The formula
How it works
Work out your body shape from three measurements. Enter your bust, waist and hips, and the calculator classifies your figure as hourglass, pear, inverted triangle or rectangle, with the waist-to-hip ratio.
FAQ
How do I measure correctly?
Measure the bust at its fullest, the waist at its narrowest (usually just above the belly button), and the hips at their widest. Keep the tape level and snug but not tight, over light clothing or none. Consistent measurements give the most reliable classification.
What do the shapes mean?
They describe how your measurements relate. An hourglass has a balanced bust and hips with a much narrower waist; a pear has hips wider than the bust; an inverted triangle has a bust wider than the hips; and a rectangle has bust, waist and hips fairly similar. They are descriptive, not judgements of health.
Can my body shape change over time?
Yes — weight gain or loss, muscle gain, pregnancy and ageing can all shift where you carry size, changing your waist-to-hip ratio and moving you between categories. It’s worth re-measuring every so often rather than assuming one result forever.
Does the result say anything about my health?
Not directly — the shape names are style categories, not medical ones. That said, the waist-to-hip ratio behind them is also used in health research as one marker of fat distribution, with a higher ratio (more weight around the waist) linked to greater cardiovascular risk.
Does height affect the classification?
No — the calculator only compares bust, waist and hips to each other, so two people of very different heights with the same proportions get the same shape. Height affects how the proportions look visually but not the ratio-based result.
What if my measurements are close to two categories?
Borderline cases happen when the differences are small — for example a bust and hip difference near the 1-inch cutoff. In that case either label is reasonable, and it can help to think of your shape as a blend rather than forcing a single category.
Is this calculator only for women?
The four shapes and the terminology come from women’s fashion sizing, but the underlying maths — comparing bust, waist and hip measurements — works the same regardless of who is measuring, so anyone curious about their proportions can use it.
About the body type calculator
This calculator identifies your body shape from three measurements — bust, waist and hips. Body shape describes the proportions between those measurements, and it is widely used in fashion and styling to guide clothing choices. The calculator compares the numbers, classifies the figure into one of the common shapes, and reports the waist-to-hip ratio that underpins the result.
How to use it
Enter your bust, waist and hip measurements in inches or centimetres. The calculator names your body shape — hourglass, pear, inverted triangle or rectangle — and shows the differences and the waist-to-hip ratio behind the classification. For example, a 38-inch bust, 28-inch waist and 40-inch hips reads as an hourglass, with balanced bust and hips and a clearly defined waist.
The formula
The shape is decided by comparing the three measurements. When bust and hips are close and the waist is much smaller, the figure is an hourglass; when hips clearly exceed the bust it is a pear; when the bust clearly exceeds the hips it is an inverted triangle; and when all three are similar it is a rectangle. The waist-to-hip ratio, , summarises how defined the waist is.
Where it is used
People use it mainly for style and clothing, since different cuts and silhouettes flatter different shapes. It is popular in personal styling, wardrobe planning and fashion retail. While it says nothing about health on its own, the waist-to-hip ratio it reports is also used more broadly as one indicator of body-fat distribution, making the tool useful beyond fashion.