There are many factors, including genetics and the shape of your skeletal structure, that determine the shape of your butt.
Our bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Telling people that they have to be a certain shape or size to be considered beautiful is no longer acceptable and for good reason. It's great to be able to celebrate diverse bodies, and that includes one of the most important parts: our backside. No two buttocks are similar just like our breasts aren't alike. However, plastic surgeons do categorize them for their convenience.
While there is no way to standardize this body part, there are four basic shapes into which they fall. "The main buttock shapes I see are square, round, heart [A shape], and inverted (or) V shape," Dr. Olga Bachilo, a plastic surgeon in Houston, Texas, told Healthline. She has performed butt lifts, butt implants, and butt enhancements.
Before we delve into the shapes, what are the factors that determine the shape of this body part? There are multiple factors like skeletal and muscle structure, including position of your hip bones and pelvis, size of your gluteal muscles, and the way your butt muscles attach to your thigh bones. Other factors include genetics and how your body distributes fat.
"People hold fat differently in their bodies per genetics," Bachilo says. "Some hold their body fat in their hips and glutes, some in their thighs, and others more around their midsections," she added. There are other factors like hormones, weight, and age which affect the shape. "With aging and hormonal changes, especially after menopause, fat distribution changes. More fat gets deposited around midsections as opposed to hips and butts," she added.
With so many variables in place, your butt could be any of these four shapes:
Knowing the shape of your butt can help you buy the right pair of underwear or jeans. Here is what your butt shape says:
This shape is all over popular media thanks to Kim Kardashian, Beyonce, and J Lo. Most people seem to be after this shape, and to achieve this, it is important to strengthen the butt muscles. Firm muscles can add some shape without any surgical procedures. For you, the best underwear would be something that is full coverage. So, the best options for you are tangas, thongs, briefs, and boy shorts. Cosmopolitan says that if you buy a bigger size, it will add more coverage, if that's what you want. The best denim for you would be high-rise, bootcut denim jeans with no hand sanding or distressing, as per Healthline.
You have an inverted or V-shaped butt if the line between your pelvis and hips angles inward forming this shape from the back, says New York City board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Matthew Schuman to Cosmopolitan. He added that this shape is common in women who have broad shoulders and narrow hips. For you, the best underwear will be briefs, boy shorts, hipsters, or bikinis without high-cut leg holes. It is recommended that the leg opening cups the bottom of your backside. As per Healthline, you will look great in jeans with fuller pockets that are lower on the back. Even stretch-fit jeans will flatter your behind.
You have a square butt if your hip bone and outer thighs run perpendicular to the ground, Dr. Schulman told Cosmopolitan. You will be better off wearing boy shorts, bikinis, tangas, and thongs. They will flatter your shape even if you have a flat butt. Other styles can ride up and result in a wedgie. Underwears with elastic-edged leg holes should be avoided as they have extra fabric which can lead to bunching. As per Healthline, avoid low-rise jeans as higher-waisted pants might be a more comfortable fit.
Dr. Schulman tells Cosmopolitan that the upside-down-heart-shaped butt, or the A shape, is like the round booties, but "it involves a curve to the outer hips, but with more volume in the lower part of the hip." If you have this shape, then your butt and hips are likely to be full. This shape is more common on pear-shaped bodies and the buttocks are likely hanging lower. If this is you, then opt for briefs, boy shorts, hipsters, or bikinis with a lower-cut leg opening. For jeans, go for mid-rise, curvy jeans in stretchy denim fabric, writes Healthline.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/health/types-of-butts
Cover image source: Getty Images | Illustration by Dmytro Bosnak
