I LOVE Trinny and Susannah. I have every one of their books and look forward to checking out this new one! Their books are great reference books that I use over and over!

I feel like I’m more of a circle.. Like, a combination of an apple, a pear and a rectangle…

Yes! That makes it so much easier. I would be a short Brick, but with a perky bum. Hahahaha…. doesn’t do much for the self-esteem, though, does it?

I have a bit of a hard time identifying my “new” body type since menopause. Also – one thing they don’t cover is broad shoulders but still bigger on the bottom than on the top. So – am I a rectangle because my shoulder bone width and hip width are both wide, or a pear because my hip measurement is larger than my bust measurement? And as for “slim waist” – that is no longer ture – but I do still have a waist indentation which some 55+ women do not. Oh, and did I mention I am short-waisted rather than long, and all of my 5′ 8″ is in my legs? Hahaha – I am definitely a bit of an oddity as far as classification goes.

I still can’t figure out my body type. I don’t know if I’m more hourglass or pear. Or, jeez, even rectangle or inverted triangle.

I probably dress all wrong because I don’t actually follow any of the tips for dressing for one’s body type.

I find it somewhat humorous that all the inverted triangle shapes have long legs!

Despite being 5′0″, I am clearly an inverted triangle (I have a classic swimmer’s physique), with a substantial bust, defined waist, slimmish hips and short legs. So really, Trinny & Susannah’s sub-categories don’t help me out at all!

I also don’t seem to fit the molds, lol. I am 5′4″ with aligned shoulders/hips, a defined waist, curvy legs/butt, long legs…but flat boobs (AA). Bummer. Sometimes I’d die for underwire support!

These categories do help me — I always read these body type descriptions in various places and come away thinking I’m *almost* a pear (my daughters tell me I have a JLo bum), but I’m not quite a textbook pear. I’m shortwaisted; maybe that’s it.

So, okay now, I am definitely a BELL. Now I know.

But if it’s all the same to you, I will politely decline any suggestion of Hillary as my style guide. ::shudders::

So (pouts, stamps her Born-booted foot) why do the other gals get glam protogypes like Halle, Angelina, Nicole, Salma, Kate and Sandra… and we Bell gals get Hillary? Harumph. Like workin’ the big bootay and the thunder thighs wasn’t enough already.

(Note: All Meant In Good Humor. This Is Not A Political Comment. Your Mileage May Vary. Etc.

This is the 1st of heard of these “style guides”. I don’t have a pre-existing affinity as a result of seeing their show or reading their books. But…could the names of the categories be less flattering? Sheesh. I don’t think this does anything to promote loving our body types. Skittle, column, brick??? Come on! Can’t we think of anything more beautiful to describe the human body? Irritated.

I’ve seen this before, and I really don’t know what i am. I guess having an accurate perception of my body would be helpful, wouldn’t it?

I fear this could send women reeling with more negative body image issues. I understand that knowing what looks good on your body type will help you feel better about the way you look. But I think trying to figure out your body type is more difficult to do than figuring out what looks good on your body.

Why do we try to fit into a mold or category? When you feel good in an outfit, pay attention to how it’s cut. Where does it sit on your waist? Are there darts in a certain area? Do the sleeves fall at a certain point, or fall a certain way. Is the shoulder fitted, dropped or raglan? Is the neck V, crew, deep U, squared? Once you know what looks good on you, it doesn’t matter what your body shape is.

I’m not sure more better here. Hurray for Angie and her 5 body types.

I think I’m a brick, oh well.

[...] I use a variation on the six silhouettes found in The Triumph of Individual Style. However, now Angie has put together an explanation even I can understand, based on the new book, The Body Shape Bible, by Trinny and Susannah, and [...]

Every time one of these guides mentions a “small/large bust” I don’t really know what to think. My band size is only 32 and about 4 inches smaller than my hips, and I have very narrow shoulders and a small ribcage. The girls themselves aren’t small though. So where do I fit in? Truthfully, I don’t think I fit into any of these categories. I’ve given up on the whole body type thing. I’m with Nicole…just try stuff on and take note of details that work for you.

Um, I just read a magazine with a pic of Halle Berry and if she has heavy legs and calves…that example is insane. Halle Berry has a perfect hourglass. So much for those shapes!

