How to dress for your body shape

Outfits by body type, worked out from the measurement rule behind each shape rather than from a list of flattering tricks. One principle per shape, the dresses, jeans and tops that follow from it, and the one habit to drop.

Last reviewed How we classify

Find your shape first

Every piece of advice below hangs off which of the six shapes you are, and that is a comparison between your own measurements, not a size. If you already know, skip to your section. If not, three tools on this site give the same answer by different routes, and the methodology page publishes the rules they share.

Body shape calculator

Four tape measurements, one of the six shapes, and the comparison that decided it printed underneath. The precise route.

Body type quiz

Seven questions you can answer in a mirror, no tape measure. The only route that can return a spoon, because it asks about the upper-hip shelf.

Body shape analyzer

One full-body photo, analyzed in your browser. The photo never leaves your device, and the result shows the four widths it measured.

The principles

How to dress for your body type comes down to five rules that hold across all six shapes. Each shape section below is those rules applied to one measurement pattern.

Balance the ends

Every shape except the rectangle and the apple is defined by one end outmeasuring the other by more than 5%. The whole of dressing a pear or an inverted triangle is adding width, color or detail at the narrower end and taking it away from the wider one, until the shoulder and the hip finish level in the mirror.

The waist is a decision, not a measurement

The tape finds a waist on an hourglass and does not find one on a rectangle. Neither fact decides anything. A belt, a seam, a wrap or a cropped top places a waist wherever you put it, and a shift dress removes one that is there. Decide where the waist of the outfit sits before choosing the garment.

Proportion before pattern

Where a hem ends, where a sleeve stops and where the waist sits do more than any print or color. A top that finishes at the widest point of the hip reads wider than one that finishes two inches above it, in any fabric and any shade. Get the lengths right first and then choose the pattern.

Fabric weight does what tailoring does

A heavy jersey skims where a thin one clings, and a crepe holds a line where a chiffon falls into every curve. Most of the advice to avoid a garment is really advice to avoid it in a thin fabric. The same wrap dress in a weighted knit works for a shape it fights in a flimsy one.

Fit over size

The number on the label is not a measurement. Shapes with two different sizes top and bottom, which is most pears and most inverted triangles, are better served by separates or by a tailor than by a dress sized to the larger half and worn loose on the smaller. A taken-in waist costs less than a new dress.

How to dress an hourglass body shape

The hourglass rule is a waist that measures 75% or less of both the bust and the hip, with those two ends within about 5% of each other. Every styling decision follows from that one number: the waist is the narrowest point by a wide margin, so any garment that marks it is working with the figure and any garment that skips it is working against it.

That makes the hourglass the easiest shape to dress and the easiest to dress badly. A shift dress, a boxy jacket or an oversized sweater takes the two widest measurements and hangs a straight line between them, which reads wider than either end on its own. Shaping at the waist is not decoration here. It is the whole outfit.

Works with the line

  • Wrap dresses and wrap tops — the shape they were designed for
  • Belts, and any seam that sits at the natural waist
  • High-rise pants and skirts, tucked or half-tucked
  • Fitted knits and bias-cut fabric that follows without gripping
  • Pencil and A-line skirts that start from the waist, not the hip
  • Tailoring with a shaped side seam rather than a straight one

Fights it

  • Boxy, straight-cut and shift dresses with no waist seam
  • Oversized outerwear worn closed
  • Drop-waist and low-rise cuts that move the waist down
  • Heavy ruffles at both bust and hip at once
  • Stiff fabrics that hold their own shape instead of yours

Dresses

  • A wrap dress, because the wrap closes at exactly the point the tape finds narrowest
  • A fit-and-flare with a seam at the natural waist, which marks the waist and clears the hip in one cut
  • A bias-cut slip in a fabric with weight, which follows bust, waist and hip without gripping any of them
  • A belted shirt dress, where the belt does the job a waist seam would

Jeans and pants

  • High-rise straight-leg jeans, so the waistband sits at the narrow point rather than below it
  • Wide-leg trousers with a fitted high waist, which keep the proportion and add length
  • A bootcut or flare in a dark denim, balancing the hip from below

Tops

  • A fitted knit or a tucked shirt, because the waist only reads if the top shows it
  • A wrap top or a surplice neckline, which repeats the wrap dress logic above the waist
  • A cropped jacket that ends at the waist, not the hip, over a high-rise bottom

The one habit to drop is sizing up to fit the bust or the hip and then wearing the waist loose. A tailor can take a waist in for less than the dress cost, and the difference is the entire shape.

