Pear Body Shape: A Comprehensive Guide | the concept wardrobe (2024)

I. Characteristics of the Pear

• Shoulders are narrower than hips and may be sloped
• Small top half as well as small bust
• A defined waist thanks to larger hips
• Full hips and / or thighs
• Legs are likely full or muscular
• Weight gains tend to first be visible around the hips, thighs and lower midriff

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Other body shape tendencies

It is difficult to categorise your body into just one of the basic body shapes. Be open to a possible secondary body shape:

• You lean towards an hourglass shape if your top half looks heavier because of a large bust.
• You lean towards an apple shape if your weight gains generally appear first in your bust and tummy areas.
• You lean towards a rectangle shape if your waist is slightly wider and not very defined.
• You lean towards an inverted triangle shape if your shoulders are wider than your hips.

II. Styling the Pear

The pear body shape is heavier on the bottom which creates an imbalance with the upper half of the body. The key to dressing this body shape is to take attention away from the wider hips and to draw it towards the upper body and defined waist instead.

You want to create the illusion of volume on the upper body while emphasising the waist and de-emphasising the lower body to create a balanced silhouette.

Highlight the upper body

Visually adding more weight to the shoulder and bust area de-emphasises the hips and thighs, and balances the silhouette.

• Focus on structured shoulders to visually widen the shoulder line
• Invest in a good push-up bra to lift your chest
• Wear bright colours on your upper body
• Use eye-catching prints, textures and details strategically to create interest on top
• Wear fitted clothes to accentuate the waist
• Layering on your top half creates visual interest and draws the eye upwards
• Keep away from boxy tops that hide the waist

Play down the lower body‍

De-emphasise the hips and thighs to balance them out with the upper body.

• Wear darker colours on your lower body
• Avoid skinny and tight bottoms that emphasise the wide hips
• Steer clear of embellished bottoms that draw attention the lower body
• Keep your lower body uncluttered and clean
• Avoid details, patterns, pockets on your thigh and hip area and belts on your hips

III. Tops

Necklines

To optically widen the shoulder and bust areas of the pear body shape,necklines should be wide.Narrow and long necklines tend to do the opposite: they vertically stretch and slim the upper body.

Opt for lower, wider necklines such as square, bateau and Sabrina necklines. Off-shoulder necklines add an extra few inches to your upper body.

Another excellent way to direct the eye upwards and add some volume to the shoulder and bust areas is by adding embellishments.

A cowl collar, for example, bulks up the neckline. Big collars, lace trims and ruffles all add volume to your upper body, thereby balancing it out with the wider hips.

A selection of flattering neckline styles:

Sleeves

The right style of the sleeve for a pear-shaped body varies with the length of the sleeve. If thesleeve is short,opt forwide and embellished styles,which will add volume to the upper body. Good options are flutter, bell and batwing sleeves.

Forlong sleeves, however, the opposite is true: you want to keep the volume around your hips to a minimum. In this case, it is best tolet the sleeve taperwhile at the same timeadding volume to the shoulder area.This can be achieved, for instance, through shoulder pads, puff and cap sleeves.

A selection of flattering sleeve styles

Shirts, T-Shirts & Other Tops

When selecting tops, choose styles that will help balance the lower body while emphasising the pear body shape's defined waist.

‍Fitted and nipped topshelp accentuate the waist.

‍Bright colours, bold patterns, details and embellishments around the bust and shoulderswill draw attention to the upper body and away from the wider hips. Horizontal stripes are also a good strategy to highlight the upper body.

‍Tops should not go beyond the hipsas this would make the hips appear even wider. Opt for eithercropped topsthat finish at the waist ortops that end at the hipline.Tucking your shirt into your bottoms helps to accentuate your curvy body shape.

‍Avoid details, embellishments and pockets around the hips,which would draw attention to this area. Also, steer clear ofpeplums, rufflesand styles that would add additional volume to the hips.

A selection of flattering shirt and top styles:

Knitwear

To flatter the pear shape, opt forshorter jumpers that hit just at the hip bones.

‍A shorter sweater in achunkier fabric or a loose fitwill create volume on the upper body and balance the wider hips.

‍Loose, long sweatersthat hit mid-thighs are also flattering for the pear body shape.

In terms of prints and patterns, tryhorizontal stripesthat create the illusion of having more width in the right places. The stripes should sit on the neck-, shoulder- or bust-line.

‍Avoid long, clingy jumpers that hit right across the hips- a line going across the widest point will make the hips appear even wider.

Jackets

Jackets for a pear-shaped body shouldadd volume to the bust and shoulder areaswhile eitheravoiding the hip areaaltogether orskimming over it.A cropped jacket will add structure and volume to the shoulder and bust areas while showing off the slim waist. Hitting mid-thigh, a long jacket will elongate the body, making it appear long and slender whilst hiding the wider hip area.

A wrong jacket for this body shape endsright at the hip,accentuating that area.

