What is my bodyshape?
Today we’re going to explore the world of bodyshapes. Many of us have heard familiar terms like Pear, Hourglass and even Strawberry, but which one are you — and how does knowing your shape help you in everyday life? It’s important to remember there’s more to understanding your body than simply assigning it to one of these categories. In a full style session you uncover the combination of bodyshape, scale and proportion that is unique to you, so you can choose the most flattering cuts, silhouettes and styles for your lifestyle.
Why do we compare our body to shapes? When you look in the mirror, you should feel that your clothes flatter your figure, highlight your best features and fit you well, no matter the occasion you are dressing for. To achieve a good fit and a pleasing result, I will balance your frame and body shape using different cuts, silhouettes and styles. To do this we follow a simple guideline of body shapes that we can use to match you to the most flattering options. Different stylists may be trained with slightly different body-shape categories and approaches, but we are all working toward the same goal: helping you appear taller, leaner and more confident. Ultimately, we focus on your natural proportions so you can choose clothes that create harmony and balance.
What different body shapes are there? In my sessions we work with seven basic shapes, and it’s common to be a blend of two. For example, a rectangle typically doesn’t have a large bust, yet I’ve seen rectangles with a fuller chest. That’s why we work through your personalised workbook together — adding notes, crossing out points that don’t apply, and making sure we fully understand your unique shape, scale and proportions.
The 7 Bodyshapes
Neat hourglass: Shoulders and hips are aligned, you nip in at the waist and have neat breasts and a tidy bottom.
Full hourglass: Shoulders and hips are aligned, you nip in at the waist, with a larger bust and a full, curvy bottom.
Pear: You have narrower shoulders, a defined waist and wider hips. Your chest is neat to medium in size.
Apple: You have a rounded shoulder line and fullness around the middle, paired with great legs. Your bottom tends to be flatter.
Strawberry: Your shoulders are broader than your hips, you have a large bust, a curvy tummy and relatively neat hips.
Rectangle: Your shoulders and hips are aligned with little waist definition. You have a flatter bottom.
Athletic (Inverted triangle): You have a structured, wide shoulder line, smaller chest and very narrow hips. Your bottom is generally flat.
Once you know your bodyshape tendencies, we then look more closely at height, overall scale, crotch rise, waist position and torso and leg length. From that starting point we can recommend everything from the best jean cut and ideal neckline to the most flattering trouser rise and leg shape, whether a belt will help define your waist, if you should tuck in a top, and whether round or pointed-toe shoes suit you best. And remember, whatever you learn about your bodyshape or your colour palette, these are helpful guidelines — not rigid rules — and they can always be adapted or broken. My role isn’t to tell you what to wear, but to guide you and teach you what truly works for your shape and style. If you’d like to explore colour or style consultation in more detail, why not book a free Style Breakthrough Call?
