https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/calf-to-thigh-ratio-and-skirt-length Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 02 May 2026 16:21:12 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/calf-to-thigh-ratio-and-skirt-length#post-295077 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 18:49:53 +0000 catgirl 295077@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hmmm, maybe this explains why I look better in short skirts! My thighs are definitely longer than my calves. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/calf-to-thigh-ratio-and-skirt-length#post-295067 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 18:28:20 +0000 Velma 295067@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes, this is very interesting. I went back and read the article and found that the author described my leg measurements as "ideal"--while the materials used in the life-drawing class (a set of complicated proportions, as I recall) suggested that women's thighs are *supposed* to be somewhat longer than shins in order to look correct in a drawing. Maybe the art class materials reflected typical American or European proportions, as opposed to what the fashion industry considers desirable. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/calf-to-thigh-ratio-and-skirt-length#post-295040 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 18:00:17 +0000 Diana 295040@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Interesting! So far all of us have longer thighs, although Velma is very close to having identical measurements. </p> <p>One of the other interesting facts in the original blog post is that long thigh/short calf is how most American women measure, while the opposite is much rarer; however, fashion models tend to be short thigh/long calf. I wonder if this is just another unapproachable ideal in the fashion industry. It reminds me of the gruesome leg-lengthening surgery that has recently been popular in China... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/calf-to-thigh-ratio-and-skirt-length#post-295033 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:52:22 +0000 Angie 295033@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is interesting! I am regular height at 5ft 6:</p> <p>- ankle bone to mid-knee: 16" </p> <p>- mid-knee to hip bone: 19.5" - I have long thighs???</p> <p>I love tea length skirts and like to wear them with heels. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/calf-to-thigh-ratio-and-skirt-length#post-295030 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:48:51 +0000 Steph 295030@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is really interesting. Reading all of your measurements makes me realize how incredibly short I am. My hip-to-knee is somewhere between 14.5 and 15 inches (keep getting different measurements!) and my knee-to-ankle is 13.5 inches. This would mean my ideal height is about a half or three quarters of an inch above the middle of my knee, which makes sense. </p> <p>However, from a proportion perspective, shouldn't shoes come into play? If I'm wearing four inch heels, that's going to make my foot point, which is going to add to my length below my knee. Measuring to the ankle bone implies being in flat shoes. I imagine it doesn't make a difference most of the time, but for very high heels, I could see it impacting things a little. Similarly, when one wears booties that come just above the ankle and cut the leg line at a higher point, it would seem that shortening the skirt even more than normal would lead to the ideal proportions. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/calf-to-thigh-ratio-and-skirt-length#post-295025 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:42:54 +0000 Deb 295025@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>*So* interesting that the ladies above, who have measured, found that they instinctively prefer the recommended skirt length. Who knew?! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/calf-to-thigh-ratio-and-skirt-length#post-294990 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:50:05 +0000 MsMary 294990@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow, that's so interesting! The idea is that your everyday skirt look should be "50% skirt and 50% leg," and getting there is a math problem! Amazing! And so simple! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/calf-to-thigh-ratio-and-skirt-length#post-294982 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:25:27 +0000 Velma 294982@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am tall (5'9") and fairly slim (a size 6-8). My legs are long overall, but I was very surprised to find out about a year ago as I helped a friend take body measurements for a life-drawing class that my calves are disproportionately long. Now that I know, I wonder how I never noticed before. Among other things, boots that are supposed to go to the knee always fall at least 4" below on me. </p> <p>I wear longer skirts very well and enjoy them (at least once in a while!) whatever the prevailing fashion. An inch or two below the knee is one of the best lengths on me, but I wear any length right down to tea length, especially in the summer.</p> <p>Added: ankle bone to mid-knee (18"); mid-knee to hip bone (18.5"). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/calf-to-thigh-ratio-and-skirt-length#post-294979 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:23:58 +0000 Mo 294979@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hmm, I got curious and measured 18" thigh and 14.5" calf. I absolutely favor above the knee skirts. Interesting. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/calf-to-thigh-ratio-and-skirt-length#post-294966 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:12:09 +0000 Diana 294966@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I saw this interesting blog post the other day (I think I originally got the link from Already Pretty):</p> <p><a href="http://jcauncmom.blogspot.com/2009/09/part-2-how-to-decide-your-ideal-skirt.html" rel="nofollow">http://jcauncmom.blogspot.com/.....skirt.html</a></p> <p>Basically, to summarize: she says that your calf-to-thigh ratio is a good indicator of what length skirt is most flattering. So, longer thigh means you should wear above-the-knee skirts, and longer calf means you should wear below-the-knee skirts. </p> <p>I was curious, so I measured myself: my thigh (hip bone to middle of knee bone) is 18.5" and my calf (middle of knee bone to ankle bone) is only 15.5"! Makes sense since I've always found shorter skirts more flattering, although to be honest I always thought it was because I'm short and a pear. </p> <p>In the recent thread about tea-length skirts, some of you mentioned that you thought below-the-knee skirts were hard for most women to wear (and I agree). I'm curious, though, for those of you who have long calves, are tea-length skirts easier to wear? </p>