How to find your body shape without body shaming

How to find your body shape without body shaming – it sounds impossible but doesn’t have to be. 

Body shapes give us generalized language for speaking about the silhouette and lines of your body and your outfit. We can use these basic shapes to understand more about how our clothes work and don’t work for us, how our clothes fit and feel, and how to successfully achieve our outfit goals. 

This post is modified from the “Finding Your Body Shape” section of Holly’s Guide to Dressing for Your Body Shape with Care and Confidence. Which introduces a new way of thinking about body shapes so you can focus on designing the silhouette of your outfit rather than “fixing” your body.

Remember: body shapes are a simplified intellectual framework. It gives us a shorthand for speaking about the general silhouette and lines of your body and your outfit. Most of us do not fit perfectly into this framework. Dress your body, not an intellectual ideal.

(Want to learn more about why simplified frameworks – like body shapes and clothing sizes – don’t work for something as complex as bodies? Read: “Why don’t clothes fit me?” Here are 84 reasons)

How to find your body shape two ways

Before we use clothing to adjust your silhouette, we need to find out what your intrinsic silhouette or shape generally is.

There are two ways to go about finding your body shape. You can use measurements, or you can use photos.

As we cover how to find your body shape, be kind to yourself!

Using measurements: how to find your body shape

There are three measurements you’ll need to determine your body shape:

1. Half your hip circumference – around the widest part of your hip divided by two.

2. Half your waist circumference – halfway between the end of your ribcage and the top of your hip, right around the level of your belly button divided by two.

3. Half your bust circumference OR your shoulder width – either around your bust divided by two OR the width from shoulder to shoulder.

So the first step is to find a tape measure and take your measurements. We’re less interested in exact measurements, and more interested in ratios and proportions.

You’ll need to know:

• What is your largest measurement?
• What is your smallest measurement?
• Are any of your measurements equal?

Taking Your Measurements Using The Measurement Flip Flop

If you do want to use measurements, but are feeling iffy about taking your measurements consider using The Measurement Flip Flop. In essence, this is a technique for creating distance between your measurement and your internal commentary about what those numbers mean. (Read the original post about this technique here.)

It boils down to: measure yourself in a unit you do not judge yourself in.

If you’re American you’ve probably measured and judged yourself in inches your entire life, so switch to centimeters. If you’ve measured and judged yourself in centimeters your whole life, try inches. And if you’re adept at both, switch up the scale – measure in feet or meters or yards, etc.

The aim of this trick is to create distance between taking your measurements and the snap judgment we can so easily tumble down when we quantify our bodies.

Now that you have your measurements, we’re going to be focusing on how the numbers relate to each other. Again what the measurements are matters less than their relationship with each other.

Finding your Body Shape Using Measurements

We’re using these as general guidelines to get a sense of your silhouette, not an exact categorization system.

If your bust/shoulder measurement is about equal to your hip measurement and your waist is noticeably smaller, then your body shape is an Hourglass / 8 / No Food Equivalent. This body shape is characterized by your hips and bust/shoulder being approximately equal with a defined waist about halfway between the two.

If your hip measurement is the largest of the three, then your body shape is a Triangle / A / Pear. This body shape is characterized by your hips being wider than your bust/shoulder and waist.

And if your bust/shoulder measurement is the largest of the three, then your body shape is an Inverted Triangle / V / Broccoli. This body shape is characterized by your bust/shoulder being wider than your waist and hips.

If your bust/shoulder measurement is about equal to your hip measurement and your waist is not noticeably smaller, then your body shape is an Rectangle / I / Celery. This body shape is characterized by your hips and bust/shoulder being approximately equal without an obviously defined waist.

If your waist measurement is the largest of the three, then your body shape is a Diamond / Circle / Oval / O / Apple. This body shape is characterized by your waist being larger than your hips and shoulder/bust.

Using a photo: how to find your body shape

Whether this process is easier to do physically or digitally probably depends on your generation. The steps are the same either way:

1. First, you’ll want a full body photo of yourself in close fitting clothing facing the camera. A fairly boring outfit against a fairly boring background. (Think fitness program before and after photos.) One important thing, try to make sure there’s space between your arm and your torso. We’re using this photo to get a sense of the outline of your body, we want to see your curves.
2. Then, separate your body from the background using either scissors or a remove background tool. It doesn’t need to be perfect, we’re just trying to get a sense of the outline of your body.
3. Next, remove your details from the photo so you just have your silhouette. If you’re working with physical paper, this can be as simple as turning the photo over. If you’re working digitally, your program should give you some way of transforming the shape into a solid color.
4. Before we continue, remember, we’re using these as general guidelines to get a sense of your silhouette, not an exact categorization system. Now notice how your shoulder/bust, waist, and hips relate to one another.

