Comments on: Are you short-waisted?

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 02:16:18 +0000

I am another freakish . short-waisted person. I am 5′4″ , my torso is very short , likewise my arms, I have huge DD boobs and very long legs. I have found that the best bras for the short-waisted, big boobed among us are demi , balcony or 3/4 cup as they fit like a regular bra on us and the sides are shorter so no impaling oneself in the armpit with an underwire. Best bras are Lunaire, Freya, Fantasie and Chantelle all do very good DD and up without them being enormously long in the straps and underwire. Best website is Herroom which measures all the bras on their site and once you know what length the side seams are that work for you- for me it has to be under 3 1/2 inches- then you can pretty much work out which ones will fit properly.

By: Jennydotz

Jennydotz — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:36:27 +0000

I am enjoying this discussion! Shortwaisted, bottom heavy, tiny shoulders, heavy thighs, etc. Tucked in shirts look ridiculous (like the guy who plays the triangle on the SNL skits). Buying clothes is a depressing nightmare, I’ve given up on trying to find anything flattering and am happy with clothes that appropriately cover my body for work without looking completely stupid!

I have found that petite tops work really well (though I’m 5′6″). I stick pretty close to Lee brand pants/jeans. They bother me the least of any I’ve tried. Low rise pants are out, the waists are huge since they’re meant to hit below natural waist and they hit my natural waist. Elastic waists are great, but hit or miss among brands with regard to crotch length. Most will fit great if I roll the waistband over once, another case for never tucking in a shirt.

Would love more brand recommendations for the shortwaisted gal with proportionately large hips/small waist.

By: To tuck or not to tuck | youlookfab

To tuck or not to tuck | youlookfab — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:42:56 +0000

[...] your torso visually. If you have a longer than average torso, this creates balance. If you have a shorter than average torso, it will look even shorter. So people who have short torsos to begin with will generally look [...]

By: Chanel

Chanel — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:27:08 +0000

I am similar to Dora from Jan 22nd comment – average hight (5′6″) with a LONG rise (waist to crotch) but short waist (neck to waist). Luckily, I am very curvy w/big bust – 36, 28, 38 and proportioned symmetrically (legs are as long as torso). However, I do not and will never look best in a pair of jeans. My rise is too long. Also, my ribcage is so small that by bust looks small too unless my shirts are really tight so they hug my ribcage.
Best fit:
A dress. Period. Select something with plenty of stretch, so that it can pull in under your bust to cling to ribs and waist. You may need to add a belt. However, it needs to be long enough from waist to butt so it doesn’t pooch early. (most dresses that fit me in my waist has the butt section hit above my butt, but occationally I find one that fits and makes me look so curvy i’m a cartoon – it’s great!)
Pants:
The only thing that’s really going to fit is a high-waist design. However, if your bust is too close to your waist your boobs will be sitting on top of your pants. You will need to have at least 2-3 inches of ribs btw your breast and the waist line of your high-waist pants. Fortunately, I have enough ribs. Unfortunately, I have no butt in this fit so I usually go with a sailor cut (loose legs but tight in hips/waist) The sailor cut only works if you have long legs also. The top of High-waisted designs hit the average person above their natural waist – however they hit me AT my natural waist.
Skirt:
Same as pants. It’s only really going to fit if it’s high-waist design. Fortunately, those are in style right now and look great. Same issue as the pants though – gotta have some rib. Otherwise, you can buy the waist a little big in the skirt and have it sit on your hips. As long as your blouse is long enough, it looks OK plus you can belt over the blouse like in both pics on this page.
Jeans:
You can’t win. High-waist you look like a dork with no butt and low-rise you get to have a butt but no waist. If you are skinny enough or muscular enough you can avoid the dreaded muffin-top and wear the low rise, but your natural waist will still be 3 to 5 inches above the waist line on the low rise jeans.

By: How to tell if you are short or long waisted | youlookfab

How to tell if you are short or long waisted | youlookfab — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:52:55 +0000

[...] 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 [...]

By: HELLEN

HELLEN — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:14:32 +0000

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.

By: KBB

KBB — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:21:50 +0000

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!

By: HELLEN JONES

HELLEN JONES — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 13:00:56 +0000

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.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:52:32 +0000

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.

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 07 May 2009 04:30:41 +0000

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.