Embellishments are great to draw the eye upwards. Pockets ordetails on the bust and around the neckline(e.g. collars) work well. Avoid details - such as pockets - around the hip area and keep this area clean and uncluttered.

Longer jackets indarker colourswill help slim your silhouette down. Cropped jackets may be in brighter colours since they draw attention upwards.

A selection of flattering jacket styles:

Coats

To play down the lower part of the pear-shaped body, a coat has to hit at the right length. Coats that are too short accentuate the wide hip area, and those that are too long overwhelm the body frame. The best coat length sits rightunder the hips and mid-thigh.

‍Choosedark coloursto make your silhouette appear sleeker and look out forshoulder and bust enhancing details- such as big lapels, wide collars, double-breasted styles and belts in the waist area.

Princess and high waistline coats in an A-line are great; fitted waistline and coachmen coats also look lovely. Trench coats work great for a pear-shaped body. The belt creates proportion between the shoulders and hips, causing them to look less full.

‍Avoid straight cut and boxy coats,as they will make you look heavy and shapeless.

A selection of flattering coat styles:

IV. Bottoms

Trousers

The right trousers for the pear body shape willminimise the lower body and de-emphasise the hips.

‍Plain, flat-fronted, bootleg or plated, full leg line or ankle length are best. Chooserelaxed fitsthat fall straight down from the widest part of the hip.

Trousers should bemid- or high-waistedto hug in the defined waist. Low-waisted trousers that hit just below the waist would further highlight the hips.

Opt fordarker colours, clean lines and simple stitchingto avoid drawing attention to the lower body.

‍Avoid details such as whiskering and embellishments- no belt loops, creases, pleats, big pockets, patterns or turn-ups. Also, steer clear ofskinny fit trousers and styles that taperat the bottom. These would highlight your wider hips.

Jeans

Just like trousers, jeans should aim to play down the wider hips of the pear body shape. Jeans should bemid- to high-riseand straight, bootcut, trouser-cut or flare. Relaxed fits work best. Opt fordark denimto avoid drawing attention to the lower body.

‍Avoid skinny trousersthat cling to the hips and thighs, which would draw attention to this area. Also, stay away frombig side and back pockets,as well asdistressed denim, turn-ups,and otherembellishmentson jeans. These would attract attention to your lower body and make your upper half look even smaller.

A selection of flattering jeans styles:

Skirts

Skirts are an excellent way to cover up the wide hips and bottoms of the pear-shaped body. Opt forlightly gathered skirtsthat skim the body without adding volume. Skirts with a wider shapeat the bottomare effective in balancing out the hips - such as A-line skirts or bias skirts.

The right skirt length for the pear shape isknee-length or between the knee and mid-calf.This length helps to stretch the body visually. Like other bottoms, skirts should bemid- or high-waisted.

Avoid too-full skirts and skirts with heavy horizontal detailsthat exaggerate your body shape, such as frilly tiers. And make sure you select skirt styles that arefree from details and embellishments.

A selection of flattering skirt styles:

Dresses

Dresses shoulddraw attention to the waist while concealing the lower body.Counterintuitively, dresses with a wider shapeat the bottomare more effective in balancing out the hips. That is because tight-fitting dresses accentuate the hip area, whereas looser fits neatly skim over it. Great dress choices are A-line or X-line dresses. The latter will also balance out the upper body and is therefore excellent for a pear-shaped body.

‍Avoid dresses in thick fabricsas well as dresses with adropped waist.Any dress with astraight cutwill make you look heavier as it hides your waist.

A selection of flattering dresses styles:

Shorts

Shorts for a pear-shaped body shouldskim nicely over the wider hip area without adding volumeto it.

Although the first instinct may be covering up the hips and legs, working with your curves is much more flattering. The ideal shorts styles for the pear shape aresimple and tailored. High-waisted optionsare your best friends since they also show off the smaller waist. They should finish in awider legto conveniently hide the wider hips.

Shorts that areknee-length or that extend past the thickest part of the thighshelp elongate the legs. Opt for adarker colourto take attention away from the lower body.

‍Avoid bright colours, details, and embellishments- such as pockets, pleating, and patterns, as these can make the hips and legs appear wider. Also, forego thebeltunless it is on high-waisted shorts. And lastly, stay away fromsuper-skinny shortswrapping around the hips and thighs and so highlighting them.

Jumpsuits & Playsuits

Jumpsuits for the pear body shape should balance the silhouette byadding volume on top and skimming over the wider hips.

‍To add volume to the upper body, theupper partof the jump- or playsuit may be in alighter, brighter colourthan the bottoms. Or, it may havepatternsandbig sleeves.Astrapless necklinewill expose more of the chest area and so balance out the wider hips. Thelower partshould skim nicely over the hips. The best options here are to opt fordarker colourson the bottom andstraight or flaring leg styles.

Avoid skinny or tapering legs,as well as deep and narrow necklines. In addition, the lower part of the jump- or playsuit should play down the hips, so stay away frompatterns, bright colours, and other embellishmentson the legs.

A selection of flattering jump- and playsuits: