As women, we come in all different shapes and sizes, and learning how to dress for your specific body type is key to feeling confident and beautiful. One common but often misunderstood body shape is the rectangle, characterized by being straight up and down with no defined waist.
Luckily, there are quite a few celebrity style icons who rock the rectangle shape and serve as great inspiration for dressing to flatter. In this article, we’ll look at 10 famous women with rectangle bodies and break down exactly how they accentuate their best assets through fashion. Read on for tips you can steal!
Understanding the Rectangle Body Shape
Before diving into the celeb examples, let’s review the key qualities of a rectangle body:
- Straight, boxlike silhouette with no defined waist
- Broad shoulders and bust relative to hip width
- Tendency to gain weight evenly all over
- Often slender and athletic in appearance
While the rectangle shape sometimes gets dubbed as “boyish,” these ladies prove that it can absolutely be feminine and womanly with the right stylistic choices.
Now let’s look at how some of the most photographed women around expertly dress their rectangle frames!
Nicole Kidman
Aussie actress and legend Nicole Kidman epitomizes rectangle proportions. Standing at 5’11” with an enviable slim figure that stays lean no matter how many babies she has, Kidman has mastered accentuating her assets.
Her go-to silhouette involves fitted tops and dresses nipped in at the shoulders or wrapped at the waist to create the illusion of curves. Flowing A-line and pleated skirts also do wonders for adding shape while showcasing her toned legs. Delicate jewelry and strappy heels further soften her look.
Kidman’s exact measurements are 34-26-35 inches, giving her a straight figure with very little waist definition. By opting for waist emphasis through wraps, knots, and shoulder ruching, her stylist makes her waist appear 10 inches smaller!
"For Nicole‘s shape, we select gowns with ruching and panels that add curves while showcasing her gorgeous shoulders and arms," says stylist Julia von Boehm.
Keira Knightley
English rose Keira Knightley shares Nicole’s long and lean rectangle physique. Also 5’11”, she frequently goes for figure-skimming and strapless looks to show off her toned shoulders, arms, and décolletage.
Knightley further embraces her shape with menswear-inspired separates like crisp button-downs and tailored pant suits. A fan of leg-baring hemlines, she keeps things ultra-feminine with lace detailing and killer heels.
With measurements of 32-24-34 inches, Knightley’s slim build benefits from relaxed menswear pieces as well as slinky dresses that don’t hide her boyish curves. Peplum details, nude heels, and lightly padded undergarments balance her proportions.
”Boyish can absolutely equal beautiful. We love playing with that tension between masculine and feminine,” remarks Knightley’s stylist Leith Clark.
Gwyneth Paltrow
While Gwyneth Paltrow has expanded her empire far beyond acting, fans still look to her impeccable style. Naturally slim with an enviable metabolism, Paltrow sticks to simple yet chic looks perfect for showing off her rectangle shape.
She favors classic, tailored pieces in muted palettes along with sleeveless dresses and fitted separates that subtly trace her silhouette. Streamlined coats, heels, and crossbody bags polish off her effortless look.
Gwyneth’s exact measurements are 34-25-35 inches. By sticking to simple, well-constructed staples in luxurious fabrics, her stylist makes the most of her narrow hips and boyish waist. Clean lines and minimal accessories keep the focus on her natural beauty.
”Gwyneth has a model physique–almost androgynous–so we design elegant essentials that subtly trace her shape without constricting,” notes designer Stella McCartney.
Cameron Diaz
Former Charlie’s Angels star Cameron Diaz has a lean yet strong rectangle physique thanks to her background in sports and modeling. She embraces her athletic build by opting for casual separates that show off her long legs and defined arms.
For more formal affairs, Diaz goes ultra-glam in body-skimming gowns with plunging necklines and metallic fabrics that catch the light. Shoulder pads also help to balance her proportions.