Read the full Hourglass page, with the measurements, sub-types and what an hourglass body shape is.

How to dress a pear body shape

A pear measures more than 5% wider at the hip than at the larger of the bust and shoulder, with the waist drawn above it. The outline widens from shoulder to hip, so the job of every outfit is the same: give the top half enough width or interest that the two ends finish level, and let the lower half fall in a clean line.

That is the opposite of the instinct most pears have, which is to cover the hip and keep the top plain. Covering the widest point with a loose top ending at the hip bone puts a horizontal line exactly where the figure is widest, and a plain dark top above it tips the balance further down. The fix is to move the eye up, not to hide anything.

Works with the line

  • Boat necks, square necks and off-the-shoulder — width at the top, deliberately
  • Statement shoulders, puff sleeves and structured jackets
  • Pattern, texture and the brighter color on the top half
  • A-line and wrap dresses that follow the waist and release over the hip
  • Straight-leg and bootcut pants in a darker, heavier fabric
  • Tops that end above or well below the widest point of the hip

Fights it

  • Skinny jeans in a thin light fabric
  • Tops that finish exactly at the fullest part of the hip
  • Stiff pleats or side pockets set at the hip bone
  • Narrow spaghetti straps with no shoulder line at all
  • Bottom-heavy pattern with a plain dark top — it reverses the balance

Dresses

  • A fit-and-flare that releases at the waist, so the skirt clears the hip instead of gripping it
  • A dress with a bright or patterned bodice and a plain darker skirt, which puts the weight of the outfit at the top
  • A boat-neck sheath in a fabric with structure, widening the shoulder line while the skirt skims
  • A midi with a defined waist and a soft A-line, which keeps the waist and falls past the thigh

Jeans and pants

  • Straight-leg jeans in a dark rigid denim, which continue the line of the hip down rather than tapering under it
  • A wide-leg trouser with a high waist, so the fullest point of the hip sits inside the line of the leg
  • A bootcut with a slight flare, which adds width at the hem to balance the hip above it

Tops

  • A structured blazer with a defined shoulder, which adds the width the shoulder measurement lacks
  • An off-the-shoulder or wide square neckline, widening the top in one move
  • A top in a lighter color or a pattern, tucked or ending above the hip bone

The one habit to drop is the long loose top over skinny jeans. It hides the waist, stops at the widest point, and leaves the narrowest part of the leg as the only line visible. A straight leg and a shorter top reverse all three.

Read the full Pear page, with the measurements, sub-types and what a pear body shape is.

How to dress an apple body shape

An apple measures within about 85% of the bust at the waist, with bust and hips close to level. The fullest reading is through the middle, which means the one thing a belt at the natural waist cannot do here is find a narrow point to sit on. The principle is to lengthen the torso and move the attention to the ends: the neckline, the shoulder and the leg.

Apples usually have the slimmest legs of the six shapes and often a full bust. Both are assets that most apple styling advice ignores in its hurry to deal with the midsection. A long unbroken vertical line, an open neckline and a straight leg in a fitted fabric give the eye three places to go that are not the waist.

