We get a lot of questions asking how to dress for different plus-size body shapes.
Understanding your body type can help you dress your beautiful figure and accentuate your assets. Finding clothes that fit well and flatter your unique frame can help you feel confident and comfortable. There are few things better than finding clothes that make you feel great.
You can figure out your shape by taking four body measurements: shoulders, bust, waist, and hips. These numbers will help determine the shape of your frame.
How to Take Body Measurements
Some helpful tips on taking measurements:
- Keep a relaxed posture with your feet together. Stand up straight but not rigid, and don’t suck your stomach. Breathe normally.
- The measuring tape should be comfortably fitted to the body. Be careful not to make it too tight.
- Make sure the measuring tape is level when taking measurements (sometimes the tape slips off at certain spots). Try to measure yourself in front of a mirror.
- Because measuring some parts of yourself is difficult, have a friend help you.
- It’s best to measure in your underwear and bra so that your measurements are most accurate.
1. Shoulders
Wrap the tape around the tip of one shoulder and then take it around to the other side until the end meets the tip of the same shoulder. The tape should be very close to the shoulder so that you get the measurement at the broadest point of your shoulder. It is easy for the tape to slip off at this spot, so have a friend help you.
2. Bust
Place one end of the tape at the fullest part of your bust and wrap it around from under your arms to bring it back to where you started. Measure over a bra, as this will give an accurate measurement. Hold the tape snugly enough to stay in place but not too tightly. When taking your measurements, keep your arms relaxed and let them lie naturally flat to your body to get the correct result. Again, it may be easier to have a friend help you out.
3. Waist
Standing as straight as you can and not pulling your stomach in, measure from the natural waist. This is the narrowest part of your waist, usually above the belly button and below the rib cage. If you have trouble finding the natural waist, bend to one side to find the crease. Straighten and measure at this point. Wrap the tape on one side of your waist, around your stomach, and bring it back to the meeting point.
4. Hips
Hold the measuring tape at one hip, below your hip bone, at the widest part of your hip. Wrap the tape around the largest part of your butt, your other hip, and back to where you first started. With this, it’s OK if you measure over underwear.
What Is Your Body Shape?
Now that you know your measurements, you can figure out your specific body type. While many different body shapes exist, most women align with one of five: rectangle, hourglass, apple, pear, and inverted triangle. If you are not one of these shapes, that’s OK. Each body is unique, so you may be a combination of two or more.
Rectangle
Also called straight, athletic, or H-shape. Characteristics of this body type:
- You are not particularly curvy; your frame is the same size up and down through the top and bottom half of your body
- Your shoulders, bust, and hip measurements are nearly the same
- You do not have obviously defined curves at the waist
- Your weight is fairly evenly distributed throughout your body
Hourglass
Also called X-shape, the hourglass is a more common plus-size body type. Characteristics of this body type:
- You tend to have a fuller bust, hips, and butt
- You have a smaller, clearly defined waist
- Your shoulders and hips are roughly the same widths
- Similar to the rectangle body, weight is pretty evenly distributed throughout your body, but this frame is much curvier
Apple
Also called a circle or O-shape. Characteristics of this body type:
- You have balanced shoulders and hips, but they may be slightly narrow compared to the middle of your body
- The curviest and most prominent part of your body is the waist and bust area
- Your waistline is rather undefined (if you do, you’re likely an hourglass)
- The top half of your body is larger than the bottom; you carry your weight in the midsection of your body
Pear
Also called a triangle or A-shape, the pear is another more common plus-size body type. Characteristics of this body type:
- Your shoulders and bust are relatively narrow
- You are fullest at the hips, thighs, and butt
- You have a defined waist that is narrow compared to your hips
- You are curviest in the bottom half of your body
Inverted Triangle
Also called the heart, V-shape. Characteristics of this body type:
- Your shoulders are the broadest part of your body
- Your bust may be larger than your hips
- Your waist and hips are narrower
- The top half of your body is larger than the bottom