woman in thought

What Plus-Size Body Shape Am I?

Sharing Is Caring

Bodies come in all shapes and sizes, so the way clothes fit on a woman of a certain size is not necessarily the same for another woman of that same size. You’re not sure if your body shape is more of an apple or a pear. How do you know?

The best way to determine which plus-size body shape you are is to measure yourself. Then you can use a body shape calculator that assesses your measurements and assigns you a shape. 

Wait, is pear really a body shape? You’d never heard of that before. Fret not, as in this article, we’ll first go over the different body shapes, then how to figure out yours. Well even have tips on how to dress for your shape!

What Are the Different Body Shapes?

The fashion industry invented and popularized the following body shapes, which are designed to make shopping for clothes easier. Carefully read the descriptions of each to see which shape might best match your body. 

Diamond

The diamond body shape is characterized by a rather flat derriere but thick thighs. Your waist is wide but your bust is small. From your chest to your hips and buttocks, someone could theoretically draw a large diamond. 

Still a little confused? If your shoulders are smaller than your hips, then you’re probably a diamond shape. 

Round

A softer shape than the diamond, the round body shape includes a big bust with a butt and hips that are both relatively flat. Your waist is fuller than someone with a diamond shape, but it lacks as much definition. Your shoulders are round too.

If you notice that your shoulders and hips are about the same width or very close, then you can likely describe your plus-size body as round. 

Hourglass

The hourglass is believed to be the most beautiful body shape, but it’s also not one that’s attainable for a lot of women. Those with an hourglass figure have a slim waist, thicker thighs, a full rear, and a large bust. You can see why some describe it as the perfect body. 

The shoulders and hips of a woman with an hourglass body are the same width or thereabouts, but her midsection is what separates her from someone with a round body shape. 

Inverted Triangle

The inverted triangle is sort of like a diamond, but not quite. Your buttocks are narrow instead of flat, and the same goes for your hips. This part of your body is the longest point of the imaginary triangle.

You also have squared yet wide shoulders, a large bust, thinner thighs, and a midsection that’s not as defined as someone with an hourglass figure. 

Rectangle

The rectangle, sometimes referred to as the banana, is a narrower body shape than even the inverted triangle. Your butt and hips are flat and your waist is wider with less shape and definition. The width between your shoulders and hips would be about the same while your bust is small.

Overall, this creates a shape that’s flat from your shoulders to your thighs. 

Pear

Pear-shaped women are blessed with thick thighs, a sizable rear, and wide hips. The size of your waist is important here, as it has to be bigger than your bust but not as large as your hips. The upper half of your body tapers just as a pear is smaller at the top.

Apple

Close to an inverted triangle, an apple shape is more of an inverse of the pear shape. Your bust and midsection are larger than your rear, thighs, and hips. Your waist might outsize your hips as well but it’s not as big as your bust. 

How to Determine Your Body Shape

You have a better idea of what your body shape might be, but you’re still not totally certain which shape is the most you. 

Rather than looking at picture after picture of the various body shapes and trying to find where you fit in, use concrete numbers. We’re talking, of course, about measuring yourself! Here’s how. 

Measure Your Body

There are four areas of your body to measure to gauge which plus-size body shape you are: your bust, waist, natural hips, and high hips. Let’s go over how to take measurements of each.

1. Measuring Your Bust

You should re-measure your bust at least once a year to ensure you’re wearing a bra that’s correctly sized for you. If it’s been a while since you’ve taken your breast measurements, there’s no better time than the present.

As with all the following measurements, you’ll get the best results if you have a partner or friend help you. You also need a flexible measuring tape.

To measure your bust, wrap the measuring tape around your breasts where they’ll fullest. The tape should be below your armpits, so if it’s not, readjust it now. For most women, the measuring tape will sit over their nipples.

If your bust measurement number is odd, round up to an even number. For example, if your bust came out to 35 inches, you’d write down 36 inches instead.

2. Measuring Your Waist

Next, it’s time to measure your waist. Since waist size and shape are so important in determining which plus-size body shape you are, make sure you have the measuring tape in the right spot. You’re looking for your natural waistline, which is over your belly button but under your ribs. This part of your waist may be the smallest.

3. Measuring Your Natural Hips

You have to take two hip measurements, one at your natural hips and the other at your high hips. Your natural hips are the biggest part of your midsection with your butt taken into account. Put the measuring tape around your rear where it’s the fullest, just as you did when measuring your bust. That measurement is your natural hips.

4. Measuring Your High Hips

Your high hips are probably more what you have in mind when we talked about hip measurements. Find where your hipbones start and then put the measuring tape around there, gauging that upper swell. 

