Understanding your body type and dressing accordingly is crucial if you want to be wardrobe-conscious. It makes shopping and your daily dressing routine much easier. In this post, we’ll focus on the pear body shape and how to make the most of it. Keep reading to learn how to choose the right clothing pieces to achieve the ideal body proportions.

What Are the Characteristics of a Pear Body Shape?

The pear body shape, also known as the triangle body shape, is one of the most common body types among women. Its key features are wide hips and thighs, narrow shoulders, smaller bust, and a well-defined waist. The hips and thighs are more prominent compared to the upper body, which can sometimes appear more petite.

The imbalance to correct with this body type is the stronger lower body compared to the upper body. We can do this beautifully by choosing the right clothes.

Is a Pear Body Shape Full-Figured?

It’s important to understand that your body shape is an inherent trait. It’s determined by your body structure, bones, and other physical characteristics, not by your weight.

However, it’s worth mentioning that certain body characteristics can become more pronounced with excess weight. For example, someone might only appear pear-shaped when they gain weight because the extra pounds accumulate in the hip/thigh area, even if they had an hourglass figure before.

What Should I Wear If I Have a Pear Body Shape?

If I had to summarize the key point in one sentence: the goal is to approach the ideal waist-to-hip ratio, or the hourglass shape, as closely as possible. How can we do this? Try to divert attention from the problematic areas, or at least not emphasize them, and boldly highlight what’s advantageous!

For a pear body shape, the upper body is the problem area, so avoid overemphasizing it. The waist is usually slim, so it’s worth highlighting; for example, a light top and dark pants combination can play with proportions using colors. Opt for straight or slightly flared trousers, and if you choose a skirt, the A-line cut is recommended.

When it comes to tops, choose ones with more decorations or patterns that draw attention to the upper body. Regarding necklines, prefer round necks or boat necks, as the goal here is to visually widen the upper body.

Make sure your top doesn’t end at your body’s widest point – the hip line – as this will visually widen your hips. However, feel free to emphasize the slim waist with fitted blazers, dresses, or belts.

What Clothing Items Should Be Avoided for a Pear Body Shape?

Avoid any clothing items that draw attention to the disadvantages: very low-rise pants and skirts are best left to other body types, and tops ending at the hip are also to be avoided, as they visually widen the hips.

Naturally, any extra decoration (like ruffles) on skirts, pants, around the hips, and thighs should be avoided, as they overly emphasize these areas. V-necklines are flattering on certain types, but for pear-shaped figures, they are to be avoided as they visually narrow the shoulders, which is not the goal for this body type.

What Skirt Should I Choose for a Pear Body Shape?

When choosing skirts, it’s important to consider proportions. A-line skirts are well-suited for this body type, as they slightly conceal wide hips and highlight the waist, especially if we’re talking about high-waisted styles.

Avoid skirts that tightly follow the hip line, pencil skirts, and those with extra ruffles, pockets, or decorations, as they overly emphasize these areas.

What Shorts Should I Choose for a Pear Body Shape?

The principles described for skirts can be applied here too. We don’t want to draw attention to our lower body, so whatever we wear should be darker in color and definitely not patterned, decorated, or conspicuous.

Ensure that they have a flared cut and are not low-waisted. Always keep in mind that what we wear should balance the proportions of our body.

What Jeans Look Best on a Pear Body Shape?

When choosing jeans, opt for at least mid-rise, but preferably high-waisted styles. These draw attention nicely to the slim waist. Regarding the cut, the best options are wider or straight-cut, loose-fitting pants, or even flared ones.

Skinny jeans are not as favorable here because they draw attention to the stronger thighs and hips compared to the upper body, resulting in an unbalanced silhouette.

What Neckline Is The Best for Pear Body Shapes?

The best tops are those that enhance the upper body, perhaps widening the shoulders to make our silhouette more proportionate, reducing the optical imbalance compared to the hips. The best options are round neck or boat neck tops, as they widen the shoulders. Don’t hesitate to use tops with ruffles at the shoulders, or even shoulder pads.

What Swimwear Should Pear-Shaped Women Choose?

Alongside the hourglass shape, the pear body shape can confidently go for high-waisted bikini bottoms. They draw attention to the slim waist without overly emphasizing the wide hips.

Avoid halter tops and V-neck styles in bikinis, and choose ones that highlight the bust area, add a bit of volume, or possibly widen the shoulders. If you are considering a one-piece swimsuit, pay attention to the same principles.

Celebrities with Pear Body Shapes

Many of us love to get inspiration from celebrities’ outfits or the gowns they wear at red carpet events. Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, and Kristin Davis have pear body shapes, and it’s often worth taking fashion cues from them.

However, be cautious, as even A-list stars can make mistakes with their outfits, even at red carpet events.

Conclusion

I hope this article helped you better understand the pear body shape and its characteristics. Knowing your body type is very important, but the key at the end of the day is to instinctively choose clothes that suit your body shape.

Once you understand the basic principles, this will likely become easier over time. And never forget that knowing your type is a great help in creating your wardrobe; nothing is set in stone, and in certain cases, you can be more lenient with yourself.

I’ve previously written about rectangle, apple, inverted triangle, and hourglass body shapes. They might help if you didn’t find what you were looking for here.

Credit for the collages: H&M