An independent visual reference
The Body Type Atlas publishes one visual reference and a small dressing library. The goal is narrow: describe the shapes clearly, show where the categories come from, and avoid ranking bodies.
womenbodytypes.com is a visual reference to women's body types: what each shape looks like, how it is measured, and how to dress for it, without ranking one shape above another.
What this site is
The Body Type Atlas is an independent editorial project. It is not a clinic, a clothing brand, a styling service or a university department. The site exists because most body-type pages mix three different things: a measurement category, a styling opinion and a judgment about the body. The atlas keeps them separate.
The categories come from FFIT, the Female Figure Identification Technique developed at North Carolina State University. The dressing notes are editorial and labelled as such. The methodology page explains the split and lists the sources.
How the atlas is edited
- Five families, nine shapes. The navigation uses the five everyday families; the plates name the nine FFIT shapes when the difference matters for fit.
- Original diagrams. Every figure is an SVG line drawing based on the shape’s proportions. No stock photos, no celebrity bodies.
- Dressing notes as starting points. The suggestions describe what a garment line does, not what a body should hide.
- Numbers with sources. Distribution figures come from the 2003 SizeUSA sample; the measurement patterns come from the FFIT papers.
- No health claims. A shape is not a diagnosis, a body-fat measure or a risk score.
What we deliberately do not do
- We do not rank shapes or call one “best” or “most attractive”.
- We do not tell you to hide, slim or fix a body part.
- We do not name celebrities as examples of a shape.
- We do not run a calculator or a quiz on this site; the atlas is a reference, not a test.
- We do not sell placements, clothing or supplements.
Corrections
If a definition, a source or a sentence is wrong, email editor@womenbodytypes.com with the page and the correction. We aim to reply within seven days. Source corrections are logged on the methodology page; wording changes that do not affect the meaning are made without a version bump.
Independence
The Body Type Atlas is not affiliated with North Carolina State University, the authors of the FFIT papers, or any clothing brand. The names of researchers and institutions are used to describe published methods, not to imply endorsement.
Contact
Email: editor@womenbodytypes.com
Site: womenbodytypes.com
Sources
- Simmons, Istook & Devarajan (2004). Simmons, K., Istook, C. L., & Devarajan, P. (2004). Female Figure Identification Technique (FFIT) for Apparel. Journal of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management, 4(1). https://www.ergo-eg.com/uploads/books/devarajan_full_106_04%20(3).pdf
- Lee, Istook, Nam & Park (2007). Lee, J. Y., Istook, C. L., Nam, Y. J., & Park, S. M. (2007). Comparison of body shape between USA and Korean women. International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, 19(5), 374–391.
- Sokolowski & Bettencourt (2020). Sokolowski, S. L., & Bettencourt, C. (2020). Modification of the Female Figure Identification Technique (FFIT) Formulas to Include Plus Size Bodies. Proceedings of 3DBODY.TECH 2020. DOI 10.15221/20.22. https://doi.org/10.15221/20.22
- Parker, Hayes, Brownbridge & Gill (2021). Parker, C. J., Hayes, S. G., Brownbridge, K., & Gill, S. (2021). Assessing the female figure identification technique’s reliability as a body shape classification system. Ergonomics, 64(8), 1035–1051. DOI 10.1080/00140139.2021.1902572. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2021.1902572
- Istook / SizeUSA distribution (2005). North Carolina State University (2005). Fashion designers ignoring shapes of women’s bodies. Newswise / NC State news release; Newcomb, B., & Istook, C. (2006). Using SizeUSA to improve apparel fit. https://www.newswise.com/articles/fashion-designers-ignoring-shapes-of-womens-bodies