It is important that every woman knows her body shape for several reasons. You will have the advantage of knowing how to dress to flatter your specific figure, as well as how weight gain and loss will effect your overall shape. Are you a pear that tends to gain weight in your hips and thighs? Are you an inverted triangle looking for tips on how to slim your waistline? I’ll briefly describe the 8 female body types –

1. Inverted Triangle: Imagine a triangle – now turn it upside down, and that is a pretty accurate image of what this body type looks like. Your upper body is proportionately large, with broad shoulders, a side back and large bust. Your breast may not be “ample” per se, but your upper torso is just full in general. Your hips are slim and narrow, your butt tends to be on the flatter side and your waistline is not very defined. You may even describe yourself as “stocky”.

2 & 3. Pear and Spoon: The Pear and Spoon female body shapes are very similar with the most noticeable difference being in the hips. For women with a pear shape, their hips gradually slopes out from the waist, making for a more smooth curve line. With a spoon body type, the hips almost jut out from the waist, creating a noticeable “shelf”. Both the pear and spoon type includes a much smaller bust and a small waist.Pears and spoons are definitely curvy, but lack proportional balance between the bust and hips which is the primary trait of an hourglass figure.

4. Top Hourglass: The primary difference between a top hourglass and regular hourglass is obviously in the bust measurement. An hourglass body type is known by the matching bust and hip measurement and slim waistline. In a top hourglass, the bust and hip measurements are slightly off, for example a measurement of 40- 28-39 would be considered a top hourglass body type.

5. Hourglass: The hourglass body is the most desirable. Women strive for this body type and men overwhelmingly select an hourglass as the most feminine and attractive in most every study conducted. If you are an hourglass, consider yourself lucky! Your bust and hips are proportionately balanced, your waist is small and well defined and you likely have a really nice round butt!

6. The Ruler (Straight) Body: This body build is similar to the shape of a rectangle. Your bust and hips are proportional, and your waist is not very defined. Ruler body measurements would be something along the lines of 38-37-38. This is not an ideal body shape for most women as it can look very boyish in appearance.