Finding your Body Shape Using Photos

If these three points are about equal, then your body shape is a Rectangle / I / Celery. This body shape is characterized by your hips and bust/shoulder being approximately equal without an obviously defined waist.

If your bust/shoulder is about equal to your hip measurement and your waist is noticeably smaller, then your body shape is an Hourglass / 8 / No Food Equivalent. This body shape is characterized by your hips and bust/shoulder being approximately equal with a defined waist about halfway between the two.

And if your hip is the largest of the three, then your body shape is a Triangle / A / Pear. This body shape is characterized by your hips being wider than your bust/shoulder and waist.

If your bust/shoulder is the largest of the three, then your body shape is an Inverted Triangle / V / Broccoli. This body shape is characterized by your bust/shoulder being wider than your waist and hips.

If your waist is the largest of the three, then your body shape is a Diamond / Circle / Oval / O / Apple. This body shape is characterized by your waist being larger than your hips and shoulder/bust.

A few things to remember about body shapes 

1. Consider at least skimming every shape. It can be easier to learn design principles when you have the point and the counterpoint.
2. Many of us will not stay one consistent shape our whole lives. Even if we do, most of us do not have a platonic ideal of our body shape. We would all benefit from cultivating our own list of what works for us and our body and our style. (Here is one vital skill we all need to add to our lists.)
3. Body shapes are related to each other. The only difference between an hourglass, a rectangle, and a diamond is the waist, so the outfit design suggestions are related. The triangle and inverted triangle are (as the name suggests) inverses of each other, so the classic suggestions follow the same design principles on different parts of the body.
4. No body shape is better than the others, and no body shape is the worst shape to be. Every suggestion, every style, every tactic can be worn and look brilliant on any body in any shape. More about that in this blog post.
5. Traditional advice for every shape amounts to “balance out your body shape”. This isn’t necessarily bad or wrong, but it is incomplete, and not always our objective. Earlier in this ebook we chatted about alternative outfit goals. We could be aiming for: in fashion or on trend, comfort, a feeling, a unique emphasis, or so many other things. 

And finally, you’ll often see celebrities, models, and influencers, and street style photographs of people ignoring every suggestion for their body shape – sometimes they look fabulous, sometimes they don’t. Their reasoning could be anything, but when their outfits work, it’s because they are wearing a well designed outfit.

The most important thing to remember about design (regardless of medium) is: if your final design is effective, you can break every rule in the book.

Introducing Each Body Shape

Now that we know your body shape, let’s talk about what that means and start with some overarching advice.

Hourglass / 8 / No Fruit Equivalent

Most often called an hourglass. This body shape is characterized by your hips and bust/shoulder being approximately equal with a defined waist about halfway between the two.

Also sometimes called a figure eight, and is usually listed without a fruit or vegetable equivalent.

If you look at your silhouette in the visual exercise we did for finding your body shape, you’ll see the distinctive lines and curves on your top half mirror the distinctive curves and lines of your bottom half.

Because of this symmetry and balance, you have a lot of design techniques at your disposal.

And because this body shape closely aligns with the default expectations for the American female beauty standard, you have a lot of cultural beauty capital to play with.

The primary things you’ll want to keep in mind as you experiment with dressing for your body shape are:

• Working with your shape and keeping that symmetry and balance that you already have
• Explore and adjust the silhouette of your outfit as you desire
• Avoid unintentionally obscuring or flinging your silhouette out of proportion

And remember: if your final design is effective, you can break every rule in the book.

Rectangle / I / Celery

Often called a rectangle or “I” or celery (or sometimes a carrot). This body shape is characterized by your hips and bust/shoulder being approximately equal without an obviously defined waist.

If you look at your silhouette in the visual exercise we did for finding your body shape, you’ll see the gentle lines and curves on your top half mirror the gentle curves and lines of your bottom half.

Because of this symmetry and balance, you have a lot of design techniques at your disposal.

When thinking about this body shape within the context of the default expectations for the American female beauty standard, you have a lot of cultural beauty capital to play with. Though this shape can veer into a more androgynous silhouette easily, which does have American female beauty standards cultural capital implications.

The primary things you’ll want to keep in mind as you experiment with dressing for your body shape are:

• Working with your shape and keeping that symmetry and balance that you already have
• Explore and adjust the silhouette of your outfit as you desire
• Avoid unintentionally obscuring or flinging your silhouette out of proportion

And remember: if your final design is effective, you can break every rule in the book.

Diamond / Circle / O / Apple

Most often called a circle or oval shape, but sometimes also an “O” or apple or diamond. This body shape is characterized by your waist measurement being larger than both your hips and shoulder/bust.

