What to wear if you're pear shaped

[Yasmin]

Pear-Shaped (Teardrop) Figures

Hi all, I couldn't find a thread about this, so I figured I would create one. I'd like to discuss fashion issues specific to the pear-shaped figure. (FYI, you are pear-shaped if your hips are much wider than your waist, and you tend to put on weight in your hips/thighs/bum.)

I have plenty to say about this but I'm wondering what everyone else has to say about it! For one thing, what do you think of belts for pear-shaped figures?

 

[bexy]

I'm kinda pear-ish... I'm not a big belt person... but probably a bigger belt would look better than a thinner one

 

[JATE]

These are some of my favorite teardrop shaped women. They always wear things that extremely accentuate the waist ..alot of times that means exposing it completely. Being Teardrop shaped is funny cuz those girls usually work so hard to try to minimize their lower half but what they should do is take just as much time or more to keep their middle look spectacularly sexy. The combination of a tight, elongated tummy with a neat curve in the waist make for a bodacious and suave silhouette

 

[JATE]

oh and far as belts it just depends. If you are wearing something more thin and slinky then put on a bigger belt if you are wearing a fitted sweater or something do a skinny belt with low rise pants....never ever wear a huge belt on curvy hips it makes them look GINORMOUS

 

[Melisande]

I have to disagree, belts can be great! It really depends on the exact form of your curves, the thickness, shape and placement of the belt, and the rest of the outfit. Experiment.

I have a thinner waist and fuller hips, and some thicker belts really flatter me. Placed correctly they can accentuate the narrow waist while minimizing the outward curve of the hips.

 

[Yasmin]

Do you find it is better to wear belts and pants waists higher (near the waist) or lower (near the hips)?

In the latter case, the pants waists or belts have to be much longer (because our hips are much wider than our waists), but I usually wear them here. otherwise I feel I look like I flare out under it. (I think that pants waist and belts give a sort of horizonal line that causes you to see the person you're looking at in 2 halves...and they should look balanced) On the other hand, you're "highlighting" this wide area by putting a horizonal line right there...

Also, what about asymmetrical lines here, like a slanted belt? And buckles? I find bigger buckles are less flattering on me... Not sure why.

 

[Caramel]

*bump*

In need of some fashion tips for a pear-shaped figure

 

[Rebel Yell]

I think I have a pear-shaped body. eh. And I look unproportionate :S but one thing, I don't think pear-shaped women should wear high-waist pants!! On a thin figure, high-waist pants could give women more shape in their hips, but if you already have curvy hips, it will just look worse :[ so I think lower-cut pants are much more flattering and doesn't accentuate the hips more than is needed. Also, to balance out the body, empire-waists are so flattering with fitted jeans!

 

[Caramel]

At the same time though, I think too low-waisted jeans will also accentuate wider hips and make the legs look shorter, which is a problem for me as my legs are already quite short

 

[kellynjane]

I agree on empire waist tops or dresses! Here are some other tips from ivillage.com:

• Skirts: Fuller, below-the-knee skirts conceal wider hips. Avoid high-waisted pencil skirts and opt for A-line styles and skirts with hemline details, which balance your shape.
• Trousers: Sport fuller, wide-leg pants. Avoid cropped pants, which make your legs look shorter.
• Dresses: Well defined waists with fuller skirts can hide a multitude of sins! Try strapless or V-neck styles to draw the eye upward and away from your lower half.
• Jackets: Damn those shrunken-style jackets that are so in right now! They only draw attention to hips and backsides. Stick to longer jackets that camouflage the hip area.
• Tops/Sweaters: Whenever possible, go with halter styles and boat necks, which create the illusion of broader shoulders. So do cardigans with horizontal stripes. Steer clear of clingy or tight tops.

 

[FashionGrrrrl]

^ I also think skirts that hit just above the knee and mini-skirts look great. Just not anything like a pencil skirt that goes in at the bottom.

