Are you wondering how to dress for pear shaped women?
This article has the best stylistic guide and advice!
If you have narrow shoulders, a thin waist and wide hips, this comprehensive guide on how to dress for pear shaped women will come in handy because your physique dictates a direct attribution to this type.
You can pay attention to how pear shaped celebrities dress.
Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Shakira, Blake Lovely, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Christina Aguilera, plus-size bloggers Tanesha Avashti and Nadia Abulhouson, etc., share the same body shape, regardless of the size.
DRESSES FOR PEAR SHAPE
Dresses for the pear shaped body are the most feminine because they emphasize wide hips and a sculpted waist, which everybody likes.
If you learn how to emphasize your body in the right spotlight, you can look even better than the “perfect” hourglass figure.
And all because there is a certain zest and femininity in the pear shaped women that no one else has.
A well-chosen dress can help emphasize luxurious forms or hide if necessary because it is a very useful and versatile item in your wardrobe.
Most fashion bloggers and big-hip starlets prefer dresses whose figure looks lush, like Kim Kardashian.
The best dresses for a pear figure with full hips, thin waist and sloping shoulders would be a flared or a wrap design.
Also, pay attention to emphasizing your waist and a loose slip skirt of mid-length that is not tightly fitted at the hip area.
You can pay attention to tight-fitting if you want to stress on your body parts specifically.
Styles that accentuate forms and make the silhouette feminine and seductive for women with a fit physique. It’s up to you to decide which trajectory you want to go for.
But my personal preference, as a stylist, would be, of course, the flared style without excessive flashing of the body. That will add class and elegance to your look.
If you have a flat stomach and a beautiful upper body to emphasize, you can follow the stars’ lead and start wearing tight dresses and even more form-fitting models to emphasize the features and curves of the figure.
Ideally, a dress that hugs the hips tightly should have a voluminous top to balance the silhouette out, transforming it into a perfect canonical hourglass body shape.
It is not only about the hips here but also the waist – if it’s emphasized clearly, feel free to capitalize on the shoulder line with frills and let the bottom be loose and airy.
Give preference to models with open shoulders and a wide frill, with or without sleeves.
You can add beautiful jewellery in the same facial area to create more accents.
Pear shaped women body types usually are the owners of small-sized breasts area, which can be accentuated with a neckline.
If you look at Jennifer Lopez, you will see that she wears tight dresses or tight-fitting waist outfits with a very deep neckline and looks incredible.
Pear shaped women with large breasts and a deep plunging neckline often looks “too much”, and that should be avoided if you don’t want to appear as vulgar.
But we should not forget that dresses with a deep neckline are intended exclusively for the evening and definitely are inappropriate during the daytime (obviously, you cannot go to an office like that).
Shirt-dresses with a belt (or a wrap dress) – emphasize the waist and highlight the shoulders and chest without focusing on the hips.
Let them be a little longer than one of the beautiful Nadia Abulhouson, especially if you are looking for a model that always works well. Check out how Tanesha Avashti also wears a shirt dress and looks stunning.
Elegant dresses with slightly puffy sleeves – create a balanced silhouette, elegantly emphasizing the upper body and your elegant fragile waist.
A-line knee-length with long sleeves – takes the accent away from the hips.
Straight classic dresses with a round or V-neck – universally suitable for all body types.
When choosing a material, pay attention to dense fabrics that keep their shape well. For summer, lightweight materials are suitable but not translucent.
Avoid stretchy and too form-fitting fabrics that hide your flaws.
At the same time, too dense and heavy fabrics are also not recommended.
Leather, velvet and tweed can enlarge the figure and make it rich instead of giving the silhouette lightness, femininity, and grace.
If you need to wear heavier-looking fabrics use it for evening wear.
Choose the dress’s color based on your own color type, but remember that too light shades have the tendency , and too dark tones can seem monotonous and dull.
COLOR PALETTE FOR EACH SEASON OF THE YEAR
If you are wondering about what print to choose, look for traditional patterns and basic geometry, delicate floral or floral prints—dresses for special events.