Use a Body Shape Calculator

Next, you need a body type calculator. No, this isn’t a feature you’re going to find on your phone or even the physical calculator in your closet. You need something like this one courtesy of Calculator.net.

To get started with the body shape calculator, input those numbers you just crunched. Then hit the calculate button and voila, all the hard work is done for you.

Let’s say your bust size is 36 inches, your waist is 24 inches, your high hips are 32 inches, and your hip size is 36 inches. That makes you an hourglass shape. 

If you have a 27-inch bust, a 34-inch waist, a 37-inch high hip size, and a 40-inch hip size, then you’re a triangle. A bust of 40 inches, a waist of 36 inches, a high hip size of 38 inches, and a hip size of 38 inches makes you a rectangle or banana shape.  

What’s cool about this calculator is that it also determines your waist-to-hip ratio or WHR. This is a ratio between your hip circumference and waist circumference. To determine your WHR, the body shape calculator takes your waist measurement and then divides it by your hip measurement.

So for the hourglass shape, you have a 0.67 WHR, and for the banana shape, 0.95.

Tips for Dressing to Your Body Shape

Great! You’ve cleared up any ambiguity about whether you’re an apple shape or an inverted triangle. 

Knowing your body shape allows you to shop in such a way that you flatter your curves and maybe hide some parts of your shape that you’re not as crazy about. Here are some dressing tips to get you started.

It’s All About Proportion for Rectangular Shapes

If your body fits that of the banana or rectangular shape, you know it’s straighter than it is curvy. Keeping the proportions of clothing in mind will go far in helping you find flattering outfits. 

For example, the best dress for plus-size rectangular-shaped women are fit and flare dresses, as the skirt widens your lower half. A dress with puffy sleeves makes your shoulders seem bigger, adding dimension to your shape. Ruching also looks great on you, as does a dress that’s belted, as your shape is more hourglass at that point.

Rectangular shapes have a variety of jeans to shop, everything from straight-legged to flared, pleated, and even printed denim. Slim-straight, wide-legged, and high-waisted jeans can also be super flattering.

What about tops? Scoop necklines distract from a wide yet straight upper body, as can a V-neck or sweetheart neckline. Outside of various neckline shapes, collar detailing creates the same effect.

Balance and Volume Help an Inverted Triangle Shape

If your shape is an inverted triangle, a dress should be used to fill out your lower half. Fit and flare dresses are again a good choice here, as are A-line dresses. You can also rock a midi or sheath, so go for it!

Wide-legged pants can create more of an hourglass effect while micropants and cropped pants bring attention to the lower half of your body. If you’d rather your thighs and hips look bigger as a plus-sized inverted triangle, printed pants help, especially trousers with large prints. For denim, try straight-legged, flared, boyfriend, or cropped wide-leg jeans. 

Up top, establish balance and structure with waist-length shirts or crop tops. Wrapped and belted shirts will also work well with this body shape.

Curvy Pants and Bottoms Are a Must for Pear Shapes

Since your lower half is ampler than your upper half as a pear shape, you need flattering pants that hug and accentuate your curves. To that end, straight-leg, slim, high-waisted, and bootcut jeans are awesome. 

If you’d rather balance out your body with a dress, an off-the-shoulder style brings attention to your upper half. A-line skirts slim your hips and thighs somewhat as well. You can also go bold with a fit and flare dress that unapologetically shows off your larger bottom half.

Your shirt choice can create the illusion of a larger midsection if you carefully select your style. We recommend boat-neck, cowl-neck, square-neck, and peplum tops especially, as they’re all quite voluminous. 

Creating Lower-Half Curves Boosts an Apple Shape

Apple shapes have curves up top, but not as much below the bust. Your pants choices can make your body look curvier from head to toe. High-waisted and flared denim is ideal for this. You can even get away with bootcut or skinny jeans if you want to add more straight lines to your silhouette.

Wrap dresses will boost your waistline, as will an empire waist dress. Off-the-shoulder styles are also lovely on apple-shaped plus-size gals, as you have very nice shoulders that should be displayed!

You can downplay your bustiness with longer shirts. These extend your midsection so it looks longer. Dusters and single-breasted blazers with long lapels are also your best friend.

Conclusion

Knowing your body shape can better inform your shopping decisions so you can hide some areas and bring attention to others. As a plus-size woman, you might be anything from a pear shape to an apple or even an hourglass.

Above all else, no matter what your body size is, don’t feel like you have to conform to the above shapes. You should dress in a way that makes you feel comfortable, as that’s what you’ll look best in. There is no better accessory a woman can wear than confidence! 


Sharing Is Caring
Shopping Cart