Shapes of the female body: How to understand and embrace your own

Whether it's a sun-kissed smattering of freckles on your nose or dark, curly hair, we're all guilty of wanting what we don't have. As they say, the grass is always greener on the other side! For many of us — especially those who grew up in the era of women's magazines, or spend a lot of time scrolling on social media — our body types are a prime source of this 'comparisonitis.'

There is an array of different body types, and none are more or less feminine or beautiful than the other. It's all about learning how to work with it, not against it. This means not only dressing in flattering clothes, but also eating and exercising in a way that helps you look and feel like the best version of you.

Read on to learn about the different shapes of the female body and how to identify, accept and maybe even learn to love your own.

What factors affect your body shape?

While there are certainly things you can do to change your body composition, your overarching body shape is usually set by the end of puberty — around ages 15 to 18 [1]. So, what influences women's body shapes?

Genetics

Research shows that genetic components account for up to 80% of your body shape [2]. So, if your mother is short and curvy, the chances of you being long and lean are slim (pun intended). And, it's not just your mum who influences what your body looks like, either. Your dad's genetics can influence your height, weight and overall bone structure and frame, too [3].

Hormones

There's a reason girls tend to fill out as they go through puberty, while their male counterparts retain that 'lanky' look. As well as our reproductive development, the sex hormone estrogen plays an important role in female body composition [4].

Estrogen promotes the storage of fat in the breasts, buttocks, stomach and hips as we develop, which is why women have inherently different body types from men. We need that extra fat storage to support carrying a child!

Certain women can also be particularly dominant in estrogen or progesterone (another important sex hormone), which can impact the shape of their body, where they store fat and how easy it is to gain muscle [5].

Body composition

Part of what we are talking about when it comes to body shape is our skeletal frame — that is, how narrow or wide our hips, shoulders and ribcage are. This is mostly set in stone by the time we stop growing, and doesn't change much throughout the lifetime.

However, other important factors include our muscle and fat mass. And, while we can certainly be prone to more easily gaining fat, muscle or both, this is something we can have some control over via exercise, nutrition and medical interventions.

The different female body types

There are a few different frameworks of female body types, including the Kibbe body typing system, which sorts women into 13 different categories based on their balance of 'yin' and 'yang' [6].

However, the simplest and timeless system is the body shape system. This approach compares different female body types to easily recognisable shapes, objects and fruits, based on the proportions of your body.

The hourglass body type

The ideal body type of many Old Hollywood actresses, those with an hourglass shape, typically has a bust and hips that are roughly the same width. They also tend to have a comparatively narrow waist, creating that shapely 'hourglass' silhouette.

The pear body type

As one of the most common women's body shapes, the pear body type tends to be fuller on the lower half of the body than up top. The pear-shaped body usually features a well-defined waist with wider hips and a fuller bum and thighs.

The spoon body type

This lesser-known body type is similar to a pear-shaped body, but the hips are the most pronounced feature. They typically have a narrow upper body, with hips that are significantly wider than the bust and waist.

The apple body type

Sometimes referred to as the 'O' shape, the apple is characterised by a broader bust and fuller mid-section, with a less-defined waistline and  narrower lower body. The apple-shaped figure is also often accompanied by broader shoulders.

The inverted triangle body type

If you notice your shoulders tend to stand out in photos, you may have an inverted triangle body shape. This type tends to have wider shoulders or bust, with a straight or undefined waist. Meanwhile, the lower body is usually fairly moderate.

The rectangle body type

If you've ever felt like you're 'straight up and down,' you might fit into the rectangle body shape category. This shape tends to have a balanced bust and hips, with minimal waist definition. The good news is, this body type tends to wear clothes very well (like models on a runway).

Other body shape considerations

The above body shapes are handy because they tend to stay fairly stable regardless of your weight at the time. However, they aren't the be all to end all.  You may find that you relate to multiple body shapes... or perhaps, none at all! In that case, these considerations may help you figure out where you sit.

The somatotypes

While they aren't specific to female body types, the 'somatotypes' are another system for body type categorisation. Created by Dr. William Sheldon in the 1940s, this framework suggests men and women fall into three different types of body composition [7].