Choose midi-length dresses of a free or flared silhouette with a well accentuated waist and a voluminous shoulder line.
An evening look should demonstrate elegance, allowing yourself more to be luxurious.
For example, pay attention to lace dresses, puffy sleeves, slit on the skirt, and deep neckline (but pay attention to your chest size to avoid exaggerating the decolletage).
All dresses with open shoulders and models of the “new-bow” style with a fluffy skirt are suitable.
Avoid dresses that make the bottom of the body magnified, such as horizontal ruffles or stipes, sheer skirts, tutu skirts, and others that exaggerate or accentuate disadvantages of the body.
Choose long dresses with a laconic skirt, possibly a front or back slit. Models with an accentuated waist look best on the pear body type, making the silhouette incredibly feminine.
Pay attention to the models with a long, straight, loose-fitting skirt with multi-layer vertical or a diagnal frill.
For instance, a belt is required or a very accentuated waist with a corset.
Thin girls with a pear figure can try on fish-style dresses with a skirt flared from the knee.
Such a dress will beautifully emphasize the transition from the waist to the hips, which will look luxurious.
A voluminous veil will add volume to the top of the figure; in this case, the top of the dress can be laconic.
SKIRTS AND SHORTS
Skirts, like dresses, belong to the most feminine types of clothing; therefore, we need to find what models work well for the pear shaped women.
The fitted skirt can improve the silhouette and make the figure attractive, feminine, and elegant.
The most successful silhouette for a pear figure is a flared midi skirt with a high, slightly accentuated waist.
A flared model or a more elegant large pleats skirt accentuates a narrow waist and hides wide hips by itself, even without the belt.
Many fashion bloggers, especially Tanesha Avashti, often demonstrate such skirts, fitting them into everyday, business and elegant wardrobe.
Thanks to the feminine cut, curvy hips no longer seem like a disadvantage; on the contrary, the body acquires seductive, elegant, graceful feminine features.
Some pear shaped women fret wearing pencil skirts as they accentuate the hips.
If you choose a pencil skirt made of dense, not elastic materials, such a model can be worn in the office and for other special occasions, mixed with a voluminous top.
For example, an oversized T-shirt blouse, a pussy-bow blouse, an oversized double-breasted blazer, a cardigan, or even a loose preppy golf sweater.
You will create a beautiful, proportional, balanced silhouette by accentuating the waist with a belt.
Pencil skirts with vertical stripes on the sides are popular today. Make sure that the stripes are not wide in width because that will make you look bigger than you are.
A knee-length straight skirt with or without a belt at the waist is considered a classic option and suits any type of figure.
Pear shaped women can wear such skirts with silk, viscose, chiffon blouses, turtlenecks, short jackets and cardigans, and moderately loose sweaters.
The slightly voluminous top will balance the heavy-looking bottom and harmonise the figure.
An A-line skirt is an excellent choice for a pear, but only if the skirt is knee-length or slightly lower.
An A-line skirt that is too short will make the hips look fuller, and the figure might appear bulky.
You can go with denim A-Line, leather and other heavy fabric as well.
Trendy materials for a stylish look match them with loose shirts, lightweight blouses, and silk tops with short sleeves.
Wrap-style skirts with a small slit look good on the pear figure.
These pieces are great for evening wear when paired with an off-the-shoulder top, ruffles, or a more concise top if you want to create an elegant look.
In summer, the maxi is popular – long skirts made of flowing fabric, wrap-skirt styles with ruffles at the bottom, translucent and others that go well with short tops, T-shirts, ruffled tops and other light-weight clothes.
Most summer maxi skirts are suitable for a pear figure, including options with a print, a pattern, in bright colors.
Bright loose maxi skirts with a high waist emphasize the feminine forms the best.
The thighs do not attract undue attention thanks to the freely flowing fabric, and the figure looks graceful.
It is better to avoid popular summer mini, especially short denim skirts.
You could go for a knee-length denim skirt with a vertical slit to visually lengthen the silhouette, making the figure slimmer.
There are models of skirts that pear shaped women should avoid.