This is a wonderful post. Now I know I am a true Apple..

It sounds like you are apple shaped if you describe your body shape “circular” Jorunn. Contrary to Trinny & Susannah, I feel that your bust does not need to be smaller than your tummy to be apple shaped. And Maris and Lisa, you seem to be hourglasses with either an average or small sized bust. However, if you feel that you are a little curvier at the bottom, you’ll probably want to follow a few of the guidelines for the pear shape because you can tend towards a pear and an hourglass.

But you can’t be an inverted triangle and a pear. The same way you can’t be a rectangle and an apple. These body types are opposite. But you can be hourglassy with a little extra around the middle, or an inverted triangle with a little extra around the middle. In this case you’ll follow a few of the apple shape guidelines as well as your first body type.

I’d have used Beyonce as a celebrity example for “a Bell” instead of Hillary Clinton Lynn. Halle Berry would be the perfect example of someone who is very hourglassy, but because she is fuller at the bottom than she is on top, she also tends towards a pear. She does not have large calves and therefore Trinny & Susannah’s example of her in this light is a little inaccurate.

It’s hard to classify our body types accurately especially when the perceptions of ourselves are not what others see. It’s also a little tricky to boil down what’s best for your body type to “what I feel good in”. I know plenty of people who feel great in clothing that is clearly unflattering to their body type. There is no getting away from the fact that one needs to continually experiment with new looks in order to establish what looks good and what doesn’t. Experimentation is time consuming and what the body type rules do is help to narrow down the choices in our search.

Oh no, now I am more confused than ever. I didn’t even know you can’t be both an apple and a rectangle, since I always thought I was either a slimmer apple or a heavier rectangle. I still consider myself well-dressed despite my body shape ignorance though, ha ha.

You can absolutely be well dressed if you are “body shape ignorant”. When this happens, you’ve managed to follow body type clothing guidelines instinctively without ever seeing it on paper.

Can’t tell which hourglass I am for the life of me. So, not too helpful.

It doesn’t matter, of course, except as a sort of quiz game, because I know what looks good on me generally speaking (and I can generally make a good decision on when to break a rule).

I’m an hourglass, but in the book it tells me to “watch Charlotte Church’s style choices.” Ummm…maybe I’ll just stick with sexy Salma and Nigella, thanks!

[...] you for last week’s informative comments on Trinny & Susannah’s twelve body shape definitions. Overall, I’m left with the impression that people find them a little confusing. Perhaps the [...]

I can’t… it’s so hard to look at myself objectively. Are my thighs heavy or not ? And my calves ? Is my bottom half jeavier than the top half ? Are my shoulders wide or narrow ? How can I tell ? Could you explain this with the help of some measurements ?

For example I found that I am short legged and long waisted by these directions

“Gauge the distance from your neck to your waist and from waist to crotch.
If the upper half is longer, you’re long-waisted, and vice-versa.
Determine the length of your neck and legs (they play an important part in overall proportion) with these easy steps:
*If you can easily touch your chin to your chest, your neck is short; if you have to strain, it’s long.
*If the distance from your shoulders to your crotch is longer than from your crotch to ankles, you’re short-legged.”

I love this guide. I think some folks are interpreting the picutres much too literally. The authors are not implying that you have to be IDENTICAL to the examples, just use them as a guide. I am very much a slim cornet and I liked their examples. So many of the mags tell me that as a skinny person I should wear lots of dresses that are snug right under the bust (yeah right….that’s the widest part of my body) or tops that are strapless or spagetti strapped (because who wouldn’t want to look like a linebacker ?). Nice to know that someone believes that my body type exists…even if clothing manufacturers do not.

I guess I’m a lollipop

what are you if you are small with measurements of 37, 30, 40 and a high waist? I have always thougth myself a pear, my friend says hourglass and my sister thinks bel…my shoulders are the same as my hips and I have chunky legs.

This is a great list, but the thing is… it doesn’t give enough options for women with small busts. I for one don’t match a single one of the options (there are two here for the small-busted, both of which require extremes in the case of legs- either big and bulky or slim and lean).

Thanks for the list! I’ve always found it difficult to fit myself into traditional classifications. I’m definitely a Cello.

I think it’s a pity that your body type descriptions leave out women with larger, rounded bottoms. How do you dress an african bottom?

