Body Figure Calculator
Body figure calculator works out Body shape and Shape key from Measurement units, Bust or chest and Waist. The default figures on this page give body shape of Hourglass; change any entry and the result, the working and the sources update together.
Your figures
Updates as you typeHow this is worked out
6 steps
- Bust 36", waist 26", hip 37"
- bust - hip = -1", hip - bust = 1"
- bust - waist = 10", hip - waist = 11"
- High hip not supplied, so the high-hip/waist ratio test is skipped.
- Applying the modified 2020 plus-size FFIT table in order gives: Hourglass.
- Waist-hip ratio = 26 / 37 = 0.703
Its 5 worked examples are re-run on every release, last on 15 September 2026. What changed
Sources and references
4 sources
What the body figure calculator calculates
Classifies a figure as hourglass, bottom or top hourglass, spoon, triangle, inverted triangle, rectangle, diamond or oval using the published Female Figure Identification Technique decision rules, and reports the underlying girth differences and waist-hip ratio.
How to use this body figure calculator
Enter Measurement units, Bust or chest, Waist and Hips. Body shape updates as you type, and “Use a worked example” loads checked figures you can adjust. Change one figure at a time to see what drives the result.
How the result is worked out
Open “How this is worked out” beside the result for the step-by-step calculation behind Body shape, Shape key and What that shape means.
The method follows Simmons K, Istook CL & Devarajan P, Female Figure Identification Technique (FFIT) for apparel, part I: describing female shapes, Journal of Textile and Apparel Technology and Management 2004;4(1), Lee JY, Istook CL, Nam YJ & Park SM, Comparison of body shape between USA and Korean women, International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology 2007;19(5):374-391, Sokolowski S & Griffin L, Modification of the Female Figure Identification Technique (FFIT) formulas to include plus size bodies, Proceedings of 3DBODY.TECH 2020, 11th International Conference on 3D Body Scanning and Processing Technologies and World Health Organization, Waist Circumference and Waist-Hip Ratio: Report of a WHO Expert Consultation, Geneva, 8-11 December 2008.
Classic hourglass: 36-26-37 with a 33 inch high hip example
With Measurement units: in, Bust or chest: 36, Waist: 26, Hips: 37, the calculator returns Shape key: hourglass, Bust minus hip: -1, Bust minus waist: 10. This example is checked against an independent source in the test suite.
What you can compare
Change one input at a time to see how it affects Body shape, Shape key and What that shape means. The inputs you can vary are Measurement units, Bust or chest, Waist, Hips, High hip and Rule set.
Understanding Body shape, Shape key and What that shape means
A shape label is an apparel-fit classification, not a health assessment: the FFIT rules were developed to sort body scans for garment sizing and were fitted on adult female scans. The waist-hip ratio reported alongside it is the figure with a published health cut-off, and even that is a population screening threshold rather than a diagnosis.
Results are general information, not financial, tax, legal, medical or engineering advice. Check any decision that matters with a qualified professional.
See something wrong? Report a problem with this calculator
Frequently asked questions
Is the 36 24 36 body shape real?
Classifies a figure as hourglass, bottom or top hourglass, spoon, triangle, inverted triangle, rectangle, diamond or oval using the published Female Figure Identification Technique decision rules. On the figures this page opens with — bust or chest 36, waist 26 and hips 37 — the body shape is Hourglass. Put your own figures in their place and the working updates beside the result.
How can I calculate my body size based on my height and weight?
Classifies a figure as hourglass, bottom or top hourglass, spoon, triangle, inverted triangle, rectangle, diamond or oval using the published Female Figure Identification Technique decision rules. Open “How this is worked out” beside the result to see each step for your own figures.
How to calculate body figure?
It needs Measurement units, Bust or chest, Waist, Hips, High hip and Rule set. Nothing else is required, and the figures stay in your browser.
What information do I need for the body figure calculator?
You need Measurement units, Bust or chest, Waist, Hips, High hip, Rule set, Sex and How the measurements were taken. The page opens with default figures that give body shape of Hourglass, so you can see the scale before entering your own.
What does this body figure calculator show?
It shows Body shape, Shape key, What that shape means, Bust minus hip, Hip minus bust, Bust minus waist, Hip minus waist and High hip to waist ratio, with the working and any warnings for your entries.
Can I check how the body figure calculator result was calculated?
Yes. The “How this is worked out” section shows the calculation steps, and the sources section identifies the references used for the method.