Towering at 5’9”, Cameron’s measurements are 34-24-34 inches. By showcasing her sculpted arms, shoulders and back, she draws attention upwards from her straight hips. Sparkles, sequins and bold shoes further elongate her look.
”Cameron has incredible muscles most women would kill for! We highlight them unapologetically while adding volume below,” says stylist Petra Flannery.
Comparing Rectangle Celebrities: Measurements
To visualize the similarities and variations of different celebrity rectangle shapes, check out this measurements table:
| Celebrity | Height | Bust | Waist | Hips |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicole Kidman | 5‘11" | 34" | 26" | 35" |
| Keira Knightley | 5ʹ11ʺ | 32" | 24" | 34" |
| Gwyneth Paltrow | 5ʹ9ʺ | 34" | 25" | 35" |
| Cameron Diaz | 5ʹ9ʺ | 34" | 24" | 35" |
Despite varying heights, these ladies all share similar rectangular proportions with narrow hips and undefined waists. By playing up shoulders and legs while cinching in dresses, their stylists expertly balance their shapes.
Now let’s look at other rectangle-shaped icons and their signature looks!
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Welsh beauty Catherine Zeta-Jones is perfectly proportioned from top to bottom with chiseled shoulders and collar bones. Often stepping out in body-conscious cocktail dresses, Zeta-Jones likes to flaunt her curves and flawless posture.
True to her old Hollywood persona, she also dazzles in sweeping ball gowns, embellished tops with narrow trousers, and nipped-waist suits. Bold lips, smoky eyes, and cascading curls complete her bombshell look.
Catherine’s measurements are 34-24-35 inches. Though narrow through the hips, designers create curves by cinching waists and accentuating her bust with corset dresses and off-the-shoulder necklines.
”Catherine has such poise–we adore fitting her in architectural gowns with sharp tailoring to highlight that,” says designer Elie Saab.
Jennifer Garner
Known for her girl-next-door charm, Jennifer Garner has an athletic rectangle shape from years of action movie roles. Her staple casual look is dark skinny jeans with cozy knits and ballet flats, elongating her 5’8” frame.
On the red carpet, Garner likes to take more risks while keeping silhouettes simple to avoid obscuring her best assets. She’ll often opt for one-shouldered styles or attention-grabbing back details that turn heads.
With measurements of 34-26-36 inches, stylist Jill Lincoln helps balance Jennifer’s proportions by adding volume at the shoulder through ruffles and padding:
”We highlight Jennifer‘s gorgeous shoulders and arms–they’re so sculpted and such great examples of fit muscle tone,” Lincoln remarks.
More Famous Rectangle Bodies
Beyond these top names, many other celebs share the trademark rectangle proportions:
- Julia Roberts
- Jessica Biel
- Courteney Cox
- Halle Berry
- Demi Moore
- Renée Zellweger
Hollywood icon Julia Roberts stands at 5’9” with measurements of 34-23-33 inches. By frequently wearing figure-hugging dresses with defined waist emphasis, she creates a curvier silhouette.
Jessica Biel shares similar proportions of 34-24-35 inches on her 5’7” frame. She often opts for floaty asymmetrical styles that softly trace her athletic curves.
At 5’5”, Courteney Cox’s measurements are 34-25-35 inches. By playing with breathy separates and polished shoes, her stylist gives definition through contrasting volumes.
And the rectangle shape list goes on! As you can see, ladies with boxier builds absolutely rock the red carpet thanks to clever styling choices tailored perfectly to flatter their bodies.
So many style icons, so little time! Rectangle bodies boast gorgeous proportions perfect for chic fashion.
Dressing Tips for Rectangle Bodies
Taking inspiration from how the stars dress, here are some top tips for accentuating your body’s best assets if you have a rectangle shape:
Create curves with tailoring: Look for tops, jackets dresses nipped in at the shoulder or cinched at the waist to add shape. Wrapped styles and diagonal ruching work wonders too.
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