Tired of buying jeans that don’t flatter you? Check out the Best Jeans for Inverted Triangle Body Shapes: 5 Styles That Work (and What to Avoid)
So, you’re an inverted triangle body shape. You know what that means—broad shoulders, narrow hips, and a straight waist. Your goal with jeans? To create balance and add a bit of curve to your lower half while toning down the focus on your upper body. Let’s break down what works, what doesn’t, and where to shop for the best fits.
What’s the Inverted Triangle Body Shape Known For?
The inverted triangle shape is characterized by:
- Broad shoulders: Your shoulders are wider than your hips, giving you a top-heavy look.
- Smaller waist: You probably don’t have much of a defined waist, but your midsection tends to be straight rather than curvy.
- Narrow hips: Your hips and lower half don’t have as much volume, so you might feel like your proportions need balancing out.
The Characteristics of the Inverted Triangle Body Shape
- Upper body dominance: Your shoulders are the widest part of your body.
- Flat or straight waistline: You’re not necessarily curvy, but you’re not carrying much extra weight around your middle.
- Smaller lower body: Your hips, butt, and thighs tend to be slimmer compared to your upper body.
Other Shape tendencies
As an inverted triangle you can lean towards other shapes, depending on your features.
- You lean toward an athletic or rectangle shape if you have a more straight-up-and-down figure without pronounced curves, where the shoulders, waist, and hips are relatively aligned.
- You lean towards an apple shape if you carry weight in the midsection
- You lean towards an hourglass if you have slight curves at your hips event though they are narrow
Styling the Inverted triangle with Jeans
When looking for the perfect jeans, the goal is to create balance and add a bit of curve to your lower half while toning down the focus on your upper body. A wise stylist once said ‘buying a bunch of jeans because they look great on the mannequin will do you no good. So let’s break down what works, what doesn’t, and where to shop for the best fits.
What jeans look good on the inverted triangle body shape?
1. Bootcut Jeans for inverted triangle
As an inverted triangle girl, bootcut jeans are your best friend.
Why? They’re fitted at the waist and thighs but gradually widen from the knee down. This creates an illusion of fuller hips and balances out your broader shoulders. They’re perfect for evening out your proportions.
Where to Shop: Check out Levi’s shaping bootcut jeans or Madewell for ‘kick out’ jeans that offer a flattering fit.
2. Wide-Leg Jeans for inverted triangle
Wide-leg jeans are fantastic for adding volume to your lower body.
These jeans flare out from the hips, helping create the illusion of curves and adding balance to your shape. The extra width in the leg draws attention downward, shifting the focus away from your shoulders.
Where to Shop: Try Everlane or Zara for chic wide-leg options that won’t break the bank.
3. Flare Jeans for inverted triangle
Flare jeans are similar to bootcut but with a more dramatic flare.
They hug your thighs and flare out below the knees, which means they’ll add serious curves to your lower half. These are a go-to if you want to create the illusion of a more defined waist and hips.
Where to Shop: Look into brands like Free People or Wrangler for well-made flare jeans that’ll give your legs that extra drama.
4. Tapered Jeans for inverted triangle
Tapered jeans start out loose around the hips and thighs but gradually narrow toward the ankles.
They’re perfect for adding a bit of volume where you need it most (hips and thighs) while slimming down your legs in a flattering way.
Where to Shop: Brands like J.Crew offer great tapered jeans that provide a modern, flattering fit for inverted triangle shapes.
5. Pleated jeans for inverted triangle
Pleated jeans like this one offered by Uniqlo can work beautifully to create balance and shape for the inverted triangle, but ensure they’re well-fitted to avoid unnecessary bulk around the midsection.
The pleats in the jeans create extra fabric around the hips and thighs, which helps balance out broad shoulders by adding more volume to your lower half—exactly what an inverted triangle needs.
Pleated jeans also enhance the illusion of curves around the hips, giving your body a more proportional look, especially if your waist is straight or not very defined.
6. Barrel Jeans for inverted triangle
Barrel jeans can be a good option for inverted triangle shapes! Their slightly tapered, voluminous cut adds balance to your narrower hips by creating more shape and structure in the lower half. The extra room around the hips and thighs helps to soften the contrast between your broad shoulders and smaller lower body.
Just be sure to pair barrel jeans with fitted or tucked-in tops to keep the look proportional and avoid overwhelming your frame. For Inverted triangles with a fuller tummy, Barrel jeans tend to have a relaxed fit, but the high waist might not provide enough support or shaping for those with a prominent midsection. This can create a less defined waistline, which may not be flattering.
If you’re plus-size with an inverted triangle shape, barrel jeans can sometimes add too much volume around the hips and thighs, making the lower half look bulkier than desired. In these cases, a more structured jean, like a bootcut or flare, that gently skims your figure might create a more balanced look.
7. Avoid super skinny jeans if you lean towards an apple shape
Yes, they were once the rave, but super skinny jeans will cling to your smaller lower half, making your upper body seem even broader.
8. Avoid Low-rise jeans if you have a lower pooch
Low-rise jeans can make your waist look boxy and do nothing to enhance the curves you want. Stick to high-rise for better balance and proportion.
9. Avoid High-waisted straight-leg jeans.
They might sound tempting, but high-waisted styles without any flare can make your upper body appear even larger, leaving your lower half looking out of proportion.
10. Avoid Mom jeans if you have a tummy
Baggy, low-rise styles like these can make you look top-heavy by adding bulk in all the wrong places, especially around the waist and hips where you want to add shape.
Final Thoughts
The key to picking the right jeans when you have an inverted triangle shape is all about balancing out your upper and lower halves. Look for styles that add volume to your hips and legs while drawing attention away from your shoulders. Stay away from super skinny, high-waisted, or low-rise styles that either exaggerate your top-heavy look or don’t give you the curve-enhancing effect you need.
Now that you’ve got the lowdown on the best jeans for your shape, it’s time to head out and try them for yourself. The right pair of jeans can transform your outfit—and your confidence!
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