How to Style Your A-Shaped Body (Pear Shape)

If your shoulders are smaller than your hips, and your waist is clearly defined, breasts smaller, and especially if you wear bottoms that are a size bigger than your tops, you can be sure that you have an A-shaped body, i.e. Pear shape.

When choosing your outfits, the goal is usually to balance out the hips and the shoulders, and there are several ways to do that if you are A-shaped. 

Colors

It is common knowledge that light colors make things look bigger, while dark ones make them look smaller. For that reason, choose light colors for your tops to visually expand the upper part of your body, and dark colors for your bottoms to make them look smaller.

We’d recommend a light blazer that is either short or reaches up to the widest part of your hips. Make sure not to have it fall over the widest part to avoid further visual expansion.

Skirts

Since hips are usually significantly bigger than the upper body when it comes to A shape, try to avoid folds or pockets on the widest part of your hips that would further widen them.

Since one of the characteristics of A-shaped bodies is fuller legs, go for skirts that gently widen at the hips. Decorations such as buttons, buckles and belts are ok at below the widest part, as long as they don’t add to its volume. If you opt for a wrap skirt, make sure that the pleats or the wider part starts below the widest part of your hips. Otherwise, it will make your hips seem larger than they are.

When the waist is emphasized, regardless of the wider hips, the classic “pencil” skirt is a great choice in darker colors. By the way, this type of skirt will also look good on an Hourglass-shaped body.

Pants

Since A body shapes typically have narrower shoulders, wider hips, and a well-defined waist, women with a pronounced A body shape often aim to visually “narrow down” their hips.

The cut around the hips should be as simple as possible, with very few pleats or without them. Avoid big, emphasized, and sewn-on pockets, because they will visually expand your hips.

Your pants can follow the body’s contour and be classic “cigarette” pants, but they shouldn’t be too tight. Taller ladies can also play with the length and opt for 7/8 or 3/4 pants.

Dresses

Since wrap dresses usually have V-shaped cleavage, it would be best to go for a wider and not-too deep neckline, so it doesn’t make the shoulders look more narrow. 

Keep the waist in its natural position, and go for sleeves with different folds to visually expand your upper body. Ideally, go for dresses that are A-shaped above the waist, and have no pleats on the hips to avoid making them look bigger. If you like wearing wide skirts, we recommend a diagonal pattern which follows your contour in the top part of your body, but widens from the hips. The bottom part can be complemented with some pleats, too.

Neckline

One of the best ways to emphasize and visually expand our shoulders is with the so-called “boat” neckline. This type of neckline looks good on both slimmer and curvier women.

Horizontal lines in the upper part of your A-shaped body are also a great way to expand it. A shirt, a blouse, and even a Chanel blazer can be complemented with horizontal lines.