Are you short-waisted?
July 25th, 2007When the distance between your shoulders and your natural waist is shorter than average, you are short-waisted. You’re long-waisted when the opposite holds true. Being short-waisted is not to be confused with being short in the rise. When the measurement from your natural waist to crotch point is short, your rise measurement is usually referred to as “petite” or short (even if you’re regular height which is 5′ 4″ and above). To complicate matters even more, you are not necessarily short-waisted if your rise measurement is petite. It’s a miracle that that we find pants and skirts to fit us at all (which is why it’s essential to get your mind around having clothing altered if it doesn’t fit).
When you’re short-waisted, you’ll want to wear clothing that elongates your torso. Here are a few guidelines:
- Wear a supportive bra. This empathizes your waistline and pulls everything into proportion.
- Wear pants with lower rises if you intend tucking your top into your bottoms.
- Choose paneled skirts with low slung waistlines and strong vertical seaming.
- Longer length tops and knee length A-line dresses are ideal.
- Keep tops and tunics fitted on the shoulders and torso to accentuate your shape. Refrain from wearing broad waist cinching belts over tunics and opt for loosely slung narrower belts instead.
My point is clearly demonstrated in the pictures below. The model on the left has effectively shortened her torso with the wide, cinched waist belt. The model on the right wearing the loosely slung narrower belt looks like she has a long torso because of the shape of the belt and the way that it’s slung.
July 25th, 2007 at 8:57 am
Oh it’s like you are reading my mind! I never thought that I would be short waisted since I am 5′6″ but one day the light went on andI realized that I am very short up top with LONG legs. Once I realized my PROPORTIONS, it was so much easier to dress myself! Now, I choose tops that are elongating. I wear v-necks to lengthen my neck, I watch my shoulder line, too. And I have decided to pass on the high-waisted pants phase. And I am skipping the wide-cincing belt look as well. I neeed all the length in the torso that I can get! Part of feeling stylish is having the self-control to choose among the trends and choosing the ones that WORK for your body type.
July 25th, 2007 at 9:39 am
just a thank you for illustrating your posts with images, it really helps me get your point.
July 25th, 2007 at 10:40 am
What is “shorter than average”? I read that if you are longer from head to natural waist than you are from natural waist to the floor you would be long waisted. Short waisted for the opposite. I believe that I am short waisted, but still have problems getting one piece swimsuits to fit through the torso. What makes a person short in the rise?
July 25th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Bravo Marlene! This is music to my ears. We dress for our body type first and adapt trends when we need to. Fashion is there for us: we are not there for fashion.
July 25th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Wow great tips!
July 26th, 2007 at 8:33 am
Thanks! Clears things up for me!
July 26th, 2007 at 11:31 am
I wonder if I’m a bit long waisted since a lot of the styles from the tips look funny on me (I’ll keep the dresses and supportive bras, of course). How does one tell?
August 1st, 2007 at 8:10 am
I’m short-waisted, and I generally try to “correct” for that with long tops or low rise pants. Sometimes, though, I think it looks nice to belt something at my natural waist so that my legs look long long long. Of course, it helps that I have a small bosom, so that I’m not spilling over a high waistband or belt.
September 14th, 2007 at 11:12 am
I have a short waisted, long rump, narrow shoulders, and am pear-shaped with thin to untoned limbs: A disaster. Is there anywhere on this site where you can combine ALL your design challenges? Individual ones give conflicting info. ;\
September 28th, 2007 at 7:39 am
[...] If this style hits you on the wrong part of your thighs, it’s going to look dumpy. If you’re short waisted, try the petites department even if you don’t usually shop [...]
December 17th, 2007 at 12:34 pm
Shannon, it is impossible to be longer from head to natural waist than you are from natural waist to the floor. I read that the crotch is supposed to be at the center (leanghtwise).
December 28th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
my body measurement is 41-32-35…what is my body type?i have a flat behind.pls help me what clothes i should wear ….?is it okey to wear skinny jeans?
December 29th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
It sounds like you are an inverted triangle Lea, so start off by reading the blog entries that address that body type on this site. And it’s fine to wear skinny jeans if you balance out your larger top appropriately with lower necklines and soft drapey fabrics that accentuate your waistline.
