The pear shaped women have curvy bodies, especially in hips and thighs. Because your top is narrower than your bottom, you typically come across as bottom-heavy. It is important to find casual clothing styles that suit your body features and create a visual balance. In this detailed guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need in your casual wardrobe that is most flattering to the pear-shaped body.
TOPS
Off-the-Shoulder Summer Tops
If you are looking for a dainty casual piece to flaunt for the hot summer days, your pear body shape is going to love the flattering neckline of off-the-shoulder tops. Because of how they open up space on your upper half and expose your decolletage, you are drawing more attention to your shoulders and collarbone, which are typically less prominent compared to your lower half.
The shoulder line of pear shapes is relatively narrower and less pronounced so wearing off-the-shoulder tops can be a great way to amplify your upper half’s appearance and therefore divert focus to your wider hip area. You may also opt for off-the-shoulder tops with a subtle fabric flounce that runs along the bust line to give your relatively smaller breasts a bit more enhancement.
Tops in Lighter Shades
Going for tops in lighter colors can be a very smart choice for pear-shaped women because of how it can visually create the illusion of volume and width. This additional visual weight to your upper half can be quite ideal in giving balance to your figure, as your lower body is way larger in size in comparison to your top half.
Tops in lighter shades can also draw the eyes upward to emphasize the appearance of your bust and shoulders, while subtly downplaying (but not underwhelming) your heavier hips and thighs. The visual effect of going for light-colored tops can be further enhanced when you pair them with dark-colored bottoms.
Ruffled Tops
Just like the first two casual wear tops I listed, ruffled tops pretty much share the same style concept of adding prominence to your smaller upper half. Since you have narrower shoulders and a less pronounced bust line, they tend to be overwhelmed by your wider hips and thicker thighs.
This is where wearing ruffled tops, especially those that have more volume and layers, can be very helpful in creating more depth to your upper body. They accentuate your bust and shoulders to give you a fuller upper frame and therefore subtly balance out the size discrepancy you have in your pear-shaped frame.
SWEATERS
Chunky Knit
Chunky knit sweaters are the type of cozy wonders you would want to have in your casual wear wardrobe! Not only does the soft and cozy nature of this type of knit is superbly convenient, but also quite beneficial in flattering your pear-shaped figure.
The chunky fabric gives additional volume and texture to your upper body to balance out your uneven upper and lower body proportions. The additional visual weight on your upper half is great for catching up with your curvier hips and thick thighs, but it’s also important to choose chunky knit sweaters that are not too overpowering to prevent looking too heavy overall.
Sweaters with Horizontal Knit Pattern
Horizontal patterns can also be very helpful in adding depth to your figure, most especially on the upper half of a pear-shaped body. Cozy sweaters come in many different kinds of patterns and you will surely find those with horizontal knits visually beneficial especially when paired with minimalist bottoms.
The horizontal lines these types of patterns create draw the eyes from side to side to give the illusion of broader shoulders and a fuller bust. This effect visually offsets the appearance of your wider hips and thicker thighs and gives your pear-shaped figure a more proportionate look from top to bottom.
Crop Scoop Neck Sweaters
Scoop neck tops are generally very flattering for pear shapes as it opens up enough space on your decolletage to expand the broadness of your relatively smaller upper half. To flatter your pear-shaped proportions even better, you can try opting for crop sweaters that hit just right above the hip.
Having your sweater’s hem right above your hips will help draw attention to your curvy waistline and detract from your wider hips. These two design elements, scoop neck, and midriff crop, can work together in complete synergy to give your pear body shape better balance.
Knitted Shawl
This is a very versatile garment that pear shapes like you should have in your wardrobe because of how its drape and texture can help you balance out your proportions. Knitted shawls are lightweight, but because of the texture of the knit, they can still significantly add visual volume to your frame without being too heavy and overwhelming.
They elegantly drape over your shoulders and this is also a great way to draw the gaze upwards to steer the attention away from your heavier bottom. This will work great with your casual jeans or streamlined dresses to give you a more cohesive look.
JEANS
Dark-wash Jeans
As we all know, dark colors do an exceptional job in slimming down our frames and that is exactly what pear body shapes would want to downplay their bottom-heavy figure. Dark wash jeans can visually minimize the width of your lower body to create a more balanced appearance to prevent your less prominent upper half from being overwhelmed.
The darker shade of this particular type of denim wash subtly diffuses the volume around the hips and thighs, creating a more even distribution of balanced visual weight all throughout your pear-shaped frame. Dark wash jeans are also very easy to pull off as you can match them with pretty much any casual ensemble you can think of!
High-rise Skinny Jeans
It’s very important for pear-shaped women to keep their waistline accentuated due to the fact that this curvy part of your frame is considered one of your best assets. You can effectively do this by always wearing high-rise jeans, as their waistband sits at the narrowest part of your midsection.
In addition to the style benefits of a high-rise waistband on pear shapes, skinny jeans can also be very helpful in conforming to your curves and your slim legs without too much emphasis on your big hips. In fact, high-rise skinny jeans feature a very flattering structure that can give your frame the illusion of an hourglass figure by giving even proportions between your upper and lower body.