Ectomorphs tend to be long and lean, with narrow shoulders and delicate joints (such as small wrists and ankles). They typically have a low level of body fat naturally and find it difficult to put on muscle mass.

On the other hand, mesomorphs tend to have an athletic body type with a medium frame. Their bodies tend to respond quickly to strength training, while they may find it more difficult to lose fat.

Then, there's the endomorph. These types tend to have a softer, rounder physique. If you feel like you simply look at food to gain weight, you're likely an endomorph. Like the mesomorph, they are often naturally strong and can gain muscle quickly.

Android vs gynoid

Another useful and simple model for identifying different body types is the android and gynoid ratio [8]. While this may sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, it actually refers to your body fat distribution.

If you're Android dominant, you tend to store your fat in your upper body (arms, bust and mid-section), whereas if you're Gynoid, it accumulates more around the hips, thighs and legs. This fat distribution stays relatively stable throughout the lifetime, although you may find that it changes after going on a medical weight loss program or during peri or menopause.

DEXA scans and some other body composition scales will typically sort your body type into an 'Android' or 'Gynoid' category — albeit, with varying degrees of accuracy.

How to determine your body shape

There are a few different ways you can figure out which of the female body shapes you fit into. The first is to take a tape measure and jot down your measurements for your shoulders, bust and hips (at their widest point) and waist (at its narrowest point). Then, you can either put your measurements into an online body type calculator

Another female figure identification technique is to take a photo of yourself — ideally wearing minimal clothing, so you can clearly see the silhouette of your body. Then, you can either print it out or use an iPad with a stylus to outline your figure. This should allow you to more easily see the silhouette of your body and map it onto a body type.

Finally, you can use AI to help you by uploading some photos of yourself into an app like ChatGPT or Google Gemini and asking it to identify your body shape. Or, if you're concerned about privacy, you can always simply input your measurements into the app. Just be sure to take its identification and suggestions with a grain of salt, as it's not always 100% accurate.

Which body shape is healthiest?

You may have heard before that the hourglass body shape is the healthiest. But, while a low waist-to-hip ratio (as is often seen in hourglass figures) can be a sign of minimal visceral fat around the organs, this isn't the whole story [9].

The reality is, there is no one healthiest body shape. You can be fit at nearly any body size or shape, and you can rarely tell how healthy someone is just by looking at them. It's less about what you look like, and more about looking after your heart, bones, muscles and overall health.

Does your body shape change over time?

No, you can't change your overall natural shape (meaning, your frame) without surgical intervention. If you have a wide ribcage and narrow hips, you're never going to be able to have a narrow ribcage and wide hips (and vice versa). You also unfortunately can't choose which part of your body you lose fat from first.

However, what you can change is your body composition — the total ratio of fat to muscle mass on your body. With intentional training and nutrition, you can change the appearance of your body. This might be by building up your glutes to create curves, or working on strong, muscular arms to draw attention upwards.

Intentional styling can also go a long way to help you feel more confident in your unique body type. For example, if you have a slimmer lower body and want to create balance, you might opt for slightly flared pants. Or, if you're more of a pear body shape, you might want to draw attention to your natural waistline with a belt or cinched shirt. Meanwhile, wearing an A-line skirt is a great styling tip to balance proportions for apple body types.

No matter your body shape, there are always things you can do to create the illusion of a more harmonious silhouette. To help give you styling inspiration, it can be useful to do some research into celebrities who have a similar body type to you.

Why you should embrace your body shape

The world would be extremely boring if we all looked the same! Just like all dogs are good dogs — whether they're a pug, a poodle or a pomeranian — what if we thought about humans in the same way? Each and every body shape tells a different story, like a work of art.

It can also be helpful to remember that the human body is a miracle! It's what allows us to move through the world — to love, to travel, to eat all the delicious foods. And, no matter what yours looks like, chances are there's someone out there who wishes they had a body that looks just like yours.

Still keen to lose weight? That's completely fine! What's important is that you're changing your body weight from a place of love and acceptance, not trying to punish it.

If you're looking for a solution that will help you feel confident at every step of your body image journey, find out more about Juniper's holistic weight management programme here.

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