Apple, Pear or Hourglass? How to Find Your Most Flattering Sweater

A sweater can look completely different on two women wearing the same size. That’s because what flatters has less to do with the number on the tag and more to do with where you carry your weight. A chunky turtleneck that looks effortless on one woman can make another feel boxed in, and a cropped cardigan that’s perfect for one figure can cut another off at exactly the wrong spot.

Once you know your shape, sweater shopping gets much simpler. You’ll know which necklines to reach for, where the hem should land, and which knits are worth trying on. Here’s how to figure out your shape, and what to look for in each case.

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Not Sure of Your Shape? Start Here

Stand in front of a full-length mirror in a fitted top and leggings, and look at three places: your shoulders, your waist and your hips.

• Apple: You carry weight through your middle. Your waist is about as wide as (or wider than) your bust and hips, and you often have slim legs.
• Pear: Your hips are noticeably wider than your shoulders and bust.
• Hourglass: Your shoulders and hips are about even, with a clearly defined waist between them.
• Straight (rectangle): Your shoulders, waist and hips are all about the same width, with little waist definition.
• Inverted triangle: Your shoulders or bust are broader than your hips.

Many women 60+ find their shape has shifted over the years, especially through the middle. If you identified as an hourglass at 40 and something feels different now, it’s worth taking another look.

If You’re an Apple Shape

The goal is to draw the eye up and create a long, vertical line through your middle. V-necks are your best friend, and open-front styles like cardigans and sweater blazers do the same job by framing your torso instead of covering it. Choose fine-gauge knits that skim rather than cling, and look for hems that land at the hip or just below.

What to skip: Cropped sweaters, tight ribbed hems that cinch at your widest point, and bulky cable knits that add volume through the middle.

Our picks:

The Lands’ End Fine Gauge Cotton Milano Blazer Sweater is a reader favorite for good reason. It’s a fine-gauge cotton knit cut like a blazer, so worn open, it creates two long vertical lines down your front while feeling as easy as a cardigan.

For a pullover, the Banana Republic Larkspur Cotton-Silk V-Neck Sweater is a smart, lightweight layer in a cotton-silk blend. The V-neckline keeps the focus up near your face.

The Tommy Bahama Salt & Sea Wash Wave V-Neck Sweater brings the same V-neck shape in a more relaxed, weekend-ready style.

If you’d like a little sparkle, the Chico’s Caviar Embellished V-Neck Pullover Sweater puts its embellishment right where you want attention: up top.

On a budget, the Old Navy SoSoft V-Neck Cardigan Sweater gives you the V-neck and open-front effect in one piece. Wear it unbuttoned over a tank or tee.

If You’re a Pear Shape

You want to balance fuller hips by adding interest up top. Look for details around the shoulders and neckline, such as collars, capes, flared sleeves, pattern and print. Sweaters that end above your hips or that you can tuck in work well, and so do longer styles that fall past the widest part of your hips. What you want to avoid is a hem that stops right at your widest point.

What to skip: Plain, clingy sweaters with all the detail at the hem, and lengths that end exactly at the hip.

Our picks:

The Ann Taylor Layered Capelet Sweater is practically made for a pear shape. The capelet adds width and interest at the shoulders, which balances everything below.

Collars are another easy way to draw the eye up. The Loft Pointelle Collared Split Neck Sweater pairs a collar with an open split neckline.

The Lands’ End Women’s Drifter Rugby with Woven Collar Sweater gives you a classic rugby look with a crisp collar.

Pattern on top does the same work. The Talbots Audrey Cashmere Sweater in Fresco Floral is a soft cashmere option with a print that pulls attention upward. Pair it with dark, simple bottoms.