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Body shape calculator

Four measurements, compared with a published standard, with what each shape means for the clothes you choose.

Where do I measure?

Around the fullest part of the bust, with the tape level across your back. Wear a bra without padding.

Where do I measure?

Around the narrowest part of your torso, usually about an inch above the belly button. Breathe out normally and keep the tape snug, not tight.

Where do I measure?

About 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) below the waist, over the top of the hip bones. This is the one that separates a spoon from a bottom hourglass.

Where do I measure?

Around the fullest part of the hips and seat, usually about 8 inches (20 cm) below the waist, with your feet together.

Everything is worked out in your browser. Nothing is stored or sent.

How it works

The calculator compares your measurements with each other, never with a standard size, and it doesn't ask for height or weight because neither affects the result. It applies the thresholds from the Female Figure Identification Technique (FFIT), in this order, using inches:

  1. Hourglass: bust and hips within about 1 inch, and bust minus waist of 9 inches or more, or hips minus waist of 10 inches or more.
  2. Bottom hourglass: hips exceed bust by 3.6 to 10 inches, hips minus waist is 9 inches or more, and high hip divided by waist is under 1.193.
  3. Top hourglass: bust exceeds hips by 1 to 10 inches, and bust minus waist is 9 inches or more.
  4. Spoon: hips exceed bust by more than 2 inches, hips minus waist is 7 inches or more, and high hip divided by waist is 1.193 or more.
  5. Triangle: hips exceed bust by 3.6 inches or more, and hips minus waist is under 9 inches.
  6. Inverted triangle: bust exceeds hips by 3.6 inches or more, and bust minus waist is under 9 inches.
  7. Rectangle: everything else, where bust, waist and hips are close to each other.

Centimeters are converted to inches before the rules are applied, so both units give the same answer.

The seven shapes

A shape tells you one useful thing: where the narrowest part of a garment should sit. It is not a size and not a rule about what you can wear.

Hourglass

Bust and hips are close in measurement, with a clearly smaller waist. Pieces that follow the waist work well: wrap dresses, belted coats, fitted knits and high-waisted skirts.

Top hourglass

The bust is a little larger than the hips, with a clearly smaller waist. V-necks and wrap tops keep the upper half simple, while A-line or fuller skirts balance the bust.

Bottom hourglass

The hips are larger than the bust, with a clearly smaller waist. Mark the waist, and add structure or detail at the shoulders or neckline to balance the hips.

Spoon

The hips are larger than the bust, and the fullest point sits high on the hip, just below the waist. Skirts and trousers that skim the high hip, a defined waist, and interest at the neckline.

Triangle

The hips are larger than the bust, with little difference between waist and hips. Color and detail on top, with straight or A-line pieces in deeper tones below.

Inverted triangle

The bust and shoulders are larger than the hips, with little waist definition. Simple, open necklines on top, with volume or detail below the waist, such as wide-leg trousers or A-line skirts.

Rectangle

Bust, waist and hips are within a few inches of each other. Either create a waist with belts, wrap shapes and peplums, or lean into straight, column silhouettes.

Source

  1. Simmons, Istook and Devarajan, Female Figure Identification Technique (FFIT) for Apparel, Part I, Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management, 2004 (archived copy)

Frequently asked questions

What if I'm between two shapes?

That is a normal result. The thresholds are lines drawn on a continuum, so read both descriptions and use whichever suits the clothes you already own.

Why does it ask for a high hip measurement?

It is the only way to tell a spoon shape from a bottom hourglass. Without it, the calculator can't return spoon, and the result says so.

Does my height matter?

Not to the shape. Height changes proportions and hem lengths, but the shape is only a comparison between these four measurements.

Is anything saved?

No. The numbers stay in this page, are never sent anywhere, and are gone when you leave.