The End of the Hourglass Figure

Hey, I'm a size 16 (UK) and I have no idea what my shape is...probably brick shaped... my measurements are 40, 34, 40- so definitely not a 10 inch difference!!
anyway "She said, "In my opinion people should be more health and weight conscious."

...i think it's pretty safe to say everyone's health and weight conscious...it's just whether people choose to spend their life worrying about it or not!

please someone tell me!!
:)

Mattie said:
i'm not sure what my body type is i think it's hourglass.
i am complimented on my curves,but i don't know could someone tell me my shape? and give me some clothing tips to show off my body
i'm 5'8. i'm still young and still growing
"42.5"-"34"-"45"
thanks:)
[...]

Mattie

Your pear shaped.Why do people keep asking which shape they are?It gives you the definition and body measurements needed for each shape.

I thought I should mention that the bust doesn't really matter when determining your figure. It's actually about bone structure-- your shoulders should match your hips in width if you are an hourglass. And if you're an apple, your shoulders (not your bust) should be larger than your hips. What determines your shape is really three things: your shoulders, waist, and hips. Bust size really means nothing. You could be a rectangle with a huge bust, but your shoulders, waist, and hips are almost the same, and you can be an apple with no bust but your shoulders will be wider than your hips.

AAF said:
Mattie[...]

However the measuremnts are not perfect and I persoanlly do not fit into none of the gruopings. It's olny natural for people to ask becasue unfournatly the measurements don't define most body types.

So i'm confused I thought you measured your bust not your shoulders?

Well, I think retailers (in the UK anyway) seem to make clothes to fit more rectangular figures - girls with no curves - because i find it absolutely impossible to find styles that suit me among the highstreet shops. I'm an hourglass figure ( I think - Bust-37waist-24hips-37) and finding clothes depresses me, all i can find is clotes that look alright on the Kate Moss' of the world, but nothing that would look good on the more "Scarlett Johannson's".

Okay, so I'm a 36-26-36 teenager. I'm 5'10, and everyone says that I'm so skinny and blah blah blah. I honestly don't care what they think. They didn't have to deal with puberty at 10 years old. Do you know how much I weigh? 150 pounds. And that's after losing eight pounds during mono.

I understand if you aren't comfortable with yourself, but if a fourteen year old can be comfortable with being a tall hourglass among a bunch of little rectangles, why can't y'all get over it? If you have kids then someone obviously finds you attractive. I've never had a boyfriend...I'm comfortable with myself but not necessarily with others seeing me.

Maybe if we embraced ourselves and accepted who we are and what we can't control we might not complain about not finding a good fit. I wear low rise blue jeans and long t-shirts. I think I look fine by the time I leave for school, when the most I've done with my hair is to pull a brush through.

But, like I said, I'm young. Young and inexperienced. Maybe I'll have a different view in five years, but who knows?

Ok well I have always been so self conscious about my figure!
I am sixteen and have in my opinion huge hips!
but I have a tiny waist and big bust and wide shoulders...its a very unique combination and I have never seen anyone with the same exact combination before??...
here are my measurements I guess I am an hour glass but not the classic hour glass figure...
bust:34in
waist:22in
hips:38in??
weird right?
oh plus I am very petite I am 5'0 and I weigh about 115 lbs and I have a lot of muscle because I am a soccer player and a former gymnast.
Plus! I can fit into size 0 jeans, I wear size 2 jeans though.
I wear a 30 D in bras
In shirts it depends sometimes its an x-small but other times it a medium...sooo
I just want to see someone with the same body shape and type I am!!
sooo....I don't really have trouble finding clothes that fit me though, it is pretty simple.

Stephanie said:
Hi. My measurements are
bust - 40.5"
waist- 21.5"
hips - 37"[...]

Um, Im sure you're an hourglass. And Even though I dont have as much of a difference between my hip/bust and waist measurements, I still manage to have difficulty finding "proper fitting" clothing. So it would be an idea to get your clothing tailored to flatter your figure :)

Way to defend yourselves, ladies! Joe, whoever you are, I understand what you're point and your frustration. However, when speaking to a specific group of people, you might want to avoid overgeneralizing. I'm pretty sure that they have McDonald's in Europe... I've been there three times, myself, and they're not packed with only tourists from the States, either. Cokes and grease are terrible for your figure, and make it more challenging to find clothes in most cases, I'm sure. But that doesn't give anyone liberty to place the blame on our eating habits, alone, especially when you are male, which means that this concern is one that you, well, unless you have an hourglass figure yourself, probably can't very well relate to. Until you have lived your life as female in the U.S. or elsewhere, do yourself a favor. Choose your battles more wisely, or just keep quiet.

Thanks, bud.

I disagree with this article. I personally fall between spoon and hourglass and find it difficult to find dresses that fit my body well. If I can get it over my hips chances are it is too big on my waist. I often wonder if they are making clothing for rectangular blocks.

hey people i think im a petite teenager and my bustline is 34. i think im a hour glass but not sure because my bust size.

I'm confused as to where the 'hips' are. At the widest around my bottom half I'm 39, but that's less closer to the hipbones. Either way, it's 35-27-30 something. So that's pear?

