Online shopping is merciless. Just as it can be a form of therapy, shopping online has its fair share of “wtf” moments, and avoiding bad interweb experiences is essential. If you checked out our first blog, then you know it’s important to know your body size and shape when it comes to purchasing clothes. Actually knowing your size is the golden key to a great shopping experience. Which is why for those of you blindly (and boldly, we might add) winging your online escapades we’ve got a quick guide for determining your shape and how to measure your body so you can stop wasting your time and money. Stay tuned next week for a men’s guide and for some empowering tips to beef up your wardrobe with clothes for your body type.
Determine your body shape:
It's time to bust out that old school seamstress tape measure, give it a dusting and prepare to measure the goods. And by goods I mean your body, shoulders, waist, hips, thighs and so forth. If possible get a friend! It's kinda hard to do on your own. Although there are some anomaly body types, many people fit into the basic 5 categories, apple, pear, hourglass, square/rectangle and inverted. The most common shape many women have is square or rectangle.
Square/Rectangle: Having this type of body essentially means your figure isn’t as curvy or pronounced as the other four which is perfect for the daring fashionista easily gliding between androgynous wear, or sexy fem. If you're still feeling a little self-conscious, don't! Roughly 47% of women are shaped like this. To determine if this is you, the measurement of your shoulders, hips, waist should all relatively be the same. That applies for side measurements as well. Maybe you find that your frame is a little more accentuated in the upper areas. You're probably shaped like an apple!
Apple: Are your shoulders and bust much wider than your waist and hips? Then this is you and you share a frame with the likes of Angelina Jolie and Tyra Banks! Even before the tape measure is needed you can just look in the mirror and determine if this is you. Your shoulders are broad and your bust is apparently wider than your hips and you have a pair of slim legs. For all the ladies wondering if they fit in this category but notice their bust or waist is not as wide as their shoulders, then you are not Apple, you're inverted.
Inverted: Meaning your shoulders are wide but your hips, waist and bust are relatively the same size. You’ve got strong shoulders to pull off that strapless dress. If this is you then your shoulders are roughly more than five percent wider than your hips. If you're in the coveted body shape then flaunt your prowess! Another highly coveted but rare body shape is the hourglass figure.
Hourglass: Many celebrities like the Kardashians or Sofia Vergara, even Marilyn Monroe rock the cinched waist and evenly spaced shoulder-hip combo. Although this is the least common body type among women with only eight percent having this type, it is sensationalized all over the webs. Big boobies and booties are in these days! If this is you, your shoulders and hips are the widest part of your body, and your waist is cinched a couple of inches from those. Last but not least of the curvy family is pear shaped.
Pear: It's all about the lower half with you gals! Your hips and waist steal the show. With rounded shoulders to compliment your round booty and cinched waist. Much like Apple, pear is easily spotted because of its defining characteristics.
It’s important to keep in mind that although these are the standards, through exercise, childbirth, age and dietary change, or genetics your shape can and may change. So keep in touch with your body, know which shape you are and keep that tape measure handy to make sure your buying clothes that fit your body.