How to determine your body type and how to live with it

Why does the same outfit look completely different on your friend and on you, even if the height and weight are the same? It's all about different body types.

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The type of figure depends on the structural features and development of bone, fat and muscle tissue. Most of it is caused by genetics, but can be corrected by diet and exercise.

Every person is beautiful and unique. Everyone's body has its own advantages and disadvantages. Knowing your body type is important in order to train more effectively and learn how to choose clothes to look most attractive.

Female body types

Based on general characteristics, five types of female figures can be distinguished: “hourglass”, “rectangle”, “triangle”, “inverted triangle” and “apple”. To determine which type you belong to, just arm yourself with a measuring tape and take three measurements.

Breast volume: over a regular bra without a push-up, at the most protruding point, keeping the centimeter parallel to the floor.
Waist circumference: along the narrowest part of the body (just above the navel), without pulling in or protruding the stomach.
Hip circumference: across the widest part of the hips, keeping the band parallel to the floor.

Now let's evaluate the results.

If your chest and hips are approximately equal in volume, and your waist is noticeably smaller (by 20–30 centimeters), then your figure type is “hourglass”.
If your chest and hips are approximately equal in volume, and your waist does not stand out much against their background, then you are a “rectangle”.
If your breasts are smaller than your hips in volume with a visible waist, then your body type is “triangle” (“pear”).
If your chest is larger than your lower body, and your shoulders are wider than your hips, then your figure is an “inverted triangle” (T-shape).
If your waist, stomach and chest stand out the most, and your legs are slender, then your body type is “circle” (“apple”).

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Key features of an hourglass figure

If, when measured, the volumes of your hips and chest turn out to be approximately equal, and your waist is noticeably smaller (by 20-30 cm), then you have the type of figure that is considered ideal - “hourglass”.

With this type of structure, the shoulders are level with the hips, and in the middle there is a narrow, clearly defined waist. Even if a woman gains a little weight, her curves will still remain seductive and ideal. The only thing is that with age, so-called riding breeches can appear in the hip area.

Regular exercise will prevent possible problems and allow you to stay in perfect shape for a long time.

With such proportions there are no problems with choosing clothes. You can wear everything, but even with such an ideal shape, you should be able to correctly emphasize your advantages. The best choice here would be straight-leg jeans or trousers with a wide waistband.

Sheath dresses or wrap dresses will look elegant.

It is advisable to purchase skirts with a belt. In general, a wide belt will add femininity and sexuality to such a figure. Pants and skirts should be chosen with a high waist. An A-line skirt will highlight the beauty and charm of your hips.

Blouses and blouses are suitable for any cut; you need to choose depending on the occasion. Girls with such a figure can safely bare their shoulders to emphasize the graceful top. Dresses with a V-neck are ideal for this.

This silhouette allows for any experiments with clothing. You can wear both mini and maxi, wide and tight models.

Hourglass

The notorious 90/60/90 are about this type of figure. Such ladies can be proud of their well-defined waist and prominent shoulders and hips. Moreover, such proportions will remain even with weight gain, which is good news.

The X-shaped silhouette of the female body is an unspoken ideal, glorified since Antiquity. If you are the lucky owner of this type of figure, we will rejoice. The main thing in your case is not to disturb the harmonious proportions of the chest, waist and hips.

The main task

Emphasize the curves of the figure, maintaining the harmony of top and bottom.

Will do

Almost everything. The most advantageous way to highlight your figure:

Fitted silhouettes.
Blouses, coats and raincoats with wraps and belts.
V-shaped or round neckline on blouses and dresses.
Pencil skirt, a-line or sun skirt.
High-waisted jeans and trousers.
Waist belt as an accessory.

Won't fit

Baggy clothes that hide the silhouette.
Straight cut outerwear.
Dresses or blouses with high or low waist.
Low-rise jeans or trousers.

