A Complete Guide to the Inverted Triangle Body Type

What is an inverted triangle body shape?

An inverted triangle body shape is wide at the shoulders and narrow at the hips. According to Hewlett, “An inverted triangle is someone who’s wider across the shoulders.” Their torso narrows as they get to the hips, which gives them an athletic-looking build. Someone with this shape typically has little waist definition, straight hips and thighs, and slender legs. To determine your body shape: Measure your shoulders/bust, waist, and hips. Then, compare the measurements. If your shoulders/bust is the largest measurement while your waist and hips are smaller, you likely have an inverted triangle body shape. Celebrity examples: Naomi Campbell, Reneé Zellweger, Zendaya, Michelle Rodriguez, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Demi Moore, Catherine Zeta Jones Meet the wikiHow Experts Kalee Hewlett is a fashion stylist, image consultant, and confidence coach with over 20 years of experience. Elle Monus is an image consultant and co-founder of True Image Group with over 11 years of experience in the fashion industry. Jordan Stolch is an image consultant, style advisor, and the founder of MiKADO. She has over 10 years of experience helping people build a powerful image. Sarah McDonald is a certified stylist and image consultant and the Owner of Pivotal Style. Dina Scherer is a wardrobe stylist, personal shopper, and founder of Modnitsa Styling with over 10 years of experience.

Styling Tips to Balance an Inverted Triangle Body Shape

Balance your shape by drawing attention to your lower half. According to image consultant Elle Monus, you “create a balanced look by finding items that nip in at the smallest part of your natural waist and adding volume or width to the smaller half of your body.” So, if you have an inverted triangle body shape, this means you “create volume in your bottom third to balance your body.” For example, wear tops and bottoms that add volume to your hips and legs while opting for styles that slim and draw attention away from your shoulders. Remember that these are just styling tips to help balance your body shape—they’re not a rule book you have to follow! Play around with different styles to find out what makes you feel and look beautiful. Don’t feel like you have to balance your body shape, either! Your shape is beautiful, so feel free to flaunt your shoulders and great legs, if you’d prefer. We’ll give you some styling tips to do this in the section below.

Wear tops with narrow necklines, waist-defining details, and dark colors. When choosing tops, opt for styles that minimize your shoulders while also cinching in your waist and adding volume to your hips. Some tips to do this include: Necklines: Choose narrow necklines so your shirts don’t add extra width to your shoulders, like scoop and U necklines, as well as asymmetrical tops. Hewlett says, “V necks are quite flattering across all types of body types,” too. Fit: According to image consultant and style advisor Jordan Stolch, fitted tops have a slimming effect and create more of a silhouette (regardless of your actual size). So, wearing more fitted rather than looser tops can help tone down the width of your shoulders and add emphasis to your waist Waist-definition: Choose styles that naturally hug in at the waist and then flare out to help add volume to your hips, like peplum tops and wrap tops. Trapeze tops can be a great option, too. Colors: Certified stylist and image consultant Sarah McDonald says, “darker colors always minimize and make things look smaller.” So, choosing darker and deeper colors, as opposed to light and bright colors, can help your shoulders look more balanced with your shape. Short sleeves: Opt for sleeves that don’t add extra volume to your shoulders, like fitted sleeves, wide straps, and shoulder cut-outs. Long sleeves: Monus recommends dolman sleeves, which are “where the shoulder seam falls further down the shoulder.” She says, “This gives you the extra room to avoid any pulling in the fabric at your shoulders or bust.” Monus believes that sleeves that balloon or puff below your elbow are also great options, as they add volume to your hips rather than your shoulders. Lengths: Look for shirts that end past the hips to help pull attention to your hips and add volume.

Choose bottoms that add volume and come in bright colors. Balancing out your broader shoulders is all about putting the attention on your lower body. To do this, try out these styling tips when choosing jeans, trousers, and shorts: Cuts: “Create width in your bottom half by opting for a wide leg, bootcut, or flare leg pant,” says Monus. Fits: Go for baggier, more relaxed fits to help add volume around the hips and thighs. Baggy jeans (like boyfriend jeans), palazzo pants, culottes, and harem pants are all great options. Rises: Opt for high-rise jeans, trousers, and shorts, as they help create more waist definition, says wardrobe stylist Dina Scherer. Mid-rise and low-rise are also flattering. Embellishments: Choose bottoms with embellishments around the hips, as this creates volume and draws the eye down. This includes things like pockets, distress marks, and studs or jewels. Colors and patterns: Opt for lighter wash jeans and brightly colored pants to help put the focus on your bottom half. Bold patterns also help draw the eye, while horizontal stripes can add width to your hips.

