If you’re anything like us, we like to do our research on the latest fashion trends, style, ways to navigate personal style. This includes dressing for your body type.
Having good fashion taste isn’t just about following the latest fashion trends—it’s also about knowing what works best for your particular body shape. If you would like to know what the latest fashion trends are for 2025, check this out.
When you wear clothing that compliments your body shape, you naturally feel more confident. And we all know that when you feel better, you look better. But the real question is: How do you determine your body shape, and what styles suit you best?
Women’s bodies come in all different shapes and sizes! So why should we base all of our outfits off of the same silhouettes.
In this article, we’ll break down the different female body types, how to find which is yours, and which clothing pieces and styling choices will make a greater impact.
Whether you’re looking for the best jeans, dresses, or tops to highlight your best features and emphasize the right places, this wardrobe guide will serve as the perfect starting point to styling in general.
This is all about how to dress for your body type.
Finding Your Body Shape
Before choosing the best clothing for your body type, the first step is that you need to determine your body shape. One method to do this is by taking these key measurements with a measuring tape:
- Shoulders: Measure around your shoulders but above your chest.
- Bust: Use a tape measure to measure around the fullest part of your bust.
- Waist: Measure the narrowest part of your waist, usually around the rib cage, slightly above the belly button.
- Hips: Measure the fullest part of your hips, ensuring the tape is straight around your body. You can obtain an accurate measurement by following around your hip bone.
Use our guide below for advice on how to measure yourself.
Next, make sure to compare hip measurements with bust measurements in order to obtain an accurate depiction of your body type. Make sure to take note of your widest part and your smallest part of your measurements to compare. These measurements are vital to determine your body type. Skip to the “Body Shape Breakdown” section for more.
Another way to identify your body shape is to dress in tight clothing and take a picture of yourself. Then match the picture with one of the types in the cover.
If both of these methods don’t work out for you, another method people have found is by taking the ‘Kibbe Body Types‘ quiz which can give a clearer depiction of their body type.
Now, we’ll explore the different body types and the best fashion choices for each body type.
Body Shape Breakdown & Style Tips
The body type options are an apple shape (round), pear body shape, inverted triangle body shape, rectangle shape, and hourglass shape.
Measurements can be found using the guide provided below.
Here’s our rule of thumb:
- If you have broad shoulders compared to your hips, you may have an Inverted Triangle Shape.
- If you have fairly equal proportions with your hips and shoulders but a smaller waist measurement, you may have a Hourglass Shape.
- If you have a rounder (or undefined) waist compared to hip and shoulder measurements, you may have a Round Shape.
- If you have wider hips compared to your shoulders (which are more narrow), you may have a Pear Body Shape.
- If you have fairly equal proportions with your hips, shoulders, and waist, you may have a Hourglass Shape.
Rectangle Body Shape
Characteristics:
- Balanced upper and lower body.
- Minimal waist definition.
- Body lines (on the side) appear straight.
Flattering Clothing Choices:
- Wrap dresses and peplum tops create the illusion of a defined waist.
- Skinny jeans and high-waisted jeans add curves.
- Layering and bold patterns create more dimension and depth.
- X-line dresses to give the illusion of a deep waistline.
- Wide-leg pants creates proportions and balances lack of definition.
Outfit Ideas:
Apple Body Shape (Oval Shape)
Characteristics:
- Fuller midsection with less waist definition.
- Slimmer arms and legs.
Best Clothing Choices:
- Empire waist dresses highlight the narrowest part of the waist by creating an illusion.
- Vertical stripes elongate the body.
- Darker colors create a slimming effect.
- Avoid stiff fabrics that don’t allow movement around the curves of your body.
- Diversifying neckline options to add character is always a good option.
Style Inspo:
Hourglass Shape
Characteristics:
- Defined waist with a balanced upper and lower body.
- Curves at the bust and hips.
- Wide top with wide hips.
Best Options:
- Pencil skirts and wrap dresses highlight the waist.
- High-rise pants accentuate curves makes the waist look even more dramatic.
- Avoid oversized or boxy clothing that hides natural curves.
- Style tip: A good way to style oversized clothing with this body type is to tuck in an oversized shirt into the bra.
- Fitted dresses show off figure while staying modest.
- Straight jeans elongate legs while still highlighting the hourglass figure.
Outfit Inspo:
Pear Shape
Characteristics:
- Wider hips compared to the upper body.
- Narrow shoulders.
Great Clothing Options:
- A-line skirts and full skirts balance proportions.
- Wider necklines (boat neck, off-the-shoulder) add volume to the upper body.
- Fitted tops to accentuate waistline and draw attention away from hips.
- High heels elongate the lower half.
- Avoid stiff, tight-fitting fabrics around the hips.