Owners of an hourglass figure: Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, Dita Von Teese, Kim Kardashian

Women's body types - description

Consider the most popular and frequently used classification of female body types, where each type corresponds to a certain geometric figure in one case, a fruit in another case, and a letter of the alphabet in the third case.

Pear body type

Sometimes in the literature you can find slightly different names: A-shaped female figure type, triangle figure type. This type of female body figure can rightfully be called the most feminine and attractive. It is precisely these girls and women who have a build that is perfectly suited to the fair sex - narrow shoulders, medium-sized breasts, wider hips. Most often, those with a pear body type have a longer upper body. They are characterized by a flat chest or small chest, but a clearly visible waist, on which practically no fatty tissue accumulates.

When gaining weight, fat in female pears accumulates primarily on the hips, buttocks, calves, lower abdomen, and less often in the waist area. But such a woman always has thin arms and the entire upper body. At first glance at this type of figure, one gets the impression that the top is much lighter than the bottom.

The big disadvantage of such a figure is the tendency to the appearance of cellulite, which has long become the main enemy of a beautiful female body. Another disadvantage is that as you gain weight, the pear-shaped figure becomes more and more visible, and the hip area becomes noticeably heavier. It is especially important for those with a triangle body type to always maintain correct posture, otherwise all imperfections will become even more noticeable.

Tips on diet and training:

First of all, if you decide to change something in your figure, you need to intensively perform complex exercises.
For those with a pear-shaped figure, it is important to pay special attention to losing weight in the legs and buttocks. Therefore, experts recommend using exercises aimed specifically at these muscle groups.
It is necessary to pay attention to the upper body so that the overall figure looks harmonious and there is no emphasis on heavy hips.
Women with this type of figure gain weight very quickly and are prone to becoming overweight. Therefore, it is important to eat right.
Nutritionists say that female pears have a faster metabolism in the afternoon, so it is recommended to eat heavily in the evening. At the same time, reduce the amount of food you eat in the morning and afternoon.
It is recommended to eat more fruits, vegetables and grains.
It is important to constantly monitor the amount of water you drink. The norm is 30 ml per 1 kg of weight.
Exercises suitable for pear-shaped women: glute bridges, jump squats, forward lunges.

Body type - hourglass

This type of figure is also called the “figure eight”, “guitar” or “X-shaped” figure. All these names describe, perhaps, the most ideal proportions of the female body. These are the same notorious 90-60-90, only the values may vary slightly. Nowadays, this type of figure is considered the standard of female beauty, although this is erroneous and at times biased. The owner of this type of figure is characterized by the same proportions of the parameters of the shoulders and hips, while the waist is very narrow, and sometimes even excessively.

Women with an hourglass figure always look good. When you gain weight, fat accumulates evenly in the hips and chest, while your waist remains narrow. The main disadvantage of an hourglass figure is the appearance of “ears” in the hip area when you gain weight. They can easily be removed with physical activity and dietary adjustments.

A slender waist, medium-sized breasts, slightly convex buttocks and sloping hips, a difference of 30 cm between the parameters is the ultimate dream of many women, even with a completely different type of figure, whose parameters are not so perfect. You shouldn’t strive for this, it will probably never work out. You just need to emphasize the advantages of your figure type, and your body will become ideal.

Nutrition and training tips:

Women with an hourglass figure are advised to balance their diet. It is important to constantly maintain weight so that fat tissue is evenly distributed throughout the body, and more specifically on the hips and chest.
You should not allow yourself to go hungry, as you will definitely gain excess weight through constant overeating.
Make breakfast and dinner your main meals, with two light snacks allowed between them.
Base your diet on dairy products, fish, fruits and vegetables.
It is recommended to use exercises for all muscle groups so as not to single out any one part of the body. This is the only way you can maintain ideal hourglass proportions.
Instructors advise doing aerobics, which uses a variety of exercises: running, walking, cycling, stepper and other general strengthening exercises.

