How to Know My Body Shape

It's no secret that people come in all shapes and sizes, but knowing exactly what shape your body is can help you work out more effectively and shop for more flattering clothes. Whether you have the sought-after hourglass figure, apple, pear or columns, you can identify your body shape to target those areas where you carry extra weight and dress to emphasize your best assets. A measuring tape and a helpful reference can help you know your body shape.

Step 1

Change into something more tight-fitting, like gym clothes or stretchy pants. This will help to give you a better idea of your measurements. Take the following measurements: your chest, by wrapping the tape around the fullest part of your chest; your stomach, by wrapping the tape over your belly button; and your hips, by wrapping it around the fullest point of your hips. Write these measurements down.

Step 2

Read your measurements. If your hips and chest are larger than your waist, then you have an hourglass figures. Those with hourglass figures typically gain and lose weight fairly easily and should wear clothes that emphasize the tiny waist, while taking the focus away from fuller parts, notes Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine in their book "The Body Shape Bible."

Step 3

Note that if your hips are larger than your chest and belly measurements, you are considered a pear shape. Pear shapes tend to carry their weight in their bottoms, creating an unbalanced look. Center your workouts around thigh and glute exercises and wear clothes that balance your top half by layering shirts.

Step 4

Recognize that if your hip and belly measurements are larger than your chest measurements, you are considered an apple shape. Apple shapes experience a round appearance in the stomach and hips. When exercising, try plenty of abdominal and glute work to slim them down. Make sure to wear stretctured clothes that camouflage your rounded tummy.

Step 5

Know that if your measurements are all basically the same, you are a column body shape. Columns have a straight up-and-down appearance, with little in the way of curves. Column body types are usually more slender and need firming and toning, along with cardio work, notes Epigee.com. To make yourself look curvier, turn to cinching belts.