Outfit Inspo:
Inverted Triangle Shape
Characteristics:
- Broad shoulders with a narrower lower body.
Flattering Look:
- Wide-leg pants create a more balanced silhouette.
- A-line dresses and wrap dresses soften the upper body and define hips.
- Avoid shoulder pads and horizontal stripes on the upper body.
- Flared pants create a balance upper and lower body to create more of a hourglass silhouette.
- Scoop neckline balances the shoulders and softens upper body.
Style Inspo:
Wardrobe Guide: The In’s and Out’s
Want to know the specifics on how to dress for your body type. Well here are the best ways to take a look from and nope to a ten.
Best Tops for a Flattering Look
- Peplum tops: Works well for adding curves to a rectangle shaped body.
- T-shirts with structured fits: Great for creating a balanced silhouette.
- Off-the-shoulder tops: Highlight the collarbone and add volume to the upper body by showing more shoulders and upper chest area. Avoid this if you have an inverted triangle body shape.
- Fitted Tops: Perfect for accentuating waist for hourglass and pear body type.
Best Jeans for Every Shape
- Skinny jeans: Perfect for rectangle and hourglass figures.
- High-waisted jeans: Great for apple and pear shapes by highlighting waist.
- Straight-leg jeans: Works well for every single body type! They inherently don’t take away from the shape of a body.
- Wide-leg jeans: Ideal for balancing inverted triangle and pear shapes.
Best Dresses for Your Body Type
- Wrap dresses: Universally flattering, especially for hourglass and pear shapes.
- Belted dresses: These dresses are perfect for accentuating the waistline of a pear and hourglass body type.
- Empire waist dresses: Perfect for apple and oval body types.
- X-line dresses: Can create a waistline for the rectangular body type.
- A-line skirts and dresses: Work well for pear and inverted triangle shapes.
Drawing Attention to Your Best Features & Ignoring the Others
Define Waist Definition:
- Use belts, structured blazers, fitted tops, and crop tops to define the waist.
- Avoid oversized tees if you want to define your waist. An easy way to define you waist while where an oversized tee is a simple tuck into the bra.
- Opt for high-rise pants to emphasize curves.
Elongate Lower Half:
- Vertical stripes elongate the body.
- Wearing full-length dresses and skirts to elongate leg length.
- High heels add height and balance proportions.
Balance Broad Shoulders:
- Avoid shoulder pads which make shoulder bulkier and broader
- Opt for full skirts to balance proportions which balance the broad shoulders and inherently creates an hourglass figure.
Celebrity Inspiration: How To Dress Like A Style Icon
Kim Kardashian (Hourglass Figure)
- Kim Kardashian, who is known for her infamous hourglass body type, emphasizes her defined waist with pencil skirts and fitted dresses. She also defines her waist by wearing high waisted skinny jeans which can fit into multiple aesthetics, styles, and seasons.
Angelina Jolie (Inverted Triangle Shape)
- Angelina Jolie styles her Triangle Body Type by utilizing A-line dresses and skirts to create a softer, more feminine look. This coincidentally enough goes perfectly well with her aesthetic which is classic chic and more feminine.
Jennifer Lopez (Pear Body Type)
- Jennifer Lopez styles her pear body shape by taking the focus away from the lower body by highlighting her upper body. She does this by wearing fitted tops to accentuate her waist or by wearing something bold on the upper half to distract the eye from the lower half.
Demi Moore (Rectangle Body Type)
- Demi Moore styles her rectangular shape by adding curves with waist-cinching styles and layered pieces.
Oprah Winfrey (Round Body Shape)
- Oprah Winfrey styles her apple body type by adding scoops or v-necks to draw attention to different part of the outfit.
- Other celebrities with an apple shaped body also use ruching or wraps in order to define the waistline.
Take it up a notch
Once you discover and understand your body type, you can begin experimenting with different styles that enhance your personal look. Need help on style options? Learn more here.
Services like Stitch Fix, a virtual stylist agency, and personalized wardrobe consultants can help elevate your fashion choices while keeping your personal style. And by now knowing your body shape, you can take your style to an even higher level. They can also give you more thorough advice on how dress for your body type specifically.
You can act on it now by taking their personal style quiz on their website and see results with your email address. No commitment and everything is cancellable.
Where do you go on from here?
So now that you’ve learned how to dress for your body type, where do you go on from here?
Dressing for your body shape is a great way to boost confidence and embrace your figure.
While these fashion tips provide guidance and a starting point to exploring personal fashion, remember that style is personal so wear what makes you feel amazing.
Every person has a unique shape and any way that you choose to style yourself really is a great option. Get out of your comfort zone and be creative!
Use this wardrobe guide as a starting point, and don’t be afraid to break the rules when it comes to expressing yourself through fashion!
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