The plus size pear has generous curves and also retains the typical features of a pear, i.e. slender waist relative to the full hips and thighs. This body shape has its unique assets, as well as challenges. In this guide, we’ll take a deep dive to understand your body features, and take you through the most flattering style for your shape.
Characteristics
Plus size pear shape women usually have the following defining features:
- A well-defined waist due to broad hips and thighs
- Plus-size women with this body shape usually have more weight around the lower half of the body, including thighs and hips.
- Shoulders are usually narrow compared to the hip area
Knowing these features helps you pick styles that add more volume to your upper half and reduce attention on the lower half of your body.
Tops
Since the pear body shape is heavier at the bottom, your tops should draw more attention upwards and away from your wide hips. Here are some amazing styles for this body type.
What to look for
- Wide necklines that visually widen the shoulders
- Accentuate your waist with fitted tops
Off-the-shoulder
Off-the-shoulder tops are great for the pear body shape as they are perfect for drawing attention upwards. This means that there’s less focus on the hips and more attention on your shoulders which you can really show off with accessories like a statement necklace. Another major reason why this top is perfect for the pear shape is that it creates a horizontal line around your shoulder, thereby creating a visual balance with your bottom half as there’s an illusion of broader shoulders.
Brightly-colored tops
Pair a brightly colored top with a dark-colored bottom and you have an amazing combo for the plus-size pear-shaped woman. This is great because the pear shape has more volume in the bottom half and you can subtly add more volume to the top half with a brightly-colored top. With this, you seamlessly balance your body frame.
Horizontal striped tops
Remember that your clothing choices should visually widen your upper body which will create a balance with your wider hips. One way to achieve this is with horizontal striped tops which are very flattering for plus size pear shape women. However, while horizontal stirpes balance out your curvy bottom, you shouldn’t choose bold stripes. Keep this as simple as possible.
What to avoid
V-necklines are not the right choice for the pear-shaped woman as this is a narrow neckline that throws off your overall body balance.
Jeans
As a plus size pear woman, there’s definitely an impressive selection of jeans that will flatter your body frame.
What to look for
- Styles that visually elongate your body
- Flattering jeans that balance your bottom-heavy body shape
Below are the best denim styles to flatter your shape.
Wide leg jeans
The unique feature of wide-leg jeans for the plus-size pear-shaped woman is that it flows seamlessly from your wide hips and over your thighs without being uncomfortably tight-fitting. So, you’re enjoying the double benefit of comfort and creating a visual balance that draws attention away from your wider bottom. With wide-leg jeans, you can de-emphasize your hips and thighs since this style conveniently leaves room for your leg shape.
High waist mom jeans
Contrary to what some people think, mom jeans are not an ancient style and they’re not going away anytime soon. This throwback style is incredibly flattering for plus size pear-shaped women and depends a lot on how you choose to style it.
The high-waist style has an elongating effect on your body which complements your pear shape while the length of the mom jeans is just right to provide a more slimming effect. Remember to choose mum jeans that are not too loose or tight.
What to Avoid
As a plus size pear shape woman, not every jeans style works for your body frame. You should avoid baggy jeans, skinny jeans and those with too many details. Here’s a breakdown:
- Avoid jeans with too many pocket details as they add more bulk to your frame which widens your hips. Doing this creates even more unbalance in your overall body frame.
- Baggy jeans also add extra bulk to your body which makes your hips and waist appear uneven.
Pants
Never run out of stylish pants to complement your pear shape. This guide is a great place to start.
What to look for
- Pants that create a visually straight line that balances both halves of your body
- Flared styles that are subtle enough to complement your lower body.
Straight leg pants
Looking to balance your body frame in a way that’s incredibly flattering? Straight leg pants will help you achieve this seamlessly. The silhouette of your pants matter when searching for one that fits your body type and the straight leg style is one of the best. It has a long, straight line that ads more length to the bottom-half of your body. This creates a visually elongating effect that balances your top and lower body.
Flared pants
Flared pants are appealing for plus size pear shape due to how effectively they balance out the volume in your hips and thighs. Flared pants can be paired with a wide variety of tops including off-the-shoulder and horizontal-striped tops. They are fitted on your thighs but gradually widen out from your knees to create a unique shape that flows easily with your body frame.
