YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Ask Angie: waist types?

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Ask Angie: waist types? https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:24:04 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Cee on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2364323 Sun, 07 Jul 2024 15:50:34 +0000 Cee 2364323@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ " Waist not, wont not " ~ Some cluey bugger. Jenny H on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2364265 Sat, 06 Jul 2024 15:57:53 +0000 Jenny H 2364265@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I am definitely short waisted in that I cannot fit two hands in the space between under my bust and my natural waist. I'm not sure about my rise though. But I find that if I am trying to achieve a conventionally flattering look it can definitely be a challenge to combine the advice for a particular body shape with advice for those who are short waisted. It seems like in so many cases the advice will contradict. I suspect some of of Janet's advice above will be very helpful for me with my short torso and wide hips. Janet on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2364258 Sat, 06 Jul 2024 14:56:42 +0000 Janet 2364258@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I missed this thread when it was posted, but it took me a while to figure this out too, and how it relates to my challenges. I never understood until maybe ten years ago why, even though I am not short, I could wear certain petite tops or even dresses as long as they were sleeveless or short-sleeved. Well, duh! All my height is in my legs — it’s always been a challenge for me to get pants long enough. So I am short not only in the rise, but also in the waist. Not much room in my torso at all, and this was probably exacerbated by the fact that I have scoliosis and quite a crooked spine. Many dresses are too long in the body on me. Tunics never look right. A lot of tops just feel too long and have excess fabric. Jeans and pants have too much fabric in the rise, or come up too high on my waist. Tankini tops are too long on me and look like I’m wearing a swim skirt. LOL All of these things finally clued me in to take some measurements and the aha moment came! Of course, other body characteristics come into play too. Someone with a short torso but narrow hips and small bust can more easily camouflage their proportions than I can. Short torso + wide hips and big boobs = harder to fit, and harder to disguise. So I think the silhouettes can vary even with a common denominator of torso and waist length. I favor gently fitted silhouettes with a little waist definition these days, low contrast between top and bottom, and vertical lines to help me feel more proportionate. Long jackets hide the crotch point and can help give an illusion of longer torso. Untucked tops of the right length can help. Etc. PS. Belts are very difficult for me and are mostly going unworn these days. I wore them more when lower-rise pants were prevalent — with those cuts I could tuck a top and add a belt, and the longer expanse of top helped even out my proportions. Belting at the waist just emphasizes the issue for me. Barmybern on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2364229 Fri, 05 Jul 2024 19:17:01 +0000 Barmybern 2364229@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Difficult when very short raise and large bust and an inverted triangle- hate low raise trousers and mid raise can fold over.Tops biggest problem as need to long to over bust  Sal on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2362779 Fri, 14 Jun 2024 21:06:41 +0000 Sal 2362779@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ It’s complicated Carol isn’t it! This is why I like dresses or columns of colour - it makes it easy! Carol on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2362772 Fri, 14 Jun 2024 16:35:49 +0000 Carol 2362772@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thanks, all. I plan on looking at all this after work tonight, or tomorrow. A teaser is that I am also short waisted, but dramatically long in the rise.  Suz on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2362770 Fri, 14 Jun 2024 16:06:36 +0000 Suz 2362770@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Ha, Notsaf -- I never thought that might be a reason why I like to pop collars. Hilarious. I think it's also because I'm a bit long from chin to bust so it "closes" the space (as well, I guess, as lengthening it?) Anyway, it just proves Angie's point -- everyone has different body modifiers and we have to look at the whole thing in combination!   And Suntiger -- I like a higher neckline OR a slight V best. I have a medium/small bust and my shoulders, while square, are not particularly broad.  Anyway, Carol -- first you need your full body length measurement, then you need your measurements from different parts, and you need to know how that compares to the "ideal" or standard. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2011/12/how-to-measure-your-body-proportions.html">Imogen</a> has a video on how to do this.  notsaf on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2362766 Fri, 14 Jun 2024 15:29:09 +0000 notsaf 2362766@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Another slightly short-waisted person here! I've found this video quite helpful: <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M3b83EG1Sw&ab_channel=JulesBeth">https://www.youtube.com/watch?.....=JulesBeth</a> Like Suz, I'm always choosing and popping collars to lengthen my upper third and, even though I'm a pretty standard hourglass, I avoid cinching at the waist, since I feel like it makes my upper half look smaller in proportion. For example, in the photos you posted recently (<a rel="nofollow" href="https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/favorite-things-challenge-animal-print-and-brocade">https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....nd-brocade</a>) I think #6 does that work of elongating on you really nicely! Angie on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2362764 Fri, 14 Jun 2024 13:59:56 +0000 Angie 2362764@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thanks for sharing everyone! Proportions and personal preferences are fascinating :)  You have to view your body, its shape, and what makes you feel attractive holistically: For example: <ul> <li>I have several 5ft 2 clients who never, ever shop petite sizes! They don't fit. Apart from the length of their legs, their proportions and measurements are regular. They might need to have their pants, dresses, and skirts hemmed though. </li> </ul> <ul> <li>Suz is borderline petite but does so much better with regular sized pants and shorts!