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