How to tell if I'm an hourglass or pear?

[IEatChocolateForBreakfast]

I've always thought I was an hourglass. But now I'm wondering if I'm a pear? I used to have a very large busy, but since weight loss, my boobs have got significantly smaller to the point I struggle to fill tops. I used to have the opposite problem before.

I read that a pear narrows in at the shoulders and the hips are wider. And that an hourglass will be the same width on top as bottom. And again that if you draw a straight line from shoulders to hips a pear will go wider as you go down. I've been looking at examples online of all body shapes and often it appears that the shoulders are the same width as the hips no matter what body shape they are. Am I supposed to measure straight down from my outer shoulders to hips, or top of my shoulders straight above my armpits? I'm confused!

I swear it just depends what you read. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I’m generally a pear as I put weight on my thighs and hips and will be a bit bigger clothes size wise. However in the past when I’ve been super fit I’ve been an hourglass as I’ve lost the weight down below and toned up so didn’t lose it in the boobs (and was basically the same both ends and looked like an hourglass). So if changes imo.

I guess why do you want to know? For clothes ?

@BiscuitLover3678

I swear it just depends what you read. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I’m generally a pear as I put weight on my thighs and hips and will be a bit bigger clothes size wise. However in the past when I’ve been super fit I’ve been an hourglass as I’ve lost the weight down below and toned up so didn’t lose it in the boobs (and was basically the same both ends and looked like an hourglass). So if changes imo.

I guess why do you want to know? For clothes ?

I just want to know out of my own curiosity. I generally know what works and looks good on me. But the way it's defined by shoulder measurements is throwing me off and making me rethink everything I thought I knew

I also think the labels are mainly bollocks. I've seen different things depending on what I read too.

I also think that unless you're an extreme version of any of the body shapes, it doesn't really matter.

I'm an hourglass, but don't have a flat belly due to 2 babies and a CS. So that could push me into apple, but then I have a waist and big hips, which pushes me back to hourglass. So the classic advice for an hourglass doesn't apply and neither does the classic advice on how to dress an apple shape.

Not terribly helpful, but I do think you have to take it all with a pinch of salt. It's bonkers to expect all women to fit into one of a small number of shapes tbh.

www.omnicalculator.com/health/body-shape

Try this calculator.

do you have a waist..

@OhLordyWhatNow

https://www.omnicalculator.com/health/body-shape

Try this calculator.

Thanks. But it doesn't include anything on shoulder width which is what I'm confused about

@tolerable

do you have a waist..

Yes. But so do pears

What is the circumference of your shoulders? Use a tape to measure about a cm down from the tips of your shoulders.

Compare that to your hip circumference

Equal or thereabouts; hourglass or rectangle depending on waist size

Less than; pear

Also when your arms are hanging loosely, straight down, at your sides do they rest outside your hips, inside your hip, or inline with your hips?

https://www.inchcalculator.com/body-shape-calculator/

^ this calculator includes shoulder measurement

I used to think that I was a Pear thanks to my sturdy lower half and small boobs. Then I watched a TV programme that mentioned the shoulder thing and suddenly I was an hourglass. In all honestly the only difference it made to me was my body confidence, hourglass is the only label with positive connotations. It freed me up mentally to wear clothes I like rather than following some rules that I had been presented with.