STYLE GUIDES · BODY SHAPE
Rectangle body shape.
Your bust, waist and hips measure within about 5% of each other, with little waist definition. Also called a straight or banana shape.
Updated · By the Delve to Life editors · Editorial standards
THE QUICK ANSWER
A garment with its own built-in shape supplies the curve, so the cut does the work rather than the body.
IF YOU WANT TO TRY ONE DRESS FIRST
If you want to try one dress first, start with a tiered dress. The gathered tiers build shape into the skirt, so the dress supplies the curve, and it is relaxed enough for every day.
Body-shape names are a shorthand for proportion, not a rule about what anyone is allowed to wear. Everything below describes what a cut does to the line of an outfit, so you can choose the effect you want rather than follow a prescription.
How to tell if you are a rectangle
Your bust, waist and hips measure within about 5% of each other, with little waist definition. If you are close to the line between two shapes, read both pages — the advice overlaps more than it conflicts. Not sure? Use the body shape calculator: type your measurements and it compares them for you. No tape measure? Take the six-question quiz instead.
Dresses that suit a rectangle shape
Each has shape built into the garment, which creates a waist by contrast.
Skirts that suit a rectangle shape
Gathers and pleats build width at the hip, and a waist appears next to it.
Pants that suit a rectangle shape
Volume, pleats and pockets put curve into the fabric rather than relying on the body for it.
Necklines that suit a rectangle shape
A neckline with a strong horizontal or angled line gives the upper body a shape of its own.
Questions people ask
What outfits suit a rectangle body shape?
Anything with shape built into the garment: tiered, peplum, drop-waist and bubble dresses; pleated, tiered and dirndl skirts; barrel, baggy and cargo pants. A belt or a wrap tie does the same job on a simpler piece.
How do I create a waist with a rectangle shape?
Put the shape in the clothes. Gathers, pleats, a peplum or a belt create width just above or below the waist, and the waist reads as narrower by contrast. A column silhouette reads straight, which is equally valid if that is the look you want.
How do you dress a plus size rectangle body?
The same way as at any size: put the shape in the clothes. A wrap tie, a peplum, gathered tiers or a belt create a waist by contrast. Structured fabrics hold that shape better than thin stretch ones.
One last thing worth saying plainly: none of this is a rule. These are the predictable effects of a cut, and knowing them makes shopping faster. If a style that isn't listed for your proportions is the one you like, that is reason enough to wear it.
Not sure what a style is called? Tap through the pictures and we'll name it.
Describe it with pictures