Body shape guide
Apple body shape
An apple reading, also called round, means your midsection measured close to or beyond your hips. The widest line sits at the waist rather than above or below it, and legs and arms often read slimmer by comparison.
Free, no account. Your photo is never stored, and never shared.
- Shoulder / hip
- above 1.00
- Waist / hip
- above 0.80
How to tell
- The midsection is the widest measurement
- Waist-to-hip ratio above 0.80
- Little natural narrowing at the waist
- Often a fuller bust and a broader upper body
- Legs and arms slimmer relative to the torso
What tends to work
- Empire waistlines that fall from above the widest point
- V-necklines, which lengthen the line down the torso
- Fabrics with enough structure to hold their own shape
- Fitted trousers and knee-length skirts, since the legs carry it well
- One colour head to toe for an uninterrupted line
What to watch for
Clingy fabric and a tight waistband both concentrate attention on the widest line. Structure and a higher waist point do more than a size up.
Apple body shape outfits
These are starting points, not rules. Fit and comfort matter more than any shape label. Here is what tends to work, garment by garment.
- Tops
- V-necks, empire cuts and fabrics that skim the midsection rather than cling.
- Bottoms
- Straight or bootcut trousers with a soft, stretch waistband.
- Dresses
- Empire-waist, wrap and A-line dresses that fall from above the widest point.
- Jeans
- Mid or high rise with a stretch waistband, so nothing digs in at the waist.
- Outerwear
- Open-front cardigans and unstructured jackets that hang straight from the shoulder.
Other names for the apple shape
You may also see this shape called round or oval. Fashion sites use different words for the same proportions. Our calculator uses five names: hourglass, pear, apple, rectangle and inverted triangle.
How to check your proportions at home
- Stand straight in fitted clothes with your feet together. A friend or a phone on a stand makes this easier.
- Find the width of your shoulders, from one outer edge to the other, as a straight line across your back.
- Find the width of your hips at the widest point, again as a straight line across.
- Divide the shoulder width by the hip width. For a apple reading you are looking for a waist-to-hip ratio above 0.80 and a shoulder-to-hip ratio above 1.00.
A tape measure wrapped around the body gives circumferences, which are not the same as the widths the AI reads from a photo. Treat this as a rough check. For a direct reading, upload one full-body photo.
A shape describes proportion, not health, size or style. Where you carry width can shift with weight, muscle, pregnancy and age, so a reading is a snapshot of one photo, not a permanent label.
Often confused with
-
Rectangle →
Both read as little waist definition; the difference is whether the waist measures wider than the hips or matches them.
Common questions
What is an apple body shape?
Your weight sits mostly around the midsection, with a waist that is not strongly defined. Shoulders and hips are often narrower than the middle.
How do I know if I am an apple?
Compare your waist to your hips. If the waist is nearly as wide or wider, you are likely an apple. The calculator above measures this from one photo.
What should an apple body shape wear?
Open necklines, empire waists and fabrics that skim rather than cling draw the eye to the neckline and legs.
What is the difference between an apple and a rectangle body shape?
Both have little waist definition. An apple carries its width at the midsection, with waist-to-hip above 0.80. A rectangle is even from shoulder to hip.
What are the best dresses for an apple body shape?
Empire-waist, wrap and A-line dresses. They fall from above the widest point and show off the legs.
Can my body shape change?
Where you carry width can shift with weight, muscle, pregnancy and age, so a reading is a snapshot of one photo, not a permanent label. Upload a new photo any time to check again.