Hourglass in your 20s, apple in your 50s: How the female body changes (2024)

• Study of 18,000 women found size 6 is most likely to be a neat hourglass while size 20 will most likely be apple
  
• Most common shapes are full hourglass, neat hourglass, apple, pear, rectangle, lean column and inverted triangle

By Deni Kirkova

Published: 08:34, 3 October 2013 | Updated: 14:43, 3 January 2014

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Are you a neat hourglass like Scarlett Johansson, a full hourglass like Christina Hendricks, or an apple like Dawn French?

Whatever shape your body is, don't get too comfortable: it's likely to change before too long.

Women in their teens and 20s - such Johansson - tend to define themselves as a 'neat hourglass' shape, while those in their 30s - such as Hendricks - spread to a 'full hourglass' and those in their 50s - such as French - expand to an 'apple', according to a new survey.

Furthermore, since only 20 per cent of all of women see themselves as the coveted neat hourglass, 80 per cent of the nation's females are left wearing unflattering clothes not designed with them in mind, since most retailers tailor clothes for this shape.

The comprehensive survey of 18,000 women reveals that most identify themselves as a full hourglass shape, more than any other shape.

The seven most common body shapes are full hourglass (20.5 per cent), neat hourglass (19.3 per cent) , apple (16.7 per cent), pear (16.6 per cent), rectangle (10 per cent), lean column (8.9 per cent) and inverted triangle (8 per cent).

'The survey confirms the diversity of body shapes and explains why designer clothes may fit you but not flatter you as they were made for a models neat hour glass body shape, not yours,' said Michaela Jedinak, founder of Joy of Clothes, who conducted the research.

Moreover, a woman's body shape dramatically changes with age, the survey has found.

While most women in their teens and early 20s define themselves as a neat hourglass shape, women in their 30s and 40s consider themselves as full hourglass and those in their 50s and 60s are most likely to be apple.

'Unfortunately, many women confuse size with suitability. Just because a dress is available in your size it may not flatter your body shape if it was not designed with you in mind'

'Your body shape changes as you age, partly as women put on weight in different places,' said Jedinak.

'Styles and designers which flatter you in your 20s may not work in your 40s and what works in your 40s may not work in your 60s.'

But a woman's shape is not determined by her size, according to the results.

Size and shape are frequently confused for one another, but the study confirms that whether you are a size or 6 or a size 20, you can be a number of different body shapes.

Still, the study found that a size 6 is most likely to be a neat hourglass while a size 20 will most likely be apple

'Unfortunately, many women confuse size with suitability. Just because a dress is available in your size and even fits you it may not flatter your body shape if it was not designed with you in mind,' said Jedinak.

To solve these fashion dilemmas Jedinak has launched her own eponymous label, Michaela Jedinak London, which prides itself on creating flattering dresses for the seven most common body shapes.