First, I don't see a pear shape. Secondly, you look great in that outfit!

Hi everyone,
Thanks so much for your input.

Firstly, thanks for all the skirt love, and also those who have said not to keep it if you don't love it. I have decided to keep it for the moment. I don't have that many office worthy skirts (especially now, as 2 are waiting for mending) and I wear skirts a lot at work.

Elizabeth P - I think my issue was, should I even go with waist emphasis when I feel like I don't have a waist for the 2 reasons I mentioned.

Arizaphale - DH likes waist emphasis for sure! I think he often prefers fitted untucked tops to tucked ones though

Crazyone your 2 outfits do illustrate the difference between fitted dresses and tucked blouse and skirt very well. And can I just say that you more generous bust area makes you look way better than I do in fit and flares! I tend to have this baggy area around the chest.

Jaileen - I'm in my early 40's so I may not get to enjoy this much longer - OTOH I know that I was thinner (in the waist and in general) my 20s and 30s as well. I have altered one skirt in the waist - I baulk a bit at doing this one with its thick fabric.

The other difficulty with waist alterations is it's variability. I have found this all my life, as shown by some skirts I made as teen, where I would try and have options to tighten and loosen the waist. It varies with weight gain and loss, bloating, time of the day and month.

Suz - yes the differences aren't huge (I wore that outfit this week and about once a fortnight - still looking great!)It's no big deal, I just feel presumptuous about saying something different from Angie on her blog!

And from a practical perspective, Angie's recommendations for pears and hourglasses have a lot of overlap. Plus for me the vertical proportions are the most important really - which I did reasonably well in this outfit with the tucked in waist and heeled boots with a bit of a platform (as attested by Staysfit saying my legs look long in this! Thanks). I think though I felt that the lightcoloured yoke just below my was the problem here.

I don't see what you see, Anne. You have a waist, and look GREAT in this outfit.

Elly yes - always extra fabric at the waist!! And sometimes those loose, sort of shapeless styles are actually pretty close to being tight around the thighs on me. I get you!

I don't mind looking feminine (in fact I kidn of get a kick out of it because with the small bust, I don't feel that way all the time - more like a slightly out of shape athletic type) but I can see the problem for you.

Thanks BC. If I am a pear shape, per Angie, then it's a thigh and bottom one rather than a hip one, if that makes sense? I have a full bottom but you can't see it from the front!

I love the skirt on you, and the outfit as a whole, for what it's worth! I think my husband feels the same as yours, that he prefers an untucked fitted top to a tucked one (fitted or otherwise) and I'm not sure that he sees tucked tops as "waist defining" at all. Much to C1's nicely illustrated point. The blouse is also soft enough that it collapses back on the body a bit, which also gives you some waist definition; even if it's not Traditionally Waist Defining Through Seams, if that makes sense. As a secondary hourglass, I rarely wear actual fitted or seamed tops to "show my waist". Instead I do opt for nice draping pieces that do more of a "hint" than a "show".

Angie - we were writing at the same time. I'm coming around to this outfit! Thanks
One question, do you think I should take in the waist? It is definitely loose.

Aida we were writing the same time too. Love your analysis as always!
DH might still like this outfit, but I don't think he'd be as keen for tucked in jeans
I also often go in for drape and suggestion too. And while I do actually like the fitted and seamed look, it's very hard to find one that fits my long torso and doesn't (on a physical level) annoy me, as a waist seam around my ribcage often does.

Yes getting the fit right on a more tailored/seamed top is tricky! I think that's probably true for anyone; we're relying on the manufacturer to "get" us much more than with fluid/oversized pieces. My torso and arms are proportionally long but I'm also short-waisted so I too struggle to find tops that actually have the seams in the right places; add in that I often need a larger size for my shoulders and it's even tougher. My guess is we're best off having the seams altered to fit.

YES. Take in the waist if it's loose.

Thanks Angie - I'll work on it