January 29th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
I have slightly different circumstances I need help with. I am definitely an hour-glass, I always have been. lol. However, at one point I was very obese, from a size 5x to a now 16 I have a great deal of loose skin. I wear slimmers a lot. I have to wear an evening gown in March, I was thinking with the slimmers .. wearing an empire cut. Floor length gown in a neutral ivory tone (red headed). I’m worried about the short torso, after reading all the tips it mostly explains how to shape for pants or maybe skirt suits. Would eliminating the waist line be helpful? The two dresses I chose are empire strapless and empire thin strapped.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:09 am
See…all this time I’ve been told [by misinformed family members] that I’m short waisted, when I’m actually short in the rise, which apparently is a whole ‘nother plate of potatoes.
Thank you for the clarification! I will definitely be returning to this site!
April 9th, 2008 at 8:06 am
How can you tell if you’re “shorter than average” ? What is average? I’m pretty sure that I’m short waisted because there is little space between my bustline and waistline. And what are the “average numbers” for the rise? I need to be careful not to look “dumpy” through the middle. Thanks for all the great tips!!1
May 25th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Please someone help me find jeans, short, capris. All of my life I have had to roll down the waist because if not the waist came up to my breast! I am really discouraged. I wear a size 12 but I am larger at the top. Any ideas from anyone. I would love to wear jeans that I didn’t have to roll the waist band or just let my crotch hang down!
Thanks
June 1st, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Being short waisted can be frustrating. I am 5′7″. I find it much easier to dress when my weight is in the mid-140s. My waist has always been large, and when my weight is up around 160 it’s about 38″. Plus, I am large breasted. And my legs are very long and thin. I call myself a freak of nature. I wear a size 12. I don’t know if you are in the U.S., but the Cherokee brand of capris at Target (98% cotton, 2% spandex) are wonderful. Sit just below the waist (preventing the “roll” to overhang.”) Also, at Meijer stores, I found jeans that are the best fit I’ve ever had in my life (boot cut). Falls Creek is their brand; again, 98% cotton, 2% spandex. My husband commented theylooked really good on me. I rushed out and got another pair as backup! I think for those of us with this type of build, spandex is a miracle. Just that tiny bit of stretch makes all the difference. In my next life I want to be long waisted, long necked, and be able to wear a halter top.
June 30th, 2008 at 5:11 am
What a great post! I did a search for short-waisted and came up with the website.. which was immediately bookmarked.
I was trying on a skirt/top combo this weekend and realized I am short-waisted. I don’t know what I didn’t realize it before. I am now on the search for short-waisted solutions.
So happy to have found this site! Thank you for the information.
July 27th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I too, just searched for short waisted and found this site. I thought I was ‘fat’ through the hips until I figured out that tops and dresses fit perfectly if I pick them up at the shoulders and pull up a couple of inches, adding anywhere from 2-4 inches to my torso. Since then, I have known that I am short-waisted. My challenge is: 1) how can articles of clothing which fit this way best be tailored, and 2) I have a big tummy which sticks out (and I am extremely self-conscious about) and I have trouble figuring out what looks good with both a short waist and a big tummy. I can’t tell if I’m an apple or a pear.
August 13th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
A better way of describing the “short-waisted”: You really don’t have a middle section beneath your ribs. You are shoulders–then ribcage–then waist and hips. No torso length in between your ribcage and hips. It’s like someone chopped a few inches out of your midsection and plopped your top half back on!
Some other tips not given here:
–Try to avoid light top/dark pant (or dark top/light pant) combinations, as they only draw attention to the unusual location of your waist. If you must wear this combo, make sure your top is not too short. The bottom of your shirt should fall at your hip or even better, below the hip (but make sure it’s not over your butt!)
–Slacks and jackets of the same shade will unify your top and bottom halves and make them seem like they’re of comparable length.
–Wear v-necks, to visually elongate your upper torso.
–Wear full length sleeves - try to make your arms look longer if your arms aren’t naturally too long. Again, this visually elongates the upper half of your body.
–Wear long necklaces, again to visually elongate the torso.
–If you are pear shaped, or have full hips, it’s vitally important for you to visually balance out your hips. Your tiny, short top half will be overwhelmed by your fuller lower body if you don’t, and you’ll look “fat” even though you’re not overweight. Modest shoulder pads can work, but you can also choose clothing with designs or details around the neck.
Avoid attracting attention to your midsection if at all possible. That means:
–no tucking in of shirts (some say you can do it with lowrise pants, but I don’t think you should do it at all)
–no belts, unless they match your top
The advice about a support bra is a good one (to get your boobs lifted out of the way to show off more of your midsection) although small breasted women may not find that makes much of a difference.
