Thank you for the information! This is always such an interesting subject!

I too have this book from pre YLF- i think all the 12 shapes can still be placed roughly into Angie's 5. Wish i could find the post but i'm sure somewhere on here she listed how they all fit x

Here's the post you were thinking of Loulou
http://youlookfab.com/2007/12/.....ape-bible/

If you do a search on body bible you should come up with all the posts where it has been discussed.

As I say on one of them I found their analysis of me pretty spot -on. With the possible exception of chunky calves, I have every attribute of their skittle shape and felt like I was looking in a mirror.

I like the fact that they include side and back views too.

As to the fashion advice, I quite liked what they advised for my shape because it happened to fit in with my style preferences! But not everyone agrees with them in every area, and as someone said on your other thread, Angie tends to be more adventurous.

I've been reading Kendall Farr's new book. She has only three shapes. I am a C - and if you traced my silhouette, I'm *exactly* a C, right down to the shoulder line (straight), shorter neck, slightly thicker waist.

I've become obsessed lately noticing people's shoulder lines. Kendall's A and B (hourglass and pear) shapes have delicately sloped shoulders - which I'm noticing makes one's neck looks longer. It's only the C that has a straight-across shoulder. I've been observing in myself and others that this shoulder line tends to make one's neck look shorter, and one's shoulder line look broader.

I've said it before - my shoulders actually are just as wide as my hips (based on tape measurements) - they just LOOK broader. It's because my shoulders go straight across.

Funny story:
My husband bought me a rashguard for my birthday. It has a crew neckline, and is meant to stretch. I put it on, and I felt like the neckline was choking me. I said, it doesn't fit. DH said, yes it does - it's meant to stretch, here I'll show you. So he put it on himself. Of course, his shoulders are much more broad than mine. But his shoulders slope down. And so this teeny rashguard did not choke him in the neck at all.

Ever since then, I've been obsessed, watching people (both men and women) on the beach, or observing their shadows, which is where you can clearly see people's outlines.

Anyway... didn't mean to get off topic... I'm just... obsessed with shoulders right now!

ah ah.. shiny.. you are so funny! I'm wondering if you have already checked my shoulder line...

Thanks for linking to the post with the body shapes. I think I am a coronet???

I don't think I am close to being any of those shapes...

Someone (maybe it was me :p) once posted a link to a "quiz" you could fill out and it would give you the result, but I can't remember what mine was. I remember it wasn't really accurate though.

Also, on reading Angie's post on the subject, I am even more confused about how the shapes break down. The vase doesn't sound the least bit appley to me (gently curving long waist), and Kate Winslet sure as heck isn't an apple. She is about as pear shaped as can be.

I would guess that the lollipop is the closest to my shape, but I do not have a slight waist and I am certainly not an inverted triangle.

Edit: found a visual aid:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/fem.....--you.html

I think it confirms my lolli-ness

So I just went to MyShape (they've redone their site, I see) and re-entered a zillion measurements. I came out an M shape, and the description sounds pretty accurate to me. I used to be a different shape when the site first came out (can't remember now which).

Anyone else on that site?

Shiny, I am a non-believer in MyShape. They also peg me as an M, no matter what bizarre measurements I enter. While most of it is true, I definitely don't have a strong or straight shoulder line. For a while when my boobs got bigger but my waist stayed small, I was an S. Now that my waist has thickened out a bit, I am back to an M...and for some reason even when I change my bust measurement to be even bigger (gasp), it still says I'm an M.

Heh, well, apparently shipping and returns are free with MyShape (provided you filled out a profile with all your measurements). That makes it pretty compelling to give it a whirl. It's a great concept, so I'm rooting for them. They are putting their money where their mouth is, good for them.

Depressingly, there's not much for pants or skirts for me. Despite my checking off that I don't mind hemming. This parallels my real-life experience. It sucks because there is some suiting that looks nice, but the jackets might fit and the matching pants don't. :-(

According to Trinny and Susannah I am a skittle. And that seems to be very accurate.

I'm just not convinced. First of all, they think I am a size 8 or 10 in a lot of tops, which I am not. Not even close. I have a big bust but not THAT big. I rarely wear anything over a small and have never worn a single item of clothing over a size 4.