Haha this doesn’t help me at all! Apparently my body shape is just off-the-charts weird. I know I am some sort of inverted triangle cause my shoulders are huge (36″ around, my hips are only 34″), but I have a tiny chest, tiny waist, short torso, narrow but curved hips and a round curvy butt, and super-skinny thighs. I love my body but it is hard to dress.. what fits my shoulders and ass is baggy everywhere else.

I see runway models with my body type, but no celebrities, and no one in real life!

I think there are infinate variations in body shape and these twelve types aren’t much more helpful in narrowing tham down than the basic ‘apple, pear, hourglass, top-heavy’ catagories. I agree that it’s best to learn what looks good on you (which sometimes takes a lot of thought and staring in the mirror!), what you want to emphazise/hide, and how to do it.

Morgan you’re not an hourglass. An hourglass has some bust as hip measurement and a waist 10cms smaller than the hip/bust measurement.

your measurements are very similar to mine and i classify myself as skittle/pear. I don’t have huge thighs or saddlebags but carry all my weight around the stomach/bum/ top of thigh area. I have straight calves and ankles. I’m tall and not really overweight (170cm and 69kg).

I have found it hard trying to figure out what I am and like T&S say, you can be a mix.

although i dont agree with putting a label on body shapes or comparing body shapes to items like ‘bricks’ (ESPECIALLY bricks!) as it can be very offensive, i find trinny and susannah a joy to watch, they are funny and not too harsh about everything. i watch thier tv show and my family loves it. we even decided to draw what we thought our body shapes where with surprising outcomes.
i may only be a kid still (im 16) but i find it kind of wierd seeing people say wow im an hourglass or a pear, i mean why are they even looking at this, coz to be honest i rekon everyone should shut up and be happy with what they look like.

im a column/cornet lol
susannah your a legend. and trinny…well your trinny.

I still don’t know what my shape is well…
My hips are-37″
Waist” 30
Shoulders=38.5″
Thighs= 21″
Bust=38″
By but is an ok size
And im 5′8.1/2″

What ARE saddlebags? Googling provides a long list of A) horsey people who want to sell them and B) people who want to tell me how to get rid of mine. The general implication seems to be extra weight at the hips or thighs, but that’s not a very precise description and I’d like to gain a clearer understanding of the word.

What I noticed about Trinny and Suze, all the stuff they have written they have never written anything for short women, under 5′4″, being both of them are tall. Short women really need some tips. I was told always to dress monochromatically, as 2 colors will cut me in half and make me look even shorter, yet in their book T & S Take on America they say that unless it’s exquite pieces big blocks of color don’t work. They say no to black suits, too, it looks hard and cheap. Great, I just bought a black jacket and matching pants, back it goes.

I thought a vase would fall more under the hourglass category and cello more with the pears?

But anyway I still can’t figure out my bodytype. I know it’s one of the pears.

[...] into all this drama! Oh wait…there are now 12 body types! That’s right… The body shape bible | youlookfab I think Nola’s going to be excited… There’s a–wait for it– SKITTLE shape! __________________ [...]

Hey Morgan–I’d go with your sister in saying you’re a bell; the long-legged pear that the long-waisted, classic pears like myself are all jealous of! You’re just like the friend I had dinner with tonight–broadish shoulders, but small chest and waist, bootylicious and with long legs. We’re actually the same size in clothes but her inseam dwarfs mine since I’m so top-tall.

I’m 5′6, 32B/25/39 and a 30.5″ inseam in flats. If Wikipedia had an article for the classic pear subtype of the pear category, you’d probably see a picture of me on there!

My measurents are 32DD/24/37 and I’m 5 foot 1. Would i be considered an hourglass or a pear because my bust size is 32?

Help please.

I do not have a clue what shape i am at all…. in my opinion i have average sixed boobs large tummy and bum, large hips and thighs… can someone help me out not sure if im cello, pear, apple…. i would say an apple but please help opinions please ……

hey, i really like this book. my friend is not happy that she is a pear.

I think Im a vase. my bust is 36 waist29 hips37. I’m 5′6 and weigh around 134lbs. are my hips wide for my frame or narrow? hmm perhaps im not a vase.

This is a lot easier than the 5-type categorization. Skittle defines me perfectly well.

Vase all the way:)