Shortwaisted women can get by with “normal” clothes if they consider their full look very carefully and understand their “problem” — the lack of a torso below the ribs, which tends to make your bottom look bigger than it is. The good news is that you’ll look just fine in almost any free flowing dress.
September 12th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Great ideas and explanation, but actually I think the photo on the left is a much better look… Working with your proportions doesn’t always mean tricking the eye into thinking top and bottom are equal - highlighting a small waist no matter where it is always flattering and can make legs appear longer (always a good look). Be sure tops fit you properly in the shoulders and bust - boxy shapes can skim your waist too broadly making you look like you have no waist at all. Thank God for low-waisted pants, before these it was impossible to be comfortable in constricted waistbands and tops can be tucked in and look great with this silhouette. Flare legs are also imperative to balance out short waist’s larger-looking derrieres. Empire waist dresses beautifully eliminate the waist problem entirely and also hide a larger tummy.
September 18th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I have to echo part of what Sarah French said…. if I scrunch up my shoulders, jackets and tops look GREAT on me! I have a bust that almost sits on my waist. And if I put my fingers on my waist, that is also where my hips are! I’m 4-10 and usually around 110 lbs. My problem is that I can’t find pants that fit and yet that I don’t have to unzip in order to sit down in! I’ve had this problem since I’ve been about 10 years old… and I’m 50 now! It’s not just a fashion problem… it’s a health situation! If I find pants that fit (not super tight… just ones that stay up at my waist and fit through my thighs) then when I sit down, they cut into my waist and abdomen so much that I get diarrhea (and sometimes nausea) and have to run to the bathroom! I do know that my uterus is tipped (learned that when I was preganant) and just am wondering if I’m so short waisted that my digestive system is unusually cramped in there. I hate going around unzipping my pants so that I can sit down in them, but if I buy them big enough so that I can actually leave them zipped, they literally would fall off my hips when I stood up! Has anyone else ever had this problem and found a way to deal with it other than wearing loose elastic pants (fashion disaster!)
October 15th, 2008 at 11:17 am
Marcia, thanks for the tips on Cherokee and Falls Creek brands - just exactly the kind of info I’ve been looking for. And I agree with you, the slimmer you are the easier it is to dress your short-waisted figure comfortably and flatteringly. I’m 5′9″ and need to be in the 135-140 range to achieve balance. Thinner than that might be even better but not feasible for me at the age of 55. It seems like it’s partially a matter of making your shoulders and hips proportional and if you have narrow shoulders (like me) that means losing enough weight to keeping your hips slim, too. If you do that, you can buy smaller size tops which will fit better through the shoulders but not be too tight in the tummy and hips. I’ve gotta say, I’m really encouraged to know I’m not the only one out here trying to compensate for not having much torso. Thanks, everyone who posted to this site.
October 29th, 2008 at 11:52 am
I am 34-32-40, 5′5″ and 135 lbs and shortwaisted. I try to avoid belts and baggy bottoms but I saw a sweater that I loved that fitted, had a wide waist band and a flared “tail” below the band to the bottom of the sweater (around mid hip). It had large lapels at the front and 3 large buttons. Do you think I was wise to avoid it or should I rush back and see if it is still there?
November 4th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Hi-a great website! And for me, too!
So my difficulty is this: short, short waist, long legs, but broad shoulders; well-defined and muscular body; normal length arms (so petites are out).
I’ve read bks with, “If you have broad shoulders…go for raglan or dolman sleeves;” “If you have short waist, do this…;”
but what if you have several of these together? I have been looking at blouses, jackets, etc. for a slightly fitted look (or princess seams to give me a waist. Peplums are great, but a rarity!) which can be great-but, generally speaking my tops pouch out in the back above the waist; and if fitted, well…my waist ended above where theirs started, so then I have to hike it up or pull it down (not good)! I finally realized I could go to a tailor, but when would I know that something I get is able to be changed, or not? Thank you!!!
Best,
Sherrykay
November 17th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Meg- I know exactly what you are going thru- I have a time with pants that fit while I’m standing but as soon as I sit- I’m sick from how scrunched my stomach is. Its horrible. I try to buy pants that are low cut rather than ones that sit at the “natural” waist line- there is nothing natural about my waist- I don’t have one.
January 13th, 2009 at 8:16 am
[...] available in a range of price points (from Forever 21 to Bloomingdales). They work quite well on short-waisted women when worn a little lower down on the waist than shown in these [...]
