acalculator

What is my body shape?

Enter four tape measurements to see which of seven body shapes they match, using the Female Figure Identification Technique (FFIT) from apparel research.

Your numbers

Units
Your body shape
Hourglass

With bust 36 in, waist 28 in, and hips 38 in, your body shape is Hourglass.

Meaning
Bust and hips about the same, with a clearly defined waist.
Bust minus hips
-2 in
Bust minus waist
8 in
Hips minus waist
10 in
High hip ÷ waist
1.214

Your body shape: Hourglass. With bust 36 in, waist 28 in, and hips 38 in, your body shape is Hourglass.

This calculator gives general information only. It is not medical advice and does not replace a doctor or other health care provider. Talk with a professional about your results. Terms of use

How to calculate

Sorts bust, waist, high hip, and hip measurements into one of seven body shapes (hourglass, bottom hourglass, top hourglass, spoon, triangle, inverted triangle, rectangle) with the Female Figure Identification Technique (FFIT) rules.

Example with the default inputs (Bust 36 in, Waist 28 in, High hip 34 in, Hips 38 in): With bust 36 in, waist 28 in, and hips 38 in, your body shape is Hourglass.

Method: FFIT rules on inch differences, checked in order: hourglass, bottom hourglass, top hourglass, spoon, triangle, inverted triangle, rectangle; the first match is the shape.

  • The rules are the FFIT formulas for apparel (Simmons, Istook and Devarajan 2004; formulas as published by Lee and others 2007), in inches; centimetres are converted with 1 in = 2.54 cm.
  • The shapes are checked in order and the first rule that holds wins, because some rules overlap.
  • FFIT was made from 3D body scans of women for clothing fit. It describes proportions, not health.
  • Measurements with a much larger waist than bust or hips may match no shape; FFIT’s oval and diamond shapes need stomach and abdomen measurements.

Machine-readable copies: Markdown, JSON.

Worked examples

Each example is checked against the calculator on every build.

  1. Bust 36 in, Waist 28 in, High hip 34 in, Hips 38 in gives Your body shape Hourglass, Meaning Bust and hips about the same, with a clearly defined waist., Hips minus waist 10 in, Bust minus waist 8 in.Source: FFIT rules (Lee and others 2007, as printed in Sokolowski and others 2020, Table 7); the shape sentences are listed in content.mdx; hand calculation in content.mdx: bust − hips = −2 ≤ 1, hips − bust = 2 < 3.6, hips − waist = 10 ≥ 10
  2. Bust 34 in, Waist 27 in, High hip 31 in, Hips 40 in gives Your body shape Bottom hourglass, Meaning Hips larger than the bust, with a clearly defined waist., High hip ÷ waist 1.148148.Source: FFIT rules; hand calculation in content.mdx: hips − bust = 6, hips − waist = 13, high hip ÷ waist = 1.148 < 1.193
  3. Bust 34 in, Waist 28 in, High hip 36 in, Hips 40 in gives Your body shape Spoon, Meaning Hips much larger than the bust, with a “shelf” at the high hip., High hip ÷ waist 1.285714.Source: FFIT rules; hand calculation in content.mdx: hips − bust = 6 > 2, hips − waist = 12 ≥ 7, high hip ÷ waist = 1.286 ≥ 1.193
  4. Bust 34 in, Waist 32 in, High hip 36 in, Hips 40 in gives Your body shape Triangle, Meaning Hips larger than the bust, without a clearly defined waist..Source: FFIT rules; hand calculation in content.mdx: hips − bust = 6 ≥ 3.6 and hips − waist = 8 < 9
  5. Bust 40 in, Waist 33 in, High hip 34 in, Hips 35 in gives Your body shape Inverted triangle, Meaning Bust larger than the hips, without a clearly defined waist..Source: FFIT rules; hand calculation in content.mdx: bust − hips = 5 ≥ 3.6 and bust − waist = 7 < 9
  6. Bust 40 in, Waist 29 in, High hip 34 in, Hips 36 in gives Your body shape Top hourglass, Meaning Bust larger than the hips, with a clearly defined waist..Source: FFIT rules; hand calculation in content.mdx: bust − hips = 4 (over 1, under 10) and bust − waist = 11 ≥ 9
  7. Bust 35 in, Waist 30 in, High hip 34 in, Hips 36 in gives Your body shape Rectangle, Meaning Bust and hips about the same, without a clearly defined waist..Source: FFIT rules; hand calculation in content.mdx: bust and hips 1 in apart, bust − waist = 5 < 9, hips − waist = 6 < 10

How the body shape is worked out

The calculator converts each measurement to inches (1 in = 2.54 cm) and works out four numbers:

  • bust − hips and hips − bust;
  • bust − waist;
  • hips − waist;
  • high hip ÷ waist.

