Ok you sweet pears, it’s your turn! When I’m styling clients, I often find pear shapes the easiest shape to dress (controversial, I know…. but hear me out!) Pears best bits are easy to show off, and the bits maybe they don’t like are the easiest to hide in my humble opinion – but first, let’s talk about what makes you a pear and why.
THE PEAR.
Once again here is the MOST important thing to remember – this is not at all about your size, dressing for your shape is all about balancing the proportions of your body – no matter what size you are, you can still look amazing!
How to identify a pear:
1. Shoulders are slightly narrower in width that your hips
2. Small to medium bust
3. Neat waist
4. Generous hips and thighs (may carry a little weight on ‘saddle bags’)
So who else out there in the real world is a perfect pear? You might recognise some of these lovely ladies……
Katherine Heigl, Alicia Keys and Claire Danes are all gorgeous pears in Hollywood
Right – so now you have identified yourself as a pretty pear – how do you dress best for your shape? Let’s find out!
My top 4 tip for dressing for a pear:
1. Balance out your hips and thighs by broadening your shoulders.
Use wider necklines and detailing on your top half you make it look bigger, there by making your waist look smaller and your hips and thighs more in proportion with your upper body – create an hourglass illusion! Dresses are awesome for this if you can find the right ones – here are a few of my faves!
1. Asos polka dot dress NZ$64.60 (click here to buy) 2. Hi There by Karen Walker dress NZ$215 (click here to buy) and 3. Asos swing dress NZ$47.60 (click here to buy)
2. Draw attention away from your lower half by highlighting your top half.
You are so lucky! You can embellish your top half to your hearts content (totes jealous…. big boobs + ruffles + nightmare on me!). Everyone is too busy looking at what’s going on upstairs to worry about those pesky hips and thighs down there somewhere.
Cap sleeves, shoulder detail, boat necks, one shoulder, ruffles, Oh and peplums! Peplums are your best friends pears!!…. almost anything goes on your top half!
1. Asos top NZ$51 (click here to buy) 2. CottonOn embellished shoulder detail jacket on sale AU$40 (click here to buy) 3. Witchery lace peplum blouse AU$169 (click here to buy)
3. Define your waist
Anything with a fitted waist is your friend! This is why a peplum is your friend – it shows off you waist, yet skims over your hips by flaring out. Belts – belts are gold to you. Big belts, small belts, medium belts – so get cinching!
1. Sacha Drake Peru dress AU$229 (click here to buy) 2. Living Doll dress from Birdsnest Boutique AU$79.95 (click here to buy) 3. Maiocchi The Perfect Hostess dress AU$286 (click here to buy) and 4. Asos sequin dress NZ$374 (click here to buy)
4. Skim over your hips and thighs
So this is the bit where we hide the bits we don’t like so much – the trick to dressing for a pear is to skim over hips and thighs so that no one knows they are there! A-line skirts and dresses and wide leg pants are the only way to go here!
Look for things with a cut that skims out over your widest part but doesn’t cut back in again – stiffer fabrics or jersey that has amazing drape will work best. Darker is best on the bottom too – we are trying to distract from down here so stick to brights and prints up top!
1. Retro Spect’d skirt from Birdsnest.com.au AU$149.95 (click here to buy) 2. Sacha Drake Seamless pants AU$145 (click here to buy) 3. Juliette Hogan Sofia skirt NZ$289 (click here to buy)
So my pretty little pears – are we more confident in dressing for your shape? I hope so! …… is anybody else craving a fruit salad  now??
Still need some help with what to wear? Did you know that if you live in Auckland, you can book me for a personal styling session to suit your needs – click here to find out more
Or if you’e not in Auckalnd, why not sign up to StyleMail: The Pear Edition, my digital styling sessions delivered directly to your inbox twice a month? CLICK HERE to find out more and sign up now!
Love & Style Always
Cait xoxo
Peplum is the worst idea for a pear shape! Draws attention to the hips and adds a layer.
I respectfully disagree Kay. I think it really enhances a pear’s waist and skims over the hips, creating a gorgeous shape. It’s all a matter of perspective though isn’t it really.
Good information. Lucky me I came across your
blog by chance (stumbleupon). I’ve bookmarked iit for later!
Thanks Teresa – glad you love it!
Cait x
I’m not sure if I’m a combo Pear/Apple….flat in the bust area, thick in the middle, and short, slender legs. (I still get asked if I’m preg. >.< 8 yrs after having my last kiddo, I don't mind too much though, as I've lost a ton of weight and still going)
I'm stuck with the body shape though, no matter how much I loose. I just wanted to say that I'm grateful for the advise 🙂 So…Thanks! Now if only I could find a bathing suit I don't feel like a beach ball on a stick in, I'd be good!
haha I love your description of yourself Jenn! I think it sounds like you are more of a delicious little Aapple – Pears tend to have more leg, less waist.
Check out these swimmers – they are THE best http://www.victoriassecret.com/swimwear/magicsuit
They give you support and shape where you need it most.
If you are after more specific advice on dressing for your shape, why not sign up to my new online styling advice email, StyleMail – there are more details here: http://chasingcait.com/welcome-to-stylemail/
It will give you heaps of relevant tips and tricks on dressing YOUR gorgeous shape, directly from me 🙂
I am pear-shaped even though I am short and small. I have a very small chest and tiny waist and hold my weight in my hips, thighs, and backside. People say I am so skinny, but all they are seeing is the top part as I am very thin up there. You mentioned belts and peplum, but they don’t work on me because the belt shows my skinny waist and then my wide hips. I also can’t do peplum because it accentuates my hips and the tops are way too big in the chest and across the shoulders. I can get away with wearing kids sizes, but they aren’t age-appropriate; I’m 48.
Hi Lee Ann – you kinda nailed it on the head – ‘People say I’m so skinny’. That’s because everyone is looking at your good bits! Dressing well for your shape is all about drawing attention to the good parts of your body – in your case, your upper body, and therefore distracting from the bits you don’t like.
Making your waist look skinny with belts and peplums is doing just that – making your waist look skinny! I promise you, you are the only person that then notices your hips 🙂
We are so good, as women, at pointing out our bad bits – but no one else is a critical of our own bodies are we are. Take your own focus off your ‘bad’ bits and re-focus on the fact that you have a little waist (something MANY women would kill for!)
I could tell you to wear baggier tops to stop your waist looking so skinny, but the reality is, your hips are going to look the same size AND you are not going to see how little your waist is.
In terms of your size, I’m not sure where you live, so I can’t give you specific examples but try shopping in stores, or sections in department stores, that are designed for petite women. Even online stores like Asos.com has a ‘petites’ collection. They are age-appropriate in the right sizes.
I hope that helps a little, it’s hard to give advice without actually seeing what you look like or knowing where you like to point you in the right direction of specific stores
Good luck!
Cait x
Thanks for the good advice, photos of what to wear and examples of people who look great having the same body type as mine!
Hey Chrissy, thanks for stopping by, glad I could provide some useful info for you 🙂