How to Dress a Pear Body Shape
Pears are known for their enviable curves and feminine look. Sometimes referred to as a “triangle,” you have a pear body shape if you have a well-defined waist, and your hips and butt are fuller than your shoulders and bust.
Choosing the right women's clothes to fit your pear body shape will give you confidence and help you show off your best assets. So, if our body shape quiz revealed you’re a pear, it’s time to learn how to choose the best pear-shaped body outfits.
Here, we explore the characteristics of a pear body shape along with tips for how to dress your pear shape figure, whether you're going for an easy, everyday look or need to up the glam for an event.
Characteristics of a Pear Body Shape
The primary characteristics of the pear body shape include:
- Your hips, butt, and thighs are fuller than your bust and shoulders.
- Your waist is well-defined, especially in proportion to your hips.
- You may have a short torso, but pears can have a longer torso too.
With your triangle body shape, you're in fantastic company. Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, and America Ferrara are all stunning on the runway, stage, or screen. You can take their lead and watch how they're styled in and out of the spotlight.
3 Style Tips for Dressing the Pear Body Shape
Your pear body shape is stunning, and with the right clothing and accessories, you can be the center of attention wherever you go. Before we dive into the specific pieces that work best for your shape, here are three universal tips pears should keep in mind when choosing outfits and accessories. These tips will help draw attention to your greatest assets.
1. Add Volume on Top
To balance your pear body shape, you want to emphasize your upper body. We recommend clothes that show off your shoulders and bust and deemphasize your butt, hips, and thighs. You can do this with a top with a great neckline or statement accessories that draw the eyes.
2. Draw Attention Upward with Bold Prints and Colors
Creating balance for your triangle body shape is all about bringing attention to where your body has less volume: your shoulders and bust. You can do this by pairing bold prints and colors on top with darker colors on bottom. This will draw attention to your face and upper body.
3. Play Up Your Well-Defined Waist
Tops that hide your well-defined waist can accentuate your hips, thighs, and butt while covering one of your biggest assets. Instead of boxy, loose tops, choose fitted tops or dresses with a defined waist or belt to show off your body's natural curves and draw attention to your stellar figure.
Dressing the Pear Body Shape: What to Wear
Now that you know the characteristics of the pear body shape, it’s time to figure out what to wear. Keep these styles in mind next time you're shopping.
Tops
When shopping for tops for a pear shape body, there are two golden rules to keep in mind: 1) accentuate your shoulders and bust and 2) cinch your waist. The most flattering tops and blouses for pears include:
- Peplum: These adorable tops, sometimes called "baby doll" tops, feature a gathered waistline with a flair at the bottom. This style accentuates your natural waist beautifully.
- Cowl neck: Continuing to draw attention to your face and upper body, a cowl neck drapes nicely and adds visual interest.
- Square neck: Square neck tops show off your shoulder blades and sit low across your neck and shoulders.
- Boat neck: Similarly, a boat neck widens your shoulders to give the illusion of a more balanced shape.
- Belted: Belted tops show off your already well-defined waist and help create balance.
Jeans
When shopping for women's denim for a pear body shape, looser-fitting cuts and dark washes can help flatter your curvy figure.
- Straight-leg: Skinny jeans draw attention down, but you can keep your bottom half neutral with straight-leg jeans. Love skinny jeans? Try a slim-straight option, which is roomier in the thighs than traditional skinny jeans.
- Bootcut: Bootcut jeans are a pear’s best friend as the slight curve at the ankles balances out your hips, butt, and thighs. Try pairing for favorite bootcut jeans with a pair of chic booties to elongate your legs.
- Wide-leg: Wide-leg jeans, like straight-leg, will create a straighter silhouette, giving your hips, butt, and thighs a more uniform look.
- Flare: Flares may seem like a no-no, but with the right top, flare jeans can showcase the balance in your figure and draw the eyes away from your hips, butt, and thighs.
- High-waisted: Triangle body shapes look terrific in high-waisted jeans that accentuate your natural waistline.
- Dark washes: When you want to downplay your bottom half, choose dark washes, like classic black or indigo, and pair with a bright, fun top or a playful accessory.
Pants
No pear’s wardrobe is complete without a few pairs of well-fitting dress and casual pants. Here are some great pants for your pear-shaped body.
- Bootcut: To draw attention to your upper body, choose bootcut pants rather than ultra-thin cuts.
- Flat-front: Opting for flat-front pants instead of pleated pants will sit well across your hips and thighs to create a balanced silhouette.
- High-waisted: Showcasing your natural waist to give you a balanced shape is accented with high-waisted trousers.
- Straight leg: You can also look great in a pair of straight-legged pants that create a neutral shape to elongate your legs.