What to avoid
The secret to choosing the right pants for you is to make sure there’s a balance. This means completely avoiding pants that are too tight like skinny pants and those that are too loose like baggy pants. None of these will have a flattering effect on your overall body frame. Big back and side pockets on your pants will also be too distracting, so stay away from these.
Dresses
Dresses are incredibly versatile as they can be styled up or down for various occasions. So, you can’t do without them in your wardrobe as a plus size pear shape woman.
What to look for
In general, please look for these elements:
- Dresses that conceal your lower body and draw attention to your waist
- Styles with a wider shape at the bottom that skim over your hips like A-line dresses
Fit and flare dress
Yes, you have curves and you shouldn’t be afraid to wear dresses that embrace them. The fit and flare dress style is one way to show off your curves and balance out your overall body frame. This style has a figure-hugging effect under your bust and flares out as it moves towards your knees. It’s perfect because it follows the shape of your body seamlessly and works for plus size women.
Wrap dress
This is an incredibly versatile dress that looks great on almost every body type. The plus size pear-shaped woman is not left out of this list. Wrap dresses have a natural slimming effect as it hugs your curves beautifully in all the right places. You can choose styles with subtle patterns to bring the dress to life.
Off-the-shoulder dress
Just like off-the-shoulder tops look amazing on plus size pear-shaped women, so does the dress equivalent. You can definitely rock this style of dress and throw in a lovely belt to make it even better. This belt will create a more defined waistline that ensures that your curves stand out without being concealed in your flowy dress.
What to Avoid
Stay away from dresses in thick fabrics or with a straight cut as they will conceal your waist and make your bottom half look heavier.
Skirts
Skirts are a great choice year-round as they are easy to fit on the pear-shaped body.
What to look for
- Choose skirts that hit a little below or above your knee. The right length matters to avoid choosing styles that overwhelm your lower half.
- Mid or high-rise skirts will elongate your body, unlike low-rise styles that widen your hips
A-line skirt
A light and breezy skirt like the A-line style that hits just below the knee will flow seamlessly over your hips without adding extra volume. It’s also perfect for creating an elongation effect on your legs, so there’s less weight on your lower body and you look taller. This is a friendly design that encourages a gentle feminine silhouette which is perfect for the plus size pear shape woman.
Asymmetrical skirt
Apart from being effortlessly stylish, the asymmetrical skirt is one way to conceal your wide hips without hiding other natural assets that make your pear shape fabulous. The appeal of this style of skirt is in its length which is not equal at the hemline. This length helps to achieve balance on your plus size pear shape body frame by encouraging an elongation effect.
Flowy skirts
No matter the skirt style you’re going for, make sure that they are not tight-fitting as flowy styles are more appealing to your body type as a plus size pear shape woman. Flowy skirts don’t cling to your hips and thighs as they have a relaxed fit that are both comfortable and accommodating for your wider bottom half.
What to avoid
Since you want to avoid extra volume around your hips as much as possible, this means staying away from skirts that have gathering or large pleats around the waistband as these have a widening effect. Low-rise skirts also shorten your body, which will give plus-size women a stumpy look. Avoid pencil skirts, peplum skirts, and mini skirts.
Outerwear
The wrong choice of jackets or coats will add more volume to your hips, which is not flattering. So, here’s how you can avoid this.
What to look for
- Choose jackets that add more volume to your shoulder and bust area
- Dark colors have a slimming effect on the plus size body, so look out for jackets in these colors
A-line jackets
The silhouette created by A-line jackets is perfect for plus size pear shape women as it creates a balancing effect when it flares gradually from your waist downwards. It works great for plus size women since they mostly have wider hips and thighs and the flare helps to conceal this subtly. Also, the length is just right for this category of women, especially when it hits mid-thigh or a little above the knee.
Jackets with shoulder pads
Remember that the goal is to make your figure appear more balanced and symmetrical. Jackets with shoulder pads have this effect on plus size pear shape women because they add more volume to the shoulders, which encourages the illusion of a broader upper half of your body. This extra volume complements your wide hips and thighs, leading to a more balanced overall silhouette.
What to avoid
Avoid double-breasted coats and jackets as these don’t flatter your upper body but add more bulk instead. This often results in a straight silhouette that hides the curves of plus size pear shaped women.
Now that you know the best styles for plus-size pear shape women, it’s time to explore your options out there and find styles that will boost your confidence everywhere you go.
