You’ve tried on the exact pair of pants that looked incredible on someone else and completely different on you. Same pants. Same size. Very different situation. That’s because fit isn’t just about size. Your proportions and where you naturally carry fullness change how clothes, and underwear, sit on your body.
Butt shapes are commonly grouped into a handful of general types. Knowing which one looks most like yours can make it easier to understand why certain cuts sit perfectly while others spend the day riding up, cutting across your curves or generally refusing to cooperate.
Here’s how to find your shape, and what to actually do with that information.
The 6 butt shapes
V-Shaped Butt (aka Spoon-Shaped)
A V-shape is narrower toward the bottom, with more width through the upper hip area before tapering toward the thighs. It doesn’t need to be perfectly symmetrical, because bodies generally didn’t get that memo. A mid or low-rise brief can follow that natural taper without adding unnecessary fabric around the waist.
Heart-Shaped Butt
A heart-shaped butt carries more fullness through the lower half, with a narrower waist and more curve through the hips and seat. A high-waisted style can work well with those proportions by sitting above the fullest part of the hips instead of cutting directly across them.
Round-Shaped Butt
Round is pretty much what it sounds like: fullness throughout the seat with a more pronounced curve. The biggest consideration here is usually finding underwear with enough stretch and room through the seat so it follows your shape instead of flattening it or creeping upward. Bikini and brief cuts can work well if you prefer less coverage, while a boxer brief like Baller gives you more coverage through the seat and thighs.
Your underwear should follow the curve. Not fight it.
Pear-Shaped Butt (aka A-Shaped)
A pear or A-shape gets wider toward the bottom, with more fullness through the hips, seat and upper thighs relative to the waist. A high-waisted 5-inch or 9-inch boxer brief gives you more coverage through the areas where you carry that fullness while sitting securely at the waist. The longer inseam can also help if fuller thighs mean you regularly deal with ride-up or chafing.
Flat Butt
A flatter shape has less projection through the seat and a straighter line from the lower back through the hips. A boxer brief cut can wrap comfortably around the hip and upper thigh without relying on your butt to keep the underwear in place. If visible lines are your biggest concern, a thong or lower-coverage style can work too.
There’s nothing here that needs “fixing.” You’re just finding the cut that stays where you put it.
Square-Shaped Butt
A square shape tends to have a straighter line through the hips and outer thighs, with similar width through the waist and hip area. If you like more coverage, our Biker style has the longest inseam we make, extending the line farther down the thigh while giving you plenty of room to move. It works just as easily under clothes as it does for lounging or more active days.
How to find your shape without guessing
Stand in front of a mirror, ideally in fitted underwear or leggings so you can actually see the outline, and look at two things: where you carry the most fullness and how your hips taper into your thighs.
- Straight hips, minimal curve, more athletic line: square
- Full and rounded through the seat: round
- Wider through the upper hip and narrower toward the bottom: V-shaped
- Narrower at the waist with more fullness through the lower hips and seat: heart or A-shaped
If you’re somewhere between two shapes, that’s completely normal. These categories are a shortcut for understanding proportions, not six boxes every butt on earth agreed to fit into.
Does exercise change your butt shape?
Partly. Your skeletal structure plays a role in your overall proportions, but muscle development, body composition and posture can all change how your shape looks over time. Strength training can build the glute muscles, which may change the amount of fullness or projection you see even though it isn’t changing your underlying bone structure.
Squats and hip thrusts are both commonly used to train the glutes, although they load the muscles differently. Strengthening your glutes can also have benefits that have absolutely nothing to do with how your butt looks, including supporting movement and stability through the hips and pelvis.
None of that changes the basic point: there’s no right butt shape and no underwear style you’re required to wear because of yours. Knowing your proportions just gives you a better starting point for figuring out which cuts feel good, stay put and work under the clothes you actually wear.
Which is really all underwear needed to do in the first place.
FAQ
How do I know my butt shape without a mirror?
You can get a general idea by noticing where you carry the most fullness through your hips and seat. If you’re fuller toward the lower hips and thighs, you may lean toward an A or heart shape. If you carry more width through the upper hip and taper toward the bottom, you may lean more V-shaped. It’s less precise than actually looking at your proportions, but these categories are meant to be general guides anyway.
Can your butt shape change over time?
Yes, how your butt looks can change over time. Your underlying skeletal structure doesn’t dramatically change in adulthood, but muscle, body composition, posture and age can all affect your proportions and how your shape appears. Same body. Different era.
What's the best underwear for each butt shape?
There isn’t a mandatory underwear cut for any butt shape. The better approach is to think about what your proportions need from the underwear. Fuller thighs may benefit from a longer boxer brief, a fuller seat may need more stretch and coverage, and someone with a straighter shape may care more about keeping the fabric securely in place. Boxer briefs work across a wide range of shapes because they provide coverage through both the seat and thighs. Check our style guide to compare the full lineup.
Does exercise change your butt shape?
It can change how your shape looks by building muscle and changing body composition, but it doesn’t completely rewrite your underlying skeletal proportions. Squats, hip thrusts and other lower-body strength exercises can all train the glutes in different ways. The result is a stronger butt that may also look different over time. Convenient.