Shape type - rectangle

This type of figure also has its own characteristics and is far from ideal. In a woman of this type, the shoulders, waist and hips have almost the same parameters, which is why this body type is called a rectangle. Sometimes you can find other names that characterize the structure of the body, for example, ruler or banana, or H-shaped figure. This type is characterized by a rather wide chest, sometimes a protruding belly and undistinguished hips with protruding pelvic bones.

Women with such a figure often resemble teenagers or even look somewhat like men. The main problem is the tendency to be overweight, which leads to a complete lack of proportions between the shoulders, waist and hips. However, with constant exercise and proper nutrition, ideal parameters can be achieved. Very often, women with a rectangle body type can be found on the catwalk.

The type H figure is most amenable to adjustments. Even with a small amount of exercise, you can see results. By nature, such women have very pliable muscles that are easy to shape in the desired direction.

Nutrition and training tips:

The main problem of women with a rectangular figure is a protruding belly and lack of a waist. Experts recommend intensively practicing proper nutrition and using a low-calorie diet.
To obtain optimal proportions, it is important to avoid consuming salt and alcohol, in particular beer and sausages.
The metabolic rate of women of this type is average, so it is recommended to eat small portions throughout the day.
In order to maintain this type of figure in ideal condition, it is important to exercise regularly. Experts advise doing a variety of abdominal exercises. It is necessary to constantly work on the abdominal area to achieve curves and the appearance of a waist.
It is also necessary to engage in strength training, which is aimed at increasing the volume in the hips and buttocks to give a feminine figure.
Cardio exercises are perfect for women with a rectangular figure. This is long jogging and walking.

Body type: apple

This type of female figure is often called by other definitions: O-shaped type, oval, circle or diamond, sometimes you can find the name diamond. Typically, owners of this type of figure tend to be overweight. Their characteristic feature is the same chest and waist measurements, which gives the figure a resemblance to an apple or an oval. First of all, women with an O-shaped figure have a smooth line that goes from the chest to the hips, this is typical for slightly overweight women.

Often such women have problems with excess weight in the abdomen and back. But they are the owners of high and large breasts, slender and long legs. In ancient times, world-famous artists painted such women in their paintings, considering their figure to be a reference figure. By nature, such women are characterized by grace and aristocratic posture.

You can easily turn all the features of your body into your own weapon. Accentuate your face with fresh makeup and wear a sheath dress, beautifully emphasizing your hips and slender legs.

Nutrition and training tips:

The Achilles heel of women with an O-shaped figure is the problem of excess weight. Most often it appears in the abdomen and waist area.
To maintain normal proportions and burn excess fat tissue, it is recommended to strictly monitor your diet. It is important to stick to a low-carb diet.
The main foods for women with an apple-shaped figure are best to use fresh fruits and vegetables, lean fish and meats, various whole grain cereals, cottage cheese and low-fat kefir. The main thing is that all these products are rich in vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
Regular physical activity is also important.
It is recommended to perform abdominal, oblique and lateral abdominal exercises. Experts recommend doing the following exercises: push-ups, jumping burpees and cycling.

Body type: inverted triangle

This type of figure in women is often called V-shaped, T-shaped, strawberry or carrot. All these names describe a figure with a thin waist, medium-sized breasts, narrow hips, but with rather massive shoulders, which make a woman’s figure look like a man’s.

Women with this type of figure are most common among athletes, for example, in swimming or tennis. This is due to the fact that all excess fat accumulates only in the upper part of the body: in the arms, shoulders, chest and neck. In addition, the owner of this type of figure has long and slender legs. All these features lead to the fact that women can be very successful and resilient in sports.

Women with such figures are easy to spot. Very often their upper body is much more massive and at the same time shorter than the lower. The legs of owners of inverted triangle figures are almost always long and slender, which is the most important advantage of such a woman’s body structure.

