How to dress a pear-shaped body

Sometimes, an outfit can be stylish and elegant on one person, and yet not look quite right on another. This is commonly down to the effects of having different body shapes – in other words, your bodies’ proportions aren’t the same.

Knowing the body shape that best matches your own can help you to pick out which outfits will flatter you and which ones might not suit you so well. In this guide, we’ll run through how you can dress to impress with a pear body shape.

What is a pear-shaped body?

Where fashion is concerned, body types can be categorised in a number of ways. One of these is by comparing certain measurements – namely, the shoulders, waist and hips. What this allows us to do is to get a definitive idea of the rough shape of our silhouettes – something that can be too subtle to see in the mirror, but can have a big impact on how our clothes look when worn.

Generally speaking, there are five body types based on this comparison. They are:

• Pear (sometimes called a triangle body shape)
• Apple
• Inverted triangle
• Hourglass
• Rectangle

So, what defines a pear body shape? People who have a pear-shaped body type tend to have a slimmer waist and shoulders with larger hips. If this applies to you, you might have more muscular legs, leading to greater lower body strength than upper - even if you’re not particularly athletic or sporty.

How to style a pear-shaped body

A pear body shape is characterised by imbalance - the hips and legs are curvier and commonly draw more attention than the shoulders, bust and waist. Because of this, most pear-shape styles aim to highlight the upper body and take focus away from the hips. There are various ways to do this, focusing on the three key areas of your body.

Highlight your upper body

The simplest way to draw attention to your upper body is to make it eye-catching, using bright, vibrant colours and lively patterns. But you can also make use of garments that have their own silhouette and can help to make your shoulders appear wider or more defined.

Consider:

• Layering your outfit with structured jackets or coats that help to bulk out your shoulders and upper torso
• Choosing statement accessories, such as jewellery or scarves, that draw visual interest upwards
• Avoiding muted colours for tops - colourful and energetic patterns catch the eye more easily
• Opting for tops that have wider necklines and shoulder volume on the sleeves to accentuate your frame.

Horizontal stripes can be a great option to give the illusion of broader shoulders. Vertical stripes, on the other hand, help to elongate the torso for those who are short of stature.

Accentuate your natural waist

Those with a pear body shape typically have a well-defined waist due to the contrast the wider hips provide. Opt for styles that highlight this rather than obscuring it.

This could mean:

• Avoiding boxy tops that hide the waist
• Choosing slim or fitted clothes that follow your natural proportions
• Using belts to add definition to dresses or tops that don’t naturally highlight your waist
• Picking tops and dresses that have waist detailing, either as a pattern or as tactile features
• Sticking to shorter jackets and coats that end around the waistline.

Wearing clothes that fit well is essential for a pear-shaped body, as ill-fitting tops obscure the natural curves of your figure.

Downplay the lower body

The hips typically attract the most attention on a pear body shape, so minimising this area is key to achieving a balanced look. That’s not to say you shouldn’t show off your curves, though! It’s more a case that downplaying your lower body helps to keep it from overshadowing your upper proportions.

Think about:

• Wearing dark garments that can have a slimming effect on your lower half
• Keeping patterns to a minimum to avoid attracting the gaze downwards
• Opting for mid-fit trousers and skirts – i.e. those that are neither excessively flared or clinging to your legs
• Choosing high rise waistbands that help to draw the attention higher to your waistline rather than your hips
• Picking simple, non-flashy footwear to finish off the look.

You can easily build a capsule wardrobe of clothes ideal for downplaying your hips and legs, as these items are intended to not be the focus of the outfit.

At the end of the day, you don’t have to follow these tips at all. Fashion is all about wearing what makes you look and feel great, so don’t be afraid to experiment with your own tastes and ultimately discard time-honoured advice if it doesn’t resonate with you. Hopefully, the tips and tricks above will give you a starting point to find new outfits that bring you joy and confidence.