This body shape calculator uses three measurements — bust, waist, and hip — to identify which common body shape category best describes your proportions: hourglass, pear, apple, or rectangle. It also reports your waist-to-hip ratio and bust-to-hip ratio, the underlying numbers that define each shape.
Body shapes are simply descriptive labels for how circumference is distributed around the torso; they carry no judgment about health or appearance. Measure at the fullest part of the bust, the narrowest part of the waist, and the fullest part of the hips, keeping the tape level and snug but not tight. Enter the numbers in inches or centimeters to see your category and the exact thresholds behind it.
How Each Body Shape Is Defined
This calculator uses widely cited proportion thresholds. Comparisons are percentage differences relative to the larger measurement:
- Hourglass: bust and hip are within 5% of each other, and the waist is at least 25% smaller than the bust or hips.
- Pear (triangle): hips are more than 5% larger than the bust.
- Apple (inverted triangle): bust or shoulders are more than 5% larger than the hips.
- Rectangle: bust, waist, and hip all fall within about 5% of one another, with no strongly defined waist.
These cutoffs mean a small change near a boundary can flip the label, so treat the result as a close descriptive fit rather than a fixed identity. Many people sit between two categories.
Waist-to-Hip Ratio and What It Indicates
Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) divides waist circumference by hip circumference. It is used alongside body shape as a general indicator of how fat is distributed. The World Health Organization associates higher health risk with a WHR above 0.85 for women and above 0.90 for men, because more central (abdominal) fat is linked with metabolic risk.
Bust-to-hip ratio compares the upper and lower body and helps separate pear shapes (ratio below about 0.95) from apple shapes (above about 1.05). These ratios are screening context only — they do not diagnose anything. A styling note kept simple: clothing that follows your natural proportions tends to feel most comfortable, but there is no "right" shape to aim for.
Example: 38 / 28 / 40 Inches
Take measurements of bust 38 in, waist 28 in, hip 40 in.
- Bust vs hip: (40 − 38) ÷ 40 = 5.0% — bust and hip are within the 5% window, so they are balanced.
- Waist vs bust: (38 − 28) ÷ 38 = 26.3% smaller; waist vs hip: (40 − 28) ÷ 40 = 30% smaller — both exceed the 25% threshold.
Because bust and hip are balanced and the waist is clearly defined, this is an hourglass shape. The waist-to-hip ratio is 28 ÷ 40 = 0.70, well within the WHO lower-risk range. If the hips were 44 in instead, the hip would exceed the bust by 15%, shifting the result to a pear (triangle) shape.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is my body shape?
Your body shape is determined by comparing your bust, waist, and hip measurements. If bust and hips are balanced with a much smaller waist, you are an hourglass; wider hips make a pear; a wider bust makes an apple; and similar measurements all around make a rectangle. Enter your three measurements above to see your category.
How is an hourglass body shape defined?
An hourglass shape has a bust and hip measurement within about 5% of each other and a waist that is at least 25% smaller than the bust or hips. For example, 38-inch bust, 40-inch hips, and a 28-inch waist qualifies because the waist is roughly 26–30% smaller than both.
How do you calculate waist-to-hip ratio?
Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement, using the same unit for both. A 28-inch waist and 40-inch hips give 28 ÷ 40 = 0.70. The WHO links a ratio above 0.85 in women and above 0.90 in men with higher health risk, since it reflects more abdominal fat.
What is the difference between a pear and an apple shape?
A pear (triangle) shape has hips more than 5% wider than the bust, so weight sits lower on the body. An apple (inverted triangle) shape has the bust or shoulders more than 5% wider than the hips, with weight carried higher. The bust-to-hip ratio separates them: below about 0.95 is pear, above 1.05 is apple.
Where do I measure for a body shape calculator?
Measure the bust at its fullest point across the chest, the waist at its narrowest point (usually just above the belly button), and the hips at the fullest point of the seat. Keep the tape level and snug without compressing. Consistent, level measurements give the most reliable body shape result.