For many females, shopping can be a very arduous task. Why? Because many females don’t know or aren’t aware of their body types. Asking “does this make me look fat” is a valid question when assessing what does (or does not) suit your shape. Below are the basic female body types:

• Triangle: Shoulders and waist are narrower than your hips/thighs.
• Inverted Triangle: Shoulders are wider than your waist and hips/thighs.
• Rectangle: Shoulders are as wide as your hips/thighs. Waist is as wide as or slightly narrower than your shoulders and hips/thighs.
• Hourglass: Shoulders are squared and are relatively as wide as your hips/thighs. Waist is distinctly narrower than your shoulders and hips/thighs.
• Figure-Eight: Shoulders are curved and are relatively as wide as your hips/thighs. Waist is distinctly narrower than your shoulders and hips/thighs.
• Oval: Shoulders are narrower or as wide as your hips/thighs. From the front, your waist appears the same width as, or wider than, your shoulders and/or hips. From the side, your waist extends out in front and sometimes in back.

Once you’ve established your body type, you can shop more efficiently (and hassle-free) by matching clothes with your body shape – know your body shape, match colors and choose the right styles. Then your wardrobe will better reflect your style, while hiding your flaws and emphasizing your assets.