What shape body do you have?
There are plenty of them, hourglass, pear, boy, rectangle and triangle, but a study reveals that only one in ten women can correctly identify their own body shape.
Not only this, but a quarter don’t believe their figure fits in with any of the traditional body shapes.
The Body report goes on to reveal that women are out of touch with their true shape because of the body’s tendency to change and shift with age.
Two thirds of women across the country fall into the ‘rectangle’ category, the ‘straight up and down’ figure with a relatively undefined waist, sported by the likes of celebrities such as Kim Catrall, Kiera Knightley and Cameron Diaz. Women aged 56+ are more than twice as likely to be a rectangle shape, which is defined by the bust, shoulders and hips being the same width, than those aged 18-35, with the majority of women losing definition as part of the ageing process.
The hourglass figure is widely regarded as the most glamorous female body type, displayed by some of the most desirable women on the planet from Scarlett Johansson to Kelly Brook, it's the figure most women across the country believe they have. However, this is actually only significantly visible in those aged 18-35, with nearly a third having this body shape. For those aged 36+ the findings show it becomes dramatically less, falling to just 4%, which is likely to be because waistlines spread and hips widen as we get older, while dress sizes remain the same.
Dr. Simeon Gill of Manchester Metropolitan University said: “The research so far has shown that a woman’s body size, shape and posture can change - sometimes substantially - as a result of the ageing process. The joint MMU and isme.com study confirmed this, and also highlighted that shape change occurs not only into terms of posture and body shape but also in terms of circumferential measurement differences between the front and back of the body in the waist region.”
A common frustration for women when buying clothes to fit their shape, was spending money on adjusting a garment to get a more appropriate fit, based on the difference in their body shape to that the clothes are cut to, according to nearly half of those questioned. On the back of this, 63% of those surveyed also stated they would like more help and advice from retailers when shopping to fit their size and shape.
Carol Vorderman, ambassador for isme.com, said: "It's no surprise that womens' body shapes change so dramatically as they get older, with motherhood and a slowing metabolism taking its toll. My body shape has changed a lot over the years but the key is understanding what styles your body suits and then finding clothes that fit properly. Size is just a number and varies from retailer to retailer, it's important that shape is the main consideration when choosing items for your wardrobe."
Body shapes of women in the UK
Rectangle – 63%
Hourglass – 13%
Bottom Hourglass (Pear) – 8%
Top Hourglass (Spoon) – 7%
Inverted Triangle – 6%
Triangle – 3%
Jackie Lewis, Shapeologist at isme.com said: “This is our first in-depth study that paints a true picture of the changing shape of the female body in Britain. At isme.com we take great pride in understanding the needs and wants of our customers’ body shapes and how this changes with age, which is why we will be using this report to evaluate the way we shape our offer to women across the country and continue to be pioneers in this area.”
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