Not sure which dresses suit your body type? Choosing the right dress starts with understanding your body shape. Whether you have a pear, apple, hourglass, rectangle or inverted triangle figure, the right dress can enhance your natural proportions and help you look and feel your best.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to identify your body shape, discover the most flattering dress styles for every body type, and find outfit inspiration for wedding guest dresses, cocktail dresses, race day dresses, formal dresses and black-tie dresses.
Our styling recommendations are based on common body proportions and current Australian fashion trends. The goal isn’t to change your body, but to help you choose dress styles that make you feel confident and comfortable.
The five most common body types
While following trends is fun, feeling uncomfortable in the hottest garment can affect our self esteem. But remember that trends are focused on generalised perceptions of what’s hot at the time, and that changes constantly depending on popular belief.
There isn’t really a norm as to what a female body should look like. It all depends on each woman’s genetic configuration, and biology doesn’t care about fad. Yet there are some general categories that help the fashion industry in catering to different people.
These classifications can also give you some direction as to how to plan your wardrobe to make dressing up more enjoyable and rewarding. The most common ones are:
- Apple (aka oval or round)
- Pear (aka triangle)
- Athletic (aka inverted triangle)
- Rectangle (aka straight or banana)
- Hourglass
It’s important to note that there is no globally accepted list of classifications. Some places will only use 4, while others up to 8 or 9. There can also be sub-types within these types listed above.
Popular Designer Dresses for Every Body Shape: Designer labels create silhouettes that suit different body types. Browse some of Australia’s most popular designers below:
| Zimmermann | Aje | Rat & Boa | Natalie Rolt | Arcina Ori |
| Elliatt | Ance Gria | Effie Kats | Benni | Alemais |
How to determine your body type
While your lifestyle and exercise can modify your silhouette, your bone structure, proportions and muscle distribution are mostly inherited. Body shape is based on those factors – not on your weight. Understanding and accepting your body type is a lovely step towards self-love. Dressing in accordance to your shape will help you find snug & flattering fits to carry yourself with confidence.
You might be able to figure out your body type just by looking at yourself in the mirror, but the best method is to take some measurements.
- Shoulders: Stand up straight and relaxed, and wrap the measuring tape around the top of your shoulders, at their broadest point above the shoulder blades.
- Bust: Stand normally, and wrap the measuring tape around the fullest part of your bust without compressing your chest.
- Waist: Wrap the measuring tape around the narrowest part of your
waist, usually located just above the belly button. - Hips: Place the measuring tape around the fullest part of your hip, including the butt, just below your hip bones.
Now just plug your numbers into the calculator below, and voila!
The ATD Body Type Calculator
Now that you know your body shape, browse thousands of designer dresses that suit your figure.
How to dress for each body type
Once you have done your calculations you will be able to assess, based on your widest measurement, which body type is closest to yours. There are many different shapes, but the ones generally recognized by the fashion industry are: apple, pear, hourglass, and rectangle shaped body types.
Apple Body Type
Shout out to curvy women with breath-taking upper bodies, whose thinner arms and legs want to be shown.
Also called round or oval body shape, an apple body shape is characterized by broad shoulders, large bust and smaller hips, with a waistline not clearly defined.
If this is you, focus on drawing attention to your legs with high heels and short skirts or ultra-high-waisted skinny jeans, and accentuating the shape of your breasts with A-line silhouettes and V-necks.
Wrap dresses, boyfriend button-ups, flowy tunics and any other dresses that either define or take attention away from the waist are a great fit.
Strapless and off-the-shoulder dresses styles also look amazing on an apple shaped body. Choose fabrics that sit close to your body but do not cling, such as silk, linen, tweed, gabardine and cotton.
Pear Body Type
Hips don’t lie! The pear shape’s waist/hip ratio will turn the heads of every man and woman.
Also called spoon or triangle-shaped body, pear body shapes feature wider hips and thighs, and smaller shoulders and bust measurements. These bodies usually present narrow waistlines in comparison to the hips, as well as long, slim arms.
