What clothes suit you? Calculate the right figure type and style it optimally

What clothes suit you? Contrary to what you might think, it doesn’t have much to do with body weight and clothing size. It’s the proportions that matter. And these cannot be changed even with a crash diet or a lot of sport. Our figure type is already predetermined by nature. Pear, apple or orange – with a tape measure you can find out in no time at all which assets you need to emphasize and which clothes you should rather do without. We show you how it works! With our guide to calculating your figure type and our tips on fashion, accessories and co. you’ll find out what suits your body shape best.

Correctly style different types of figures

One thing in advance: every figure type has its advantages. Whether large and sporty androgynous or round pelvis with pronounced décolleté – with the right women ‘s fashion the individual advantages of each woman are underlined and the maximum of each figure type is brought out. After all, it is all about skilfully emphasising our chocolaty sides and thus underlining the natural beauty of the silhouette. Style advice distinguishes between five different body types. You can find out what these are and what looks particularly good on you here.

A type: Wide hips and narrow shoulders

If your shoulders are narrower than your pelvis, then you are the figure type A. This is also often referred to as the pear type. Not only are your hips a little more pronounced, but also your waist and buttocks. So it’s best to focus on your upper body. For example, you can use eye-catching accessories such as large necklaces. Exciting tops with colourful or playful patterns, bright colours or extravagant cuts are also very suitable. Also shoulder pads and batwing sleeves.

Direct the focus to your upper body

Avoid light-colored pants with large back pockets and embellishments, as they often add extra bulk. Instead, opt for dark pants and skirts that are cut straight to accentuate your feminine silhouette.

Here are our tips for the A-type again:

• Eye-catching, bright tops with patterns and exciting cuts
• Dark, straight cut trousers and skirts

H type: equal width hips and shoulders

Your shoulders and hips are the same width? You have a slightly smaller bust and your waist is only slightly pronounced? Then you are the rectangular H-type. Dare to play with your proportions and give your silhouette some curves! To do this, opt for colourful tops with plenty of embellishments, such as pockets, buttons and zips. Tunics and loose blouses that go over your pelvis are also great.

Play with your proportions and give your silhouette some extra curves

Avoid straight cut tops and narrow waist belts. Instead of tucking your tops into your trousers, blouses and dresses in babydoll cuts that fall elegantly and softly below the bust are suitable.

Must Do’s for the H-Type:

• Colorful tops with embellishments
• Tops that go over the buttocks

O Type: Slim legs and a few extra curves

Long and slender legs, a plump chest, a few feel-good pudding here and there – this is how the O-type is characterized. With the round body shape, the goal is to stretch the body a bit and thus make the entire silhouette appear a bit narrower. Your physique is like the O-type? Then it’s best to go for short V-neck tops and dark trousers with a slightly higher waistband and a narrow cut. The narrowest part of your body is often below the bust, which is why A-line dresses with a high waist look great on you.

Visually stretch your body to make it look slimmer

On the other hand, avoid too big necklaces, wide waist belts and colourful tops. Light-coloured trousers should also be avoided.

Being an O-guy suits you best:

• V-neck tops
• A-line dresses
• Tight pants with high waistband

V type: Strong shoulders and narrow pelvis

Your shoulders are wider than your hips? You have an ample cleavage and slim, long legs? Then you are the exact opposite of the A-type. The best way to focus on your lower body here is to go for trousers and skirts with eye-catching patterns. Wide waist belts and straight cut jackets, blouses and tops also look good on you.

Focus on your lower body and emphasize your waistline

Instead, avoid thin spaghetti straps, wide sleeves and ruffles, as well as tight-fitting pants.

Our tip for the V-type:

• Tight tops with dark colors
• Width waist belt
• Bright and flashy pants and skirts

X type: round curves and narrow waist

Your hips and shoulders are about the same width and your waist is very curved? Then you have the X-type – also known as the classic hourglass figure. Your hips, buttocks and breasts are round, and your arms and legs also have feminine curves. The key here is to keep the proportion of your upper and lower body in balance. The best way to achieve this is with short tops, fitted coats and tight jackets that gently hug your figure.

Underline curves and keep the proportions like this

Waist belts are also suitable for your figure type and underline your femininity. On the other hand, you should avoid tops made of too thick fabrics with wide puffed sleeves and too tight trousers with large back pockets.

The X-type flatter best:

• Tight jackets that emphasize the figure
• Short tops
• Waist belt
• Waisted jackets, dresses and blouses

How do I determine my figure type?

To find out what your figure type is, it’s easy to pick up a tape measure and measure yourself. Don’t worry: you don’t need a formula to determine your figure type. Just grab a piece of paper and a pen and write down your shoulder, bust, waist and hip measurements.

So these are the parts of the body you need to measure:

1. Shoulders
2. Chest
3. Waist
4. Hip

While you take the widest part of the shoulders, chest and hips, you measure the narrowest part of the waist. Once you have written down all the measurements, you can see from the numbers which parts of your body are more pronounced and which are less.

Is your waist very curved or only slightly pronounced? Are your shoulders wider than your hips or vice versa?

If you want to know exactly, you can of course also calculate. But you don’t have to. Most of the time you do simple divisions of two parts of the body. You can find the exact calculations here:

• Figure type A: Hip / Shoulder > 1.05
• Figure type H: Waist / Shoulder > 0.75
• Figure type V: Shoulder / Hip > 1.05
• Figure type X: waist / hips > 0.75

Blended types: Combine the advantages of two body types

Of course, you may end up with features of several figure types. But this is not a disadvantage, it can even be beneficial. So you can take the tips of both figure types at the style consultation and decide for yourself what you feel more comfortable with. This is also the case with singer Adele, who can not only be assigned figure type O, but also figure type X.