A pear body shape has hips clearly wider than the bust and a defined waist. In numbers, the bust is around 88 percent of the hip measurement and the waist around 74 percent. Shoulders that look narrower than your hips in the mirror confirm it. Dressing a pear comes down to two moves: give the top half some width and interest, and keep the line clean where the hips are widest.
You need a soft tape, a mirror and two minutes. The Body Shape Calculator turns three measurements and the shoulder check into a ranked result.
How to tell if you are a pear
Measure bust, natural waist and hips following the measuring guide, and divide bust by hips and waist by hips. The calculator compares those two ratios with a reference point for each shape and scores by distance, so there is no single line where pear begins. These are the values it uses for pear and its two closest neighbors:
| Shape | Bust ÷ hips | Waist ÷ hips |
|---|---|---|
| Pear | 0.88 (spread 0.07) | 0.74 (spread 0.08) |
| Hourglass | 1.00 (spread 0.05) | 0.70 (spread 0.07) |
| Rectangle | 1.00 (spread 0.05) | 0.82 (spread 0.06) |
The defining number is the first one. A pear’s waist is not very different from an hourglass waist; what differs is that the hips outweigh the bust. Bust 34, waist 27 and hips 38 inches gives 0.89 and 0.71, and the calculator scores it 96% pear, with hourglass far behind at 55%.
Pear, like every shape on this site, is a fitting category. It describes how fabric falls on you, not how your body ought to look.
The shoulder check
Tape measurements miss your shoulders, and shoulders change the picture. Stand in front of a mirror in close-fitting clothes and compare the width of your shoulders with the width of your hips.
The calculator uses your answer as a nudge between pear and inverted triangle. Shoulders narrower than your hips raise the pear score by a fifth; shoulders wider than your hips lower it by the same share. With measurements of 36, 26 and 39 inches, for example, the result is pear at 74% if you answer “about the same”, pear at 89% with narrower shoulders, and a near tie with hourglass if your shoulders are wider. Broad shoulders over full hips balance the frame, and that body dresses more like an hourglass.
Where hems should land
A hem is a horizontal edge, and the eye reads width wherever one falls. On a pear, that matters most at the fullest part of the hips and upper thighs.
| Hem position | Effect on a pear |
|---|---|
| At the waist (tucked, cropped or belted) | Marks the narrowest point; works well |
| At the high hip, above the widest point | Neutral; fine with a clean trouser or skirt below |
| At the widest point of hips or thighs | Draws a line across the widest part; the one to avoid |
| Below the widest point, upper to mid thigh | Skims past the hips; works for tunics, long shirts, jackets |
The same logic applies to details. Flap pockets at the hip, cargo pockets on the thigh and horizontal stripes across the seat all add visual width exactly where you already have the most.
Keep edges and details away from the widest point of the hips. Put them at the waist or the shoulders.
What it changes in your wardrobe
Tops. Boat necks, square necks, wide scoop necks and sleeves with some structure or volume add width above. Color and pattern can sit on top while the lower half stays plainer. The neckline guide explains how neck length and face shape refine the choice.
Jackets. Structured shoulders and a length that ends at the waist or below the widest point of the hips. A cropped jacket over a high-waisted skirt is one of the easiest pear outfits.
Trousers and jeans. A high rise sits at the waist and gives one clean line over the hips. Straight, bootcut and wide legs fall from the widest point instead of tapering under it. Rise, back pockets and leg width are covered in the jeans guide for pear shapes.
Skirts and dresses. A-line, fit-and-flare and wrap shapes fit at the waist and release over the hips. Pencil skirts work in fabric with enough weight to skim. Each dress cut is tested in dresses for a pear shape, and occasion wear in the wedding guest guide.
Swimwear. Detail on top, a plain or darker bottom, and a leg line at the hip bone rather than straight across the thigh. The swimsuit guide has the full comparison.
What to handle with care
- Tapered and skinny legs narrow right under the widest point, so the hips look wider by contrast. Fine with a longer top or a structured jacket.
- Shoulder-less tops in thin fabric (spaghetti straps, raglan sleeves in jersey) narrow the top half further.
- Waist-to-hip gaps. Trousers that fit the hips often stand away at the back of the waist. A tailor can take in the waistband in minutes; it is a normal alteration for this shape.
When you are not sure it is pear
The most common doubt is pear or hourglass. If your waist is very defined and your bust only a little smaller than your hips, you sit between the two; fitting research such as the FFIT study calls this the bottom hourglass. The hourglass vs pear guide works through the numbers.
Less often, a pear with a gentle waist ranks close to rectangle. Read the calculator’s second place; if it is within ten points, the advice for both shapes is worth trying. If you have heard pears described as Kibbe “Soft Naturals” or “Romantics”, that is a different system that weighs bone structure and face; the body shape vs Kibbe guide explains the difference.
For the full set of shapes side by side, see what body shape am I.