Liz Sirmans said:
It seems that this will always be a problem, I always have a hard time finding clothes to fit. I got a big bum and small waist. One thing I find to be funny is that Jennifer Lopez came out with a line of clothing to cater to the more curvier ladies like herself, but yet the sizes only go up to 13?? Don't know too many girls with hourglass figures t[...]

I'm an hour glass too! Based on the measurements of today's clothing sizes, I'm a size 6 in the bust, size zero in the waist, and size 4 bottom. Talk about hard to find clothes that fit!

My bust waist hip measurements are 33-27-33. What kind of figure do i have? I'm about 108 lbs, and i'm 5'2. I'm 18 years old and i still don't know if the clothes i'm wearing look good on me and i'm really self conscious about my body because i feel that my hips make me look like i have love handles. Is what i described even remotely attractive, give me your honest opinions because i really need some feedback.

Lea said:
My bust waist hip measurements are 33-27-33. What kind of figure do i have? I'm about 108 lbs, and i'm 5'2. I'm 18 years old and i still don't know if the clothes i'm wearing look good on me and i'm really self conscious about my body because i feel that my hips make me look like i have love handles. Is what i described even remotely attractive, gi[...]

I think you're a rectangle. And it's alright, I'm 16 and do have love handles. I suppose as far as clothing goesfor me, its a matter of finding pants that dont give me the dreaded Muffin Top.

And if you think youre unattractive/fat, my hips are a solid 38, and my waist is 28. And looking at myself in the mirror... I dont hate it, so I'm sure others wouldnt hate your shape. Attractiveness is in the end, entirely on the individual. I'm sure there are people that think I am fat, even though I'm honestly not ( UK size 10- same New Zealand sizing, apart from my boobs which are in a completely different size catergory...) But I dont really care. Much. :)

Although what you're saying appears to be right I definitely hope this changes. I myself do have the hourglass figure and would really love to see more women follow this trend.... sexy is appealing these days! I always encourage my friends who if so need to go on a diet...

Luckily for me even with this figure I don't have to go out to Nordstrom and buy those highly overprices designer jeans and tops. I found a great website for wholesale clothing and I'm able to buy 6 or so tops for the price of one elsewhere.

Really good info though, thanks!

-Michelle

Anon. said:
I'm confused as to where the 'hips' are. At the widest around my bottom half I'm 39, but that's less closer to the hipbones. Either way, it's 35-27-30 something. So that's pear?[...]

The hip measurement is taken on the widest part. So yeah your 39 inches.

And it's pear shaped.

I have a very curvy hourglass fig (I'm 5'2 135) alot of people think that the fashion industry just makes clothes for that body type. NOT SO, truth be told the fashion industry is run by alot of old men that have NO CLUE how our figures vary. There needs to be a line for real women all shapes and sizes alike!

Anita said:
I have a very curvy hourglass fig (I'm 5'2 135) alot of people think that the fashion industry just makes clothes for that body type. NOT SO, truth be told the fashion industry is run by alot of old men that have NO CLUE how our figures vary. There needs to be a line for real women all shapes and sizes alike![...]

Too true!

For me it's like, none of my clothes fit right. They're always too baggy because I'm so tall (5'10). My pants fit fine because I only wear low rise jeans, so my waist isn't really a problem. It's just my shirts that bother me; I have a waist that seems really high to me but my torso isn't short so it always looks weird to me.
36-26-36 is an hourglass, right? I never thought about it until my friend accused me of having one. Whatever. I'll just have to enjoy while I have it

I haven't seen mention of the fact that in the 1950's, the girdle and the waist cincher were a required tool for wearing the day's fashion. These women wore waist cinchers or girdles every day for years at a time. If you look into body modification, you'll find that those types of garments will change the shape of the body. Women in the 50's were not all necessarily healthier or more fit or in shape - they had tiny waists created by the Dior look that required use of a waist cincher or girdle on a daily basis. How many women do you know today that wear a waist cincher every day? I know of very few.

WOW i read most of ppl comments the 2 males down the bottom of the page are so demanding by the sounds of things. So giving the girls a hard time its not the food that they are eating thats how they are born. I have a hourglass figure and just had a baby and i am a size 10-12 (Australian) so give us a break. There is a lady out there for u so stop giving all the girls a hard time about there bodys some guys might like them for who they are! And girls designers cant get all the girls figure perfect unless u pay for one to messure your right size i can never fine the right clothing either but i take them to a person that will make them the right size for me i hope this help u girls out there! :)

Why is everybody complaining so much? Nobody is perfect! In fact, it is the imperfections that can make one beautiful. Nobody is going to like what they have got. Trust me, the grass in no more greener on the other side of the fence. Unless you get custom fit, or you make your own clothes, NOTHING is going to fit anybody perfectly. Sure, you get close but it isn't going to be perfect. I have my own problems with fitting when it comes to clothes but I have learned to suck it up and deal. I have a rectangle figure but if I were to lose 2" off my waist, I'd be hourglass. I'm also 5'7"... Still, take it from somebody with an E.D.- learn to love what you have got. I am trying my damnedest. I would do so much to go into the past before my E.D. took full control of me. I would do so much to be able to be that average healthy weight I was, and not worry about it ever again. Now I am forcing myself to live a healthier life. It sucks because I've never felt more huge in my life. Yet, this is my body. I wasn't born with a slender/thin/petite frame, so I just have to learn to love and live with what I've got. You all should learn to love and live with what you've got as well. You complain about jeans... so, take a sewing class. Go out, buy a pair of jeans, and alter them yourself. If you won't do something to work around your issues, if you aren't willing to try then you have no business complaining.

