The pear body shape is one that many women find difficult to balance with their clothing. Weight seems to gather in all the wrong places, and it seems impossible to hide those “problem areas”.
A pear shaped body will normally have narrower shoulders, a smaller bust, wide hips and bigger buttocks. This imbalance in the body makes many women self-conscious and needing help to find the right flattering clothing style.
As such, we’ve come up with this guide to give fashion tips for women with a pear shaped body.
Click on the images below to view the product detail. Do note that these are affiliate links – we get a small commission if you purchase a product. It helps pay the bills!
S.L. Fashions Women's Plus Size Cape Dress
Tops
The best tops for a pear body shape will need to draw the eye up and away from the hips. Adding movement and a little more width to the bust will help distract from the hips but also balance out the difference between the top and bottom parts of the body.
Choose halter, v-neck, cowl, or one-shoulder top styles. Anything with a decorative detail at the neckline or bust is also a good option. Ruffles, layers, ruching and brooches that hold gathered necklines can all achieve a balanced look for a smaller bust.
Try to keep tops shorter or longer than the widest part of the hips. This will help draw the eye away from the hips. Also, avoid any decorative details near the waist or hips since they will only add bulk to the lower half of the body.
Floerns Women's Plus Size Off The Shoulder Belted Peplum Blouse Top
ALLEGRACE Women's Lace Long Sleeve Faux Wrap V Neck Top
Women's Plus Size Asymmetric Short Sleeve Tunic
Floerns Women's Lace Neckline Sleeveless Chiffon Blouse Top
Women's Plus Size Short Sleeve V Neck Wrap Top
SOLY HUX Women's Sexy Zip Up Low Cut Peplum Top
Minibee Women's Cotton Linen Blouse
TIANZHU Empire Waist Babydoll Shirt
Minibee Women's Linen Blouse High Low Shirt Roll-Up Sleeve Top
Bottoms
To balance out a heavy bottom, pants and skirts should be quite simple in style. Tailored styles with a flat front will help minimize the hip and buttock area. Bootcut and flared pant styles work best for a pear body since they add shape without creating a heavy look.
Avoid tapered and capri pant styles because they will shorten and widen legs. As for skirts, knee-length styles like flared and a-line work best to move with the body without drawing attention to the hips.
Stay away from pleated and balloon skirts since they will only add weight to the hips and buttocks.
As for pants, choose styles that have seamless pockets in front and back. Avoid flap pockets on the buttocks since they will only draw attention to your lower half.
Star Vixen Women's Plus-Size Knee Length Full Skater Skirt
Rekucci Curvy Woman Ease into Comfort Plus Size Straight Pant w/Tummy Control
Plus Size Wrinkle-Free Stretch Dress Pantsfor Women
Moon Wood Women's Plus Size Mini Skater Skirt
WDIRARA Women's Plus Size Elastic High Waist Split Front Elegant Skinny Pants
Verdusa Women's Plus Size High Waist Knee Length Bodycon Pencil Skirt
Dresses
Dresses should always highlight the slender shoulders and smaller upper body of a pear shaped woman. Choose open necklines like v-necks, scoop necks and low cowl necks to draw the eyes up to the bust.
Choose dresses with interesting details at the upper body, but no lower than just above the waist. Empire waist styles or dresses that taper in to a smaller waist are a great choice to show off curves while minimizing the width of the hips.
Always look for styles that are comfortable at the hips, anything too tight will emphasize the hips and create an imbalanced look.
Alex Evenings Women's Plus Size Tea-Length Lace Mock Dress
Milumia Plus Size Casual V Neck Asymmetrical Maxi Dress
Kiyonna Women's Plus Size Mon Cherie Lace Dress
Plus Size Lace Chiffon Dress
LONGYUAN Women's Cold Shoulder Plus Size T-Shirt Dress
Miusol Women's Plus Size V Neck Elegant Floral Lace Ruffle Maxi Dress
Ahlaray Womens Plus Size Short Sleeve Faux Wrap Causal Swing Dress with Pockets
Alex Evenings Plus Size Women's Cold Shoulder Popover Dress
Women's Plus Size Puff Sleeve Square Neck Mini Summer Sundress
Minibee Women's Ruffle Oversize Casual Midi Dresses with Pockets
Hi!
Can you list the retailers to buy these dresses?
Thanks
Hi Tamara
We’ve linked each image to where you can purchase the dresses. Enjoy shopping!
Thank you. This is the first site that makes sense to me.
If i have a big bust, should I aim for a colorful top, darker bottoms or vice versa?
A colorful top can definitely draw attention from a large bust, but if you’re smaller on bottom, a dark color there can make you look bigger on top, so wear lighter colored bottoms. If you wear a dark/solid top, make sure it has some flair: buttons, pockets, ruffles, ribbons… so you have something besides a broad expanse of bust to look at.
Where can I buy the last dress in this post? I LOVE it!
Hi Karla
It is nice isn’t it?! It the Patricia Plus Size Maxi Dress from Igigi. Hope that helps!
Jess
EDIT: The last image is no longer the same, as Igigi discontinued the product. As such, it’s been replaced by something that still is in stock. We’ve left these comments in for posterity.