It then checks the FFIT rules in this order and reports the first shape whose rule holds (some rules overlap, so the order matters):

  1. Hourglass: bust − hips ≤ 1 and hips − bust < 3.6, and either bust − waist ≥ 9 or hips − waist ≥ 10.
  2. Bottom hourglass: hips − bust ≥ 3.6 and hips − bust < 10, and hips − waist ≥ 9, and high hip ÷ waist < 1.193.
  3. Top hourglass: bust − hips > 1 and bust − hips < 10, and bust − waist ≥ 9.
  4. Spoon: hips − bust > 2, and hips − waist ≥ 7, and high hip ÷ waist ≥ 1.193.
  5. Triangle: hips − bust ≥ 3.6, and hips − waist < 9.
  6. Inverted triangle: bust − hips ≥ 3.6, and bust − waist < 9.
  7. Rectangle: hips − bust < 3.6 and bust − hips < 3.6, and bust − waist < 9 and hips − waist < 10.

The "What it means" line is one sentence per shape, written from the FFIT shape descriptions:

  • Hourglass: "Bust and hips about the same, with a clearly defined waist."
  • Bottom hourglass: "Hips larger than the bust, with a clearly defined waist."
  • Top hourglass: "Bust larger than the hips, with a clearly defined waist."
  • Spoon: "Hips much larger than the bust, with a “shelf” at the high hip."
  • Triangle: "Hips larger than the bust, without a clearly defined waist."
  • Inverted triangle: "Bust larger than the hips, without a clearly defined waist."
  • Rectangle: "Bust and hips about the same, without a clearly defined waist."

If no rule holds, there is no answer. Each difference and the ratio are rounded to the nearest billionth before the comparison, so a measurement typed exactly at a limit (for example hips − bust = 3.6 in) counts as at the limit. The rows show the differences in inches and the ratio to three decimals.

Assumptions

  • The rules are the FFIT formulas in inches as published by Lee and others (2007) from the FFIT of Simmons, Istook and Devarajan (2004).
  • FFIT was built from 3D scans of women for clothing fit. It describes proportions, not health or fitness.

This page is for information only. It is not medical advice.

Worked examples by hand

36 / 28 / 34 / 38 in (bust / waist / high hip / hips). Bust − hips = −2 (≤ 1) and hips − bust = 2 (< 3.6). Hips − waist = 10 (≥ 10). The first rule holds: hourglass.

34 / 27 / 31 / 40 in. Hips − bust = 6, so not an hourglass. Bottom hourglass: 6 is from 3.6 up to 10, hips − waist = 13 ≥ 9, and high hip ÷ waist = 31 ÷ 27 = 1.148 < 1.193. Bottom hourglass.

34 / 28 / 36 / 40 in. Hips − bust = 6 and hips − waist = 12, but high hip ÷ waist = 36 ÷ 28 = 1.286, so not a bottom hourglass. Not a top hourglass (the bust is smaller). Spoon: 6 > 2, 12 ≥ 7, 1.286 ≥ 1.193. Spoon.

34 / 32 / 36 / 40 in. Hips − bust = 6 and hips − waist = 8 (< 9), so the hourglass rules fail. Spoon: 36 ÷ 32 = 1.125 < 1.193, so no. Triangle: 6 ≥ 3.6 and 8 < 9. Triangle.

40 / 33 / 34 / 35 in. Bust − hips = 5. Top hourglass needs bust − waist ≥ 9, but it is 7. Inverted triangle: 5 ≥ 3.6 and 7 < 9. Inverted triangle.

40 / 29 / 34 / 36 in. Bust − hips = 4 (over 1 and under 10) and bust − waist = 11 (≥ 9). Top hourglass.

35 / 30 / 34 / 36 in. Bust and hips differ by 1, bust − waist = 5 and hips − waist = 6, so no hourglass. None of the other rules fit until rectangle: both differences under 3.6, 5 < 9, 6 < 10. Rectangle.

Other questions people ask

How do I find my body shape?

Measure your bust, waist, high hip, and hips, then compare the differences. With the FFIT rules, a bust and hips within a few inches of each other plus a waist at least 9 inches smaller than the bust (or 10 inches smaller than the hips) is an hourglass. The calculator checks all seven rules for you.

How do I measure my bust, waist, high hip, and hips?

Stand straight and keep the tape level and snug but not tight. Bust: around the fullest part. Waist: around the narrowest part. High hip: around the top of the hip bones, between the waist and the hips. Hips: around the widest part of the hips and buttocks.

What are the seven body shapes?

Hourglass (bust and hips about equal, defined waist), bottom hourglass (hips larger, defined waist), top hourglass (bust larger, defined waist), spoon (hips much larger, with a shelf at the high hip), triangle (hips larger, no defined waist), inverted triangle (bust larger, no defined waist), and rectangle (bust and hips about equal, no defined waist).

What if my measurements match no shape?

The FFIT rules assume a waist smaller than the bust and hips. The original FFIT also has oval and diamond shapes for a larger midsection, but they need stomach and abdomen measurements, so this calculator says no shape fits instead of guessing.

Is body shape a health measure?

No. FFIT was made from 3D body scans to help clothing fit. It describes proportions only. For health, waist size, BMI, and a health care professional's advice are more useful.

Does this work for men?

The FFIT rules were made from women's measurements, so the shapes are for women's figures. The numbers still work for anyone, but the names may not describe a man's build well.