Aside from the evident tight-fitting mini skirts, other skirts overemphasize the “problematic” part of the figure.
Skirt with a peplum, as it emphasizes the widest part of the figure—especially unsuitable for women with small breasts.
Pencil skirts in elastic, shiny material. Better give your preference to a matte and heavier fabric.
Opt for knee-length and lower-length skirts to hide the width of the hips and look slimmer.
Jeans are versatile clothes, without which even the most elegant and romantic wardrobe is impossible.
The pear shape is feminine, and it is not easy to find the perfect jeans for her.
When choosing jeans, you should pay attention to classic straight models.
As denim is a heavy-looking fabric it can add some extra pounds here. A high waist can make your lower body feel more volumptious if chosen incorrectly. You can always go for a mid-rise model.
Today, shortened wide models like culottes are in trend, which is not advised for pear shaped women.
These jeans will make the figure shorter and the silhouette can feel inappropriately cut in an undesirable way.
It would be best not to buy white or pastel jeans that can increase the visibility of your bottom significantly. Here you need to be careful, taking into consideration real volumes of your body.
Light-colored models can be too tight or too wide, flared from the knee models, skinny models with holes – all this should be left to girls with narrow hips.
The best choice for a pear figure is a classic or a little loose model, like mom jeans.
When choosing denim overall, pay attention to loose models with pockets at the top of the figure.
Denim knee-length shorts, and culottes do not suit girls with heavy hips, as they emphasize them even more.
Opt for loose full-length jeans, a flared jumpsuit, or a denim dress as a substitution.
TROUSERS AND JEANS
Trousers for pear shaped women – do not go for too wide trousers, for example, sweatpants with cuffs or flared pants from the knee – it is better to replace all this with more snug and precise styles.
If you are on a taller side, you can try trendy palazzo pants on, but in combination with shoes with heels.
Thin women can sometimes wear trendy oversized models, matching them correctly with other clothes and accessories.
For example, wide-leg boyfriend jeans can be worn with a white shirt, cardigan or jumper, oversized but short jacket, elongated jacket, or a blazer.
Palazzo trousers are worn with a belt, blouse, T-shirt, or crop top tucked inside.
In the summer, you can follow Bella Hadid example and try sweatpants on or cargo pants with a short crop top.
These options are suitable for slender girls who naturally have wide bone hips that are much wider than the width of the chest area.
Focus on the waist so that the figure looks harmonious.
Fuller girls should choose straight trousers with well press-ironed arrows, which can be slightly shortened and tapered.
Straight trousers with full-length arrows are suitable for short and overweight girls, maybe a little narrow.
Culottes – cropped wide-leg pants can both slim and add weight. So be careful here!
Wide cropped jeans do not fit a pear-shaped figure; for this reason, culottes to the middle of the calf should be avoided, adding extra pounds to the figure.
Top pants, in which the pear figure looks perfect: straight suit with arrows; loose, but not comprehensive, summer trousers made of light fabrics; wide culottes to the knee; trousers, slightly tapered to the bottom.
Wide culottes can fit into a wardrobe, but their length should be slightly below the knee and resemble a skirt silhouette.
Pay attention to wide palazzo-type trousers with long sleeves.
Summer models can even be in white if they hide the hips well. White will only refresh the image and make it more elegant.
It is challenging to choose shorts for a pear figure because the length of most of them emphasizes problem areas.
Choose knee-length Bermuda shorts, voluminous shorts with a turn, and mix micro shorts with a beach tunic or a kimono if you want to wear something shorter.
You should not choose trousers with a print to not focus on the hips.
The cage print is especially dangerous, but the stripe also emphasizes the hips’ volume.
When choosing fabrics, be guided by medium-weight matte fabrics.
Tweed and other dense fabrics will enlarge the hips and make the bottom of the figure disproportionately large.
Transparent, shiny, elastic fabrics are also contraindicated as they accentuate full thighs.
There are models of trousers that pears should avoid: leggings, including velvet and other shiny models; wide trousers with low waistline; shortened and tapered trousers with low and too high waistline; cargo;
Finding suitable trousers with a voluminous lower body is difficult, but the suitable models will make your figure perfect.
