Body Type Calculator
Enter your measurements to find your body shape and waist-hip ratio (WHR). All measurements should be in inches or centimeters, taken while standing straight with arms at your sides. Ensure the tape is snug but not compressing the body.
About the Body Type Calculator
This calculator helps women identify their body shape to assist with choosing flattering outfits. It calculates body shape and waist-hip ratio (WHR) based on bust, waist, high hip, and hip measurements. The body shape result is not a health indicator or an ideal to achieve; WHR is a more reliable measure of health risks. Always consult a healthcare professional for health-related concerns.
How to Measure
- Bust: Measure around the chest over the fullest part of the breasts, wearing a properly fitted bra.
- Waist: Measure the smallest circumference just above the belly button.
- High Hip: Measure the upper swell of the hip, about 7 inches (18 cm) below the natural waist.
- Hip: Measure the largest circumference around the hips over the buttocks.
Body Shape Categories
Body shapes in fashion are often grouped into four main types, though this calculator uses a more detailed classification based on research from the International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology. A 2005 study at North Carolina State University found 46% of women were banana-shaped, 20% pear-shaped, 14% apple-shaped, and 8% hourglass-shaped. Below are the detailed categories used by this calculator:
- Hourglass: Bust and hips nearly equal, with a much narrower waist (bust - hips ≤ 1", hips - bust < 3.6", bust - waist ≥ 9" or hips - waist ≥ 10").
- Bottom Hourglass: Hips larger than bust, with a defined waist and specific high hip ratio (hips - bust ≥ 3.6" and < 10", hips - waist ≥ 9", high hip/waist < 1.193).
- Top Hourglass: Bust larger than hips, with a defined waist (bust - hips > 1" and < 10", bust - waist ≥ 9").
- Spoon: Hips larger than bust, with a defined waist and larger high hip ratio (hips - bust > 2", hips - waist ≥ 7", high hip/waist ≥ 1.193).
- Triangle (Pear): Hips significantly larger than bust, with a less defined waist (hips - bust ≥ 3.6", hips - waist < 9").
- Inverted Triangle (Apple): Bust significantly larger than hips, with a less defined waist (bust - hips ≥ 3.6", bust - waist < 9").
- Rectangle (Banana): Bust and hips similar, with a less defined waist (hips - bust < 3.6", bust - hips < 3.6", bust - waist < 9", hips - waist < 10").
Waist-Hip Ratio (WHR)
WHR is calculated by dividing waist circumference by hip circumference (e.g., a 34" waist and 40" hips yield a WHR of 34/40 = 0.85). It’s a useful indicator of health risks, particularly related to fat distribution. Women with a WHR above 0.8 (or men above 1.0) may face higher risks of conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, per the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The World Health Organization classifies women with a WHR above 0.85 as obese, correlating with a BMI over 30.
Higher WHR, indicating more abdominal fat (apple-shaped bodies), is linked to greater health risks than peripheral fat (pear-shaped bodies). WHR outperforms waist circumference and BMI in predicting mortality in older adults and cardiovascular disease risk. A study by Yusuf et al. suggested redefining obesity with WHR would triple the number of people identified as at risk for heart attack.
WHR also relates to fertility, with women having WHRs between 0.70–0.79 showing higher pregnancy rates than those above 0.80. Men with WHRs around 0.9 are more fertile and have lower risks of prostate and testicular cancer. Beyond health, WHR has been studied for links to cognitive ability, female attractiveness, and dietary impacts.