Works with the line

  • V-necks, scoop necks and open collars — anything that lengthens the neckline
  • Empire lines and A-line dresses that release from just under the bust
  • Long open cardigans and unbuttoned jackets, for two unbroken vertical lines
  • Straight and bootcut pants in a fabric with some weight
  • Column dressing: one color top to bottom, contrast only at the shoulder
  • Structured shoulders — a real shoulder line gives the eye somewhere else to go

Fights it

  • High crew necks paired with a boxy top, which shortens the whole torso
  • Stiff wide waistbands sitting at the fullest point
  • Belted-at-the-middle coats and dresses
  • Thin clingy jersey through the midsection — a heavier knit skims instead
  • Cropped boxy jackets that end at the waist

Dresses

  • An empire-line dress, which places the seam just under the bust where the figure is defined and lets the fabric fall from there
  • A V-neck column or shift in a fabric with weight, keeping one unbroken line from shoulder to hem
  • A wrap dress with a deep V and a soft tie, which draws a diagonal through the middle instead of a horizontal across it
  • A knee-length A-line with no waist seam, releasing from the ribcage

Jeans and pants

  • Straight-leg trousers with a flat front and a mid rise, which hold a line without a stiff band at the fullest point
  • A slim or straight jean with stretch, because the leg is the apple's strongest line and a close fit shows it
  • A wide-leg trouser with a soft elasticated back, if the front stays flat and the hem is long

Tops

  • A V-neck or scoop neck in a draped fabric, which lengthens the neck and splits the bust vertically
  • A long open cardigan or an unbuttoned jacket, giving two vertical lines down the body
  • A tunic that ends well below the hip over a slim leg, in one color with the pants

The one habit to drop is the wide stiff belt cinched over the midsection in the hope of creating a waist. It marks the fullest point and folds the fabric above and below it. A soft tie at the underbust or no belt at all reads longer.

Read the full Apple page, with the measurements, sub-types and what an apple body shape is.

How to dress a rectangle body shape

A rectangle measures within about 5% at the bust and hip, as an hourglass does, but the waist comes to more than 75% of both: the tape finds no narrow point to speak of. The principle follows directly. The waist on a rectangle is created by the garment, not found by the tape, and that is a solvable problem in a way most shape advice is not.

The second thing a rectangle can do that other shapes cannot is wear volume at the hem freely. With no dominant end to balance, a full skirt or a wide leg adds the curve the frame lacks and makes the waist above it read smaller by comparison. Horizontal breaks that would shorten a petite apple only help here.

Works with the line

  • Peplum tops and jackets — an instant waist and hip curve
  • Belts at the natural waist, especially wide ones
  • Wrap and faux-wrap dresses
  • Ruched, gathered or asymmetric side seams
  • A cropped top over a high-rise bottom, or a tucked-in shirt
  • Full and A-line skirts, which build the hip the frame does not have

Fights it

  • Straight shift dresses with no waist detail at all
  • Boxy jackets ending level with the hip
  • Head-to-toe one color with no shaping
  • Low-rise bottoms, which lengthen an already long straight torso
  • Stiff untucked shirts

Dresses

  • A fit-and-flare with a fitted bodice and a full skirt, which builds a waist and a hip at the same time
  • A belted shirt dress, where a contrasting belt draws the line the tape could not
  • A dress with a peplum or a gathered waist seam, adding the curve at the hip directly
  • A wrap dress, which creates a waist diagonally rather than relying on one being there

Jeans and pants

  • High-rise wide-leg trousers, which add volume at the hem and sit at the narrowest available point
  • A flared or bootcut jean with a fitted top tucked in
  • A paperbag-waist trouser with a tie, which gathers fabric at the waist and makes it the focal point

Tops

  • A peplum top or a jacket with a nipped waist and a flared hem
  • A cropped top over a high-rise bottom, which places a horizontal line at the waist
  • A top with gathering, ruching or a tie at the side seam, building shape into the fabric

The one habit to drop is the straight shift dress worn without a belt. It is the garment that fits a rectangle most easily off the rail, and it is the one that shows a straight line from shoulder to hem. Add a belt or choose the version with a waist seam.

Read the full Rectangle page, with the measurements, sub-types and what a rectangle body shape is.

How to dress an inverted triangle body shape

An inverted triangle measures more than 5% wider at the larger of the shoulder and bust than at the hip, so the outline tapers downward. The principle is the mirror image of the pear: take structure out of the shoulder line and put volume into the hem, so the two ends of the figure finish closer to level.

