Apple Body Shape

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Your Body Editorial

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• Definition
• Closely Related Shapes
• How to Determine if You Are An Apple
• Apple Measurements
• Celebrities
• Workouts
• How to Dress An Apple
• History

The Apple body shape, also known as the “O” or “round” body shape, is a body shape where the waist is wider than the shoulders and hips. The Apple figure shape generally has a fuller midsection, which can create a rounded or apple-like silhouette.

Key characteristics of an Apple body shape:

Apple body shape can also be known as:

• Oval body shape, Round body shape, Circle body shape, Sphere body shape

How Common is the Apple Body Shape?

The Apple body shape is a relatively common body shape, with between 15% to 20% of women thought to have an Apple figure. This means as many as one in five women have this body shape. Apple body shapes are also frequently observed among movie stars, musicians and singers, celebrities, influencers, and models. The Apple body shape is closely related to the rectangle body shape, and many people may fluctuate between the two. Many celebrities are both an Apple and a Rectangle or they interchange between the two.

Related Shapes to Apple

Sub-Variations of an Apple Shape

Curvy Apple, Tall Apple, Petite Apple, Plus Size Apple, Smaller Waist Apple, Larger Waist Apple, Top Heavy Apple, Bottom Heavy Apple, and many more.

There just so many variations within the Apple body shape. It is advisable to always approach styling with consideration of your unique features. Your dressing strategies could look somewhat different to the dressing strategies of other Apples. Experiment and find what works for you.

This guide can be your base or starting point.

How to Calculate if you are an Apple Shape

Determining if you are an Apple body shape works by working out if your physique aligns with the characteristics of the Apple body shape. This can be done by comparing your specific measurements to understand the relative size of different areas of your body. This is commonly calculated by using an Apple body shape formula.

Note: Keep in mind, some formulas classify the Apple body shape as a Rectangle. Not every fashion expert recognizes the Apple as a distinct shape, often defaulting to the Rectangle as the baseline for Apple characteristics.

When you are attempting to determine your body shape using bust, waist, and hip measurements, it is advisable to use the larger measurement of either the shoulder or bust.

Celebrities with an Apple Shape

Celebrities with an Apple body shape may often transition to other closely related shapes such as rectangle, inverted triangle, and diamond. This is because the Apple shape shares characteristics, and often borders, on those closely related shapes, making it easy for a body shape to transition between the different shapes.

Elizabeth Hurley: Born June 10, 1965; Height: 5’8″ (173 cm); Weight: 137 pounds (62 kg). Elizabeth Hurley’s body measurements are reportedly around 36-26-35 inches.

Drew Barrymore: Born February 22, 1975; Height: 5’4″ (163 cm); Weight: 137 pounds (62 kg). Drew Barrymore’s body measurements are reportedly around 37-28-36 inches.

Catherine Zeta-Jones: Born September 25, 1969; Height: 5’7″ (170 cm); Weight: 128 pounds (58 kg). Catherine Zeta-Jones’s body measurements are reportedly around 37-25-36 inches.

Eva Longoria: Born March 15, 1975; Height: 5’2″ (157 cm); Weight: 119 pounds (54 kg). Eva Longoria’s body measurements are reportedly around 35-25-35 inches.

Jennifer Hudson: Born September 12, 1981; Height: 5’9″ (175 cm); Weight: 138 pounds (63 kg). Jennifer Hudson’s body measurements are reportedly around 35-28-36 inches.

Melissa McCarthy: Born August 26, 1970; Height: 5’2″ (157 cm); Weight: 207 pounds (94 kg). Melissa McCarthy’s body measurements are reportedly around 43-38-45 inches.

Queen Latifah: Born March 18, 1970; Height: 5’10” (178 cm); Weight: 200 pounds (91 kg). Queen Latifah’s body measurements are reportedly around 45-37-45 inches.

Rebel Wilson: Born March 2, 1980; Height: 5’3″ (160 cm); Weight: 216 pounds (98 kg). Rebel Wilson’s body measurements are reportedly around 44-43-49 inches.

Rosie O’Donnell: Born March 21, 1962; Height: 5’7″ (170 cm); Weight: 200 pounds (91 kg). Rosie O’Donnell’s body measurements are reportedly around 40-35-40 inches.

Adele: Born May 5, 1988; Height: 5’9″ (175 cm); Weight: 170 pounds (77 kg). Adele’s body measurements are reportedly around 40-32-42 inches.

Workouts for Apple Body Shapes

Workouts for an Apple body shape require exercises that target both lower and upper body, while still strengthening the core and upper body, thus maintaining or balancing natural body shape.

