Difference between a pear and hourglass shape?

[Willow4]

This seems silly to ask because it seems so obvious, but is there really that much difference between a pear shape and an hourglass?

Obviously the difference is a that an hourglass has more boobage but from a front view they seem to look the same.

I'm a C cup so assumed I had an hourglass figure but yesterday I was told I was a pear lol (well not literally!).

[HandsomeRaj]

It's not about boob size and stuff, it's about shape of your body

Hourglass figures are evenly proportioned. The bust and hip measurements are similar and the waist is noticeably smaller. Hourglass figures are always described as curvy, even when very slender. If you are short, the hourglass shape may be more pronounced, particularly if you have a short torso. Taller hourglasses or those with long torsos may find their shape is less recognizable.

Pear-shaped figures carry weight below the waist and, typically, in the lower half of the body. The shoulders are not terribly broad and the bustline is smaller than the hip measurement, sometimes by a substantial amount. A pear shape may be more defined if you are heavy, as weight is likely to collect in the hips and thighs. Many pear-shaped figures have a relatively slender waist; however, it is less noticeable than an hourglass figure's waist because of the smaller bust.

www.wishwantwear.com/.../body-type_2.jpg

[HandsomeRaj]

P. S. Pear shaped bodies are awesome - by me <3 <3

[HandsomeRaj]

On women may I add lol

[Willow4]

Thank you for taking the time to be so thorough! lol I see what you mean about a pear shape meaning weight distribution to the thighs aswell as the hips. I think I might possibly be hourglass from people's descriptions of figures, and it made sense what you said about shorter torsos giving a more defined shape :)

[man32]

you are the best... nice knowledge sharing... u do share it with worthy notes... i wish i had my accounts teacher like you to teach with such good notes :p

[HandsomeRaj]

Thank you, young lady and @man32 for your kind and encouraging words :)

An accounts or a maths teacher couldn't have been like me cause I don't like either myself ha ha ha

[man32]

hahahaha

[Hans222]

I think you come closer to hourglass... have look at this article and the picture of the girl on the left. She's pear all the way: the shoulders and the belly are the same width and the bump is wider.
jezebel.com/.../love-your-body-even-if-its-shaped-like-a-brick
When I look at your profile pic, at the height of your belly (is pelvis the right word) you're significantly skinnier than at the height of your shoulders or bump.
So to me, you're rather an hourglass.
Also, when you compare to the 4 ladies on the pic below, I think you come closer to Kim Kardashian on the left. Look at that bump of Cheryl Burke! That's pear but for sure your bump does not even come close!
www.brainyweightloss.com/.../female-body-shape.jpg

[Willow4]

Thank you so much for helping me figure out what shape I am Hans, I've been trying to work out where I fit since I asked this question lol. I suppose my hips are more in line with my shoulders like the first picture so you sound like you're right! The pictures really helped, thank you :)

[Hans222]

You're welcome! By the way, I'm more the ruler shape... 5 ft 10 in and 136 lbs.
Everything from my shoulders down is about the same width!

[Willow4]

I'd be a bit worried if you were an hourglass though Hans lol ;) You sound like you have a great masculine type body shape!

[Hans222]

Haha, thanks for that compliment! You've seen my pic so you can judge it :-)

[dominiquois]

Hourglass:
-Hips and Bust are same width.
-Waist is greater than 8 inch smaller than hips/waist measurement.
-They gain weight proportionately: lower abdomen, thighs, chest and the backs of their arms, they don't gain weight in their midsection/waist.
-Classic hourglass measurements: 36-24-36.
Examples: Bar Refaeli, Sofia Vergara, Salma Hayek, Marilyn Monroe, Scarlett Johansson, Kelly Brook

Pear Shape
-Hip measurement is greater than their bust
-Waist tapers in
-They gain weight on their legs, thighs and butt. Their arms barely can weight.
Examples: Candice Swanepoel, Beyonce, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jeniffer Lopez

I'm an hourglass.