- Dark colors: As with jeans, choose darker colors for your work wardrobe pants to bring the eye naturally up to your face, neckline, and shoulders.
Dresses and Jumpsuits
For essential dresses for your pear shape body, consider these styles to help you accentuate your best features. Use these concepts to pick out a good jumpsuit, too.
- Fit and Flare: With a defined waist and full skirt, fit and flare dresses are perfect for the pear body shape.
- A-Line: Like fit and flare, A-line dresses will also have a fuller skirt that lifts the fabric from the hips.
- Empire waist: You may also want to consider an empire waist dress that's gathered just below your bust, especially when choosing a long gown.
- Off the shoulder: Dresses with an off-the-shoulder design are a great way to accentuate your shoulders and collarbones to draw attention up.
- Belted: Belts at your natural waist help give your body the illusion of a more balanced, hourglass shape.
Skirts
Like dresses, you also want the best skirts for pear-shaped bodies in your wardrobe to show off your naturally curvy figure.
- Full: Like the dress choices you make, pairing a full skirt with a fitted top will give you the right silhouette.
- A-Line: An A-line skirt will also create the right shape as it flares away from your hips, balancing out your form.
- Skimming: Choose skirts that skim your hips rather than tightly fitted skirts.
- Draped fabric: Loose, draping fabrics that won't cling to your hips or thighs will help accentuate your shape and draw attention upward.
- Knee-length or mid-calf: Choose skirts that fall to the knee or mid-calf to elongate your shape and legs.
- High-waisted: High-waisted skirts to accentuate your natural waistline will look fabulous with a fitted top.
Jackets
Accessorizing your look in the cooler seasons with jackets and coats can also give you a great shape.
- Cropped: To accentuate your upper half, a cropped jacket is a perfect look over any outfit.
- Denim or bomber: You can pull off some great looks with denim or bomber jackets. Keep the hem at your natural waist to accentuate your shape.
- Long blazer: For the office, choose a long blazer that falls below your hips to show off your shape and elongate your torso.
- Trench coat: For outerwear, a trench coat with a belt to cinch at your natural waist is the perfect fit.
- A-Line coat: Like choosing dresses, A-line coats are an excellent fit for the triangle body shape.
- Princess coat: This retro style of coat is named for the seams that run along each side of the bustline, and it's perfectly designed for a pear body shape.
Swimwear
Is the beach, lake, or pool calling your name? Choosing the right swimwear along with summer clothes for your pear-shaped body can make you feel confident when you’re ready to take a dip.
- Ruched tops: The pleated, ruched detailing on the upper half of a swimsuit will draw the eye upward.
- Ruffle details: Choose ruffles along the neckline to create visual interest.
- Asymmetrical: A one-shoulder top or an asymmetrical hemline to a swim dress looks great on a pear body shape.
- High-waisted bottoms: When choosing separates, pick out high-waisted swim bottoms to show off your natural waist.
- Tankinis: Tankinis with fit and flare tops, like peplum tops, will accentuate all your right curves.
- Off-the-shoulder: Drawing the eye up with an off-the-shoulder swimsuit design will show off your collarbones.
- Halter: A halter top is another way to display your shoulders and create an elongated shape for your bustline.
Shoes and Accessories
Shoes and accessories can also help accentuate your fabulous pear body shape. Whether you're dressing casual, formal, or for the office, try out these options.
- Pointed-toe shoes: To elongate your legs, choose a pointed-toe shoe. They draw the length of the leg downward.
- Booties: Booties, especially when paired with boot-cut jeans or slacks, are a great shoe choice.
- Drop earrings: You want to show off your neckline and shoulders, and drop earrings can help point the eye in the right direction.
- Bold necklace: Similarly, a bold necklace will also help draw attention to the neckline, shoulders, and bust area.
- Belts: You have a great waistline, so show it off by cinching with a belt at your natural waist.
3 Easy Outfit Ideas for a Pear Body Shape
Now that you know the individual pieces to flatter your figure, here are three simple outfit ideas for every day, a formal event, or the office.
For Everyday
The best everyday looks are simple yet stylish. For an easy everyday look, reach for a peplum top in a bold color paired with boot-cut jeans. The ideal neckline will be rounded or squared – bonus point if you rock slightly puffed sleeves, which will draw the eye up. A pair of pointed-toe boots and a statement necklace will pull the entire look together.
For an Event
For date night or a wedding, try a fit-and-flare dress that shows off your natural waistline. Look for a rounded or square neck to draw attention up to your shoulder blades. A bold print in bright colors will look amazing on your figure, but don’t underestimate the power of a little black dress either. Accessorize with drop earrings to bring attention to your face and high-heeled sandals to elongate your legs.
For the Office