Also, consider different matching; skinny pants can be paired with an oversized double-breasted blazer or cardigan to slim down the hips visually.
Opt for long jackets, blazers, and cardigans to hide large thighs.
Blouses and shirts.
Wide hips and a narrow chest characterize the pear figure, with thin shoulders and arms, a small chest, and a pronounced waist.
Unlike the apple and inverted triangle shapes, the pear has a significant drop between the waist and the hips, which results in a pear-shaped silhouette.
Compared to a large bottom, a small top affects the choice of trousers, dresses and skirts, and blouses, tops, and shirts.
It is important to remember that there is another type of pear – with a large bust, and the silhouette is still pear-shaped thanks to the sloping shoulders and broader hips compared to the chest.
Such girls will find different recommendations for choosing blouses than those with small breasts.
Pear shaped women are often advised to balance the figure with volume at the top. But this advice is only valid for girls with small breasts.
Owners of curvaceous forms are advised to focus on the top of the figure with the help of small decorative elements, accessories, and ornaments, but avoid flounces, ruffles, large frills, puff sleeves and a deep neckline.
Blouses for a figure pear with big breasts
To look elegant and not vulgar, choosing closed blouses or shirts with the light decor in the chest area is recommended—for example, a shelf with vertical patterns, small ruffles, and a medium-sized print.
Plain, masculine-style shirts are perfect as a base for a business wardrobe.
They can be paired with any skirts and trousers, cardigans, jackets, and blazers can be worn over them, creating countless combinations.
Choose the most laconic shirts in light shades: white, beige, purple, powdery, or blue.
Blouses in a minimalistic design are also great for girls with large breasts.
Avoid a lot of decors, too voluminous elements in the chest, shoulders, and neck.
Choose a simple, tailored fit, shallow neckline, 3/4 or full-length sleeves.
Structured cotton tops and geometric shoulder line blouses are also great for a curvy pear.
These tops can be matched with pencil skirts with a laconic silhouette, a slightly voluminous cut, lack of decor, and monotonous color.
Large breasts should not be emphasized with cutouts and plunging necklines, as that look together with wide hips have the tendency to be “non comme il faut.”
Golf sweaters and tight-fitting turtlenecks are not recommended for women with large breasts, as they focus too much on the chest.
So if you particularly like wearing that and are not ready to throw it away, you have to match it with an additional layer on top – a double-breasted blazer.
BLOUSES AND TOPS
Blouses for a pear figure with small breasts.
Look for ruffled tops, including asymmetrical options (especially with an interesting cut).
Such models look beautiful if you match them with other more laconic silhouettes: skirts or trousers (like palazzo pants); they can be mixed with cardigans, blazers, and sweaters.
Blouses with puffy sleeves and ruffles are trendy today, and those pear shaped women can afford and even should allow such models in their wardrobe.
Feminine blouses go well with straight skirts, suit pants, and jeans and jackets – it’s all about constructing an hourglass shape.
For the pear figure, there is a vast variety of summer blouses: with open shoulders and frills; with lantern-sleeves; with wing sleeves; a deep V-neck cut and others.
Slender pear type women can even wear crop tops and bandeau, especially when combined with a high-waisted skirt or palazzo pants.
There are blouses, shirts, jackets and jumpers that are universally suitable for all girls with a pear body type, regardless of the breast size: classic T-shirts with a round neck; boyfriend’s oversized shirts; jumpers with a V-neck cut; short and long cardigans; classic blazers and wool coats.
To look harmonious, you should strive for a proportional silhouette.
To do this, it is recommended to visually align the size of the hips, upper part, and shoulder line of the figure, stressing majorly on the waist.
COATS AND OUTERWEAR
Coats for pear shaped women are equal wardrobe base and any other black and white basics.
You can choose a beige trench coat for spring/autumn, a dark raincoat or cape for cold days, and a fur or a faux fur coat for the winter time.
