Traits of Rectangle Body Shape
- Symmetrical width of shoulders, waist, and hips – This is what makes you look straight up and down. There are no dramatic differences between the sizes of these specific regions in your body hence the absence of curves.
- Athletic build – You have a lean body and strong muscle mass.
- Straight and angular silhouette – Your figure is drawn by harsh straight lines which tends to blur out any feminine features and curves.
- No waist definition – Because of the angularity in your figure and the evenness between your waist and hips, the transition line that traces along these points is almost nonexistent.
- Flat buttocks – You don’t possess much volume and structure in your lower half, which means your bum may not be as pronounced.
- Slim and well-toned arms and legs – They barely gain excess weight so they remain slender.
- Even weight distribution – Your figure typically leans toward the slim side because of how you gain your weight evenly throughout your body.
- Bust size may range from flat to full – Not all rectangle body shapes share the same bust size as it may vary from one individual to another.
Rectangle vs. Apple
Similarity – Slender and Toned Legs
Both rectangle body shapes and apple shapes share this characteristic that’s also deemed to be their body type’s strong point. The shape and length of the legs of both these body shapes are well-proportioned and therefore always ideal to be flaunted!
However, the reason behind having slender legs is different for rectangle and apple body shapes. Rectangle body shapes have slender legs because they gain weight evenly in the body while apple shapes gain most of their weight in the midsection, never on their legs.
Similarity – Very little to almost no Waist Definition
While apple shapes are also considered to be a type of curvy figure, they share the same struggle with non-curvy rectangle shapes of having no waist definition. There’s barely a distinct curve in the waistline of both of these body shapes.
Again, the reason for this is also different for each body type. Rectangle body shapes don’t have waist definition because of the fact that their waist and hips are similar in width, while apple shapes don’t have a definitive waistline curve because of the ample weight they gain in the midsection.
Similarity – Width of Shoulders and Hips are symmetrical
Both rectangle and apple figures have symmetrical shoulder and hip widths, which constitutes a pleasing balance in their figures. This means that neither of them is considered top-heavy or bottom-heavy because these crucial points in their upper and lower body are well-balanced.
The only thing that disrupts the overall proportion of rectangle and apple shapes is their waist. Since both don’t have a distinguishable waistline, the balance between their upper and lower body aren’t properly highlighted.
Difference – Existence of Curves
The rectangle body shape is not considered curvy, simply because of the fact that there’s barely a presence of any feminine curves in this figure. The similarity in width of the shoulders, waist, and hips hinders curves from appearing because there’s simply no space for the lines to be indented.
Meanwhile, the apple body shape is considered a curvy figure because of its ability to gain ample volume in areas like the bust, waist, and hips. Despite not having a well-defined waistline, you can still visibly see the presence of curves in an apple-shaped woman’s silhouette.
Difference – Area of Weight Gain
Rectangle body shapes gain their weight evenly all over the body. It’s almost uncommon to have a heavy stature because the excess weight that’s being gained doesn’t show up in one particular area.
Meanwhile, apple figures gain most of their excess weight in the midsection area. This is why they tend to have a tummy bulge and are quite prone to the appearance of a muffin top.
Neutral – Bust Size
Contrary to common belief, having a rectangle body shape doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a flat or small chest. As a matter of fact, it’s also possible for them to have a round and full bust line just like apple figures.
Rectangle vs. Hourglass
Similarity – Symmetrical Shoulder and Hip width
Both rectangle and hourglass shapes share the same balanced upper and lower body proportions, specifically the shoulders and the hips. When measured horizontally, you can clearly see that their width is nearly similar.
Although they share this particular shoulder-hip balance, these two body shapes still look very different because of their waist distinction. This is what we’ll discuss in the next subheading.
Difference – Definition of Waistline
So, the reason why they still look immensely different despite having well-balanced shoulder and hip proportions is because of the fact that rectangle figures don’t have a defined waist while hourglass shapes have a very distinguished waist definition. This is one of the main reasons why the upper and lower body symmetry of rectangle shapes are hardly noticeable.
Meanwhile, hourglass figures boast a narrow and curved waistline so the balance between the shoulders and hips is pretty distinctive.
Difference – Curves of Bust, Hips, and Buttocks
To simply sum it up, the rectangle body shape is not a curvy figure at all. Since there’s sameness in the top-to-bottom measurements of a rectangle shape, there’s not much space for the curves to actually be indented.
On the other hand, the hourglass body shape is deemed to be a very curvy type of body shape because of how volume is generously distributed in the bust, hips, and buttocks. Whereas rectangle figures don’t really have the ability to possess this ample amount of volume.
