There is nothing worse than seeing a beautiful woman in a stunning outfit that just isn’t quite right for her body. While some may purposely bypass the fact that some fashion trends just aren’t for them (I will never look good in a shift dress), others just really don’t know what their body type is, thus hindering them to dress their shape the best way possible. As Black women, our bodies come in all shapes and sizes. But when we sacrifice dressing our body types for fashion trends, we sacrifice looking our ultimate best. Here, we’ve broken down the five body types to help us all get a better understanding of what we're looking at in the mirror. 

The 5 Body Types:

Pear/Triangle:

  • Your Body Buddies: Beyoncé, Alicia Keys
  • Your Best Assets: Those wide hips and small waistline

Inverted Triangle:

  • Your Body Buddies: Sherri Shepherd, Wendy Williams, Mel B.
  • Your Best Assets: Your bust and striking shoulders as well as strong, lean legs

Hourglass:

  • Your Body Buddies: Kim Kardashian, Chasity Saunders, Halle Berry
  • Your Best Assets: Your small waist and highly proportioned bust to hip ratio

Athletic/Rectangle:

  • Your Body Buddies: Ciara, Serena Williams (yes, she is thick and curvy, but narrow in the hips)
  • Your Best Assets: Your naturally lean body, including toned legs, arms and stomach

Apple:

  • Your Body Buddies: Oprah Winfrey, Queen Latifah
  • Your Best Assets: Your bust and legs, which are usually thick and toned

Stay tuned for our follow-up piece, where our editors share the best fashion finds for your body type! 

—Melanie Yvette Martin