I ordered a sweater jacket from them once and it fit but it wasn't very flattering so I returned it.

They have nice clothes, so if I had the money I would probably shop there but I would just ignore their advice and order the size I think I am. I think you can shop without entering your measurements.

I remember I once entered something like 32-28-32 just to see what it would do. Still an M. I wonder what your measurements would have to be to get an H. 32-32-32?

Ah I found it (the Trinny and Susannah thing):

http://www.littlewoods.com/rf/.....dingpage21

This time I came out as a vase, but lollipop was also suggested and probably more accurate since I do not have a long waist.

Eh, that quiz is quite prone to errors, don't you think? It all depends on how bad or good you are feeling about your body! I took it twice, once with a positive frame of mind, and then with a negative frame of mind. I came out a Column the first time and a Goblet the second.

I would bank on objective computerized measurements - and VERY detailed ones - over my own self-perception anytime.

I found this on Myshape - Maya, you can call customer care and convince them you are a different shape:

http://www.myshape.com/shop/shape-faqs

I'm curious: when you measure your shoulders, what do you get? I know you have sloped shoulders and mine are quite straight. I'm just wondering how similar we are. It doesn't go past me that you and I both fit into that BR dress (which looked better on you, I'm just saying...).

I've read T&S's descriptions, and even though they have 12 different body types, they don't have one that sounds like me. Angie says I'm a pear, and my thighs are what I'm most self consious about. However, my hip measurement is actually smaller than my shoulder measurement. I am a B-cup. All info I read about pears talks about small shoulders, and that's just not me. However, because of my predominant thighs I'm not truly an hourglass either. I was disappointed that T&S didn't have more variations for the pear/hourglass combos like me that are out there.

Shiny, I don't really think I fit into any of those shape categories. Actually, I just signed in and it says I'm an S. I didn't change any of my measurements. Really weird. I haven't logged in for ages, so maybe they have adjusted their calculating system since last time. But anyway, I wouldn't argue over it with them, since knowing this doesn't actually help me, and I don't think I fit solidly into any one shape anyway. I have a pretty good idea of what does and doesn't work for me by now.

I am not sure if my shoulder measurement was really accurate, since it's kind of hard to do it yourself without your arm lifting up, but I got 38". It could be that we have similar shoulder measurements, but you have slimmer hips and straighter shoulders than I do, so your shoulders just look broader. It's all about how different body parts relate to each other. I am surprised to see my hips now measure 37", but I guess that's good since it means I'm a bit less appley than previously.

As for the T&S shape finder, it's true that it's nearly impossible to be objective about ourselves...which makes me wonder: What if, instead of analyzing ourselves, we did each other? Just for fun. I would be curious to see how different our perceptions are from other people's. Shiny, when I put in my perception of you, I got column. So your "positive" outcome seems accurate to me!

Some people don't seem to fit into any broad category. My sister gets very frustrated that she doesn't quite fit any of the major classifications. Her waist is ten inches smaller than her hips, rather like an hourglass or pear. However, her bust is 14 inches larger than her waist and she has extremely broad shoulders. So, she's like an inverted triangle, except that she still has a low hip to waist ratio. She's 5'8" and measures 40-26-36. Her shoulders are about 44" around, so a lot broader than her hips. Still her waist seems too defined for her to be an inverted triangle. I don't think she needs to worry too much because her figure is beautiful, but it's frustrating for her since she wears a 6 in skirts or jeans but can only wear knits on top because she is so busty. Her body type really seems like a hybrid of the hourglass and the inverted triangle.

I guess my point is that there's always an element of opinion when it comes to classifying body shape. By measurements I'm most definitely an hourglass, but I don't always think my waist looks defined. It's very defined from the back, moderately so from the front, but doesn't look small in profile because I've developed a bit of a tummy. Also, because I'm tall, the 14" difference between my waist and my bust/hips doesn't look that extreme. Unlike most hourglasses, I do not have a short torso and I consequently look less curvy.

Interesting! My shoulder measurement came out as 36 inches (18 from shoulder to shoulder). I also don't know if that is very accurate, since I did it myself.

