Last updated on September 12th, 2025 at 04:22 pm
Understanding what body shapes are can be confusing.
In this post, you find the basics of body shapes explained.
What Are Body Shapes?
Body shape (not the same as body type) is the form of the human body.
It refers to the shape when you outline four points on your body: your shoulders, bust, waist, and hips.
See the image below as an example.
Body shapes are categorized due to the distribution of muscle and fats in an individual’s body.
The keyword in this division is volume.
You need to look at your body, evaluate your proportions, and see which of the four points above is the widest part – your shoulders, bust, waist, or hips. And which of these points is the narrowest.
According to the widest, and narrowest parts of your body, you will fit in a body shape category.
It’s important to mention that no matter what your size/weight is, you can belong to any of the body shape categories.
There are plus-size women with hourglass-shaped bodies and small women with apple-shaped bodies.
You can also be a combination of 2 body shapes not fitting entirely into one category.
It is very common and discussed here.
Are Body Shapes Important?
Knowing your body shape is important to fashion.
If you want to improve your style, the first step is to follow styling recommendations for your body shape.
What dressing for your body shape does, is elongate your figure to make you look taller and more proportionate.
Although it is only a suggestion on how to dress, it is important to dominate the basics before you break them.
What Body Shapes Exist?
There are 5 main body shapes – apple, rectangle, hourglass, pear and inverted triangle.
Most women will fit into one of these categories.
The images below describe their main characteristics.
Can Body Shape Change?
Yes, but the changes will be slight!
Your body shape is determined by your skeleton structure and fat distribution.
Although you can’t change your bone structure, you can affect fat distribution.
– Changes in total body weight can help you lean or widen certain body parts such as the waist.
This affects your overall body shape.
– Plastic Surgery is a method used to alter body shape by reshaping certain body parts.
I’m not advising you to get surgery, nor am I a doctor.
I am simply informing you that it is an existing possibility with risks and requires serious consideration.
How To Find Your Body Shape?
Download My Free Guide and Find your body shape in 15 minutes.
Disclaimer: This article is informational only. All the pictures were created by The Princientist and cannot be used without the creator’s permission.
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