What body shape am I?

[RestingStitchFace]

In my 20's and 30's I used to be a classic hourglass shape - all boobs and hips with a nipped in waist. Never bigger than a size 12-14. As I'm nearing my fifties I'm putting on weight around my middle and have no discernible shape these days other than 'fat'. I can't work out how to dress. All the various descriptions - apple, pear, rectangle etc just don't seem to match up to me. Trying to do something about the weight but perimenopause is playing havoc with my metabolism so it's not going well.

I have :

Small shoulders and back
Big boobs (34/36 FF/G)
Generally lumpy waist and post baby pooch
Big hips and thighs

What would you call this shape?
I'm going to a wedding in August and have no idea what to wear. But I don't seem to have any shape other than just 'fat'.

(Not posting picture before you ask. Self-loathing etc)

Any tips?

You’re still an hourglass ! You’ve just gained the usual weight.
Look at some ideas for that shape / l bet you’ll still find something flattering! 🙂

Still sounds like an hourglass to me, own it!

If you have a small back you are probably wearing the wrong size bra. This would make a big difference to how you look in clothes. Check out Boob or Bust.

It's done by measurements apparantly. If your waist is still at least 10 inches smaller than your hips and bust and they are almost the same size, you're still an hourglass.
If you google body shape calculator you can input your measurements and it tells you what shape you are.

Apple maybe? Depends if you’re straight up and down or not

In the waist to hip area that is

Waist is still smaller than hips definitely. But just harder to find these days.

I think my hips are definitely too big to be considered an apple....

I am almost certainly wearing wrong size bra. I don't think I've ever had a good size bra. Bras are the effing bane of my existence. Convinced of men had to wear them they'd be available on the NHS. Will check out Boob or Bust. Thank you.

This has given me plenty to think about. Thank you wise women of the Mumsnet community!

Many of us are different shapes depending on which part of our bodies we're talking about! @RestingStitchFace have you considered something like the dresses below, brings attention to your slimmer shoulders and back, to balance out a heavier bust, with a more forgiving fit below the torso? Jenerous are also a UK based ethical brand. I'm not affiliated with them btw, just seen them as part of my research into sustainable/ethical local brands and these couple of styles jumped out as something that might suit, based on what you were saying about your body...hope that helps!

www.jenerous.org/dresses/organic-cotton-off-the-shoulder-transformation-dress

www.jenerous.org/dresses/organic-cotton-transformation-maxi-dress

@curobe oooh that's pretty!

I know what you mean. I am the same. I'm lighter atm but if I gain weight, it now goes on my menopausal belly and I just feel big all over. Like a tellytubby

There's an alternative way of identifying body shape and it's by letter so a lead shape would be A, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. Where this is a more useful system for one of us the B shape which has no equivalent in the more fruit based system . It's a great explanation for ex hourglass shape, as you can see it means boobs and belly but a narrower but in the middle. If you Google dressing for a B shape you may get some ideas,.