</li> </ul> <ul> <li>I have a 5ft 10 client who wears petite sleeveless tops well! She's smaller in the bust and short in the torso. </li> </ul> <ul> <li>Our 5ft 6 Tanya - who April mentioned - has a long rise and waist, and fits into Tall tops and dresses well. </li> </ul> <ul> <li>Suntiger is short in the waist and prefers high necks. Janet is short in the waist and prefers V-necks. </li> </ul> <ul> <li>I have a 5ft 8 client who wears petite jackets best.</li> </ul> And so it goes..... Suntiger on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2362760 Fri, 14 Jun 2024 12:08:35 +0000 Suntiger 2362760@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Team very short waisted (1 hand between waist, under bust). Just realized that That's why tops are often too long on me! But Angie recommends v necks, and I prefer higher necklines (for sleeveless tops at least). To me a higher neckline seems to make my torso longer. April on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2362757 Fri, 14 Jun 2024 11:26:33 +0000 April 2362757@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I strongly recommend looking for posts with photos from our Tanya, who is truly the queen of the long waist. For Tanya, a wide "corset belt" is magic. For the extremely short-waisted like myself, there is about one inch to play with and a belt must be slim, or meant to ride low on the hips.  Star (Lise) on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2362748 Fri, 14 Jun 2024 08:09:21 +0000 Star (Lise) 2362748@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thanks Angie and Suz!  You guys are an endless pool of knowledge.  I suspect I am short waisted, going to check once and for all.  Thanks Carol for asking this question. Suz on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2362737 Fri, 14 Jun 2024 03:48:33 +0000 Suz 2362737@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ You definitely need a measuring tape and need to look at your overall proportions. I'm (slightly) long from neck to bust, but also slightly short from bust to waist (so, short-waisted.) Meanwhile,  I have a long rise. Still, my torso length overall is more or less average for my height. And I used to believe I had very short legs!  How come? Well, my egs *feel* and to some extent *look* shorter than they are  -- partly because of that long rise, and partly because my calves are short in proportion to my thighs. And my thighs are not slim, but muscular, so on the "rounder" side. Plus, I now have slightly swollen knees from arthritis. (Sigh).  Knowing all of these things and considering them in a non-judgemental way -- it's just a skeleton, after all! -- has helped me make smarter choices about which styles will prove comfortable or flattering to me, and what I might need to do to style things that seem mysteriously "off." I have found that (for me) knowing my proportions has been more valuable than knowing my body shape (horizontal measurements). That's useful for fitting clothes, too, of course, but for me, less enlightening over all.  So -- while I'm just on the borderline of petite at 5'4" -- and my legs are not super long --  I can't wear petite pants (due to the rise, and often the length as well). I *can* sometimes wear a petite jacket, especially if I size up and the sleeves are ruched or not meant to be full length. (That's my short waist.) Sometimes the stance on jackets will be fractionally "off" on me, not so much because of my height but because of my short waist. I almost always have to hem pants. In my opinion, I look better in a knee-length skirt than in knee-length shorts, because a skirt disguises the rise. (I still wear long shorts, though -- because practicality rules in the garden!)  Anyway, this is way more detail than you want -- but it gives you some idea of how you can put your new knowledge to work when you shop.  Carol on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2362729 Thu, 13 Jun 2024 22:23:06 +0000 Carol 2362729@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thanks, Angie. I am slowly picking apart these links you sent, plus getting out my tape measure. I did not realize there was such confusion!  Angie on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2362691 Thu, 13 Jun 2024 14:53:38 +0000 Angie 2362691@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Yes, this can be confusing, Carol!  This post should clear things up:  <a rel="nofollow" href="https://youlookfab.com/2018/05/25/understanding-rise-waist-and-torso-measurements/">https://youlookfab.com/2018/05.....surements/</a>  The waist measurement is the length of your torso, not the circumference of the narrowest part of your midsection. It’s what we’re referring to when we say “short-waisted” or “long-waisted.” Here’s a simple definition of rise, waist and torso measurements: <ul> <li>Rise is the distance from your crotch point to your natural waist</li> <li>Waist is the distance from your shoulder neck intersection to your natural waist</li> <li>Torso = Rise + Waist</li> </ul> Here is info on short waist dressing: <a rel="nofollow" href="https://youlookfab.com/2021/08/04/how-to-dress-a-short-waist/">https://youlookfab.com/2021/08.....ort-waist/</a> Here is info on long waist dressing: <a rel="nofollow" href="https://youlookfab.com/2008/05/15/are-you-long-waisted/">https://youlookfab.com/2008/05.....g-waisted/</a> Caveat: YOU NEED TO SEE YOUR BODY PROPORTIONS AS A WHOLE.  For example:  You can be long in the waist and short in the rise. You can be short in the waist and long in the rise.  You can be short in both, or long in both. You can be regular in both. I am regular length in the waist, and short in the rise.  Hope it all makes sense :)  Carol on "Ask Angie: waist types?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/ask-angie-waist-types#post-2362684 Thu, 13 Jun 2024 13:36:57 +0000 Carol 2362684@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Waist stuff is still confusing to me. I understand what it means in terms of pants, jeans, and other bottoms. A high waist is a higher rise, and the inches from pubic bone to belly button will be more, going higher up your waist. And vice versa for low rise. But when we talk about "long waisted" vs. "short waisted," I still don't know what this means. I think it also has to do with inches, but attributed to your actual body measurements and length of your torso. I suppose I could look this up, but I think I did a few years ago, and was still confused. Another question is, what basic silhouettes look good on short waisted? Long waisted? Thx.