Hip Shape?
It's one of the main clues to your body frame

There is one simple fact that can make getting dressed so much easier:

There are only 2 basic HIP SHAPES!

Once you know which one you have, you can understand why some clothes fit beautifully and others never seem quite right - no matter what size you try.

You don't need to be slim to work this out. We are simply looking at your natural bone structure, and that stays the same whatever your age or weight.

The 2 Hip Shapes

CURVED HIPS

If you have CURVED hips, your waist is relatively neat and your hips slow gently outward. Your widest oint is usually lower down, around thigh level.   

If you gain weight, it's often distributed through the hips, thighs and tummy. 

This hip shape usually leads to an Hourglass or Pear body type.

A lovely advantage of CURVED HIPS: you usually keep natural waist definition. 

STRAIGHT HIPS

If you have STRAIGHT hips, your high hipbone sits closer to the waist, so there is less waist definition. Your hips and thighs are often a similar width.

If you gain weight, it's more likely to settle around the waist and midriff.

This hip shape usually leads to an Apple, Rectangle or Inverted triangle body type.

A lovely advantage of STRAIGHT HIPS: you often keep shapely legs and slimmer thighs.

How to find your Hip Shape

Stand in front of a mirror in underwear or something close-fitting and look only at your outline.

Ask yourself: Where is the widest part of my lower half?

• If your shape curves out gently and the widest point is lower down, you are probably CURVED.

• If your width is higher, closer to the waist, and the line falls straighter down, you are probably STRAIGHT.

If you are unsure, ask a friend to stand behind you and lightly run her hands from your waist down over your hips. You are not judging body fat - you are feeling for your basic structure.

Why this matters when you shop

This is where so many women get confused.

Clothes are cut to fit one hip shape or the other.

So a skirt or pair of trousers may be beautifully made, in your usual size, and still be wrong for you — simply because it was cut for the other hip shape.

That is why changing rooms can be so frustrating.

How Skirts are cut differently!

Note how differently shaped skirts fit: Curved | Straight

A skirt for CURVED HIPS will usually have:

• a neater waist
• longer, deeper darts
• more room through the upper thigh
• shaping that follows the curve of the body

A skirt for STRAIGHT HIPS will usually have:

• less waist definition
• shorter darts
• width added higher up, just below the waist
• a straighter line through the hip and thigh

If a STRAIGHT hip wears a skirt cut for CURVED hips, there may be excess fabric at the thighs.

If a CURVED hip wears a skirt cut for STRAIGHT hips, the skirt may ride up or feel tight across the upper thigh.

A simple way to shop more successfully

Once you know your hip shape, you can start spotting which brands and cuts are more likely to suit you.

When you find a skirt, trouser or dress shape that fits well and feels comfortable, make a note of the brand and cut. It will save you time, money and changing-room misery!

One last important thing!

Hip Shape, Body Type and Body Shape are not the same thing.

• Hip Shape tells you whether you are Curved or Straight

• That leads you to your Body Type - just one of 5 generic shapes

• Your Body Shape is your own unique figure, proportions and style challenges.

So begin with your HIP SHAPE first, it's one of the clearest clues to the shape of your body frame. 

Once you can see whether your hips are more CURVED or more STRAIGHT, you are already well on your way to understanding why certain clothes work better for you than others.