Nutrition and training tips:

Women with this type of figure are also advised to eat properly and strictly regulate their intake of fats and carbohydrates. It is best to give preference to foods high in fiber. It is also important to include as much protein as possible in your daily diet, while reducing your intake of dairy products.
All training should be aimed at balancing the proportions of the upper body and lower body. To do this, you need to perform strength exercises to build muscle mass in the thighs and buttocks.
It is recommended that those with an inverted triangle figure do “supersetts”: lifting weights with a small number of repetitions.

Photos of celebrity body types

World celebrities also do not have an ideal figure, but they try to emphasize all the advantageous features of their body types. Let's look at photos of body types of different famous people.

Hourglass figure type - Sophia Loren, Scarlett Johansson, Monica Bellucci, Marilyn Monroe, Halle Berry.

Pear body type - Christina Aguilera, Kate Winslet, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez.

Rectangle body type - Milla Jovovich, Keira Knightley, Cameron Diaz, Lindsay Lohan.

Apple body type - Alla Pugacheva, Kelly Osborne.

Inverted triangle body type - Demi Moore, Renee Zellweger.

Rectangle

Women with this type of figure have breasts and hips of equal volume, and their waist is weakly expressed or not expressed at all (for example, if with a chest volume of 92 centimeters, the waist is more than 70 centimeters).

This body type is more athletic and sporty than, for example, an hourglass, and an insufficient waist curve can be visually increased. In order to emphasize the features of such a figure, you just need to maintain the harmony of the shoulders and hips, visually narrowing the waist. This effect can be achieved by creating additional volume in another part of the body.

The main task

Focus on the waist and beautiful legs, while maintaining the balance of the upper and lower body.

Will do

Fitted outerwear, coat with a belt.
Tops with thin straps, blouses with puff sleeves.
Jackets or outerwear with straight shoulders.
Dresses without straps or with a wrap.
A-line skirt, sun or with a slit.
Tight-fitting trousers or jeans with a mid or low rise.
Classic straight trousers or capris.

Won't fit

Baggy or oversized clothing.
Clothing that excessively reveals the abdominal area.
Straight styles of outerwear or dresses.
T-shirts, sleeveless or crew-neck tops, turtlenecks.
Leggings, pencil skirts.

Stars with a “rectangular” figure: Nicole Kidman, Keira Knightley, Cameron Diaz, Anna Kournikova

Understanding female body types

The figure is the original physique that was given by your parents (“inheritance,” so to speak), because it is more predetermined by genetics than by lifestyle. Exercise and proper nutrition can only help you maintain your figure, while metabolism, fat distribution and muscle structure are extremely difficult to change without aggressive measures.

There are no ideal body types, but you can get closer to the ideal using various methods - sports and, again, proper nutrition. Although the correct selection of clothing also plays an important role.

On a note! Ideas about the ideal female figure are constantly changing. Thus, in prehistoric times, very large women were considered attractive. In ancient times, the standard of beauty was a slender and graceful woman with long legs and small breasts.

Antique standard of female beauty

A medieval beauty is, first of all, a mother. Therefore, the ideal figure of that time included a rounded belly, a not very pronounced waist and hips - in a word, nothing feminine. This went on for a long time, but in the twentieth century the idea of an ideal figure changed dramatically. Women with a flat stomach and long slender legs began to be considered beautiful. Then, in fact, the “90/60/90” stereotype appeared. But in reality, it is not so much the individual parameters that are important, but their proportion.

Find out how to make your waist thin in our extended article!

For this reason, they began to classify the typical characteristics of female figures. This classification is based precisely on the proportional ratio of shoulders, waist and hips. To be honest, it is not the only one (read more about other classifications further), but we will still start with the classics. According to tradition, female figures are compared either with vegetables/fruits, or with geometric figures, or with letters of the Latin alphabet.

Why is 90/60/90 the standard for an ideal figure?

Triangle (pear)

Owners of this body type can be proud of their graceful narrow shoulders and waist, as well as appetizing hips. It is worth considering that with such parameters, it is pointless to exhaust yourself with strict diets, trying to make the butt smaller than it can be.

