Everything you need to know about the pear body shape in 2024 (2024)

• Want to know what a pear body shape looks like?You'll have narrow shoulders, a defined waist, and broad hips - those are just 3 main characteristics, but there are many more!
  
• Want to know if your body shape is a pear? I've listed the core characteristics below, and if you check them all, it probably is. I've also shared some measurements you could take if you're not sure whether you have a pear shape or an hourglass shape.
• Want to know which clothes a pear shape should wear? My favorite items are wide-leg jeans, and tops with structured shoulders, but I’m sharing a ton more items below that will look great on you!
• Want to know what clothes you might want to avoid? Straight leg jeans and slip dresses are difficult to get in a good fit, but there are more items you might want to know about, so scroll on down to see!

Two big signs suggest you have a pear shape:

1. The first is if you typically wear a smaller clothing size on your top half than you do on your bottom half
2. The second is if your shoulders are considerably narrower than your hips

But that's not all...if your body shape also aligns with these common characteristics below, the chances are that you have a pear-shaped body.

• You often wear a smaller dress size on the top half than you do on the bottom half -and this can make it difficult to get dresses that fit both your top and bottom half – if they fit you on top, they’re often too tight on the bottom...and vice versa.
• If you put weight on it tends to sit on your bottom and thighs before anywhere else
• Your torso is longer than your legs and this can make your bottom half look heavier than it is, which only enhances your pear shape. It also means that tops and sleeves are sometimes a little short, and dresses with a waistline don't always sit on your waist.
• Your shoulders are narrower than your hips so you probably find that tops are a little broad in the shoulders, despite fitting everywhere else. Or it might mean that tops catch at your hips and ride up.
• You have a small bust which, combined with your narrower shoulders and long torso can enhance your small top half, which highlights your larger bottom half. It also means that some tops are loose across your chest.
• You have a defined waistline which makes buying jeans, pants, and skirts frustrating as they often gape at the back of the waistband…even if they fit your hips and thighs.

Take the quiz!

Many women struggle to fit into just one body-shape category, and this is because the 4 well-established body types only take into account the basic qualities of each shape.

The most likely scenario is that your body shape is a combination of two body shapes - a primary and a secondary shape; the primary shape being the one that your shape aligns with the most, and the secondary being the shape that your body shape overlaps with a little.

So, it's quite possible that your primary body-shape might be pear shape (especially if you checked most of the characteristics I listed above), but your true body shape - the one that takes into consideration ALL off your characteristics - might be a pear body shape with a secondary body shape of hourglass or column.

The best way to determine whether you have a pear shape or an hourglass shape is to take some measurements:

Measure the circumference of your shoulders and the circumference of your hips:

• If your shoulder and hip measurements are the same (give or take a couple of cm), and you also have a very well-defined waistline, you probably have an hourglass body type, not a pear
• If your hip measurement is noticeably larger than your shoulder measurement and you have a defined waistline, you are more likely to have a pear figure than an hourglass one.

If you're still not sure, take my FREE body shape quiz

I know it can be helpful to see other women who have a similar shape as yours, so here are some of my favorite pear shaped celebrities.

If there's a pear shaped celebrity who's style you admire, follow them on Instagram, or search for them on Pinterest. It's a great way to develop new looks that work for your shape.

Before we talk about how a pear shaped figure should dress, let's chat a bit about what it is you want to achieve with your outfit.

I'm not talking the look you want to create, or occasion that you're dressing for; I'm referring to what you want your clothes to do for your shape. Clothes can add volume, create shape, emphasize, and disguise, so it's a good idea to think about what you want your shape to look like, before you start to build an outfit.

• Do you want to highlight your curves? Or do you want to disguise them?
• Do you want to balance your frame, so it looks more hourglass or column shaped? Or do you want to showcase your gorgeous pear shape proportions?

Typically, when I'm working with a pear shaped client, she wants to look more balanced, and she wants to look smaller on the bottom half.

When that is the objective:

• Choose clothing styles that add volume to your narrow shoulders, to broaden them and give the appearance of a balanced frame
• Combine this with clothing styles that slim and elongate your legs to make your torso look shorter, and your proportions more balanced
• And choose clothing styles and elements that highlight and enhance your unique assets - A pear shape’s assets are typically a defined waistline and neat top half; but you will want to identify what your unique assets are and take these into consideration when you’re dressing your pear body shape. If you need help figuring out what your assets and qualities are, this workbook will help

If you're anything like my pear shaped clients, you've probably wasted far too much time and money buying clothes that you don’t feel good in.

