How can you tell your body shape?

Whether you’re short or tall, thin or stocky, you’ve probably had the experience of seeing an outfit that looks great on the model but doesn’t quite live up to expectations when you try it on at home. Most of the time, that’s down to body shapes – an outfit can look wildly different on two people standing next to one another because their proportions aren’t the same.

So how can you find out your body shape so you can make smarter shopping decisions? Keep reading to learn more.

How do you know your body shape?

In reality, there are probably as many different body shapes as there are people under the sun. However, the fashion concept of body shapes aims to provide broader categories you can recognise in your own body to help you identify which outfits you’ll look great in and which ones you want to steer clear of.

Since this isn’t an exact science, there can be a lot of variation in the naming of the body shapes, as well as how many categories people think there are. Different names notwithstanding, here are five widely used shapes:

• Rectangle
• Pear
• Apple
• Inverted Triangle
• Hourglass

In order to decide which shape is closest to your body, you’ll need to take three measurements – your hips, your waist and your shoulder span. Alternatively, you can do it by sight alone without measuring – but if you’re having trouble deciding which shape fits your body, measuring can help to make things clearer.

Once you’ve got your measurements – or you’re looking at yourself in a full-length mirror – you can begin to assess which shape is closest to your body by looking at how your shoulders, waist and hips compare to one another.

For example, if your shoulders, waist and hips are roughly the same size, then you probably have a rectangular body shape – also known as ‘straight’.

On the other hand, perhaps you have broad shoulders and a narrower waist and hips. That puts you in the inverted triangle category – imagine the top two points of the triangle as your shoulders, with the bottom point coming down to your navel.

Briefly, the proportions for each body shape are:

• Rectangle – roughly equal shoulders, waist and hips
• Pear – larger in the lower body than in the upper
• Apple – larger waist with smaller hips and shoulders
• Inverted Triangle – broader shoulders compared to the waist and hips
• Hourglass – a slimmer waist with wider shoulders and hips

Top tip! If you’ve calculated your body shape before, you might notice that it has changed since. That’s because fluctuations in weight and muscle mass can affect the proportions of your body and alter your overall shape.

We mentioned earlier that there are really many, many more body shapes than this, and because of that, you might find it difficult to pick a shape that best suits your body. That’s okay! You don’t have to use body shapes when choosing styles – and if you do want to, remember that you can just pick the shape that’s closest to your body. You don’t need to match it perfectly.

Why does body shape matter?

So, you’ve categorised your body according to the five shapes above. Now what? Well, the basic idea is that different styles of clothing suit different body shapes best. Next time you’re shopping for a new dress, for example, knowing your body shape may give you an insight into what kind of dress will look best on you. You might find that a wider, flowing skirt suits you best, or alternatively, a more figure-hugging style might be your ideal.

Essentially, body shapes matter because they’re a simple tool you can use to get a better idea of which outfits will look best. But it’s important to remember that they’re just guidelines. Ultimately, your choice should be to wear what makes you feel comfortable and stylish – so if the guidelines say you shouldn’t wear those trousers you love or that one dress that makes you feel a million dollars, feel free to ignore them!

It’s also important to remember that body shapes aren’t supposed to be either positive or negative – they’re just a way of describing the proportions of your body. Although some fashion magazines might describe certain body shapes as more desirable than others, the truth is that every shape has its own merits. Dressing for your shape should be about celebrating your body, not hiding or obscuring it.

At the end of the day, finding out your body shape can be a simple, fun way to learn more about the types of clothes that suit you best. If it works for you, great! If it doesn’t, there are countless other ways to approach your own personal style to look and feel fantastic.