High-waisted Mom Jeans
High-waisted mom jeans can be a total game-changer for pear body shapes because of their figure-flattering structure! High-waisted jeans are definitely beneficial in a way that they perfectly cinch the waist, which draws a significant emphasis to your pear figure’s defined waistline.
In addition to this, mom jeans feature a relaxed fit right around the hips and thighs so it nicely camouflages this heavier region of your frame while still providing comfort and style. High-waisted mom jeans can definitely be a casual wear favorite, especially for pear shapes who adore vintage fashion style!
Jeans with Contoured Waistband
Another way to highlight your beautiful waistline curve is to go for jeans with a contoured waistband. This particular type of waistband is designed to follow your natural curves with its snug and flattering fit, all while subtly toning down your wider hips and thicker thighs.
As this tailored contour perfectly accentuates your waistline, it gives your frame a shapely sculpt that balances the visual weight in your lower body. Jeans with a contoured waistband will look great with many different kinds of leg shapes such as bootcut, skinny, or even straight-leg.
DRESSES
Plunging V-Neck Dress
Open necklines are generally very helpful for pear body shapes as they can efficiently highlight and enhance your shoulders and decolletage. This is why as a pear-shaped beauty, you should try plunging V-neck dresses to achieve a more flattering balance within your frame.
Plunging V-neck dresses draw the eyes upwards which creates a well-balanced silhouette as this effect downplays the appearance of your heavier bottom half. The structure of a V neckline wherein the pointed dip lands at the very center of your body gives your frame a sense of elongation and therefore makes you appear taller and leaner.
Fit and Flare Maxi Dress
Maxi dresses can definitely be a fabulous choice for your pear-shaped figure, most especially if they are in a very flattering fit and flare silhouette. The fit and flare silhouette features a bodice that has a tailored fit, which perfectly streamlines your upper body while also adding extra definition to your waist.
In addition to this, the maxi skirt that gradually flares out to the ankles subtly drapes over the heavier region of your figure, which are your hips and thighs. This camouflaging effect creates a symmetrical upper and lower body ratio, while the maxi length also contributes to giving your body frame a sense of length and leanness.
Linen Wrap Dress
The wrap design of this dress gives you full control of the tightness of your waist cinch, thanks to the adjustability it gives through its self-tie belt. This particular feature accentuates your waistline and your curves to give you a well-balanced silhouette.
To add to the visual style benefits of the wrap dress, it also typically features a V-shaped neckline caused by the overlap of fabric across the body. The V neckline also efficiently attracts attention and therefore draws the eyes upwards to minimize attention from your wider hips and thick thighs.
Puff Sleeve Dress
Puff sleeves can help your narrow shoulders achieve more prominence in balance with your wider hips. The voluminous nature of puff sleeves adds visual balance to your figure without overpowering your other features.
This particular style element brings better balance to your figure by shifting the focus from your heavier hips and thighs and having the gaze on your enhanced upper half instead. When choosing a puff sleeve dress, look for dresses that cinch the waist to further enhance your natural figure.
JACKETS
Structured Denim Jacket
Structured denim jackets can significantly add depth to your upper half due to their ability to hold shape and provide volume. They are also very versatile in a way that you can layer them easily with other basic pieces like a tank top or a shirt.
They typically have a tailored fit due to the neat structuring of the seams that run along the shoulder line and the waist. Most structured denim jackets also have pocket details or buttons that add more definition to your less prominent upper body.
Jackets with Shoulder Details
As you have naturally narrow shoulders, you will find jackets with shoulder details very helpful in making your shoulder line look broader and more balanced with your wider hips. Shoulder details such as epaulets or button embellishments add visual weight to your upper body to complement your curvier hips.
These additional details also draw attention and therefore neutralize the gaze from your heavier lower body. Try to look for jackets that are more structured and avoid those with a slouchy fit.
Princess Seam Jackets
This jacket design features vertical seams that run from the shoulder to the hem, which makes your frame look more elongated and symmetrical. These seams also trace the natural contours of your figure so your well-defined waist gets properly cinched and becomes more apparent.
Since princess seam jackets are usually minimal by design, they become very versatile in terms of styling. You can match them with a plethora of tops without overwhelming your best features.
SHOES
Black Over-the-Knee Boots
For the colder seasons, you’d find comfort and style in over-the-knee boots. Apart from looking quite edgy, they also harbor style benefits for your pear figure such as visually lengthening your legs and giving you a leaner look.
This can be particularly helpful when it comes to downplaying the wideness of your hips and thighs. In addition to this, having them in dark colors such as a classic velvety black shade can provide a slimming and streamlined look to visually minimize the visual weight on your lower half.
Minimalist White Sneakers
Casual wear is all about working around your basic pieces and an absolute must-have in a pear-shaped girl’s wardrobe is a pair of basic white sneakers. They may look simple and plain, but their minimalistic and clean design can help balance your figure by not adding extreme details to your already prominent lower body.
They are incredibly versatile as well and you can wear them with jeans or dresses. Try to opt for white sneakers that don’t have additional details to keep the visual line on your lower body elongated and uninterrupted.