Difference – Leanness of Arms and Legs
Both rectangle and hourglass shapes may have slender limbs. However, most hourglass figures don’t really possess a prominent muscle mass as rectangle figures.
When hourglass body shapes gain more weight, there’s a tendency for the arms and legs to look flabby. However, rectangle shapes tend to look more lean and toned in their limbs so despite dramatic weight gain, it’s highly unlikely that the limbs will look too heavy.
Neutral – Both may have full bust size
Hourglass figures are very well-known for their voluptuously full and shapely breasts. Despite the fact that rectangle figures are not really well-known for having this particular body asset, this type of bust shape and size is also possible for rectangle body shapes.
Rectangle vs. Pear
Similarity – Slender Arms
Rectangle and pear figures share the same slim arms, although rectangle-shaped girls may have more toned muscles due to their natural athletic build. While both share this same trait, the reason why rectangle and pear shapes have slender arms significantly varies.
Rectangle figures gain weight evenly so excess weight is barely noticeable in the arms, whereas pear-shaped women gain most of the excess weight in the lower body. This makes the upper body less pronounced, hence the slimmer arms.
Difference – Proportions of Upper and Lower Body
As mentioned multiple times already, rectangle shapes have symmetrical proportions. Pear shapes are bottom-heavy individuals so their lower body is relatively more prominent than their upper body.
There’s an obvious contrast between a pear-shaped girl’s upper and lower body proportions as the hips and thighs are comparatively larger and wider than the shoulders and bust line. Definitely different from rectangle shapes and has even proportions.
Difference – Presence of Waist Definition
Rectangle-shaped women are not quite blessed with a defined waist due to the sameness in width of their waist and hips. On the other hand, pear shapes have a relatively narrow waistline and wide hips.
Because of the fact the pear shapes boast wider and larger hips, it creates a stark contrast between the narrow waist and the hips, hence a more obvious transition curve. This is one of the major differences between rectangle and pear shapes.
Difference – Manner of Gaining Weight
Rectangle shapes can gain an ample amount of weight too, but since this weight is evenly distributed all over the body, it may take a while before the excess weight becomes more obvious. On the contrary, pear shapes don’t have that ability to have weight evenly distributed so this excess weight shows up in a particular area of the body.
Pear shapes gain most of their extra weight in the lower half of the body, specifically the hips and thighs. This is what constitutes their bottom-heavy figure.
Rectangle vs. Inverted Triangle
Similarity – Athletic Build
Both rectangle and inverted triangle body shapes flaunt coveted athletic features. If you have any of these two body shapes, this means that you have a naturally toned body and when you work out on a regular basis, you are able to gain prominent muscle mass.
Because of your athletic build, you most likely have prominent features that can easily be distinguished such as shoulders, arms, legs, or chest. This could also mean that your figure may seem more masculine than feminine due to the possible fact that you’re more muscular than curvy.
Similarity – Lack of Curves
As previously mentioned, both rectangle and inverted triangle body shapes don’t have many feminine curves present in their figure. However, this lack of curves occurs for different reasons in each body type.
Rectangle shapes don’t have many curves because of the evenness of their proportions from the upper part of the body to the lower part. On the other hand, inverted triangles lack curves because of their narrow hips and less pronounced thighs.
Difference – Upper and Lower Body Proportions
Rectangle body shapes typically have symmetrical proportions from top to bottom, which means that the measurements of the shoulders, waist, and hips are nearly similar. They are not considered top-heavy or bottom-heavy because a rectangle-shaped woman is generally straight and even from top to bottom.
Meanwhile, the inverted triangle body shape is considered top-heavy because of the drastic size difference between the more prominent top and the less pronounced bottom. The broad shoulders are an inverted triangle girl’s defining point and this prominence usually overpowers the narrower and smaller appearance of the lower body.
Neutral – The size of the bust may vary
Both rectangle and inverted triangle body shapes may have varying bust sizes. There’s a common misconception wherein it’s usually assumed that these two body shapes often have flat or smaller bust sizes, but that is totally untrue.
The bust size of a rectangle and an inverted triangle-shaped girl may vary from small to full. It really depends on the individual.
Neutral – Shoulders may have sharp edges
Since both are athletic figures, it’s also possible that they share the same prominent athletic feature such as broad shoulders. Rectangle body shapes may not have shoulders that are as broad as inverted triangle shapes, but it’s possible that they also have sharp-edged shoulders.
However, it may not always be the case for rectangle figures as there are some who have slightly sloped shoulders similar to hourglass and apple shapes.