The “pear” figure type remains the same even when you are overweight or overweight. It is better to draw more attention to the beautiful neck, collarbones and hands, which can easily be done with the help of suitable clothes.

The main task

Balance the hips with an emphasis on the upper body.

Will do

Fitted outerwear, trapeze coat.
Any fitted clothing with overhead shoulders (coats, jackets, jackets).
Blouses, tops and tank tops are off-the-shoulder, sleeveless or with a wide neckline.
A-line or pencil skirt.
Dark trousers or straight-fit jeans.
Trousers or jeans that flare out at the bottom.

Won't fit

Baggy outerwear, long straight-cut coats.
Crew neck tops or blouses, turtlenecks.
Bright massive belts on the hips.
Tight-fitting trousers or trousers, especially in light colors or with a bright print.
Trousers or jeans with decorative elements on pockets or waistbands, fluffy skirts, flared skirts.
Pants or skirts with a lot of weighting elements: lace, ruffles, folds.

Celebrities with a pear body type: Rihanna, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Love Hewitt

Inverted triangle (T-shape)

This body type is characterized by wide shoulders and relatively narrow hips (for example, 95 and 90 centimeters, respectively). Often, the owners of this figure have longer and slimmer legs than other women, for which they can be congratulated.

To add more harmony to the “inverted triangle”, we will use the tricks of stylists. With the help of suitable clothes, we will visually reduce our shoulders, increase our hips and emphasize our waist. For this, a straight cut is most suitable, with a minimum number of details in the chest area, and a maximum on the hips.

The main task

Balance the top and bottom, not forgetting the waist.

Will do

A-line coat.
Square, V- or U-shaped necklines on dresses, tops or blouses.
Low-rise trousers or jeans.
Dresses or tops with a peplum (a frill below the waist).
Wide massive belts on the hips.
A-line skirts, wraparound, with pleats or voluminous pockets.

Won't fit

Long straight coats, baggy outerwear.
Tops or blouses with a wide boat neckline.
Bright voluminous sweaters or jumpers.
Clothes with padded shoulders.
Blouses or jackets with puffy sleeves.
Dark straight trousers or jeans, leggings.
Pencil skirt or ankle length.

Famous “inverted triangles”: Angelina Jolie, Demi Moore, Katharine McPhee, Kate Bosworth

Circle (apple)

Owners of this body type have a straight silhouette without a pronounced waist, but with protruding breasts. The bulk of the figure's volume is in the upper body (but the legs remain slim the longest).

“Apple” women should carefully monitor excess weight: it tends to be deposited on the stomach.

Main goals

Visually elongate the figure, define the waist and emphasize the beautiful neckline and legs.

Will do

A-line coat, outerwear with an A-line silhouette (narrow at the chest and widening at the bottom).
V-neck blouses or tops.
Dresses with A-line or wrap.
Flared trousers and jeans with voluminous pockets.
Clothes with large details (ruffles, patterns, draperies) below the hip line.
Plain clothes with vertical darts.

Won't fit

Very tight or baggy clothing.
Sleeveless tops and blouses with a crew neck or ties at the neck.
Turtlenecks, short tops.
Clothes with bright prints, frills, and decorative elements on the shoulders and stomach.
Skinny trousers, trousers and jeans without pockets or low rise.
Tight skirts, pencil skirt.

Popular “apples”: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Britney Spears, Jessica Jones, Amy Schumer
Any figure is beautiful and attractive, especially if it is emphasized. How do you dress to look even better?

About new types of female figures

Few people know, but recently the female figure has changed so much that scientists had to supplement the usual classification with several new “vegetables.” This is, first of all, “nutmeg pumpkin” . Something similar to an hourglass, but with a wider waist (over 25 cm - about 20-25 cm).

There is also an “eggplant” – essentially the same “pear”, but the waist is not so pronounced. And finally, “broccoli” is a body type that resembles a “carrot”, but with more voluminous breasts. By the way, thanks to plastic surgery, any “carrot” can quickly turn into “broccoli.”