The pear body shape is the most common female one. If you look in the mirror and your hips and backside are wider than your shoulders, you're the lucky owner of a pear-shaped body. Depending on your overall proportions, bustier pears may actually be an hourglass body style. Whether you’re a petite, standard or plus size woman, here are some tips on how you can best dress for your pear shaped curves.
Typical Characteristics of a Pear Body Shape
- Your hips are larger than your bust;
- You have a nicely defined waist;
- You have an elegant neck and proportionately slim arms and shoulders;
- You first gain weight in your bottom and legs flowed by your tummy and upper body;
- Your waist is your best asset; and,
- Rounded bottom.
How Do I Dress My Pear-Shaped Body?
Enhance and add volume (or the illusion of volume) to your upper body while emphasizing your waist and de-emphasizing your lower body to create a balanced, hourglass appearance. Learn more about how to dress a pear shaped body by mixing and matching the below suggested separates.
Tips for Dressing Your Body
- Focus attention upward;
- Embellish around the neck;
- Layers;
- Go for an A. A-line dresses and tops emphasize the upper body while slimming wider hips characteristic of a pear-shaped body;
- Wide is good; and,
- Get a little structure.
Tools to Make Your Top Half Look Bigger:
- Gilets;
- Sequinned tops;
- Faux fur wraps;
- Big necklaces;
- Puffball sleeves;
- Big earrings;
- Layering;
- Slashed necklines; and,
- Bold print on your top half.
Tops for a Pear Body Shape
When dressing a pear body type, look for tops that will help balance your lower half while accentuating your waist. This creates a curvy and feminine silhouette:
- While shopping in stores or online, look for:
- Tops which offer volume to the bust paired with a nipped or fitted waist.
- Look for tops which highlight your top half with off the shoulder, boat-neck tops, wide V or U necks.
- Structured shoulders, princess or flutter sleeves.
- Leverage jackets with full or structured shoulders and a nipped-in waist. This draws attention to your bust and further accentuates your naturally curvy shape.
- Embellishments around the bust and shoulders or bright colours and bold patterns. Not only does this add interest to your outfit, but it also creates a more evenly distributed shape.
Bottoms for a Pear Body Shape
To dress a pear body type, look for bottoms that will minimize your lower half:
- Lightly gathered skirts that skim your body without adding volume. A-line skirts are particularly popular amongst a pear shape body type;
- Avoid details such as whiskering, bulky pocket and embellishments. Using these will only attract the viewers eye to those parts;
- Pants that fall straight from the widest part of your hip. Dark-washed, boot-cut, flair or trouser-cut jeans/pants for a pear shaped body;
- A-line skirts for example gently skim your hips to smoothen out your bottom half; and,
- Leverage a neutral palate with darker colors, clean lines and simple stitching.
Dresses for a Pear Body Shape
A pear body shape is feminine and often curvy, so dresses can be a great choice for this body shape.
- Detailing and volume on top (and minimal at the bottom) such as bulky embellishments, lace and ruffles at the neckline.
- Choose dresses that gently taper at the waist and slightly flare out over the hips and thighs. This draws attention to your curves and gives your figure a sexy hourglass shape.
- Empire dresses with a fitted bodice showcase your smaller waist and bring the eye up away from problem areas.
- A sexy neckline, such as a halter dress, has a deep neckline that highlights the upper body and draws attention upwards.
- Boat necks, billowing sleeves help visually broaden the upper torso. Necklines such as strapless, off-the-shoulder, square or cowl-neck as well as long sleeves, cap and puff sleeves instantly create a more balanced silhouette.
Swimsuits for a Pear Body Shape
Swimming costume season can be intimidating for most, but knowing how to dress for a pear body type, can make all the difference. Look for bottoms that will minimize your lower half and tops that add volume to your bust and create the illusion of an elongated shoulder line.
These can include:
- Light colored or bold patterned tops with wide-set straps;
- Padded or push-up top to balance your lower half;
- One piece swimming suits with a waist band, or tie, to accentuate your waist;
- Scoop or high-cut legs;
- One piece bathing suits with lighter colored or embellished busts and wide-set straps;
- Bikini tops or tankinis with Light colored tops that are ruffled, embellished, patterned or padded;
- Darker colored, moderate coverage bottoms with a higher cut leg. Bottoms that are too horizontal in cut or have too much coverage will make your bottom look larger; and,
- Mix and match the top and bottoms.
Celebrities with a Pear Shape: Kim Kardashian, Eva Mendes, Jennifer Love- Hewitt, Katherine Heigel.