[dragonfly6516]

Firstly, look at them from behind, not the side. It's about the width of the rib-cage from side to side. On a pear, the bottom is wider than the top. On an hourglass, the top and bottom are proportional.

www.sabanaboutique.net/.../5377531_orig.jpg

I'm overweight and I'm a column. I'm told I'd be an hourglass if I dropped the weight, because it's all belly fat.

[Willow4]

This actually made a lot of sense! I look from the front so don't see the back and upper body shape aswell. I think columns are quite a common shape and it's nice to know if you wanted to drop a few pounds you've got an hourglass shape awaiting you! :)

[LittleSally]

A pear shaped woman doesn't have much in the way of breasts and has a pretty narrow upper body, while her hips are wider (the widest part of her body).

Hourglass - the widest parts of her body are the same (or almost the same) width - bust and hips.

[zombiebabe]

errrrrrrr
altercreations.net/.../...apes-sketch-for-blog.jpg

[Willow4]

But people don't look THAT noticeably apple, pear, hourglass etc. Or at least not to me they don't. Pear shapes and hourglasses can look quite similar to me :/

[zombiebabe]

nope pear shaped and hourglass are different from each other.. its obvious babe
www.hellomagazine.com/.../shapes-2-z.jpg

[Willow4]

I know they're ultimately different but women's breasts don't stick out the sides unless they're VERY big so from the front view hourglasses seem similar to a pear shape. I mean the picture you posted is very cartoonized, no woman in reality looks so noticeably hourglass. I think with sme people it's harder to tell :/ or maybe it's just me!

[zombiebabe]

you should observe it more carefully.. it is noticeable babe.. in a pear shaped the woman's hips are wider than her bust area whereas in an hourglass shaped body both the hips and the bust area will be nearly the same dimension

[Willow4]

I think where I was getting it kind of wrong was thinking more about the breast to hip ratio when actually, as you said, it's more about the upper body shape aswell. I feel like an idiot now :P

[zombiebabe]

you're not an idiot.. you were just confused... no biggie:)

[Willow4]

I'm permanently confused haha thank you for your help though! :)

[zombiebabe]

anytime:)

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

Pear-- spoon, bell, or A shape (triangle upward):
the hip measurement is greater than the bust measurement.
the distribution of fat varies, with fat tending to deposit first in
the buttocks, hips, and thighs. As body fat percentage increases,
an increasing proportion of body fat is distributed around the waist
and upper abdomen. The women of this body type tend to have a
(relatively) larger rear, thicker thighs, and a small (er) bosom.

Hourglass-- or X shape (triangles opposing, facing in):
the hip and bust are almost of equal size with a narrow waist.
body fat distribution tends to be around both the upper body
and lower body. This body type enlarges the arms, chest, hips,
and rear before other parts, such as the waist and upper abdomen

[Willow4]

Wow! That was so helpful, and so well explained. Thank you so much Darren :)

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

You're welcome hun;) xD

[TedStar]

Hourglass and pear are different. You could have HH and still be a pear. It is more about bodyshape.

Hourglass as the same bust and hip measurement with a 10 inch decrease at the waist i. e 36-24-36. A pear has big hips small waist and medium or small bust. I. e 32-24- 38. Just picture the body without breasts

Hourglasses are actually rare. Something like less than 10%.

[Willow4]

I didn't realise they were that unusual, perhaps I'm more of a pear! I can't say I've ever measured my bust and hips. Thank you for being so informative :)

[TedStar]

No problem :)

[TheHoneyBadger]

When I think pear shape I generally think overweight, where a girls body goes outward from shoulders to hips. Hourglass is the desirable, curvy figure where a girl has nice size breasts and hips, with a small waist in between.

[TheHoneyBadger]

And for the record, you are definitely an hourglass.