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:48 am
I have an incredibly annoying problem. I am short waisted, but long in the rise. the distance between my waist and my crotch is the same as the distance from my shoulders to my waist! Do you have any suggestions for pant styles I can wear? I either get a camel toe or the pants have to be big enough to fit at the widest part of my hips, and then they are enormous everywhere else, and pretty much falling off. I’m 5′5 and 117 lbs, and my measurements are 33-28-34. i could really use some tips.
thanks!
January 27th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
Great discussion loop. I just got a great light coat from Patagonia — it fits well except for the little extra bulge of fabric in shoulder/armpit area (like others here who have posted, if I shrug my shoulders while wearing the coat, the bulge goes away — I need an extra 2 inches of torso!)
Is it possible to alter the coat so it fits? Wasn’t sure if there is such an alteration for the short-waisted!?
February 9th, 2009 at 4:18 am
Take this advice with a grain of salt. Wearing tunics with a low slung belts make me look sloppy and unstructured. It does absolutely nothing to show off my curves. Even though I’m short waisted, everyone can appreciate my long legs. The best look for someone who is short-waisted is to keep your look very clean, simple, classic and highly structured.
Wearing low-raise pants are great, I do agree with that. But pair it with a jacket or shirt. I hem my shirts because I don’t like the look of a super long shirt on me. It is better to have the shirt hit you right where your hip begins.
Sometimes in trying to appear like you have a longer waist and following rules that guidelines above you end up looking like your clothes don’t fit, fatter and not well styled. If you want to see some of my looks check me out at budgetchic.org.
February 22nd, 2009 at 12:39 pm
I have a similar problem. I am short in the rise and I think I might be short waisted…but since I have been working on my tummy section it doesn’t look so boxy and short anymore.
but my BIG problem is having the ’shorter waist/rise” and the longs! I feel so awkward especially when I wear heels. I feel the heels make me look worse, because I have chicken legs and they look even longer and chicken-y lol.
So I am curious, what do you think I should wear that would make me look more balanced so I don’t look crazy wearing heels??? Its so annoying, but at least now I know why my jeans always come up so high on me. lol My measurements are 33-27-39 and I am 5′5 137 lbs. Thnks to anyone that can provide suggestions!
February 22nd, 2009 at 12:40 pm
opps previous post, I mean long legs not ‘longs’ lol
March 6th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Ellen’s definition of being short-waisted is right - it feels like there is not enough space between the end of your ribs and the beginning of your hips.
I have always been shortwaisted and I always go for skirts that fit below the waist, and low waist trousers. The advice about keeping your tops and jackets fitted around the shoulders and upper arms is good, too. I get fed up hearing that having a short waist is a ‘problem’. It is only a problem because the clothes companies don’t make enough allowance for all the different body shapes. ‘Size 10′ is meaningless if you have a very short or long waist.
But there are good as well as bad aspects of being SW. The downside is that you have to keep your weight right down, because any extra flab around the waist just clutters the area up even more. Long waisted women can get away with being a lot heavier, because it takes more fat to make their waistline disappear.
The plus side: we look much, much better NAKED than the long waisted! And much better on the beach. Shortwaisted women always look long-legged when naked, even if their legs are actually pretty average.
Oh, and if you are interested, men prefer us. When I was a student I showed a group of about 7 guys some pics of SW and LW models in bikinis. I told them to rate the figures, not faces. They all went for the shortwaisted models!
March 9th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
I discovered your discussion as I was searching for bras for short waisted women. I am 5′2″, weigh 125 pounds and have a 30 inch inseam, which means that I am a petite woman who is basically all leg. I buy pants made for women of average height and petite jackets. I was looking for pants for petite women with curves, size 6 or 8. I found some great pants and jeans at Chicos. I really like the “Modern Fit”, which offers a low rise waist and straight fit through the hip and thigh area. They also have pants and jeans for average height and tall women. The Chicos pants are very forgiving of figure flaws. They also have the “M Fit”, which offers more room in the waist and a more fitted design through the hip and thigh. I hope this helps someone.
I am hoping somebody can help me. I really need to find a bra, size 34DD (I think), made for short waisted women. I think I am VERY short from my collar bone to my navel. The bra straps are always too long! I also need a supportive bra for my dense breasts. Any ideas?