If this is your body type, you could divert the attention away from your hips with full skirt dresses or embellished necklines. Highlight the waist, back or neckline with fun top shapes, open backs, big sleeves and belted styles.
A-line and maxi dresses are very flattering for women with this body type, especially with hemlines falling just below the knee.
Explore our collection of designer dresses to find flattering options for your body shape.
Rectangle Body Type
Anything looks good on this body type!
Also called straight or athletic body type, a rectangle body shape presents fairly uniform measurements with rather straight waistlines. Women with rectangle shaped bodies can play around with the features they wish to highlight to create the desired balance.
If you want to accentuate your lower body, rectangles can pull off most statement-styled bottoms. Add volume with flowy pleating, colorful prints or funky flares.
If you choose to focus on the top half of your body, try to draw attention to your arms and shoulders, highlighting your waist. Curvy rectangles look great with crew, cowl or V-neck tops, while small busted rectangles can favor their upper body with embellished necklines or statement collars.
Since this body type is the most common one, almost any dress is designed to fit a rectangular frame. Women with rectangle body shapes can confidently wear mini dresses, midi dresses, and maxi dresses depending on the occasion. Consider exploring different sleeve types, cinched waistlines and busy prints.
Athletic/Inverted Triangle Body Type
This type has great shoulders that are wider than your waist and hips. They often come with lovely, shapely legs.
Dressing for this type is all about balancing out your broad shoulders by drawing attention to your lower half.
Choose dress styles that add volume and attention to your hips and legs, such as styles with ruffles or pleats below the hips. This not only draws eyes down from the upper body but can create a more defined waistline.
A dress (or top) with the right neckline can also work wonders for you. Deep & narrow is the way to go here and you should avoid wide, square necklines and off-the-shoulder styles.
Hourglass Body Type
With curvy proportions and a defined waist, this body type is a rare, hot pearl.
These are curvy body types with even bust and hip measurements, and significantly narrower waistlines. There are some variations including top hourglass figures where the bust is bigger than the hips, like an inverted triangle with a defined waist.
If you are within the small percentage of women with this body type, you should show off your waist and accentuate your curves. Wrap dresses, jumpsuits, sheaths and fit-and-flare styles with cinched waists are great for this naturally balanced body structure.
Best Dress Styles by Body Shape
| Body Shape | Best Dress Styles |
|---|---|
| Pear | A-Line, Maxi, Full Skirt |
| Apple | Wrap, A-Line, Off-the-Shoulder |
| Rectangle | Cinched Waist, Printed, Statement Sleeve |
| Hourglass | Wrap, Fit & Flare, Jumpsuits |
| Athletic | Fit & Flare, Maxi, Ruffle Dresses |
Wrapping Up
Dressing is about bringing out your own style and expressing it with pride. We hope this guide helps you strip off from any doubts and embrace your body to its full potential.
Keep in mind that these body types are general classifications – do not worry if you don’t perfectly fit one category. Some bodies are more petite, others have taller frames, and others come in plus sizes.
Knowing your proportions will help you design a wardrobe that emphasizes your favourite parts of your body and balances your figure. You’re already beautiful. Now it’s up to you to explore and have fun!
Why Choose All The Dresses for dress hire?
Thousands of Australians trust All The Dresses to help them find the perfect dress. Here’s why:
- 👗 Australia’s largest dress hire marketplace with 15,000+ dresses available to hire from boutiques across the country.
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Whether you’re shopping for a wedding, cocktail party, race day or formal event, exploring styles designed for your body shape can make finding the perfect outfit much easier. Attending a wedding? Read our complete guide to wedding guest dress hire for seasonal styling ideas, dress code advice and Australia’s most popular designer brands. Heading to a gala or formal evening event? Explore our Black Tie Dress Code Guide for styling inspiration, etiquette tips and advice on choosing the perfect designer gown. Then browse our collection of designer dresses to discover thousands of styles available to hire across Australia.
