Can you be an hourglass if you're a size 14 but with smaller boobs?

[WineGetsMeThroughIt]

My friend is trying to figure out what body shape her mum is. She says she's a 12 on top and a 14 on the bottom, and wears a 36D bra. Except I've seen a picture of her and she doesn't look like she's got much of a bust, but perhaps it's because her stomach and her boobs stick out about the same. But her rib cage and the sides of her boobs are the same width as her hips. My friend thinks her mum is a pear, but I think she looks more like an hour glass.

I also don't even know if it's possible for you all to visualise what I'm talking about to confirm whether she's a pear or an hour glass.

If she's a 12 on the top she's likely wearing the wrong sized bra! I wear a 36 back at a size 20/22 on top

If your waist is small it can make you look like an hourglass figure even if you're not equal sizes on the top and bottom.
Will her Mum want opinions on her figure anyway?

An hour glass isn't about your boobs though. If her shoulders are as wide as her hips and she has a narrower waist, then she has an hourglass figure.

If your shoulders are narrower than hips, then you're a pear.

Yes her mum asked her to help because she wants some new clothes and my friend knows I like fashion so we were talking about it at coffee today where she showed me a picture of her.

Thing is I'm an hourglass and since having kids and gaining and loosing weight countless times my boobs have basically deflated and there's little volume to the upper parts now which means I can get away wearing an 8 on top and a 10/12 on the bottom because I'm curvier. But I definitely can't pull off the overly puffed sleeves and some of the other recommended styles that are suitable for a pear. So she kind of reminded me of myself only much older

@dementedpixie

If she's a 12 on the top she's likely wearing the wrong sized bra! I wear a 36 back at a size 20/22 on top

It really depends how and where you carry weight. I'm also a 20/22 and a 40 back.

I was a 36 back at a size 16.

But at size 12 36 back is unlikely, though not impossible. She's more likely to be 32f or 34e.

Could she perhaps be more an apple shape? It is common for us to morph a bit as we get older and sometimes one shape does not fit all ...Hopefully this might help @WineGetsMeThroughIt?

theconceptwardrobe.com/build-a-wardrobe/apple-body-shape

The mum sounds very much like me - 36B, but that's due to broad back...I'm very small busted, 12/14 in tops but 14 on bottom. Definitely not hour glass unfortunately.....I'm more a rectangle!

I think I’m a similar shape, used to be 12 all over but carrying a bit more round the middle now after babies, am 12 on top, 36D bra and 14 bottom but would still say I’m hourglass as go in at the waist, hips don’t stick out more than shoulders and have fairly skinny legs!

I'm a 12 too but certainly a 36C. I have a large ribcage and a smaller band size is impossible to wear. One day I'll treat myself to a fitting at Rigby and Peller.

I agree with the idea of looking at shoulders compared to hip width. To be an hourglass the shoulders need to be nearly as wide as the hips.

If she's carrying weight around her middle, that might suggest she's not an hourglass? I come from a family of hourglasses, and we all carry weight on our hips thighs and backsides, and to a lesser extent boobs. No matter what size we are, whether pre or post kids, pre or post menopause, waist measurements are at least one clothes size down from hips and bust. And hips and bust are the same clothes size.

Morgan seventh, l was an hour glass until l had Dd.

She stretched my stomach muscles so much my waist became 4 inches bigger.

So now I’m an apple/hourglass😢

This gives you a good idea of body shape - thelaurieloo.com/blog/body-shapetype-quiz. I’m an hourglass and find it very difficult to find clothes that fit as my waist is much smaller than my actual clothes size. I can only really wear clothes with a tie or wrap at the waist otherwise it all looks very odd.

I never understand this body type thing tbh. Everyone is a different shape, and even with in a so-called body type there will be loads of variation in proportions and sizes and there are presumably lots of people who are in between designated body types or don't really fit any of them!.

I never understand this body type thing tbh

I sit only me who can't see any difference between Rectangle and Apple? Apart from the colour.

An hourglass has a nipped in waist like a hornet. Shoulders and hips equal width.

@coogee generally apple has a rounded middle and if you look at a side view, that might be the most prominent part of the body that protrudes, this generally comes with age and life i.e. bearing children!! A rectangle on the other hand is a shape where the silhouette is fairly straight or evenly distributed (both from a front and side view) and not too many protruding bits. You can be petite, tall or a curvy version of all the above, it's more about the weight distribution and where things sit on your frame

Your back size is heavily influenced by the size of your rib cage. Obviously fat will increase this, but your back size will never be smaller than the minimum dictated by your ribs. You could carry no extra fat and still have a large back size if your rib cage is made that way.

Mine will not go below 34 even when I am borderline underweight and my ribs stick out. At the moment I am overweight and my back size is 38.