The Style Of knickers You Should Wear For Your Shape

No matter how well you think you know your body, there is a good chance the New York City board-certified plastic surgeon Dr Matthew Schulman understands your bum type even better. Over the course of his career, he has examined an estimated 50,000 behinds from 35 countries and almost every US state. And he has personally augmented more than 2,000 of them.

Dr Schulman says the shape of your rear is determined by the placement of your pelvis and hip bones, the amount of fat you have and its distribution, the size of your underlying gluteal muscles and the way they attach to the thigh bone. The outcome is a butt that fits into one of five categories.

And in the same way that being aware of your breast shape can help you find a flattering bra, working out your bum shape can determine which underwear styles fit best, according to the HerRoom.com lingerie expert Tomima Edmark. So discover your bum shape below, and stick to the recommended underwear styles below for the most comfortable, becoming fit.

1 Square

If the line between your hip bone and outer thigh runs perpendicular to the ground, your bottom is square.

The best knickers for you: While styles designed to sit high on the thigh can ride up, boy shorts, bikinis, tangas and thongs can look and feel good on women with flat bums. Just steer clear of elastic-edged leg holes, which tend to have extra fabric that can cause awkward bunching.

2 V-shaped

Your bottom takes on a V shape from behind when the line between your pelvis and hips angles inward. Dr Schulman says this is common among women with broad shoulders and very narrow hips.

The best knickers for you: Favour briefs, boy shorts, hipsters or bikinis without high-cut leg holes, which won’t provide quite enough coverage. Because a V-shaped bum can make your cheeks look like they’re sagging, make sure your underwear’s leg opening cups the bottom of your bum for extra definition.

3 A-shaped

Pear-shaped women tend to have A-shaped bums that widen below the hip bones, in Dr Schulman’s experience.

The best knickers for you: Because A-shaped bums tend to stem from fuller thighs, the most comfortable underwear styles have high-cut legs with larger leg holes. Choose tangas, bikinis or boy shorts made from stretchy lace, or seamless, laser-cut edges. Avoid styles with elastic-edged leg holes, which can be tight.

4 Round

This one is pretty self-explanatory, mostly because you’ve seen this shape on Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez. If you want a rounder butt — which tends to be a popular sentiment among Dr Schulman’s patients — strengthening the bum muscles can give your backside “more projection” without surgical intervention.

The best knickers for you: A round bum requires extra fabric in the back for full coverage — otherwise, the crotch of your underwear will just shift backward, which can lower the front waistband and lead to discomfort. Tangas and thongs, as well as briefs and boy shorts with four-way stretch, a centre back seam and — in a perfect world — ruching along that seam are ideal for contouring your cheeks. Opt for a larger size for even more coverage.

5 Upside-down heart

Upside-down-heart-shaped bums are round without defying gravity. Like a round behind, “it involves a curve to the outer hips, but with more volume in the lower part of the hip,” Dr Schulman explains.

The best knickers for you: Because your bum and hips are full and low-set, high-cut leg holes may partly expose your cheeks. Go for briefs, boy shorts, hipsters or bikinis with a lower-cut leg opening. If you’re worried about looking saggy, make sure the leg openings cup the behind, hitting right below your crease for the illusion of an instant lift.