Body Shape Calculator
Find your body shape – hourglass, pear, rectangle and more – from four tape measurements.
How to measure
- Bust: around the fullest part of the bust.
- Waist: around the narrowest part, usually just above the belly button.
- High hip: around the top of the hip bones, about 7 in (18 cm) below the waist.
- Hips: around the widest part of the buttocks.
The seven shapes
The calculator uses the rules of the Female Figure Identification Technique (FFIT) for Apparel, developed from 3D body scans for clothing sizing (Simmons, Istook and Devarajan 2004; formulas by Lee, Istook, Nam and Park 2007). They compare the differences between bust, waist and hips in inches. Example: bust 36, waist 27, high hip 34, hips 37 in is an hourglass – bust and hips within 1 in, waist 10 in narrower than the hips.
| Shape | Main rule |
|---|---|
| Hourglass | bust ≈ hips, waist 9–10 in narrower |
| Bottom / top hourglass | hips or bust larger, defined waist |
| Spoon | hips much larger, high hip shelf |
| Triangle (pear) | hips 3.6 in or more larger than bust |
| Inverted triangle | bust 3.6 in or more larger than hips |
| Rectangle | waist less than 9 in narrower |
Body shape describes proportions for clothing fit – it is not a health measure. For health, see the waist-to-hip ratio.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common body shape?
In FFIT studies of US women, rectangle was the most common shape and hourglass among the rarest.
Why does the calculator need a high hip measurement?
It separates the spoon shape, with a pronounced shelf at the high hip, from the triangle.