Lower Body Workouts: Focusing on exercises that work on the lower body can help create balance the Apple’s proportionately wider upper body and mid-section. Building out the hips by targeting your glutes, thighs, and buttock area will help create a more proportionate and balanced silhouette.

• Hip thrusts: Add volume and shape the glutes. Help to balance out the Apple’s broad upper body.
• Squats: Add volume to your lower body, by targeting your thighs with resistance training.
• Lunges: Tone your thighs and glutes.
• Deadlifts: Add strength and definition to your hamstrings, back, and glutes.
• Cycling: Tone and add shape to your quadriceps and glutes. Also promotes weight loss and increases your cardio.
• Leg press: Add volume to your quadriceps and glutes.
• Calf raises: Targets your calf muscles.

HIIT Exercises: HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts function as a two-in-one training method. They provide the advantage of stimulating and strengthening your muscles while increasing your cardio.

1. Jumping Jacks: Enhance lower body muscles to balance the overall body shape.
2. Mountain Climbers: Targets the core, glutes, and legs. Adding volume and balance to your figure.
3. Jump Squats: Add volume and tone to your quads and glutes, help build lower body muscles.
4. Walking Lunges: Tone your glutes, quads, and hamstrings.

Cardio/Fitness: Cardiovascular fitness through low-intensity or HIIT workouts can assist in overall fat loss. Since Apple body shapes tend to gain weight in the midsection, engaging in activities that promote weight loss will help in slimming the midsection, helping to balance your figure further.

Core Workouts:

• Planks: Planks work the entire core. Planks also work on your shoulders and arms without add size or volume.
• Bicycle crunches: Target the abs and the obliques with bicycle crunches.

Upper Body Workouts: Balance an Apple body shape by strengthening and toning your shoulders, arms and back without adding to much size or muscle.

Maintain the upper body through full-body workouts, low resistance exercises, or stretching, rather than adding bulk with exercises that could widen or add size to your upper body.

• Rows: Help shape and tone your back without adding muscle or size to your upper chest or shoulders.
• Reverse Fly: Very similar to rows, the reverse fly allows you to work out your upper body without adding size to your upper frame.
• Use light weights: When lifting weights during resistance training like dumbbell curls, use lighter weights. Lighter weights help you strengthen the muscle you are targeting without adding too much size.

How to Dress an Apple Body Shape

When dressing your Apple body shape, most style advice focuses on balancing your naturally fuller bust and mid-section with your lower body. This is generally good advice. But also keep in mind, the variations within the Apple body shape and the borderline qualities shared with other body shapes. Style according to your unique attributes.

Necklines:

1. V-Neck: The classic V-neck elongates the upper body by drawing the eye vertically rather than horizontally.
2. Scoop Neck: As with V-necks, scoop necks elongate the upper body and draw attention upwards towards the face and bust. Scoop necks may also give the illusion of a fuller bust.
3. Square Neck: This neckline helps show off your shoulders and collarbones and can add an extra dimension to the upper body.
4. Boat Neck: Boat necks or bateau necklines can help widen the shoulders and narrow the waist. They work well for women with smaller to medium busts or upper shoulders.
5. Cowl Neck: Cowl necks camouflage the midsection with their folds and drapes.
6. Sweetheart: Sweetheart necklines help to draw attention to the bust and chest area. They can also draw the eye upwards towards the face.
7. Strapless: Like the sweetheart neckline, strapless necklines draw the eye to the top of the upper body.

Shirts and Tops

1. Empire Line Tops: Empire line tops cinch just under the bust which is the narrowest part of the body for Apple shapes. Empire line tops are designed to flare out, skimming over the stomach area.
2. V-neck or U-neck Tops: These tops elongate the upper body by drawing the eye upwards. V-necks also help add balance by drawing the eye away from your mid-section.
3. Wrap Tops: Wrap tops make the waist appear smaller by creating a V shaped neckline which draws the eye vertically and upwards.
4. Tunic Tops: Tunic tops are a comfortable and versatile top that adds shape and visual interest to the upper body. Can be paired with jeans, skinny jeans, or leggings.
5. Peplum Tops: Peplums add volume to the lower half of the torso, balancing out broad shoulders and large busts.
6. Layered Tops: Additional layers can provide a camouflage effect around the upper body.
7. Flowy or Oversized Blouses: These tops fall from the bust and are comfortable, providing plenty of space. Also, they don’t cling to the mid-section.
8. Cardigan: Unbuttoned cardigans create lines that guide the eye vertically rather than horizontally. This helps elongate the body and adds balance overall.