May 6th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Thank goodness I have found this page. I am about 5′ 8″ with a very short torso and extra extra long legs. I weigh about 140-145 but also have the thick midline look if I put on a few pounds or wear something non-flattering. My mother always told me that high-waist pants look best on me which is the total opposite of what most of you are saying. Perhaps, this is because during her youth there were no low-rise pants?? Long shirts are a plus for me, as I have extremely long arms. (I am shaped like the stick figure one drew in pre-K.) As far as having a larger behind, that is another plus for me. I prefer a larger one. My main issue is that I do not have hips, and at times don’t feel curvaceous when I’m wearing clothes - particularly dresses. HELP.
June 6th, 2009 at 10:52 am
Great information here. I’m 5′ 9″ and weigh 160lbs. I’m thankful for my long legs, but not my short, thick waist. I personally find that wearing longer tops with lengthier sleeves (just above elbow or longer) is key, but because I also have a thick torso, I also try to avoid overly slim fitting tops. J Crew has some great options. The fabrics are higher in quality and they have a wide variety of styles for different body type issues. The same for Banana Republic. Better fabrics are naturally going to be more flattering because they hold up so well.
June 13th, 2009 at 6:00 am
Hi I am a classic short waisted woman, I am only 5.2ins with large bust, broad shoulders. I can wear standard trousers as I am standard in leg length , its a clear case had my body grown in proportion I’d be average height!. Its been a pain over the years balancing the short waist issue as my weight has fluctuated.
My greatest advice is wear a good support bra if large busted it makes a massive difference to creating enough space between the bust and natural waist line.
June 15th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
Yay! I am not alone!
I am 35y/o, 5′6/140, 32/29/35. Completely proportionally-challenged. I have about an inch between my last rib and the top of my pelvis which I am convinced is the source of my digestive issues that I’ve had since I was a teenager. Like someone else posted, I can’t have anything binding on my waist. Even tops that are form-fitting, have cinching, or loose elastic banding that hits at my “waist”, will cause me to bloat - or worse, on the toilet. Likewise, being in a bent position (which I do a lot of in my job), or even “sucking it in” causes abdominal-distress. And I’m sure it’s contributed to my low-back issues. I’ve learned to keep my weight down, work on my posture and core muscles, and limit any foods that cause bloating. It doesn’t cure it, but I definitely feel and look better.
Unfortunately, I am between sizes in most things. I have a medium/thick build, broad shoulders, small bust, large rib cage. Below my waist, I am really kind of “square”. I put my weight on right in my lower-abdomen and the “muffin” top-of-hip area, but my lower-hips/glutes are smaller (right below belly-button I’m 37″, but hip/glute I’m 35″). I also have short (29.5″), thick legs.
I got all the worst physical attributes of my parents. My mom’s short legs and thickness, and my dad’s flat chest.
Anyway, I was so thankful when empire-waists and low-rise pants became available. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had to buy clothes that are shapeless or too big. Especially pants. In tops, I’m equally disastrous cos I have to accommodate my wide shoulders, but don’t have enough bust to fill out the front.
Best styles I’ve found have been empire-waists (although with an A-line bottom, otherwise it’s too blousey and I look pregnant), A-Line dresses cut on the bias, low-rise/wide, flat-banded pants/skirts, straight-leg or boot-cut, and nothing too clingy unless it’s a dark color cos it will just emphasize my short-torso. Also, I am starting to realize that cheaper clothing doesn’t look or fit as well. Better tailoring and fabrics can really make a difference in the way clothing hangs on the body and retains it’s shape. My budget is in the Target and H&M range, and I love shopping both places, but I always spend hours in there trying things on and rarely come home with anything but 1 or 2 pieces that don’t last anything longer than a year. Ann Taylor Loft I like a lot, and they do vanity-sizing (I can wear a size 6 there!) Their rises are shorter, but not too short, and they do petites. Shop the sale racks - they usually have great markdowns.
If any of you watch What Not To Wear on TLC Network, they have great tips. I would love to have Stacey and Clinton hand me $5k and be my personal stylist for a weekend!
June 17th, 2009 at 2:14 am
KBB funny you should talk about digestive issues and the hate of anything around the waist. I have a hiatus hernia and gastritus, which is I believe to be caused by the shortnes off my waist. Mmm food for thought.
June 29th, 2009 at 7:52 am
[...] among people who are the same size in other respects. If you are outside the norm and either “short waisted” or “long waisted“, it will be just a little harder to find clothes that are [...]