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Body shape guide
Inverted triangle body shape
An inverted triangle reading means your shoulders measured noticeably wider than your hips. The upper body carries the presence and the hips and legs read narrower. It is a common reading for swimmers and anyone who trains upper body.
- Shoulder / hip
- above 1.05
- Waist / hip
- below 0.80
How to tell
- Shoulders are the widest measurement
- Shoulder-to-hip ratio above 1.05
- A broader chest and upper back
- Narrower hips and thighs
- Often an athletic or muscular build
What tends to work
- Volume below: wide-leg trousers, full and flared skirts
- V-necklines and scoop necks, which soften the shoulder line
- Lighter colours and prints on the bottom half
- A-line skirts that carry width through the hip
- Simple, unstructured shoulders on jackets and tops
What to watch for
Shoulder pads, puffed sleeves and horizontal stripes across the chest all add to the line that is already the widest.
Often confused with
-
Rectangle →
The difference is only how far the shoulders exceed the hips.