[Willow4]

I didn't realise hourglasses were as unusual as they seem to be. Thank you very much for clarifying that for me! :)

[Inyourhead4989]

The difference is actually the shoulders... But yeah.. Typically pear shape have smaller breast than hourglass... The the real distinction is the shoulder width... If the hips are wider than your shoulder width... Your pear shape.. If they're relatively the same width... Your hourglass

[Willow4]

I think that's where I was getting it wrong :) thinking more about the bust size that the upper torso shape as a whole. Thank you! :)

[LaceyG]

Im in the same boat! Im a D cup, but im pear shape? With me I have a slim back and slim shoulders so despite the fact that my bra say D cup, the view might say other wise! Unless im in a fitted top by boobs look almost non existent! But when I where a fitted top they are huge! I really can't win!
Ultimately your breast size does not determine your shape, its the size of your back
Hope this helps
xxxx

[Willow4]

I think you're right! Because a D cup isn't small, but as you said, boobs stick out the front not the side lol so it must be the shape of the back which gives you your figure. Thank you for stating the obvious with me :P

[LaceyG]

anytime sweetie, if you have any more pear shaped questions feel free to ask xx

[Willow4]

lol that made me smile, thank you very much! :)

[xPoison]

Well there's pear shape and then there's extreme pear shape. I'm a pear shape but by a little. I can pass as an hourglass with the right bra. So maybe you can pass for an hourglass like me :)

I'm 34B-267

[xPoison]

Oops...

I'm a 34B-26-37.5

My bust and hips are 3.5 inch apart. But with the right bra and a bit of padding, the right shirt, BANG hourglass!

My waist could be 24. People been telling me I'm not a 26... Looks like I'm going to have to measure my waist

I'm 5'5

[Willow4]

I'm a bit like a guy with measurements, I just can't visualise them AT ALL, but either way you sound beautiful :) I think a lot of people can dress in such a way that achieves an hourglass, it seems the natural hourglass is pretty rare!

[sigr4]

I'm a 34D, but my shoulders are about the same as my hips... my waist seems to be a 28 & my hips a 36. Would I still be a pear shape because of my bra size or an hourglass because of my shoulder-hip proportion? This is too confusing.

[AngelLove85]

I say you are s pear

[TripleAce]

In simple terms pear is larger on the bottom and narrow above the waist

Hourglass is wider at the top slowly tapers down to slim around the waist and goes back to wider from the hips - so sexy

[Seriousness]

i think pear shape usually have big thighs just like beyonce while hourglass usually have slim thighs. :)

[Ezio1981]

You're definitely hourglass

[Willow4]

I thought I was aswell, I think with some people it's a little harder to tell :) I'm short so all my proportions are squashed together lol.

[Ezio1981]

Maybe but that's a lot of beauty in a small package! :)-

[Willow4]

Aww thank you very much lol :)

[ThreeIn]

Pear shaped girls have longer torsos and shorter legs, not just smaller boobs.

[Willow4]

I didn't know that either! I assume the fact that weight is more around the thighs in a pear shape would make her appear to have shorter legs :/ Thank you for replying! :)

[ThreeIn]

haha nope, their legs are indeed shorter. You're welcome.

[dominiquois]

Yep.

[Blueeyes81]

Pears tend to have wider hips, with no deviation as you go up to the armpits An hourglass you can see the curvature in between the waist and armpits.

[Willow4]

This was helpful, thank you! :) I guess it's more the upper body structure than the boobs which determine if you're hourglass or not.

[AngelLove85]

I like to think im an hourglass with the sand mostly at the bottom and nobody can tell me different.

[Anonymous]

The difference is all in the boobs. If you took a pear shape girl and she had bigger boobs she'd be an hourglass. So if you're a pear with C cups given your frame, another girl with a similar frame but DDs might be an hourglass.

[jessfinesse]

From that photo you're an hourglass shape.

[Willow4]

I think I probably am aswell judging from everyone's helpful descriptions. Thank you :)

[fulloflife]

I don't know