I prefer lower-waisted pants and longer tops...I'm also short so I don't know if that has anything to do with it. I like to make the top of my hips look like part of my top half so that it shows off the waist.

 

[@~PinkCouture~@]

I am pear-shaped too.

Thanks kellynjane

 

[pavement]

Are the women Jate posted really pear shaped? Because their shoulders and hips look about the same to me. Maybe I have misconceptions about the shape.

 

[Melisande]

Are the women Jate posted really pear shaped? Because their shoulders and hips look about the same to me. Maybe I have misconceptions about the shape.

I don't think it's quite common for hips to be wider than the shoulders.
A pear shape means that the hips are wider than the bust.

 

[pavement]

Oh. That makes much more sense.

 

[HBoogie]

I agree on empire waist tops or dresses! Here are some other tips from ivillage.com:

• Skirts: Fuller, below-the-knee skirts conceal wider hips. Avoid high-waisted pencil skirts and opt for A-line styles and skirts with hemline details, which balance your shape.
• Trousers: Sport fuller, wide-leg pants. Avoid cropped pants, which make your legs look shorter.
• Dresses: Well defined waists with fuller skirts can hide a multitude of sins! Try strapless or V-neck styles to draw the eye upward and away from your lower half.
• Jackets: Damn those shrunken-style jackets that are so in right now! They only draw attention to hips and backsides. Stick to longer jackets that camouflage the hip area.
• Tops/Sweaters: Whenever possible, go with halter styles and boat necks, which create the illusion of broader shoulders. So do cardigans with horizontal stripes. Steer clear of clingy or tight tops.

Well, being both somewhat pear-shaped and petite I don't know if I agree with some of these tips. Below the knee skirts look dowdy on just about everyone except a tall, reed-thin woman. I think pencil skirts can be sexy with fuller hips, especially since pear-shaped women often have nice slim waists. Really only people with big potbellies should avoid pencil skirts.

And I think a long jacket or blazer would look terrible over wide hips! Better to skim the shape than have some mysterious bulk under too much fabric. Shrunken jackets reveal the curve of the waist and they're certainly much more flattering for a figure that is both pear-shaped and petite.

I don't understand why a woman would want to conceal the hips unless she's really comically disproportionate. I mean, we are females after all, there is supposed to be a violin-shaped curve there. Concealment is so last century.

 

[Yasmin]

^ I'm tall and pear-shaped and I can wear a skirt that hits just below the knee but not lower. On my type of figure it can look modest but sexy with a pair of heels. But I cannot wear pencil - it must be A-line. Otherwise it looks "saddlebaggy" which is never the way to go.

By the way, how are my fellow pears doing with the current skinny jean/jeans in boots trend? I have to keep wearing my bootleg pants (outside my boots), 'uncool' as it is, because otherwise I look like I'm walking on 2 carrots!!

 

[returnofsaturn]

By the way, how are my fellow pears doing with the current skinny jean/jeans in boots trend? I have to keep wearing my bootleg pants (outside my boots), 'uncool' as it is, because otherwise I look like I'm walking on 2 carrots!!

I wear skinny jeans only with heels(NEVER with flats) and with long tunicy tops or cardigans usually.

 

[Meg]

hboogie i so agree - esp. on the skirt issue! If i wore skirts that were longer than my knees (which only happens occasionally since i'm petite and they might be a tough long) it would emphasize my hips and look BAD. Just the knee or slightly above.

 

[criticsdarling]

I am built like this too as my measurements are 34-24-37! arrg! I wish my hips were 34" to match my bust, but I guess the good thing is that the "s-curve" is in style. Pear shape women can look hot if the lower half that you have is toned.

Have any of you heard of "escape your shape" I read about it on Ivillage.com one and it said that for this body type do lots of walking, not many resistance exercises on legs, and jump rope to lose the most inches. I used to be a 5 mile a day runner and sprinter, but once I stopped and started ONLY walking my hips and thighs went down an inch each!