Body Shape Calculator
Determine your body shape — apple, pear, hourglass, rectangle, or inverted triangle — from bust, waist, and hip measurements.
What is Body Shape Calculator?
Your body shape is the way your bust, waist, and hip measurements relate to each other. Five common shapes — hourglass, pear, apple, rectangle, and inverted triangle — each have different fashion considerations and slightly different cardiovascular risk profiles.
The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) used for shape classification is the same metric the World Health Organization (WHO) uses for cardiovascular risk assessment.
Formula
The classification compares three numbers: bust, waist, and hips.
- Hourglass: bust ≈ hips and waist is at least 25% smaller than the larger of the two.
- Pear (triangle): hips at least 5% wider than bust, no defined waist.
- Inverted triangle: bust at least 5% wider than hips.
- Apple (oval): waist similar to or wider than bust and hips.
- Rectangle: bust, waist, and hips all similar with no defined waist.
WHO health-risk thresholds: WHR < 0.80 = low, 0.80-0.85 = moderate, 0.85-0.90 = increased, > 0.90 = high (women). Men: low < 0.90, high > 1.0.
Worked example
Bust 36", waist 28", hips 38":
- WHR = 28 / 38 = 0.74 (low risk)
- Bust-hip difference = 2", under 5% — close enough to call them similar
- Waist definition = (38 − 28) / 38 = 26% — well-defined
- Result: Hourglass
How to use this calculator
- Pick units (inches or centimeters).
- Measure bust at fullest part, waist at narrowest natural waistline, hips at fullest part of the seat.
- Use a fabric tape, snug but not tight. Stand naturally.
Frequently asked questions
Where exactly do I measure my waist?
The natural waistline — usually the narrowest point above your belly button and below your ribs. Bend sideways; the crease is roughly your waist. Don't measure where pants sit; that's lower.
Does body shape change?
The underlying skeletal frame (shoulder vs hip width) is set after puberty and doesn't change. But waist size and where weight is distributed shift with body composition, age, and pregnancy. So the measured shape can change over time even if the bone structure doesn't.
Is one body shape "healthier" than another?
Apple shape (high waist-to-hip ratio) has the strongest correlation with cardiovascular risk because abdominal fat is metabolically active. Pear shape, with weight in hips and thighs, has lower cardiometabolic risk at similar BMI. But healthy lifestyle matters more than shape — you can be healthy in any shape and unhealthy in any shape.
Why do clothing brands care about body shape?
Different cuts flatter different shapes. High-waisted skirts highlight an hourglass; A-line dresses balance an inverted triangle; structured jackets give shape to a rectangle. Many fashion guides organize style advice by shape for this reason.
Does this work for men?
The shape categories work, though hourglass is rare in men due to broader-shoulder, narrower-hip skeletal structure. WHR thresholds differ — for men, < 0.90 is low risk and > 1.0 is high risk.