During spring, choose pastels and juicy shades that always come trendy. Bright, bold trench coats, raincoats with a small cape, and classic coats in light shades will serve you well.
The main thing is that their length should be up to mid-thigh and below, creating a rough separation in the middle belted part.
Today minimalism, elegance, femininity, safari styles are trendy.
Pick raincoats and trench coats with shoulder pads, metal fittings, and a wide belt at the waist and match them with suit and palazzo pants, midi skirts and even your best-looking jeans (for example, skinny jeans).
Cropped trench coats can be worn with skinny or straight jeans or trousers with frontal arrows without fretting about the size of the hips.
To get even slimmer, wear shoes with heels, especially since the trend is sustainable and all about comfort – kitten-heel models are ideal for everyday life.
Slender girls can be allowed low-speed shoes: trainers, boots, sneakers, loafers, sports shoes or moccasins.
The best outerwear colors for spring: are beige, khaki, powdery, beige, light green, yellow, blue, and all pastel shades.
In the fall, dark, deep tones return into fashion again, but the trench coats and parkas do not differ much from the spring ones.
We recommend choosing a coat or other outerwear with a belt for pear shaped women.
If you do not accentuate the waist with a belt, then the figure will turn out to be larger than it is.
If you emphasize the hips, then the silhouette will turn out to be disproportionate.
Therefore, coats in the style of the 60s with an A-line silhouette do not suit pear shaped women.
The ideal option would be straight coats with a belt, fashionable robe coats, kimono styles, feminine models with a flared skirt, classic trench coats and other options with a belt or accentuated waistline.
Stylish models do not have to be the maxi, even though long coats are in trend today. Ditch mini styles that accentuate the thighs.
If you like a cocoon coat model, feel free to choose a moderately loose silhouette that will hide the volumes in the lower part.
Other oversized options are unlikely to emphasize feminine proportions favorably.
Fashionable capes are also suitable for those with a pear body shape, as they create the ideal proportions of the silhouette, creating an accent on the upper and middle of the body.
You can wear a cape with a pencil skirt, straight or palazzo pants, and jeans as your winning outfit in the cold season.
Winter clothes should be selected according to the same parameters as a coat for autumn or spring: a fitted silhouette or a belt; midi length, voluminous cut in the upper part, for example, a fur collar, shoulder pads, puffy sleeve; dense, but not too heavy fabric.
Fur coats with a short nap, classic drape coats, and tanned coats with belts will fit into this format.
Choosing a maxi fur coat or a floor-length coat as winter clothing may be tempting if you are surrounded by snow and severe freezing air during winter.
We recommend that you avoid this idea because such models will not shape the body well, right on the contrary, it will make it even bigger in size.
BLAZERS AND JACKETS
Blazers: When choosing a blazer, you should pay attention to well fitted models, as well as options with a belt, which will help to highlight the waist and adjust the proportions of the figure.
Models are suitable in any style – from sports to military. The main thing is that they fit into your style and beautifully emphasize the forms.
However, I would recommend oversized double-breasted styles as well as kimono coats. Those are the best for pear shaped women.
Pay attention to parkas with a drawstring or elastic string at the waist. Choose models up to mid-thigh or slightly lower.
Today, parkas can be combined with sportswear and more glamorous outfits, including evening dresses—one of the hottest trends is in the safari-style and its kindred military.
For example, jackets with safari-style pockets with military-inspired details will create a fashionable contrast with elegant midi skirts, flying skirts of any length and sheath dresses.
Chest pockets, patches, shoulder straps, and metal fittings will create volume in the upper part of the figure and help balance the silhouette.
The main thing is to choose jackets, cardigans and parkas with a belt or drawstring at the waist to emphasize the main advantage of the figure.
Double-breasted jackets and blazers add volume to the upper and hide problem hips.
Choose models up to mid-hip or thigh to remove emphasis from the most voluminous part of the figure.
With cropped coats, trench coats, and blazers, it is recommended to wear straight or tight skirts and trousers to balance the silhouette.
You can pick up a fashionable sheepskin coat of a fitted silhouette for a pear figure.
