subjective and are different in different cultures.

The algorithm used in this calculator is based on a study published in the International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, which breaks down the body shapes of women into 7 categories 1. To find out what they are, we can use three methods:. Below you will find the characteristics of the five basic body shapes commonly used in the fashion industry.

If you have looked at body shapes before, you might have come across guides that contain more than these five shapes. That is because the five basic body shapes can be broken down into sub-categories, and as mentioned earlier, you probably won't fit into just one of the five categories.

But since we are not really concerned with a definitive categorisation but with determining which parts of your body require visual balancing, you can determine your primary body shape as the one you resonate with the most.

Learn how to dress the rectangle body shape. Your hips will be the largest of the three, while the waist will be the smallest. Your hips will be the smallest of the three measurements.

Learn how to dress the inverted triangle body shape. Learn how to dress the hourglass body shape. Your waist will be the same or wider than your bust. If your shoulders and bust are of similar width, your body shape category will be the same under both methods 1 and 2.

But if there is a significant difference, you might end up with different results. That's perfectly fine! For method 3 , stand in front of the mirror and look at your figure. Which features do you like the most and want to accentuate, which ones would you like to conceal more? Looking at your body holistically will give you another opportunity to determine which body shapes you lean towards.

Below you will find detailed guides on how to dress each of the five body shapes. When looking through the guides, think back to the characteristic of each body shape.

Say you have wide hips and wide shoulders, but your bust is quite small. In this case, you would either fall into the pear or hourglass category, depending on which method you use.

But the feature that you would probably be most concerned with is your small bust rather than your hips or shoulders since they seem to be balanced.

The body shape that is characterised by a small bust is the pear, so you could find tips on how to add volume in that category. Buying a bunch of clothes because they look nice in the shop is not a good strategy for building a wardrobe.

It implies that the look of your clothes is more important than your look.