The more I learn about body shape the more resistant I am to actually defining a shape. One of the things that I, personally, have gained from writing this website is a greater measure of understanding of my own body and the shape that it is. How that translates into choosing clothing is still somewhat confusing and something I’m working my way through, actually as I write this website.
I do know that I don’t like the four categories I started off with. The issues with the use of the term pear basically highlighted the need for more appropriate classification. I want to further illustrate this point by examining the 12 shapes that Trinny and Susannah have identified – hourglass, cello, vase, bell, skittle, goblet, pear, lollipop, cornet, apple, column and brick.
The four categories I started with are hourglass, triangle, pear and rectangle. What shape you fall into is simple enough to define based on some simple measurements. These categories can be broken down even further into the types that Trinny and Susannah have identified.
UPDATE: Need some help finding your shape – take the Trinny and Susannah body shape quiz.
HOURGLASS = PROPORTIONATE
1. HOURGLASS – big tits, small waist, short waist, big hips, generous thighs
What really defines an hourglass is her tiny waist.
2. CELLO – big boobs, short waist, big hips, big bottom, big thighs, slim lower legs
A cello is an hourglass with a little extra around the middle which pretty much removes the tiny waist.
3. VASE - big tits, gently curving longer waist, hips equal tits, slim thighs and legs
A vase is sort of stretched out hourglass. A vase is very much defined by her height.
PEAR SHAPE = BIGGER ON BOTTOM
4. BELL – small shoulders, small tits, small waist, big thighs, big bottom
A bell’s breasts and waist are fairly similar size with all the extra on the bottom.
5. SKITTLE – average tits, slim waist, ok tummy, big thighs, chunky calves
A skittle has curvaceous thighs and bottom but is smaller on top.
6. PEAR – small tits, long waist, flat tummy, saddlebags, heavy legs
A pear is characterized by extra weight on the outer thighs.
TRIANGLE – BIGGER ON TOP
7. LOLLIPOP – big tits, slight waist, slim hips, long legs
The majority of celebrities fall into this category.
8. CORNET – broad shoulders, small boobs, no waist, slim hips, long slim legs
Take away the big breasts and the shape becomes almost boyish.
9. GOBLET – broad shoulders, big boobs, no waist, narrow hips, long legs
And sometimes you’re just plain bigger on top.
RECTANGLE = EXTRA IN THE MIDDLE
10. APPLE – average tits, tummy bigger than tips, quiet flat bottom, OK legs
For this shape your stomach dictates how your dress, being the widest part.
11. COLUMN – shoulder width the same as hips, slight waist, longer legs
A column is tall and has no waist rather than extra – like an, um, column.
12. BRICK – Broad shoulders, no waist, average tummy, flat bum, chunky thighs, chunky calves
A shorter and wider version of the column, again with no waist.
And there you have the 12 shapes of Trinny and Susannah. I think these definitions are more useful that the simple four simply because it begins to really breakdown the categories in each group.
So what category are you? I am a cello.
LISA
PS: If you’re thinking of buying Trinny and Susannah’s Body Shape Bible, please click here.
About Lisa
Hi Sasha
Not really a lot of information but I’d say a cornet.
LISA
Overall a great intro to the 12 shapes, but I have a few refinements/revisions:
-Vases can be any height, I’ve observed. The biggest thing is that they tend toward the long-waisted, rather than the more leggy and shortwaisted Hourglass.
-Katie Holmes looks like more of a Skittle to me (but then again, my pear butt makes most fellow pears look like Skittles in comparison…)
-Beth Ditto is pretty obviously a Brick–looks kinda like Kelly Osbourne before the latter lost all that weight. Beth’s legs are far too chunky for an apple (for some reason, a lot of my high school friends were Apples, and I always envied their long chicken legs, which they themselves found too gangly!)
I’ve also seen that the most common shapes across the board appear to be the Vase (Northern European girls), Brick (Northern European, Latina, Native American), and Skittle (Eastern European and Asian).
I can’t believe with 12 options that none of these sound like me. I have shoulders even with hips, a “bubble butt”, a small & defined waist, a small-medium bust, longish legs with fullish thighs on top but that get slender toward the calves. My legs are not “heavy” or short, which seems to rule out all the pear shapes, but my bust is too small to be an hourglass…. I don’t know why they think all women with wider hips than bust must have big legs….