In practice that means the top half wants soft fabric, open necklines and sleeves without a hard seam at the shoulder, while the bottom half wants everything the pear is told to avoid: full skirts, wide legs, pattern, lighter color and pockets at the hip. The waist may be defined or straight; it does not change the rule, so mark it if you have it and move on.

Works with the line

  • V-necks and scoop necks, which narrow the shoulder line visually
  • Raglan, dolman and set-in sleeves without padding
  • A-line, full and pleated skirts
  • Wide-leg, flared and cargo pants: anything that builds the hip
  • Pattern, texture and lighter colors on the bottom half
  • Deep armholes and soft draped fabric across the shoulder
  • Peplums, patch pockets and hem detail, which add width where it is wanted

Fights it

  • Puff sleeves, epaulettes and heavy shoulder pads
  • Boat necks and halter necks, which extend the shoulder line
  • Skinny jeans with an oversized top
  • Horizontal stripes across the bust and shoulder
  • Stiff structured blazers cut square at the shoulder
  • Pencil skirts with a fitted top, which narrow the bottom half further

Dresses

  • A fit-and-flare or full-skirted dress with a V-neck, which narrows the top and widens the hem in one garment
  • A halter-free, soft-shouldered dress with a draped bodice and a straight or A-line skirt
  • A dress with a plain fitted bodice and a patterned or lighter skirt, putting the weight of the outfit at the hip
  • A drop-shoulder shirt dress belted at the waist, which softens the shoulder line and adds width below

Jeans and pants

  • Wide-leg trousers in a lighter color or a pattern, building the hip line from the hem up
  • A flared jean with a mid rise, which adds hem width while keeping the leg long
  • A cargo or utility trouser with hip pockets, because detail at the hip is exactly what balances the shoulder

Tops

  • A V-neck or a deep scoop in a draped fabric, which narrows the shoulder line visually
  • A raglan or dolman sleeve, which removes the shoulder seam that marks the width
  • A fitted top in a dark solid color, worn with a lighter or patterned bottom

The one habit to drop is the skinny jean under an oversized top. It narrows the one end that is already narrow and widens the one that is already wide. Swap the proportions and the figure balances with no other change.

Read the full Inverted Triangle page, with the measurements, sub-types and what an inverted triangle body shape is.

How to dress a spoon body shape

A spoon is hip-dominant like a pear, measuring more than 5% wider at the hip than at the bust and shoulder, but the hip steps out into a shelf just below the waist instead of curving out gradually. The pear principle still applies: lift the eye to the shoulder and let the lower half fall clean. The spoon adds one rule of its own, and it is about fabric rather than cut.

Anything stiff that lands on the shelf will sit on it and stand away from the body below. A rigid waistband, a stiff pleat or a structured pocket set at the upper hip all do this. Fabrics with drape, A-lines that release at the waist and stretch through the hip fall past the shelf instead of stopping on it, and the figure reads as one line from waist to hem.

Works with the line

  • A-line skirts and dresses that release at the waist and clear the shelf
  • Soft fabrics with drape over the hip rather than stiff cotton
  • Straight and bootcut pants, which continue the line past the shelf
  • Interest at the neckline and shoulder to lift the balance point
  • Tops that end above the waist or well below the fullest hip
  • Stretch waistbands and contour panels that follow the step

Fights it

  • Stiff waistbands landing exactly on the shelf
  • Pencil skirts that grip the upper hip and release below it
  • Hip pockets, patch detail and pleats set at the shelf line
  • Tops finishing at the widest point
  • Very thin clingy jersey over the hip

Dresses

  • An A-line dress that releases at the natural waist, which clears the shelf entirely and is the single most reliable garment for the shape
  • A wrap dress in jersey or another fabric with drape, which follows the step rather than bridging it
  • A fit-and-flare with a soft, unlined skirt, keeping the waist and falling past the upper hip
  • A bias-cut midi with a defined bodice, which skims the hip without a seam landing on it

