Pear body shape
Hips are wider than your shoulders. 🍐
Shoulders appear narrower than the hips and thighs
Hip measurement is more than 5% bigger than your shoulder or bust measurements
Midriff is slim, with a killer waist
Gain weight mostly on your bottom and thighs
Majority of your curves are in your hips, butt, and thighs
You wear a larger size on bottom than top
Type can sometimes seem similar to hourglass but will have a smaller bust
Celebrities:
Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Kelly Clarkson, Kerry Washington, Jennifer Love-Hewitt, Kristen Davis, Rihanna, Katherine Heigl, Alicia Keys, Cheryl Burke, Vanessa Hudgens, Khloe Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Elle Fanning, Olivia Wilde, Claire Danes, Rachel Bilson, Kelly Clarkson, Zooey Deschanel
Goal:
Elongate and balance your figure by accentuating your slim top half.
Create a more even-balanced silhouette by adding visual "bulk" to the top half of the body and keeping the lower half sleek. Bulk can be added through eye-catching color, fuller volume clothing, layers, eye-catching clothing detail or jewelry, bright scarves, shoulder detail.
Draw attention away from your thicker bottom with slightly flared hems on pants, jeans, skirts and dresses, as opposed to skinny and pencil hems. Wide hems on skirts, pants and dresses are great on you!
Dresses:
Fit-and-flare dresses are amazing on you — they show off how little you are on top and are roomier from the waist down for your curvier bottom half. Off-the-shoulder necklines and strapless dresses (bare shoulders take the attention off your lower body). Empire dresses that flare out with details around the bust. Wrap dresses. Structured form-fitting dresses like shift dresses that go straight or A-shaped down from hips. A-line dresses will always look good on you. Defined shoulders or sleeveless to show your arms.
Gowns:
The ball gown — a poufy, large princess skirt below a small, cinched waist.
Tops:
Draw attention here with slim, fitted tops. Layered tops are good, like a longer top layered under a shorter jacket. Shoulder fit is important (structured, shoulder pads, puffy shoulders, ruched sleeves, flutter sleeves, cap sleeves). Wear something catchy on top — color or nice detail. Breast pockets, big collars or a pattern. Widen your upper body with horizontal stripes, a sleeveless top, a boat neck, off-the-shoulder neckline, wide V-neck or U-neck or square-neck, big sleeves (like bell, billowing, or kimono sleeves), cap sleeves, light color or bright/bold color or prints. Form-fitting tops with ruffles or other embellishments or prints. Racer-back and halter tops make narrow shoulders look broader. Tops with nipped or fitted waists. Billowy tops that add volume to the bust with a snug fitting waist. Dress shirts with structured or princess shoulders and a darted waist. Wrap shirts that emphasize your small waist with full or structured shoulders and a wide neckline. Tops and jackets are best ending either above or below the widest point of your hips/bottom. Always accentuate your waist line with empire lines, wraps, fitted lines, etc.
Toppers:
Structured jackets with detail/color/texture. Short fitted jackets. Puff sleeves or structured shoulders. Wide lapels and a definite waist is good. Bomber jackets to give the upper body more volume. Cropped trapeze jackets if they are fitted at shoulders worn with a longer slim top underneath. Classic blazers fill out sloped shoulders. Only slightly boxy jackets — get a shaped jean jacket instead of a traditional boxy style. A great coat for you is the trench — get one that has lots of details on top (like lapels on shoulders) and is plain from the waist down. Coats cinched or belted at the waist will emphasize your curves. Detailing at the top half of the coat will draw the eyes upward. Long A-line coat that ends below the widest part of the hips or knee length. Fitted princess coat that flares at the hem, to knee or midcalf, single-breasted. Draw attention to your bust with pockets or details, and stay away from lower pockets. Cardigans are a lightweight way to add volume to upper half. Toppers with hoods are good, as are back yokes and back belts in the waist area.
Skirts:
Skirts that cinch at your small waist and flow over your hips. Knee-length or ending near the knee. A-line skirt, flared skirt, full circle skirt, maxi/gypsy skirt. Lightly gathered skirts that skim your body without adding volume. Mid-rise is best. Tuck in your top with full skirts, and pair them with nipped waist jackets and coats. Best if your skirt or trousers are the darkest part of your outfit.
Pants & jeans:
Wear trousers that are not too tight or light-colored. Pants that fall straight from the widest part of your hip. Boot-leg or wide-leg trousers are very good for pears (volume at hem balances out your hips). Darker colors, clean lines and simple stitching, no (or minimal) pockets, and a mid-rise waist. Dark washed, flare, bootcut or trouser-cut jeans. Vertical details to slim the hip area (stiches, visible zippers). Avoid details such as whiskering, embellished pockets, or small rear pockets. Straight skinny pants/jeans worn with top that draws attention upward like an A-line top, or with something loose and flowy or chunky on top, or a shapely long top, or belted tunic shirt. Fuller thighs are flattered with relaxed jogger pants that have a tapered ankle — they are roomy where you need it but still show your shape. Tuck a top into high-waisted culottes to draw attention to your waist while the volume at the bottom balances you out. Simple tailored shorts that extend past the thickest part of your thighs, or shorter cut shorts worn with heels.
Shoes:
Heels, nude-colored shoes and pointy-toed shoes all make your legs look longer, which slims out your hips. Simple single-colored (neutral colored) knee-high boots are very flattering for your legs. Wear chunkier heels with a bit of height to further elongate the legs—platforms, wedges.
Handbags:
Clutch bags. Shoulder bags that sit on your waist — like hobo bags and shorter shoulder bags. Choose chunky and detailed styles.
Accessories:
Large bib necklaces, statement earrings, dangling earrings, and scarves add subtle volume to your top half. Eye-catching big, bright, detailed necklaces and earrings, bright or print scarves, delicate neckties, headbands, and hats. Waist belts look good on you as they emphasize your small waist.
Undergarments:
Wear a good bra with a push-up, and if your bust is small a padded bra will help balance out your hips!
Hair:
Being “bottom-heavy” you do well with volume added on top! Go with full, layered and/or wavy/curly hairstyles (think the long full-bodied hair of Kim Kardashian and J.Lo).
Active clothes:
Wear a light or bright color or print on top to draw eyes up and away from your thighs. Halter, V-neck, or scoop neck tops accentuate your bustline. Slim-fitting tops (tees and tanks) and a more relaxed fitting, dark-colored pant is forgiving through the hips. Wear dark, long tights or pants in wide-leg or flared styles to balance and lengthen your shape. You can camouflage wider hips with pants that have an attached miniskirt. Or wear a skort, instead of shorts, which is shape-forgiving. Don’t wear bottoms with stripes down the sides of the legs because they’ll make your hips seem fuller.
Careful:
Overly tight/clingy skirts and pants. Skinny jeans (can be worn with some tunics or A line long tops). Very high waisted bottoms. Pleated skirts and pants. Very short skirts. Anything that adds width to the hip or thigh area. Baggy clothes, like oversized sweaters that hit at widest part of hips or loose long line jackets. Coats shorter than high-height and cocoon coats, which add volume. Tops with sloping or narrow shoulder lines. Cuffed pants. Be careful with high-cut shoes or shoes with ankle straps which will shorten your legs. Too-delicate footwear and kitten heels. Details on your bottom half. Crossbody or low-slung bags will fall at your hips and make them look bigger.
What is your body shape?
