https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:31:57 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments#post-1560639 Mon, 21 Sep 2015 13:18:25 +0000 anne 1560639@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Also, it just occurred to me, my lack of bosom has added to the non waist fittingness on at least one dress, as I have pulled up the shoulder seams to try and take in the slack in the bust area (My bust is at least one size smaller than the rest of me) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments#post-1560000 Sat, 19 Sep 2015 13:46:16 +0000 anne 1560000@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ginger can you believer I had to look up pictures of June Cleaver!? &nbsp;I had heard lots about her, but never seen any visuals. She certainly seems to have a waist length similar to mine!</p> <p>Beth Ann, we are the same in that I can hardly ever find dresses that sit at my waist (even without the bosom!) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments#post-1558937 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 17:33:08 +0000 Beth Ann 1558937@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I cannot find a dress that sits at my waist anymore!&nbsp; I'm only 5'6", but I'm slightly longwaisted.&nbsp; My bust only appeared after having my DS (at 38 I developed an insta-bosom).&nbsp; Now the problem is worse, because high waists look awful!</p> <p>The only answer for me is getting out the sewing machine, or sticking to column dresses or skirts!&nbsp; I"m loving my skirts! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments#post-1558876 Thu, 17 Sep 2015 16:02:52 +0000 Ginger 1558876@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm chiming in late with this, but I've worn a LOT of vintage, as well as made quite a bit from vintage patterns. I would agree that 50s and 60s in particular tend to be slightly long-waisted.</p> <p>Post-WWII style, got long and lean and drapey.&nbsp;Although I'm 5'9", I'm slightly short-waisted, and those garments don't fit me all that well.&nbsp; Nor does the idealized early 50s silhouette.&nbsp; It calls for a long, conical torso that smooths directly into full hips. I've got the hips, but my torso is not conical. So I get some ease and blousiness at the waist that obscures the line. On a long-waisted woman it would fit better.&nbsp; If you actually watch June Cleaver, she is very very slender (I think an IT) and even her ordinary housedresses look very long in the waist.&nbsp; </p> <p>I don't think the waist moved up any, until the "Empire" waist appeared in the mid/late 60s.&nbsp; Early 40s sewing patterns, however, fit me like a glove with no alterations. Some of my original garments from that decade, and especially the 1930s, are too short in the waist for me. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments#post-1554731 Thu, 10 Sep 2015 15:15:58 +0000 E 1554731@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm very far from a vintage expert, so just reporting on my personal experiences! The pieces in my closet that fit me the very best are usually vintage; they're the only ones that have enough built-in waist definition at the right spot. But maybe I've just gotten lucky or been supremely unlucky w modern stuff! As it is, I'm pretty sure I'm going to retreat from shopping entirely and just sew my own stuff from now on, even though it's much pricier. Now that I'm on the threshold of my 30s, I want to have well-fitting pieces, instead of always having to compromise somewhere. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments#post-1554722 Thu, 10 Sep 2015 15:04:20 +0000 Suz 1554722@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes, princess seams are friendly to many...</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments#post-1554711 Thu, 10 Sep 2015 14:45:30 +0000 E 1554711@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>And I'm 5'3", so not tall. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments#post-1554709 Thu, 10 Sep 2015 14:44:32 +0000 E 1554709@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I was especially talking about dresses/blouses/coats/jackets from the 50s and early 60s; the princess seams or waistbands are much more likely to match up with my natural curves than modern stuff. And the little cropped sweaters in style then have waistbands that sit right at my natural waist too. Perhaps because girdles were more widespread? Or just a longer torso/lower waist was in style? And yes, my high waisted trousers are all vintage too, but I'd guess they're from the 80s, so more recent vintage. (I have a hard time thinking of the 80s or 90s as vintage at all! Lol) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments#post-1554399 Thu, 10 Sep 2015 00:08:12 +0000 Suz 1554399@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Trousers in the 80s were higher waisted. So they had a longer rise as a rule, although not invariably. Or rather, the design of the rise wasn't always ideal. As someone with a short waist and long rise, who at that time tended more hourglass, &nbsp;I sometimes found the rise too short in the back.&nbsp;</p> <p>Skirts were designed to sit on one's true or natural waist rather than around the high hip.&nbsp;</p> <p>I don't remember/ know about dresses. I actually have a short waist and long rise so overall an average torso length, so I probably don't face the precise fit issues that someone with an overall long torso does.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments#post-1554381 Wed, 09 Sep 2015 23:44:18 +0000 anne 1554381@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Bumping </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments#post-1554017 Wed, 09 Sep 2015 04:01:19 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 1554017@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yeah, if you're talking about the last few decades, and you're an average height, I can see how that might be the case. Dresses from the 80s and early 90s, for instance, might be longer in the bodice than more recent models. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments#post-1554013 Wed, 09 Sep 2015 03:52:30 +0000 anne 1554013@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>That was my first thought too Laura - At least costumes in Museums from the 19th century always look very short waisted. But I think E and I are similar in height (around 5"4) - so not that tall -&nbsp;and also she may have been referring to more recent decades.</p> <p>Unfrumped - I think E has got vintage trousers too </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments#post-1554012 Wed, 09 Sep 2015 03:49:17 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 1554012@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Odd, I'd think it would be the opposite, since people used to be shorter. Vintage dresses are almost always too short on me in the bodice. Maybe in a few eras when the dropped waist was popular? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments#post-1554008 Wed, 09 Sep 2015 03:46:02 +0000 unfrumped 1554008@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Somewhat. I'm not a big shopper for that because we've not got much locally and I'm not e-baying. I've come across vintage trousers that have lone rise and much better waist fit. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/long-waists-on-vintage-garments#post-1553993 Wed, 09 Sep 2015 03:10:48 +0000 anne 1553993@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Something E said recently sparked my interest - that she finds it easier to find items that fit her long waist when she is looking at vintage items.</p> <p>Have any of you found this?&nbsp; I don't buy them myself. </p>