I’ve chosen to call this shape a diamond. I find it more accurately embodies the shape from a silhouette perspective. Just like an hourglass silhouette is angled from shoulders to waist and waist to hip. Or a triangular and inverted triangular silhouettes are angled shoulder to waist to hip. The diamond silhouette is also angled shoulder to waist and waist to hip.

When we lose track of those lines of the silhouette it can be easy to get lost in the body shaming and cultural expectations of the “right” kind of body. To keep those angles at the forefront of our minds – diamond it is.

If you look at your silhouette in the visual exercise we did for finding your body shape, you’ll see the distinctive lines and curves on your top half mirror the distinctive curves and lines of your bottom half. You’ll generally see narrow and sometimes softly angled shoulders, and narrow hips with a wider waist.

Because of this symmetry and balance, you have a lot of design techniques at your disposal.

At the same time, when thinking about this body shape within the context of the default expectations for the American female beauty standard, you don’t fit the expected mold, which is something to keep in mind.

The primary things you’ll want to keep in mind as you experiment with dressing for your body shape are:

• Working with your shape and keeping that symmetry and balance that you already have
• Explore and adjust the silhouette of your outfit as you desire
• Avoid unintentionally obscuring or flinging your silhouette out of proportion

And remember: if your final design is effective, you can break every rule in the book.

Triangle / A / Pear

Often called a triangle or “A” or pear. This body shape is characterized by your hips being wider than your waist and bust/shoulder.

If you look at your silhouette in the visual exercise we did for finding your body shape, you’ll see a line angling out from your shoulder to your waist to your hip.

Like every body shape, you have plenty of design options available to you. At the same time, you will want to stay considerate of that natural asymmetry as you’re building outfits for your body shape.

When thinking about this body shape within the context of the default expectations for the American female beauty standards, the default expectation highly prizes symmetry. Your body shape does not have symmetry between your top and bottom halves. Taken independently, either half of this body shape could fit those ideal standards, but together they tend not to.

The primary things you’ll want to keep in mind as you experiment with dressing for your body shape are:

• Working with your shape and using your clothes to generate the silhouette you want
• Explore and adjust the silhouette of your outfit as you desire
• Avoid unintentionally overemphasizing the lower half of your outfit

And remember: if your final design is effective, you can break every rule in the book.

Inverted Triangle / V / Broccoli

Often called an inverted triangle or “V”. This body shape is characterized by your shoulders/bust being wider than your waist and hips.

Like the hourglass body shape, this body shape is usually listed without a fruit or vegetable equivalent (though if you do want a food equivalent shape – broccoli or a carrot might be the closest).

If you look at your silhouette in the visual exercise we did for finding your body shape, you’ll see a line angling in from your shoulder to your waist to your hip.

Like every body shape, you have plenty of design options available to you. At the same time, you will want to stay considerate of that natural asymmetry as you’re building outfits for your body shape.

When thinking about this body shape within the context of the default expectations for the American female beauty standards, the default expectation highly prizes symmetry. Your body shape does not have symmetry between your top and bottom halves. Taken independently, either half of this body shape could fit those ideal standards, but together they tend not to.

The primary things you’ll want to keep in mind as you experiment with dressing for your body shape are:

• Working with your shape and using your clothes to generate the silhouette you want
• Explore and adjust the silhouette of your outfit as you desire
• Avoid unintentionally overemphasizing the upper half of your outfit

Remember – the most important thing to remember about design (regardless of medium) is: if your final design is effective, you can break every rule in the book.

Wrapping Up Finding your Body Shape

And that is how to find your body shape without body shaming! Body shapes give us generalized language for speaking about the silhouette and lines of your body and your outfit. It is a simplified intellectual framework. It gives us a shorthand for speaking about the general silhouette and lines of your body and your outfit. Most of us do not fit perfectly into this framework. Dress your body, not an intellectual ideal.

We get into a TON more detail about this in Holly’s Guide to Dressing for Your Body Shape with Care and Confidence. This 141+ page PDF is available to download immediately after purchase and contains:

• What the body shapes are
• What body shapes are used for…
• 3 ways body shapes fail us and how to handle them
• Layers of Shaping: Skeleton vs Tissue vs Clothes
• Silhouettes: Building Out, Sucking In, or Smoothing Over
• Lines In Your Outfit: horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and darting
• 2 ways to find your body shape with care
• Building outfits for your body shape – piece by piece – necklines to hemlines and everything in between
• Specific styling suggestions for every shape
• Building your outfit shape below the torso
• Using Shapes as the Building Blocks for Your Silhouette

PLUS: tons more tips and tricks and additional suggestions and advice

AND: stories from historical dress and silhouettes

Find out more and get your copy here.