Jeans and pants

  • Straight-leg jeans with stretch, so the fit follows the step at the hip and the line continues down the thigh
  • A bootcut in a fabric with some give, balancing the hip from the hem while clearing the shelf
  • A high-rise trouser with a contour or stretch waistband, which sits above the shelf and does not gape at the back

Tops

  • A top that ends above the waist or well below the fullest hip, never at the shelf line
  • A boat neck or a wide square neckline, widening the shoulder to balance the hip
  • A structured jacket with a defined shoulder, worn open over a fitted top

The one habit to drop is choosing jeans by the hip measurement alone. A rigid denim sized to the fullest hip grips the shelf and gapes at the back of the waist. Look for stretch through the hip and a contoured waistband, or have the waist taken in.

Read the full Spoon page, with the measurements, sub-types and what a spoon body shape is.

Questions

What to wear for your body shape, answered the way the tools answer it: with the rule that applies and nothing invented.

How do I dress for my body type?
Work out which of the six shapes you are first, then follow the one principle for that shape: lift the eye for a pear or spoon, soften the shoulder and widen the hem for an inverted triangle, mark the waist for an hourglass, build a waist for a rectangle, and lengthen the torso for an apple. The calculator on this site returns your shape from four measurements, the quiz from seven questions, and the photo analyzer from one full-body photo analyzed in your browser.
What dresses suit my body shape?
A wrap dress works for every shape except the apple, because it marks or creates a waist and releases over the hip; the apple wears it with a deep V and a soft tie rather than a firm one. Beyond that, a fit-and-flare suits the hourglass, pear, rectangle, inverted triangle and spoon for different reasons, and an empire line or a column suits the apple. The section for each shape above lists three or four specific dress styles with the reason each one works.
What jeans suit my body type?
A straight leg in a dark denim suits almost every shape, because it continues the line of the hip down rather than tapering under it. Pears and spoons want stretch through the hip and a contoured waistband; inverted triangles want a flare or a wide leg to add width at the hem; rectangles want a high rise and volume; apples want a flat front and a mid rise; hourglasses want a high rise that sits at the natural waist.
What should I wear for my body shape if I am between two shapes?
Run the calculator and dress for the rule that fired. The rules run in a fixed order, dominance before waist definition, so a figure near the boundary between pear and hourglass is told which test decided it and by how much. If the hip led by more than 5%, dress as a pear even if the waist is defined; if it did not, dress as an hourglass. The working line under every result shows the comparison, so you can see how close the call was.
Do these rules change with size?
No. Every shape is a ratio between your own measurements, so a size 4 pear and a size 20 pear are the same shape and the same advice applies. What changes with size is fabric weight: a larger frame needs a heavier fabric to skim rather than cling, and a smaller frame can wear a lighter one. The cut stays the same.
What about wedding dresses by body shape?
The same principles hold, with the fabric usually heavier and the fit usually tailored. An hourglass is served by a mermaid or a fitted bodice with a waist seam; a pear or a spoon by a ball gown or an A-line that releases at the waist; an inverted triangle by an A-line with a V-neck and soft straps rather than a halter; a rectangle by a ball gown or a dropped-waist with a full skirt; an apple by an empire line or a column with a deep V. Every one of those is a cut, not a brand, and any dressmaker can fit it.
Is there one outfit formula for every body type?
Close to one: a top that ends above or well below the widest point, a waist placed deliberately, and a hem with the right amount of volume for your shape. The only variables are where that widest point is and which way the volume goes. A high-rise straight-leg pant with a tucked or cropped top is the nearest thing to a universal outfit, and the shape sections above say how to adjust it.
Should I dress for my body shape or my Kibbe type?
Both answer different questions. Body shape tells you where your width sits and so where to add or remove volume. A Kibbe type tells you what kind of line suits your frame, sharp or soft, long or compact. Use the shape rules on this page for proportion, and the Kibbe type page for fabric, scale and edge. They do not conflict, because one is about where and the other is about how.

Not sure which section is yours?

Four measurements, one of the six shapes, and the comparison that decided it printed underneath. Dresses for body type start with knowing the type.

Run the body shape calculator

No tape measure? The body type quiz asks seven questions instead.