Outfits never look as good on you as they did in your head, and you can’t find the clothes that fit well:

• Pants and jeans gape at the back of the waistband
• Dresses rarely fit both your top and bottom half
• And most clothes seem to make you look big on the bottom half
  

Well, no more!

I'm drawing on my 18 years experience helping pear shaped women like you to create outfits that look good, and am sharing the best clothes for a pear shape so you can turn your body shape into your superpower and make clothes work for you...rather than the other way round!

• Crew neck tops are great on a pear-shape - they draw the eye up to your skimmer top half and add a little volume to your torso which balances your frame a little.
• Puff sleeves and flutter sleeves are a great option for a pear-shape -They do a fantastic job of adding a little breadth to your shoulders, and this helps to balance your frame and create a more defined waistline.
• Off the shoulder tops are one of the best options for a triangle shape - they draw a horizontal line right across your torso and arms, which makes your upper half look broader, and your hips look narrower.
• Structured shoulders, such as shoulder pads are perfect for pears - in the same way that puff sleeves are - they add some width to balance your shoulders with your wider hips.
• Sweetheart necklines are great options for pear shapes - these are a pretty option as they broaden your shoulders a little and enhance your bust. They create a curvier upper half to compliment your curvy bottom half.
• Turtlenecks are a good choice for pear shapes - they add a little weight to your torso and bust, but a word of caution when wearing turtlenecks - they can elongate your torso, so you may feel better in a polo neck when you team it with a pair of high rise jeans.

When you're choosing skirts as a pear shape, you may find that some styles hug your hips, but gape around the waist (and they subsequently spin round as you walk in them), and you might not like that some skirt styles draw attention to your hips and thighs.

With that in mind, here are some tips to help you chose skirts that will fit you better:

• Skim and narrow your hips - this will help to balance your shoulders and make you look less bottom-heavy
• Elongate your legs - this will make your torso look shorter and your proportions more balanced
• Highlight your waist area - this is one of the best features of a pear shape so it's worth showing it off!

• Add weight and volume to your hips to make them look wider - paper-bag waists and pleated pants are great examples of this.
• Hide your waist - when you hide your waist you could make your figure look larger and boxy
• And shorten your legs - this can make your lower half look bottom-heavy

• Skater skirts are a fun option for pear shapes - these hug your waist, flare out to skim your larger hips and show off your legs.
  
• Full skirts are the best option for a pear shaped woman - these are my favorite skirt styles for pears. They hug and highlight your waist, elongate your legs, and skim your hips and thighs.
  
• Trumpet skirts look great on a pear body shape - These are a gorgeous style for highlighting and enhancing your curvy lower half.
  
• Flared skirts are a good choice for pears - the flared hem will enhance and showcase your curves
  
• A-line skirts are a good idea for pear shapes - these fit the waist and flare out gently to skim the hips and thighs.

Choosing pants and jeans when you're pear shaped, can be a super frustrating experience. It's rare that a pair of jeans will fit your hips and thighs AND your waist - it's usually one or the other.

Here are some tips to help you find pants and jeans that DO fit you!

• Make your hips look narrower - this will help to balance your shoulders and make you look less bottom-heavy
• Elongate your legs - this will make your torso look shorter and your proportions more balanced
• Highlight your waist - this will make your legs look longer, and will showcase your gorgeous curves. My go-to for highlighting a waist is a high waist pair of jeans.

• Add weight and volume to your hips - this can make your hips look wider, and your shape look unbalanced
• Hide your waist - this may make you look and feel boxy
• Shorten your legs - this can make a triangle shape look bottom-heavy and less proportioned.

• Flares look great on pear shapes - the fullness below the knee balances a pear shapes hips and enhances your curves.
  
• Wide-leg pants (cropped or full length) - high-rise wide-leg pants will hug your waist and flare out to skim your hips and elongate your legs.
  
• Palazzo pants are gorgeous statement pants for pears! They hug your waist and elongate your legs.
  
• Slim-leg pants - these may be more flattering than skinny jeans and pants - the wider the ankle, the narrower your hips will look.

When you have a pear shape, many dress styles will fit your top half, but pull across your hips. Or, if they fit your hips, they often gape on the top.

