Pear Body Shape: What to Wear

Wear something interesting at the neckline. A statement necklace, bold earrings, or an embellished collar pulls attention upward. When your top half has visual interest, the whole outfit reads as balanced.

Boat necks and off-shoulder cuts physically widen the shoulder line. This is probably the single most effective technique for a pear body shape because it works with your actual structure.

Put your brighter colors and prints on top, keep the bottom half in darker solids. Light bounces off prints and draws the eye there. Dark bottoms recede visually.

A-line and flared skirts follow your natural curve from the waist and add gradual volume as they fall. They move with your body rather than pulling tight across the hips.

Bootcut and wide-leg pants add width at the hem that echoes the hip line. Straight legs work too. Just avoid anything that tapers sharply at the ankle, because that leaves the hip as the widest point.

Puff sleeves, ruffles, and structured shoulders add real volume on top. You want your upper half doing some visual work, not just lying flat against your frame.

Skip clingy fabrics below the waist. Thin jersey and lycra will map every contour. Ponte, twill, and structured cotton skim past the hips with more ease.

High-waisted bottoms sit at your natural waist, preventing gapping while elongating your legs. Mid-rise works too. Low-rise cuts across the widest part of the hip.

Fit-and-flare dresses emphasize your waist while creating movement in the skirt. They celebrate the waist and let the hips move freely.

Empire waist dresses are cut just under the bust. The fabric drops straight from there and flows over the hip area.