Opt for skirts that flare out and add volume to the hips. “If skirts are more your thing,” says Monus, “try an A-line cut that skims your curves and provides a bit of outward structure.” Hewlett says peplum skirts are another great option because they’re “going to make you look wider on the hips, which balances you out on the shoulders.” Other great styles include tulip skirts, bias-cut skirts, straight skirts, and full skirts. Choose details and patterns that add volume, too. Pleated and tiered skirts are flattering options, while bright colors and bold patterns draw the eye down (instead of up). Scherer recommends wearing high-waisted skirts to help create more waist definition.

Wear dresses that flare at the hips and cinch in your waist. Add volume to your lower half with styles like A-line dresses, shift dresses, peplum dresses, and fit-and-flare dresses. Fashion stylist Natalie Tincher says belted dresses and wrap dresses are great options because they “emphasize an hourglass shape.” Choose dresses that have volumizing details on the skirts, like pleats, ruffles, and tiers. If the bottom and top of the dress are different colors or patterns, opt for styles that have brighter, more colorful bottoms with bolder prints. Choose necklines that help slim the shoulders, like scoop, U, asymmetrical, and V-neck.

Select jackets that hit below the hip and flare at the waist. To balance out your broader shoulders, wear jackets and coats that end below the hip line to help emphasize your hips. Go with styles that cinch in at the waist and then flare from the hips to add volume to your lower half, too. Keep the lines along the upper body straight, and details around the bust and shoulders minimal. Some great styles include: trench coats, trapeze coats, cutaway jackets, peplum jackets, blazers, and wrap coats. Opt for single-breasted styles, rather than double, to avoid adding more volume to your shoulders. Large collars, shoulder pads, and pockets around the bust can add extra volume, too. Choose coats and jackets with details around the hips, like pockets or pleats. Sleeves that widen around the hip area are a great option, too.

Opt for swimwear with a plunge neckline and high-rise bottoms. Personal wardrobe stylist Yvette Jordan says, “If your shoulders are wider than your hips, then having a plunge neckline top will be helpful because it will draw attention to the center of your body and away from your shoulders.” Professional stylist Hannah Park recommends wearing high-waisted bottoms as they accentuate the smallest part of your waist and slim your stomach, which is universally flattering. If you prefer wearing one-piece bathing suits, Park says suits that “have a super plunge are also very flattering for a lot of women.”

Wear long necklaces and statement bracelets or rings. According to Stolch, long statement necklaces that hit around the rib cage area help to elongate and slim down your upper body. This also helps to draw the eye down and take attention away from your shoulders. Wearing bold statement bracelets and rings also helps to add volume around your hips to balance your shoulders. When choosing a purse or bag, opt for a long style that hangs at your hips or thighs. To help cinch in your waist, add a belt to dresses and skirts.

Styling Tips to Emphasize an Inverted Triangle Body Shape

Wear styles that show off your shoulders and legs. While conventional fashion advice is all about balancing your shape, people with an inverted triangle shape have beautiful, strong shoulders and amazing legs. So, show them off! Here are some tips to accentuate and emphasize your natural shape: Wear wide necklines and off-the-shoulder tops. Boatneck, sweetheart, and halter neck tops are great for emphasizing your athletic-looking shoulders. Off-the-shoulder and tube tops put the focus right on them, too. Wear tops with shoulder detailing. To play up your fabulous shoulders and create a dramatic look, wear puff sleeves, tops with shoulder pads, or structured collars. Wear fitted pants that taper toward the ankle. Show off your great legs with jeans and trousers that stay fitted along the thigh and calves. Scherer recommends choosing pants that taper in at the bottom to create an even more slimming effect. Wear fitted skirts and dresses: Pencil skirts and bodycon dresses hug your hips and thighs, which emphasize your slender legs. Plus, they cinch in at the waist, which is super flattering. Maintain good posture: While this technically isn’t a styling tip, having great posture helps highlight your beautiful shape. Plus, it helps you look and feel better. Stand up straight, push your shoulders back and down, and keep your chin parallel to the ground.

Is the inverted triangle body shape attractive?

Yes, the inverted triangle body shape is considered attractive. With their athletic look, strong shoulders, and great legs, it’s not hard to see why lots of people think the inverted body shape is beautiful! This body shape can give someone '90s supermodel vibes, as lots of famous supermodels have this body shape (see: Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Yasmeen Ghauri). As a plus, clothes tend to look extra great on this body shape.

Other Body Shapes

Check out the other body shapes and ways to classify your figure. If you’re not sure whether you fit the description of the inverted triangle shape, never fear! There are other ways to describe your shape, including the apple, hourglass, pear, and rectangle body shapes. The Kibbe System is another popular tool that categorizes your figure based on the natural lines of your body. Check out our quizzes to help find your body shape, like the What is My Body Type? Quiz and the What is My Kibbe Type? Quiz.