👗 Why the 5 classic body types aren’t enough to understand your body and your style

For a long time, body analysis in image consulting was based on a simple division: apple, triangle, inverted triangle, hourglass, and rectangle.Although this classification can be useful as an introduction, it doesn’t explain the complexity of human proportions — and is therefore insufficient to define the looks that truly enhance each person.

After all, the human body is not two-dimensional, and reducing its reading to five fixed categories ignores fundamental nuances of proportion, movement, and visual language.

🩵 1. The body is not a geometric shape — it’s a living, moving structure

In contemporary image consulting, we understand that the body is a three-dimensional structure, made up of proportions, volumes, lines, and visual rhythms — not just measurements.Authors such as Philip Hallawell (in Visagismo – Harmonia e Estética) remind us that every form carries an emotional language, and the body also communicates through its lines: curves, straights, diagonals, transitions, and contrasts.

Therefore, instead of trying to “fit” a body into a mold, the consultant’s role is to interpret the visual language that the body expresses, understanding how to balance its proportions harmoniously and coherently with personal identity.

📏 2. Proportions go beyond width — the body must be read horizontally, vertically, and in profile

The five classic body types only consider horizontal proportions (shoulders, waist, and hips).But a complete analysis must also observe:

• Vertical proportions: distance between shoulders, waist, and legs; relative size of torso and legs; where body volume is concentrated.

• Profile proportions: abdominal projection, spine line, posture, bust, and hips when seen from the side.

• Visual weight distribution: where the eye tends to focus, regardless of measurements.

These aspects are essential to understand how the body communicates in motion and at rest — which directly affects the types of silhouettes, fabrics, and lines that enhance it.

🎯 3. Body image must connect with personal style and desired image

Image consulting should never be an exercise in standardization, but rather one of authenticity.As Alyce Parsons, creator of the Seven Universal Styles method, explains, harmony between body, face, and clothing depends on aligning physical form with personal essence.This means that, beyond proportions, it is essential to consider:

• The predominant personal style (romantic, elegant, natural, creative, etc.);

• The desired image — what the person wants to communicate (approachability, authority, softness, boldness…);

• The personal color palette, which influences contrast, balance, and the visual impact of each outfit.

Without this integration, any body analysis becomes superficial — reinforcing patterns instead of freeing personal expression.

🌿 4. A technical approach should be integrative, not classificatory

The role of image consulting is to unite technical knowledge and sensitivity, helping each person understand how their proportions, colors, and style interact visually.When we look at the body through this lens, it ceases to be an isolated form and becomes part of the person’s complete visual identity — in harmony with the face, colors, and way of being.

As Hallawell (2009) reinforces, “aesthetic harmony is the coherence between what is seen and what is felt.”And it is precisely this coherence that turns getting dressed into an act of authenticity and confidence.

✨ Conclusion

The five classic body types were a starting point — but they cannot be the end point.Understanding the body only through horizontal measurements is like listening to music while paying attention only to the volume — without hearing the melody.

True balance lies in observing the body in all its dimensions — interpreting its proportions, movements, and intentions — and integrating all of this with personal style, color harmony, and desired image.

Because dressing well is not about fitting in — it’s about translating yourself.

💬 Michele Trancoso’s Tip

“No body is a standard — and that’s exactly what makes it interesting.By understanding your proportions and your visual language, you discover that balance isn’t about adjusting yourself, but about expressing yourself with aesthetic awareness and authenticity.