Clearly we have different shaped shoulders - yours being sloped and mine being straight across. But I am wondering, when it comes to most clothing, does that matter as much as the circumference? Surely it matters for things like bras and vests and anything that might slip off. And, as the recent exercise with my hubby trying on my rashguard, you can wear crewnecks without being choked, and I cannot.

As for hips, my high hip measured 33 inch, low hip 35. So the differential between my shoulders and my hips is just the same as yours, just about an inch.

Okay now I'm frustrated with the site... it is horrible to navigate. I can't find the shape descriptions to see what an S is... ah! Found it! ... yeah, I would describe your shape more as an S, based on that description. I know you think your waist is undefined, but seeing you in the BR dress, trust me... your waist is much more defined than mine. But it sounds like according to Myshape it's the shoulders that is the clincher between an M and an S, so there you go. Makes sense to me.

As for T&S, the irony of getting a column is that you're supposed to be TALL. Clearly I am not. :-)

Shiny, I measured the circumference of my shoulders by wrapping the tape all the way around. I'll have to see what the measurement is straight across, but I don't think it would be accurate since, at least for me, I have more curve in the back than the front. If I had a smaller chest, I would be very bony and skinny upwards of my tum.

I also have a skinny long neck, and scrawny upper arms. They're actually quite embarrassingly squishy, but they're thin and smooth. I think that also gives the impression of me being small up top...well, at least until you get to the bust area.

I think I am either an S without the defined waist or an M with softer shoulders. I guess that is why I teeter between both. The M shape is a little confusing to me since it does not conform to my preconceived ideas of shapes :) I guess it's just a variation on the hourglass.

Edit: OK, I think I did a real hack job of measuring the first time. This time I got my mom to help. I am 36" all the way around, and 15" from shoulder to shoulder (measuring flat, straight across). I was measuring too far down on my own so the measurement came out bigger. That explains a lot.

deleted

I read this book when it came out. According to T&S, I am a goblet which makes sense. I haven't tried my shape for a long time but according to them I was an M.

I'm a goblet also,top heavy with slender stem(legs)I just joined YLF so I had no idea that Angie talked about the book before.

Thank you Maya, I'm an hourglass.. yes, no doubts, always an hourglass.. they say to avoid ankle straps shoes.. ohhhh that's one thing I love...

I think Angie's advice is the best about using body shape as a guide only. I completed the Trinny and Susannah questionnaire and the result was....you are a goblet or could be one of four other options.

I have respect for T&S, I have three of there books but I have learned more on this website in three weeks than years of watching What not to Wear.

Rute, please do not give up wearing your ankle strap shoes they always remind me of Ms Monroe sashaying across a film set.

Rute, I wouldn't take this advice too seriously. A lot of it just seems really arbitrary to me.

I am curious to know how they arrived at these 12 body types. I imagine most women do not fit into any of them perfectly. For example, almost none of them other than the apple and the brick have a real tummy. If you're a woman with heavy thighs and a tum, there is no body type for you, even though that is a pretty common combination to have. And why does a column have to be tall? What would you call a slim, boyish, petite woman then? If there is going to be so much overlap and second-guessing anyway, I would rather deal with fewer body types, à la Angie.

I agree, Maya. Who can remember 12 body types, with ridiculous names like "skittle"? What's a skittle, anyway? To me it is a tart chewy round candy :)

I bet any of us could rattle off Angie's body types from memory. And then we each tag ourselves with her modifiers -- short waisted, long-necked, long arms. I find that MUCH easier.

Maya, I agree. Sometimes it's almost as impossible as classifying yourself strictly as an endomorph, ectomorph, or mesomorph. I'm tall like an ectomorph, large-boned like an endomorph, and have strong calves like a mesomorph. And like I said, by any classification system I come out as an hourglass, but I can still feel really self-conscious about my waistline.

I prefer using Angie's body shapes for ease, but I do like breaking them down even further to understand the smaller details and what works for me specifically instead of generally. Like a "skittle" I have thicker thighs and calves, but I have an average bust, not a small bust or shoulders like the typical "pear".
If I dress for pear, it is not the most flattering for my bust or shoulders, but if I dress for hourglass, it isn't the most flattering for my lower half. So I use those terms here, but it was helpful for me to learn the specifics with T and S, and how to dress them.