If that's you, these tips should help you find dresses that fit and look good:

• Broaden your shoulders - this will help to balance your hips and make you look balanced
• Elongate your legs - this will help to balance your proportions
• Highlight your waist - this makes your legs appear longer and will enhance your well-defined waist.
• Add volume and detailing to your upper half - this will balance your bottom half and draw the eye up to your smaller top half
• And skim and narrow your hips to balance your narrow shoulders and balance your frame

• Narrow your shoulders - this can make your frame look unbalanced
• Enhance your hips - this can make your legs look shorter and heavier
• Hide your waist - this can make a pear shape look boxy and bottom heavy
• And shorten your legs - this can make your legs look heavier

• Empire line dresses are a good choice for pear shapes - they fit your bust, highlight the narrowest point below your bust, skim your hips and thighs, and elongate your legs
  
• Fit and flare dresses do just that - they fit your top half and flare out over your bottom half. They're always a great fit for pear shapes.
  
• A-line dresses are a staple for pear shapes - they hug your waist and flare out over your hips and thighs.
  

• Make your shoulders look broader - this will help to balance your hips and make you look less bottom-heavy
• Shorten your torso - this will make your legs appear longer, and your proportions more balanced
• Highlight your waist - this will elongate your legs and showcase your curves
• Add volume and detailing to your small bust and torso - this will balance your bottom half and draw the eye up

• Narrow your shoulders - this can make your frame look more bottom-heavy
• Draw a line across your hips, as this can make your legs look shorter and heavier
• Add weight across your hips
  
• And hide your waist
  

• Belted jackets and coats are great for pears - you can adjust the fit to work for you. They also highlight your great waist and help to make your legs look longer
  
• Military style jackets - have a ton of volume adding design elements that will help to balance your frame.
  
• Trucker jackets have pockets and shaping - add a little sheep and volume to your upper body
• Moto jackets are a great option for triangle shapes - they add a little volume and shape to enhance your curves and balance your frame.
• Trench coats make a good choice for pear shaped women. They have a waist tie that allows for a good fit whilst showcasing your great waist, and they typically have epaulets that help to broaden narrow shoulders.
• Cropped jackets look great on a pear - they draw the eye to your defined waist, and lengthen your legs. Crop tops look great on pears too, so try those!

• MADEWELL- This is one of my favorite retailers for pear shapes! They have a great selection of 'curvy fit' jeans, pants and skirts that fit a pear shaped body beautifully. If you've not heard about curvy fit jeans, they are a game changer - they are designed specifically for women who have a defined waist and curvy hips and butt, so you won't get that frustrating waist gap! ??
• EVERLANE - This is another store I use for myself and my pear shaped clients. They also have a good selection of curvy fit jeans that are perfect for pear shapes.
• SEZANE - This is my favorite place to source pear shape friendly tops. They have a wonderful selection of tops with statement shoulders and ruffles...perfect for adding interest and broadening narrow shoulders.
  
• AND OTHER STORIES - This is another great store for tops, blouses and knitwear that fit and flatter a pear body shape.
  
• ME + EM - Their pants and trousers have the ability to be tightened at the back to ensure a good fit and avoid waist gap
  
• BODEN - This is such a great store to get tops, blouses and knitwear for pear body shapes. But, stear clear of their pants and jeans - they rarely fit a pear shape well!
  
• REFORMATION - if you're looking for skirts that fit a pear shape, head to Reformation - their Zoe, Silas, Flounce, and Hermosa skirts are all fantastic fits! They have petite, standard and plus size collections, and they offer styles that work for all shapes.
  
• MINT VELVET - Their pants, trousers and jeans typically fit a pear shape very well
  
• ANTHROPOLOGIE - I often head hear when I'm shopping for tops for a pear shaped client. Think ruffles, statement sleeves and bold silhouettes that balance a bottom heavy frame.
  
• BANANA REPUBLIC - If you have a long torso, try shopping in Banana Republic for tops and dresses
  
• HILL HOUSE - Their dresses are the PERFECT shape for a pear shape, especially the Ellie Nap Dress!
  
• TUCKERNUCK - This is one of the best shops to head to if you're looking for dresses for your pear shape. It's ruffles, high necklines, and cinched in waists galore!
  
• NOBODY'S CHILD - I head here when I'm shopping for casual dresses for pear shaped clients. The prices are good, and the shapes are perfect. They can come up a little generous on the sizing though, so it's worth sizing down.