Body Shape Calculator

Identify your body shape based on bust, waist, and hip measurements

Last updated: 10/8/2026

Body shape names (hourglass, pear, inverted triangle, rectangle) describe how your bust, waist, and hip measurements relate to one another, not how large they are. The same shape applies at any size. Enter the three circumferences in inches or centimetres (the result depends only on the ratios, so either unit works as long as you use the same one throughout) and the calculator names the closest category and shows the two ratios it used.

Calculator Inputs

Bust / Chest*

Waist*

Hips*

High Hip (Optional)

Used for more precision

Results

Enter values above to see your results

The categories are a simplified styling convention using fixed ratio cut-offs; they are not a medical assessment and other systems may classify the same measurements differently.

How It Works

The calculator compares bust to hips first. If bust ÷ hips ≤ 0.95 (hips at least about 5% larger) the shape is pear; if bust ÷ hips ≥ 1.05 (bust at least about 5% larger) it is inverted triangle. When bust and hips are within 5% of each other, the waist decides: if waist ÷ bust and waist ÷ hips are both below 0.75 the shape is hourglass, otherwise rectangle. The optional high-hip field is accepted for your records but is not used in the current classification.

How to measure

Use a soft tape held snug but not tight, over thin clothing or none, and keep it level all the way round. Bust: across the fullest part of the chest, arms relaxed at your sides. Waist: at the natural waist, the narrowest part of the torso, usually just above the navel; do not pull in. Hips: around the fullest part of the hips and seat, typically 18 to 23 cm (7 to 9 in) below the waist. Measure twice; a 2 cm error on the waist can shift a borderline result.

Borderline results

The thresholds are sharp cut-offs applied to a continuous range, so measurements near a boundary (for example bust ÷ hips of 0.94 or 0.96) can land on either side with ordinary measuring error. If the ratios shown are close to 0.95, 1.05, or 0.75, treat the result as "between" two shapes rather than a firm label.

Worked example

Default inputs: bust 36, waist 28, hips 38

Bust ÷ hips:36 ÷ 38= 0.947 → ≤ 0.95, so hips dominate

Result:bust ÷ hips ≤ 0.95= Pear (Triangle)

Waist-to-hip ratio (shown):28 ÷ 38= 0.74

With bust 37 instead of 36 the ratio becomes 0.974, bust and hips count as similar, and because 28 ÷ 37 = 0.76 is above 0.75 the result would be rectangle rather than hourglass. This shows how close the default figures sit to two boundaries.

Tips & Best Practices

•Measure your waist at the narrowest point and your hips at the widest point, with the tape level.
•Use the same unit for all three fields; mixing inches and centimetres will give a meaningless result.
•Re-measure after significant weight change; shape categories can shift because fat is not gained or lost evenly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is body shape the same as body type (ectomorph, mesomorph, endomorph)?

No. Somatotypes describe overall build and tendency to carry muscle or fat. Body shape here is purely about the proportions of three circumferences and says nothing about weight, height, or health.

Why does it say rectangle when I think I am an hourglass?

The hourglass category requires the waist to be less than 75% of both bust and hips. A waist of 29 with bust and hips of 38 gives 0.76, just over the line. Many classification schemes use slightly different cut-offs, so another calculator may label the same measurements differently.

Does this calculator say anything about health?

No. The waist-to-hip ratio it displays is used in health research, where values above about 0.85 for women and 0.90 for men are associated with higher cardiometabolic risk (WHO cut-offs), but the shape label itself is a styling convention with no medical meaning.