I guess Cornet fits me best, but Cornets seem to be an athletic, boyish type? and that doesn’t really fit me. I have shoulders that aren’t exactly broad but are bigger than my hips, very small bust, a slim curvy waist (not long but not short), very narrow hips, tiny thighs, and relatively bigger calves. I wouldn’t say my legs are exactly long but they’re not too short. My hip measurement always seems to be the most unusually small and disproportionate one on me.
I’m something between an hourglass and a cello. I wouldn’t call my waist tiny, but it’s 8″ smaller than my boobs and 10″ smaller than my hips.
40-32-42. When I was in my twenties I was 35-24-34. My thighs are now bigger than my waist once was. Sad. I feel like a slob.
Hi Ella
I know what you mean. I’ve changed a lot as well over the years. I’ve done a lot of research about clothes and body shape and following on from that weight loss and fat acceptance and now I’m firmly into the realms of body acceptance. Its a hard journey, letting go of all the sundry stuff that we get force fed down our throats. I think it’s important to feel good about ourselves in as many ways as possible. Personally I have lovely eyes, and I quite like my feet. Everything in between is questionable but I try not to dwell too much. Sadly I’m not real great on the self acceptance yet, but I do see that its a better option than self hatred.
I think you’re probably gorgeous Ella.
LISA
Hi,
I’m not sure if you guys are still answering to these, but if you are, I must say that I am fairly confused. I’m sort of a pear body shape, at least that’s what I always thought, but it’s not very exaggerated. I am 5’8”, so I’m on the tall side, I weigh 139 lbs, and my measurements are 38- 29-40. I think that according to this system of body shapes, I would be a bell. But there are a few problems with that. My boobs are fairly big (I’m 34DD). I mean, they are not huge, but I wouldn’t consider them small at all. Also, my legs are very long and slim- from mid-thigh down. The upper thighs are where I store most of the fat, together with the love handles. I also think I have a short waist, because me legs are so long, but I’m not entirely sure. I also have an ok tummy. It’s not extremely flat, but it’s not big or bulging in any way. So I’m still not sure where I fit into these descriptions. One thing is for sure though: I have narrow shoulders. I also have love handles. Through trial and error, I discovered that wearing things with shoulder embellishments and structured jackets is good. But I’m not sure about pants/ skirts. I think skirts look good on me, but I don’t remember ever trying on a dress that does. Any suggestions?
Hi Rata
You’ve got some bell things going on and some hourglass things.
Dresses are just probably always going to be an issue. Its just the way that they are made I’m sorry. You’re best bet will be to find something that works really well with your lower half and then get it tailored to fit properly up top.
Do try a strapless dress and then pair with a nice jacket that adds structure to your shoulders.
Hi,
this one thing has been bugging me from website to website.
Am I an hourglass/cello or pear ?
I ask because I have, from top to bottom:
-broad shoulders
-smallish boobs
-small waist
-big hips/thighs
-slender calves
I’m 5’7, not sure if plus sized (what qualifies as plus sized haha?). 154lbs.
I don’t seem to fit any category because of my shoulder/boob ratio
thanks !
Hi Mia
I sounds like you don’t perfectly fit into any category, or that you have aspects of more than one. Perhaps you’re an hourglass with small breasts or a pear with broad shoulders. What issues are you having with clothes? It will help you decide.
Hi, I never feel like I fit into any of these categories.
Measurements: 34-23.5-36
-I have shoulders equal to hips, but my arms are very thin. They definitely don’t dominate my body.
-I have wide hips and a full tush. Also full thighs but skinny calves.
-Average breasts. Too small to be an hourglass, but not small enough to be a pear. (32B/C)
-Very small waist and flat tummy. Dresses/belts are often to baggy in the waist unless stretchy. I think its pretty short, I need a skinny belt to emphasize it properly. My jeans always gap in the back. I can’t wear jeans without a pants belt.
-My lower body appears bigger than my upper body, but not extremely so.
Hi Clarissa
You feel like you don’t fit in because, well, probably you don’t. I’d say you’re probably mostly a pear but with big breasts. Really it comes down to what issues you have with clothes.