Yes, finding figure-flattering clothes can be quite the challenge, no matter what shape or size you are. I'm a bit short (5'3'') and have the "hourglass" figure, which I definately appreciate- but find that if my outfit doesn't cater to my tiny waist, I end up looking too voluptuous for my small frame (38 inch bust and hips). I guess I'd rather have a hard time clothes hunting than trade in my physique though, because I'm quite fond of it :)

Hey, we've all got something to be proud of, and after two kids I'm so glad that I can still be happy with my body (especially now that a third is on it's way). Enjoy what God and your parents gave you, ladies...

It's also important to remember that even until the mid 1960's most women wore some kind of girdle or corset underneath their clothing on a daily basis- this, I'm sure also reduced the relative waist size, even when the 'slenderizing' garment was removed.

Now that we place emphasis on shaping one's body through excersize rather than restrictive underwear, we're seeing more of the natural shape of women.

I'm so glad the garment industry is taking a look at these changes!

I am an hourglass and I love it. However,I have issues finding jeans that fit. If they fit my hips, they are too big for my waist. If they fit my waist, they are too small for my hips. Also, I am 5'3'', weigh 95 pounds, and wear a size 0, and it is very hard to find size zero jeans these days. Any suggestions?

I am 4'10" and 19 years old, I weigh 94 lbs and am an hourglass figure...but it is virtually impossible for me to find a pair of pants that fit right!!
And that goes for shirts too, even extra smalls are too baggy on me, i'm not joking...and I don't have enough money to get my clothes taylored either! I don't know what I should do...it's rare for me to find something that does fit me right...Is there anyone out there who can offer me some advice on what I should wear, or give me the name of a store that clothes would fit me (besides a little kids store!) It would be so much help to me! I'm just curious...

I'm not sure what figure i am. I measure 28-18-32. I am 5 foot 2 inches and weigh about 89 pounds

this is jeralyn again, and oh yeah i have a complete flat chest but my butt is scarily fat

I think its interesting that only 8% of women have the hourglass figure, and they all happen to be posting comments on this page! Hmm.....

i am an hourglass, 14 years old but look 17, and almost 5"9. Ihave big problems finding jeans too as today i can only seem to find super straight and tight jeans that look awful on the traditionally tapered leg shape hourglass figures have. i don't know if it's the same in america, but i live in sweden where the only jeans around are "skinny cut". bootleg jeans are so dificult to come by. my biggest problem, however, is that i have unusually long legs and most jeans seem to be cut for unsusually short legs! if they fit round the waist, they don't even cover my ankles, and if theyre long enough, my 13 year old,5"7 tall sister could fit in them with me! So, to sum it all up, the problem is that fashion designers base their sizes on straight, skinny legged, flat chested and short legged "girls". great.

I'm 15, and as a teenager, everybody expects you to be one size. I have an hourglass shaped body, and I'm usually a size four and should be a small in shirts. But with sizes getting smaller (Ex. 3 might be the new four next year) it's extremely hard to find fashionable clothes that fit right. Especially jeans. I usually find the best fit at Old Navy, because they have those different styles that compliment the way I look. I guess this isn't more than a rant, but it makes me feel better to see i'm not the only person having clothes finding issues, not because they're chubby, but because of how their body is shaped.

I am a pretty much flat-chested hourglass (29-22-34), but I call myself an hourglass because I have 34-inch shoulders. Anna, I have your issue with jeans. I am a size 0, but my waist could easily fit into kid sizes. I also have long legs, and skinny jeans fit in the hips and thighs but are WAY too big in the waist and calves.
What type of swimsuit is recommended for hourglasses? My problem areas are my upper arms and thighs, so I look bad in most swimsuits.
I am 12 years old, and most 12 year olds are rectangles. Does anyone have any clothes recommendations?

Oops sorry, I meant 35-inch shoulders.
I wear a small size in shirts, and they are too big in the waist and too small in the shoulders, but medium shirts are too long.

jan, i think you are FAT. you just randomly reply to every person, and when you do, you try and seem like you are giving good advice but i find your comments rude and spiteful, and you make a strong comment on the one area where the person seems weak and insecure. i dont like you and think you are on the wrong website. not much of a help at all.

Hey, well I really don't know exactly what category I'm in, everyone says I have an hourglass shape, but I believe I'm more of a pear. 35(32DDD)" 24"38" , I believe my shoulders are 37 or 38, they are quite board.
Yeah, i have really large breast, and they look even with my hips even though they are only 35 inches around.
But, you do you all think?