Jackets

1. Empire Waist Jackets: Empire waist jackets cinch just under the bust, this helps emphasize the narrowest part of the body of an Apple figure. Empire waist jackets flow from a raised waist, skimming and camouflaging the midsection.
2. Open Front Jackets: Open front jackets create vertical lines down the front of the body. This helps draw the eye vertically which can be elongating and slimming.
3. Structured Jackets & Blazers: A structured jacket or blazer typically cinches slightly at the midsection and can have seams and darts that contour around the waist, creating the illusion of a more defined waistline.
4. A-Line Coats: A-line coats widen or flare out at the hips helping to balance out your Apple shaped silhouette.
5. Peplum Jackets: A peplum jacket can add balance to the mid-section. Peplum jackets cinch in at the waist and flare out at the hips.
6. Jackets with Detailing on the Bottom: Ruffles, a flare, or large pockets can help draw the eye downwards and help balance top and bottom with the midsection.

Coats

1. Trench Coats: Trench coats cinch in the waist and usually feature an open neckline and thick collar creating balance. Keep embellishments like buttons or pockets on the smaller side to minimize added bulk or volume at your mid-section.
2. A-line Coats: A-line coats widen or flare out at the hips helping to balance an Apple shape silhouette.
3. Swing Coats: Complement your Apple shape with a swing coat that is fitted at the shoulders and flares out as it reaches the bottom where it becomes looser. This helps camouflage your mid-section.
4. Pea Coats: Pea coats are short coats, either double-breasted or single-breasted coats, where the buttons fall just under the bust and help draw in the waistline.
5. Straight Cut Coats: Straight coats introduce vertical lines and fall nicely on an Apple body shape. A loose fit is a good option for straight cut coats.
6. Open-front Coats: Open-front coats create lines that guide the eye vertically rather the horizontally.
7. Coats with Details on Top: Coats with details at the top like fluffy collars, hoods, fur collars, or detailed necklines, can help draw the eye upwards to the shoulders and face.

Pants

1. Bootcut Pants: Bootcut pants add balance to the Apple’s mid-section as they flare out at the ankle. A more subtle style than a full flare pant.
2. Straight-Leg Pants: A just-right fitting straight leg pant helps balance your upper and lower body. Also introduces vertical lines that draw the eye vertically rather than horizontally.
3. High-Waisted Pants: High waisted pants can hold the tummy and are excellent for defining a waist, particularly if you have an Apple body shape with extra weight around the mid-section.
4. Wide-Leg Pants: Wide-leg pants add balance as they flow out from your body.
5. Skinny Jeans: Some stylists advise against wearing skinny jeans if you have an Apple body shape but ultimately your comfort and preference should guide your choice. Especially if you have slimmer legs, skinny jeans can highlight your legs. This can also draw attention away from your midsection.
6. Stretch Fabrics: Stretchy pants can be comfortable and balancing and don’t always have to be tight fitting.
7. Leggings: When paired with a loose-fitting top like a tunic, oversized sweater, or peplum top they balance the overall silhouette by drawing attention to the legs.
8. Flat-Front Pants: Flat-front pants have a smooth front without pleats, additional folded fabric, or gathering at the waistline. Flat front pants are great for Apple figures because they do not add volume to the already wider waistline.

Jeans

1. Bootcut Jeans: Bootcut jeans are a balancing jean style as the flare at the ankle helps balance the mid-section.
2. Straight Leg Jeans: Straight leg jeans help to balance your upper and lower body and the vertical lines help to draw the eye vertically rather than horizontally.
3. High-Waisted Jeans: High waisted jeans can hold the tummy and are excellent for defining a waist, particularly if you have an apple body shape with extra weight around the mid-section.
4. Wide-Leg Jeans: Wide-leg jeans add volume to your lower body, helping to balance and contrast with your mid-section.
5. Stretch Jeans: Stretch jeans can be comfortable and balanced.
6. Mid-Rise with a Wide Waistband: Mid-rise pants with a wide waistband that sit at the waistline without cutting into the waist can be a great option for an Apple body shape. These combination jeans help accentuate your natural waistline without over-emphasizing the mid-section.

