Figure flattery fail: watch where you put your horizontal lines. - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Dressing

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Figure flattery fail: watch where you put your horizontal lines.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Spectacular fail the other day. I was feeling brave with belts, and I put a skinny tan one over a simple black jersey vee-neck dress, right at my natural waist. I'm a rectangle -- not a lot of difference between waist and hips (about 7" I think), but I do have a waist, and judging by my reflection I thought the overall effect was rather fetching, so I left the house with confidence.

Yesterday I saw pictures. The belt did not, as I had hoped, define my waist. Rather, it drew a horizontal line right across the part of my body that isn't as narrow as I would like it to be, visually widening it and making it appear as though my waist and hips are the exact same size. In effect, I turned my slight hourglass into a shapeless tube.

Mental note: in the future, to avoid looking like Olive Oyl in a drapey knit dress, stick to hip belts.

Dressing

14 replies

Latest reply was from Irene

Anonymous

I would welcome Olive Oyl! When I wear belts at my natural waist, my much-more-than-ample bosom flops over the top of the belt, while my high hips (which are a mere 2 inches below my ribcage...."short-waisted" anyone?) jut out just below the belt so that my waist looks like it's being strangled. Is this flattering?

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oh, dear....the things we learn from photos....

Anonymous

Wait! I saw a movie (Killers) with Katherine Heigl where she runs around a lot in a belted suit jacket. The girl is a perfect rectangle and it looked great to me! Ask the men in your life what they think, they generally love a defined waist. Even if you are dead set against it, try it again in the fall with an open jacket over top. That changes everything by covering up your sides.

Anonymous

Oh no, I'm sorry. Funny write up of said fail. hilarious.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Claire: that may be so, but...Katherine Heigl is seven feet tall. I did ask my husband, after the fact, and he agreed that it looked dorky. Oh well. You win some, you lose some.

ETA I just thought of something else. I can pull off a skinny belt right on my waist if it's over a tailored button-front shirt. I think it's because the shirt flares out under the belt and creates the illusion of hips. Katherine's fitted jacket with belt would do the same thing.

Anonymous

I totally do that with my button down shirts for the fake-peplum effect. I have a slight waist indentation, but it's often lost underneath my clothes. I don't think Katherine H.'s jacket flared out much because I remember thinking how straight up and down she was, yet having the belt there still looked good. Like a man's safari jacket, even though they don't have hips either. Okay, so you're a little shorter than her. I'll give you that.

Keix

Veteran

I'm a rectangle shape too--only 5" difference between waist and high hip, and my low hip is mostly rear--so I know what you mean about tricksy belts! Putting a cardigan or blazer over a belt can really help the hourglass illusion. I'm short-waisted but long-torsoed, so I also like to wear a stretchy wide belt to visually move my waist down a bit. Skinny and medium-width belts work best to rein in volume, for me... I have some apple tendencies in my tummy so belting a fitted button-down is scary!

harmonica

Veteran

interesting read! I like belts to define my waist, but my secondary body shape is hour glass and I am rather small chested

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

Light colored belts are VERY challenging. I can only wear them under a cardigan. stick with a dark belt to define your waist.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Modgrl, have you tried light-coloured belts across your hips? That's how I usually wear mine. I think I understand why it works, after my mistake with the waist belt. If I wear a hip-belt with a form-fitting jersey top that curves in at my waist, then the belt ends up drawing a line across my hips, making them appear wider, which is what I want. It also seems to make my waist appear smaller in comparison. It doesn't look so good with a loose top that hides my waist, though -- unless I put the belt through the belt-loops on a pair of low-rise jeans, and semi-tuck the top. Then the effect is probably a bit like wearing it higher with a cardigan, because only the middle front part of the belt shows.

biscuitsmom

Veteran

Oh, such a good call! I was absloutely *mortified* when I saw a recent pic of me wearing a belt I 'thought' hit me in a good spot! OY!!!!!!!!!!!!

JulieJohn

Veteran

Fascinating post, Elisabeth! I am very interested in the science of these horizontal lines and what they do to our figures. Crazy!

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Totally agree. That is why I love the semi tuck when wearing jeans. Especially when wearing a bright belt. When the belt matches the pants/jeans, not so bad. But when you wear a neon belt or gold one, it really stands out and makes a very horizontal line. It's not that it's a wide part on me. I think my low waist/high hip is reasonably slim. It's that it cuts petite me in half, that's what's unflattering. Also something learned from the self timer, not the mirror..

Irene

Veteran

I think the problem here was on the lighter color of the belt and the huge color contrast. It will make any waist look larger, and if there is not much difference between waist and hips, well, they will look of similar width with the belt there.

I do not think Katherine Heigl, who is very va-va-voomy and has big boobs and quite a large (or not flat) butt would be considered a rectangle though. She might not have a super tiny waist, but calling her a rectangle... Cameron Diaz (last photo) IS a beautiful rectangle though

This post has 5 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.