The pear-shaped body type is probably the most challenging shape to dress. Defined by a larger bottom half than the top half, pear-shaped women carry extra bits around the hip and thigh area and maybe generally curvy. A great thing, the waist of this shape is relatively small and well defined as the shoulder line is narrower than the width of the hips and thighs. If you’re looking for ways to create conventionally flattering proportions that balance the top and bottom parts of your body, keep on reading for styling tricks on how to dress the pear body type.
Since your waist gives you that flattering curve, you must be inclined to always define your waist and create a very fitted look on top, whether drawing attention upward with your tops, defining the waistline with belts, de-emphasizing the bottom with skirts, and elongating the leg line.
When picking for dress styles, to understand that the volume on the hip and thigh areas is your best choice because it eliminates cling and bad fit in that zone. Go for styles that follow your natural shapes, like dresses that are fitted at the waist and voluminous down to the hem. Dress styles like drapey asymmetrical styles, fit-and-flare dresses, wrap dresses, empire dresses, and even from fitted sheath dresses look great on you. Dresses with fitting top-knot chest detailing under the bust or a V-neck style dress that skims over the bottom in a gentle A-line silhouette are ideal. Wearing a formfitting dress that accentuates instead of de-emphasizing your proportionally larger hips is great as long as you choose a fabric with stretch to create a more forgiving fit over the hip and thigh.
Draw attention upwards with your tops to draw the focus away from your hips. Since you have relatively small waistlines, showcase this part of the body by opting for tops that are shaped at the waist. Formfitting knit tops with waist definition will work as long as it doesn’t give you a muffin top. If it does, just opt for a slightly fluid fit that is on the loose side of tailored but gives you shape. V-neck tops, whether shirts, blouses, knitwear, or tees, elongate the neck, minimize the bust, and draw attention to your slim waist. If you have loose tops, you may add some waist-cinching belt for a great definition. Wearing an eye-catching color or details on top draws the eye upwards like ruffles, zippers, embellishment, rushing, wide cuffs, bell sleeves, large collars, and such that can be your options.
For your bottom piece, whether it’s a skirt, shorts, or trousers, go for dark solid ones that are visually more slimming than light-colored or patterned bottoms. For skirts, go for paneled or stitched down pleated skirts, trumpet skirts, knee-length pencil skirts, and steer clear of bias-cut skirts and versions with horizontal cut-lines. For trousers and shorts, keep it simple, streamlined, and fairly structured to save the visual interest for your tops. Tailored boot cut styles are probably the most flattering shape as the flare on the hem balances out the width on the hips. Curvy fits that are roomier on the hip and thigh are perfect for you as well as skinny fits in a fluid look instead of a body con one. Also, wearing roomier trousers eliminate the cling, so go for boyfriend jeans, baggy harem pants, track pants, casual knit pants, and such.
You may layer your garments to add visual interest to your waists, like a coat, jacket, blazer, bolero, and suit that can be flattering for you. Structured jackets with curved hems that are longer in the back are flattering because the asymmetrical line of the hem on the thigh visually slims the hip area. Just wear your outerwear open instead of closed to create a vertical line down the center front of the body, which is very slimming.
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at BlueFashion. She has been steering the website’s content and editorial direction since 2013. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra’s expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