Skirts

1. A-Line Skirts: A-line skirts cinch at the waist and taper out at the bottom, helping to balance the lower and mid-section of an Apple shaped figure.
2. High-Waisted Skirts: High-waisted skirts help to balance an Apple figure’s silhouette as they help define the waistline.
3. Wrap Skirts: Wrap skirts are a comfortable and flexible style of skirt that provides visual interest to the lower body.
4. Tulip Skirts: A tulip skirt cinches at the waist and slightly flares out at the bottom, helping to add balance with the mid-section.
5. Skater Skirts: Skater skirts are like a flared A-line skirt. Skater skirts can have a narrowing effect on your waist and can highlight your legs.
6. Maxi Skirts: Maxi skirts that are flowy and loose can be worn higher at the waistline, helping to create long, lean lines.
7. Asymmetrical Skirts: Asymmetrical skirts draw attention and create visual interest in your lower body helping to balance your Apple figure.
8. Pleated Skirts: Pleated skirts create an elongating effect with their vertical lines and do not add to much volume to the waistline.
9. Mini Skirts: Mini skirts highlight your legs. Drawing attention to your legs helps can help balance out your mid-section.

Dresses

1. Empire Waist Dresses: Empire dresses have a high cut waistline that sits just below the bust. The Apple’s narrowest area is commonly in this same area, just below the bust, which makes these dresses a great choice for the Apple, helping to give the appearance of a defined waistline and bringing attention upwards towards the face.
2. A-Line Dresses: A-line dresses have a fitted upper body which can emphasize the shoulders and bust. This helps draw attention upwards away from the mid-section. The tapered skirt also helps balance and contrast with the Apple body shape’s mid-section.
3. Wrap Dresses: A wrap dress has a natural V-like neckline, helping to draw attention upwards. Its diagonal lines also create visual interest and provide a slimming effect by drawing the eye diagonally/vertically. The wrap dress’s tie can also help define the waistline, creating contrast between the lower and upper body.
4. Tunic Dresses: A tunic dress is a flowy and loose style that flows over the mid-section and can also flare out towards the bottom.
5. Layered or Tiered Dresses: Layered or tiered dresses are commonly fitted in the shoulder and bust area and loose and flowy in the midsection and lower body.
6. Shirt Dresses: Shirt dresses with a belt can help define the waist although usually loose around the mid-section and lower body. Statement shoes can pair well with shirt dresses.

Shorts

1. Mid-rise Shorts: Mid-rise shorts have a loose fit around the stomach area. Mid rise shorts can highlight your legs without over-emphasizing your mid-section.
2. A-line Shorts: A-line shorts are perfect for a wider waist, hips and thighs as they slightly taper out, providing extra flow and room.
3. Shorts with Side or Vertical Details: Stripes or side panels can create the illusion of longer legs which helps elongate the body overall.
4. Flowing or Loose-fitting Shorts: Flowing or loose-fitting shorts are comfortable without cutting into the waist.
5. Flaring Leg Shorts: Wide legged or flaring leg shorts help to balance out the wider mid-section.
6. Bermuda Shorts: Bermuda shorts can help elongate the legs, which adds balance to the mid-section.
7. Shorts with Cuffs: Cuffs add visual interest to the lower body.

Accessories

1. Long Necklaces: Long or layered necklaces draw the eye vertically, which can create a slimming effect.
2. Scarves: Scarves that are light and flowy can add vertical lines and interest. This can pull attention away from the mid-section and help elongate the body overall.
3. Belted Waist: A belt is used to draw the waist in which can add contrast and balance. The Apple’s narrowest part of the waistline is under the bust area, above the natural waistline. So wearing a belt a bit higher might really pay off.
4. Earrings: Earrings, especially long, dangly, or bold, help draw attention to the face and upper body.
5. Wide-brimmed Hats: Wide brimmed hats or statement hats can add volume to the upper body. Wide-brimmed hats can help widen the shoulders, which adds contrast to the mid-section.
6. Shoes: Shoes with a rise, and especially heels, can elongate and draw attention to your legs.
7. Medium to Large Handbags: Bags with longer straps that hang below the waistline can help add volume to the hip area.
8. Belts: Medium width belts can help create the illusion of a defined waistline. Find a placement that works best on you. Some Apples will suit the belt height just under the bust and some slightly lower. Try various placements to find what suits you best.

Measurements of an Apple Shape

The following measurements serve as examples of an Apple body shape. Please note that these are only a few representations and do not encapsulate all possibilities. Please try our body shape calculators, here for more.

26″ Waist Apple:
If your waist is 26″, your bust could be anywhere from 31″ up to 36″.
If your waist is 26″, your hips could be anywhere from 31″ up to 36″.
If your bust is at the maximum of 36″, your hips should be within the same range.

27″ Waist Apple:
If your waist is 27″, your bust could be anywhere from 32″ up to 37″.
If your waist is 27″, your hips could be anywhere from 32″ up to 37″.
If your bust is at the maximum of 37″, your hips should be within the same range.