A voluminous turn-down collar and pockets will add the necessary volume at the top.
Look for extended models that mask wide hips.
Some jackets do not fit the pear figure: waist-length models; short leather jackets and bombers; sports jackets to the waist;
Most short models emphasize full hips and therefore are contraindicated for a pear figure.
At the same time, there is a stylish version of short jackets that do not emphasize wide hips.
Ultra-short denim jackets, leather jackets and other styles that end under the bust accentuate the upper body and do not weigh down the thighs.
Such models are suitable for summer and late spring; they can be combined with tight-fitting T-shirts, turtlenecks, and thin jumpers with jeans or skirts.
SWIMWEAR
There are two options to rely on when choosing a swimsuit: accentuate the chest with a bright or voluminous bodice ( I also love the frilled top here), or remove emphasis from the hips with a neutral and high-waisted bottom.
You can also combine both options, choosing a bright top and a neutral bottom.
The best two-piece swimwear for pears: slip-on panties; bodice with ruffles and open shoulders; bright top and dark bottom; intricate bodice with ties, ribbons, bows and simple matching panties; bustier bodice and drawstring panties; bodice with wide straps and simple matching panties; printed top and solid color bottom.
Accentuate the top with accessories like a hat.
You can choose a bodice as a frilled top shirt with a petite chest size and wide hips.
This will help balance a heavy bottom with a voluminous, attention-grabbing top and make your figure appear proportional.
Even though different swimsuits are best suited for the pear shaped women, you can also choose a successful cut among the one-piece suit ones.
The best one-piece swimsuits: with a deep V-neck; with a bright or light top and a dark bottom; with ruffles and open shoulders; classic sports with wide straps and an open back; fully enclosed sports style in dark color.
Trendy surfer swimsuits are perfect for pear shaped bodies thanks to the long sleeves that balance the silhouette, visually distracting from the hips.
The ideal pear swimsuit should create beautiful proportions, smoothing out the difference in volume at the top and bottom.
Thin body types with wide hips should choose the most trendy, bright, layered, interesting and unusual bodices, combining them with simple slip-on panties with ties or narrow sides.
Plus-size women are advised to choose a lighter top compared to the bottom, and the overall design of the swimsuit should be laconic so as not to make the figure larger and heavier.
It is also essential to pay attention to which swimwear you should not buy.
Models with an American armhole bodice do not make the shoulders narrower and the chest smaller.
Retro swimwear with low-cut panties so as not to enlarge the hips.
Swimwear with shorts – for a similar reason. Bikini with ties at the neck, as the model visually narrows the shoulders.
One-piece models with high cutouts in the thighs do not emphasize the volume in the lower part of the figure.
Do not be afraid of light shades, prints, or bright colors, but only for the bodice.
The bottom of the swimsuit should be as modest, closed and unremarkable as possible so as not to focus on the shortcomings.
What to wear if you’re petite and pear shaped
Petite women should stretch their silhouette visually, regardless of their build and body type.
The pear is characterized by heavy thighs, which appear even more significant for a short-height woman.
I recommend wearing high heels for shorter-height women as this is a proven way to get taller.
Although the midi length is ideal for a pear, it is better to prefer the knee-length or slightly higher if you are small in stature.
Midi cuts can be used for the evening, but don’t be too deep and choose mid-calf skirts and dresses.
Mini length should also not be chosen, especially for overweight girls.
Slender ones can wear mid-thigh flared skirts, as they accentuate the waist and visually lengthen the hips.
Wardrobe for a short height woman with a pear body type: straight, slightly loose jeans; flared skirt to the knee or slightly higher; straight skirt to the knee with a belt at the waist; trousers with frontal arrows;
Always have a pair of pointed-toe kitten heels – it’s a must n your wardrobe. Those will greatly elongate your overall look while being really comfortable for every day and even an office type of work.
When choosing a coat, pay attention to mid-thigh models and avoid too short or too long models.
Long cardigans and jackets are not suitable for short girls, reducing height.
Make the rule when choosing things, and you will always be able to create trendy outfits that showcase your silhouette in the best possible way.
