How this calculator works
Body shape calculators like this one compare bust, waist and hip measurements to sort a figure into one of four widely used styling categories: hourglass, pear (also called triangle), apple (inverted triangle), or rectangle. These categories come from the fashion and apparel world, where they help with fit — an hourglass figure and a rectangle figure often need different cuts of the same size, even with identical overall measurements.
It is important to be direct about what this calculator does not do: it has no medical or health meaning. Being classified as 'apple-shaped' by this tool does not by itself indicate any health risk. If you are interested in health-related body measurements, waist circumference on its own — or the waist-to-height ratio — is the measurement actually associated with cardiometabolic risk in published research, not the bust/waist/hip shape category described here.
How the category is determined
Bust and hip are 'balanced' when they differ by 5% or less of the larger measurement.The waist is 'defined' when it is at least 25% smaller than both the bust and the hip.Balanced bust/hip + defined waist = Hourglass. Balanced bust/hip without a defined waist = Rectangle.Unbalanced bust/hip: hip bigger = Pear/triangle; bust bigger = Apple/inverted triangle.This calculator uses a commonly published rule-of-thumb version of this classification. Different sources use slightly different percentage cutoffs, so treat the category as a general styling guide, not an exact scientific measurement.
Worked example: 36 in bust, 24 in waist, 36 in hip
- Bust and hip are identical (36 vs 36), so the bust/hip difference is 0% — well within the 'balanced' range.
- Waist versus bust: (36 − 24) ÷ 36 = 33.3% smaller. Waist versus hip: the same, 33.3% smaller.
- Both comparisons clear the 25% 'defined waist' threshold.
- Balanced bust/hip plus a clearly defined waist gives the classic Hourglass category, with a bust-to-hip ratio of 1.0 and a waist-to-hip ratio of about 0.67.
Frequently asked questions
Does my body shape category say anything about my health?
No. These four categories describe proportions relevant to clothing fit, not health. If you want a measurement linked to health outcomes in published research, use the waist-to-height ratio calculator or simply track your waist circumference on its own.
Where should I measure bust, waist and hip?
Bust/chest is typically measured around the fullest part, waist at the narrowest point of the torso (usually near the navel), and hip around the widest part of the buttocks. Keep the tape measure level and snug but not tight.
Why do the bust-to-hip and waist-to-hip ratios matter if the category is what I really want?
The ratios are the raw numbers behind the category label, useful if you're comparing your proportions against a specific clothing brand's size chart, which often publishes its own ratio ranges rather than these four broad categories.
Can two people with very different measurements get the same category?
Yes — the category depends only on the relationship between the three measurements, not their absolute size. A petite and a plus-size figure with the same bust/waist/hip proportions land in the same category.
Are there more than four body shape categories?
Some fashion resources add finer categories (like 'spoon' or 'oval'), and academic apparel-sizing research has used as many as nine. This calculator sticks to the four most widely recognized categories for simplicity.