Help me figure out my body type! - YouLookFab Forum

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Help me figure out my body type!

endlessness

I'm planning on refreshing my wardrobe for a change (New Years Eve syndrome anyone?), and I feel like I need to make adjustments to the type of clothing I purchase. I would love to take advice on the Web based on my body shape, but I have no idea what my body shape is! I tried to take measurements, but I'm getting different results, and I'm not even sure I'm measuring correctly...

What do you guys think? Banana? Pear? Some other delicious fruit?

http://tinypic.com/r/2k4paa/5

Body Type

14 replies

Latest reply was from E

Anonymous

Looks like an hourglass to me!

Joy

Veteran

Hourglass with a strong shoulder line. (Inverted triangle tendencies)

endlessness

Really? :O Even with the saddlebags? I always assumed I was some kind of pear!

Anyone has any idea on what sort of jeans I need to buy to reduce the appearance of the saddlebags?

Gigi

Veteran

I would say hourglass also. You might also be what Imogen Lamport calls an "X" shape--see her blog Inside Out Style: http://www.insideoutstyleblog......pes-x.html.

She gives lots of clothing suggestions.

I think whatever shape you are, you also have a bit of inverted triangle thrown in, because your shoulders are wider than your hips. I think that a pear shape has narrower shoulders than hips. But someone can correct me if I'm wrong...I'm terrible at body-typing!

endlessness

Ooh that is very helpful, and I think you just figured out why I had so much trouble figuring out my body shape (with the much longer slope from waist to hips). Thank you!

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Yo have a strong shoulder line that balances your lower half so I don't think you are a true pear. Personally I've never found body types much help with my clothing choices, it always depends on so many factors. My suggestion is to try on lots of different styles of clothing to see what works for you.

If you want to minimise the lower hip area then a pant or jean that falls straight from the widest part would be my recommendation

K. Period.

Veteran

Yep. That waist says hourglass to me. ITs are generally pretty straight, with little in the way of a defined waist. You have strong shoulders though because you are slim and I think it looks even more so because your arm is up to take the photo. So you are an hourglass with maybe a strong shoulder line. Pears have noticeably smaller shoulders and tend to have particularly long and elegant necks. I didn't get a chance to look to see if your neck is very long, but my general impression was that it was pretty normal, not short (typical with an IT) or very long (pear).

Also, I agree with Caro's recommendation for a looser leg on pants. My friend who is a pear wears trousers with a very fitted waist that flow out loosely from her hips and she looks fantastic in them. Skinny jeans are her nemesis. I've heard lots of pears say bootcuts are the absolute best for them.

Gigi

Veteran

I also agree with Caro that I don't find body types all that helpful either, because a person is rarely a single body type. I like to go with the individual parts of the body: how do you dress a small bosom, wide hips, wide shoulders, etc. You might want to check out a book called *The Triumph of Individual Style* from the library (you can get it on interlibrary loan if your local library doesn't have it), because it has a list of various body parts (large thighs, short legs, long neck, low bosom, etc.) and how to dress each one. I have found it helpful.

anne

Veteran

A definite X . I am one too. I think the fact that the 2 horizontal lines are at shoulders and thigh rather than, say, bust and high hip means that the body lines are straighter and less curvy.

So far as dressing tips go there's a lot of similarity between pear and hourglass anyway_-just no need to add shoulder emphasis.

E

Veteran

Oh your figure is very similar to mine! Which means you should also look at Suz and Tanya, who have a similar shape as well.

LAR101

I vote with the X camp
and in addition I think you might be slightly long waisted,
but I can't quite decide.

I really liked Imogen's Lamport's distinctiion between the X hourglass and the 8 hourglass. I no longer think of the X as having saddlebags but hip bones.
Gigi's post has the weblink.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I agree that you seem to be quite hourglassy, and with strong shoulders -- I can relate to some of your dressing concerns, although I am very short-waisted, while you appear to be long-waisted.

I have quite pronounced saddlebags regardless of my weight or how many miles I run (sigh), and even though I think bootlegs can be my most flattering cut in general, I really think any style can work well if the fit is spot on and the fabrication is either substantial or has enough drape to skim without clinging.

That said, some of my favorite jeans right now are straight legs and baby boot cuts. Brands that work well for me in accommodating the saddlebags are Paige, Hudson (the Beth baby boot cut), and sometimes AG.

endlessness

Thank you so much everyone for your help and tips! This has been very eye opening. I realized I never really look at my body shape before and what you all pointed out make absolute sense!

I already found two pairs of jeans that seem to help, thank to the realization that I should go for mid rise, and not low rise like my teenage years has taught me. Never even TOUCHED one before today, that should say something about teen brainwashing Also, curvy fit is AWESOME! Why have I never tried it on before?!

I'll definitely take a look at the brands you suggested too, thank you!

E

Veteran

We must be a similar age Endlessness, because I also spent my teen years in super low rise jeans, and trying on higher rises was *such* a revelation! In fact, I have such a long rise, that 'high rise' are even more comfortable on me than mid rise (I now look for about a 10" rise, although it can be difficult to find). I still feel sad I spent so many years feeling like my trousers were falling off and having to wear super long shirts to keep me covered.