28″ Waist Apple:
If your waist is 28″, your bust could be anywhere from 33″ up to 38″.
If your waist is 28″, your hips could be anywhere from 33″ up to 38″.
If your bust is at the maximum of 38″, your hips should be within the same range.

29″ Waist Apple:
If your waist is 29″, your bust could be anywhere from 34″ up to 39″.
If your waist is 29″, your hips could be anywhere from 34″ up to 39″.
If your bust is at the maximum of 39″, your hips should be within the same range.

30″ Waist Apple:
If your waist is 30″, your bust could be anywhere from 35″ (30″ + 5″) up to 40″.
If your waist is 30″, your hips could be anywhere from 35″ (30″ + 5″) up to 40″.
If your bust is at the maximum of 40″, your hips should be within the same range.

31″ Waist Apple:
If your waist is 31″, your bust could be anywhere from 36″ up to 41″.
If your waist is 31″, your hips could be anywhere from 36″ up to 41″.
If your bust is at the maximum of 41″, your hips should be within the same range.

32″ Waist Apple:
If your waist is 32″, your bust could be anywhere from 37″ up to 42″.
If your waist is 32″, your hips could be anywhere from 37″ up to 42″.
If your bust is at the maximum of 42″, your hips should be within the same range.

33″ Waist Apple:
If your waist is 33″, your bust could be anywhere from 38″ up to 43″.
If your waist is 33″, your hips could be anywhere from 38″ up to 43″.
If your bust is at the maximum of 43″, your hips should be within the same range.

34″ Waist Apple:
If your waist is 34″, your bust could be anywhere from 39″ up to 44″.
If your waist is 34″, your hips could be anywhere from 39″ up to 44″.
If your bust is at the maximum of 44″, your hips should be within the same range.

35″ Waist Apple:
If your waist is 35″, your bust could be anywhere from 40″ up to 45″.
If your waist is 35″, your hips could be anywhere from 40″ up to 45″.
If your bust is at the maximum of 45″, your hips should be within the same range.

36″ Waist Apple:
If your waist is 36″, your bust could be anywhere from 41″ up to 46″.
If your waist is 36″, your hips could be anywhere from 41″ up to 46″.
If your bust is at the maximum of 46″, your hips should be within the same range.

For more try our body shape calculator, here.

History of the Apple Body Shape

A recent resurgence of appreciation and celebration of the Apple body shape has been seen after a long stretch of varying fortunes for this body shape.

In earlier times, women were often depicted with fuller figures. Historians believe the fuller figure could have been a symbol of fertility, robustness, abundance and health. Where food was limited, an Apple body shape would have represented wealth and status, since a rounded figure was associated with an abundant diet.

During the Renaissance period of the 14th to 17th centuries, fuller and rounder figures were a symbol of beauty, sensuality, and wealth. Evidence of this can be seen in art, paintings, and sculptures, where fuller, rounder body shapes, including the Apple body shape, were admired and celebrated.

During the 1900s and early 2000s western societies celebrated a fairly narrow range of desired or popular body shapes. Hollywood and the media heavily influenced the perception of the ideal body shape, alternating variously between the hourglass, rectangle and inverted triangle shapes.

The Apple body shape has generally been less favored and the preference for a slimmer figure that emerged in the 1960s-80s became deeply ingrained in the minds of many women, this also coincided with a boom in the dieting and fitness industry.

In the early 21st century, the Apple body shape has appeared more often, gaining increased exposure in the media, social media, and Hollywood, reflecting a small shift in beauty standards and a much greater acceptance of diverse body types. Jennifer Hudson, Elizabeth Hurley, Drew Barrymore, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Angelina Jolie are among the celebrities frequently mentioned as representing the apple body shape in various stages of their careers.

Since 2020, a significant transformation in the perception and appreciation of beauty has taken hold. The rising acceptance of people’s unique body types has seen all body shapes and sizes increasingly celebrated and admired.

Apple Shape Thoughts

Embracing your Apple shape is about highlighting your natural assets, feeling comfortable and confident in your own skin. This guide includes a wide range of clothing and styling suggestions for how to dress an Apple body shape but it’s ultimately your personal taste and comfort that will create your own style.

Knowledge of how the various clothing types, styles, cuts and colors look on your own Apple body shape, will be key.

Feel free to experiment.

Explore other body shapes that are closely related to yours as well, as these may introduce you to more styles that could further enhance your Apple shaped figure.

Try our body shape calculator with your are stuck.