Advice about jeans for your body shape tends to arrive as a list of cuts to avoid. That approach is both wrong and unhelpful. Every cut of jean can work on every body shape; what changes is a small number of details — how high the rise is, how the waistband is shaped, and where the leg carries its volume. Get those right and the cut is simply a matter of taste.
This guide sets out those details for each of the five shapes. It describes proportion, not size, and nothing here is about changing how a body looks. It is about finding jeans cut for the body you have. More in our Body Shape Styling section.
This guide is organised by shape. The calculator uses four measurements, including shoulders, and publishes the thresholds it applies.
The Three Details That Decide the Fit
The Rise
Decides where the waistband sits and how the jean feels when you sit down. High rise sits near the natural waist; mid rise sits lower.
The Waistband
Straight or contoured. A contoured waistband curves to follow a waist that is smaller relative to the hip, which is what stops the gap at the back.
The Leg Volume
Where the leg is fitted and where it opens — close through the thigh or relaxed, straight from the knee or flaring. It changes the overall proportion more than any other detail.
Jeans for Each Body Shape
Hourglass
Look for a high rise and a contoured waistband that follows the waist. That combination keeps the waistband sitting flat and marks the waist without any extra effort.
Straight, bootcut and wide legs all work well, fitted through the hip so the shape follows yours.
If you often find a gap at the back of the waist, a contoured waistband is the single most useful thing to look for. Read more about the hourglass shape.
Pear
Look for a high rise and a fabric with some give through the hip and thigh. Stretch in the right place makes a bigger difference than the cut.
Straight, wide and barrel legs work well; a barrel leg in a soft curve sits naturally with a fuller hip.
Size to the hip and have the waist taken in if it gaps — a routine alteration. Read more about the pear shape.
Apple
Look for a mid rise and a flat, smooth front panel. Stretch at the waistband adds comfort, especially sitting down.
Straight and relaxed legs work well, with room through the thigh.
A very high rise is not necessary and is often less comfortable than a mid rise. Read more about the apple shape.
Rectangle
Almost any rise and cut works, which makes this the easiest shape to buy jeans for.
Barrel and wide legs add shape through the leg; a belt adds definition at the waist when you want it.
Straight-cut waistbands suit a straighter frame, so contoured styles are optional here. Read more about the rectangle shape.
Inverted Triangle
Wider leg shapes — wide, flare, barrel — sit naturally with a broader shoulder, so this year's fuller jeans are a particularly good fit.
Any rise works; choose by comfort.
Fuller legs also mean more movement and comfort, which is no small advantage. Read more about the inverted triangle shape.
| Shape | Rise | Waistband | Leg shapes that work well |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourglass | High | Contoured | Straight, bootcut, wide |
| Pear | High | Contoured or with give | Straight, wide, barrel |
| Apple | Mid | Flat front, some stretch | Straight, relaxed |
| Rectangle | Any | Any | Barrel, wide, any |
| Inverted triangle | Any | Any | Wide, flare, barrel |
When a Cut Fits One Place and Not Another
A jean that fits the hip and gaps at the waist, or fits the waist and pulls at the thigh, needs a different cut rather than a different size. Going up a size to fix the thigh only moves the problem to the waist.
The waist take-in is the routine fix for the first case, and a relaxed-thigh cut for the second. How jeans should fit walks through all seven fit checkpoints.
Getting the Size Right
Once you know the cut, the converter finds the size from your measurements.
Read how to measure for jeans before you do, and jeans for tall women if length is also an issue. For an example brand chart, see the Levi's size chart explained. For the whole wardrobe rather than just jeans, read how to dress for your body shape, and for this year's shapes, this year's silhouettes for your body shape. Whether a cut suits your style is a separate question — the personal style quiz answers it.
Body Shape Calculator
Hourglass, pear, apple, rectangle or inverted triangle, from your measurements.
Try this free calculator to find your exact match.
Frequently Asked Questions
What jeans suit my body shape?
What jeans are best for a pear shape?
What jeans suit an hourglass figure?
Why do jeans gap at the waist?
Do I need to know my body shape to buy jeans?
For background on how body shape categories are defined, see female body shape, and on the fabric, denim.
Brand and sizing data on this site is reviewed quarterly. If a figure here is wrong, email fashion@womensfashioneu.com and it will be checked and corrected.
