https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:07:21 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-488535 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 07:36:38 +0000 AJ 488535@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is all so interesting! I might have to try this.</p> <p>I think empire waists look better on those blessed with curvy hips. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-488382 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:04:39 +0000 Suz 488382@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow, amazing information for you Elisabeth! And I'm so glad you are feeling better. </p> <p>Okay. I just did this over again, because I realize that I was doing the leg break in the wrong place; I was measuring all the way to my crotch. </p> <p>MORE confusion!! </p> <p>Here's the upshot. My head is long. I knew that already. But measuring by my 9 inch head, I am one head chin to bust, and 3 inches shortwaisted. THEN (stop the presses) I am actually SHORT from waist to leg break. How this makes sense with my long rise I do not understand (because I really DO have a long rise) but I can only figure I have an unnaturally long leg break to crotch ratio. Be that as it may, my waist to leg-break is a full 2 inches short of where it would ideally be. </p> <p>Then, moving on to the legs, the thighs are 3 inches short, and the calves are 2 inches short. </p> <p>In other words, my top and bottom proportions are equal, but both are shorter than ideal by 5 inches, and I'm almost a head's length shorter than I ought to be to be truly proportionate. </p> <p>I really DO have a big head, in other words!!!! </p> <p>Holy moly. I have no idea what this means for dressing, but there may be a very good reason that short hair looks good on me!! Apparently, the less the better! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-488332 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:24:05 +0000 rosee 488332@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>...and I like empire waists too! They work for me, but it really depends on the cut of the item.</p> <p>This was a great exercise. I suspect many of us will have a long chin to chest measurement as this comes with, ahem, the years. I think a new, better-fitting bra could potentially fix my "problem" in this area. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-488329 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:23:03 +0000 Aziraphale 488329@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>OMG! I tried this! (thanks Suz and Alaskagirl, and also Imogen)...and it just confirms everything I thought I knew about what suits me. (Feeling MUCH better today....alert enough for a bit of lurking in the morning, and now I'm gonna reply to one post before dinner!).</p> <p>So. Una, to answer your question "who looks good in empire waists?" -- that would be me. I've got a medium-size, not-low bust and my slimmest part is right under it. So they work, provided the top is not too gathered under the bust, in which case I look pregnant, as does everyone else. ;-)</p> <p>I'm 5'1", like you. (I'm measuring from roughly the top of my head. When Leonardo said "one head length", that's what he meant. People always forget about the bit above the hairline, but it's definitely included). I'm exactly the expected proportions everywhere except my bust to waist, which is very short, and my thighs, which are slightly short. (This doesn't surprise me. I think I've got short upper arms, too. I can remember learning to ride a horse as a child, and my cousin, who was teaching me, kept barking, "Keep your elbows down! Elbows DOWN!" until she finally said, "You know, I think your upper arms are just naturally short...you can't GET them down any further!).</p> <p>So the upshot of this is that my bottom half is longer than my top half, which means low-rise/regular rise pants look better, tucked-in stuff looks not so fab, belt-wearing is iffy except at the hips, and slim-fitting tops that end lower than the hip bone suit me best. </p> <p>I can bend these rules a little because I'm very slim (I wore something tucked in a few weeks ago, and it didn't look bad, but it was fitted, and the a-line skirt I was wearing seemed to allow me to get away with it). And if I wear heels, my legs look like they're a mile long (even though they are manifestly not) because the calf part is long compared to the thigh part anyway, and of course heels visually lengthen your calves even more. </p> <p>Well, that was all about me me me. But it's out there for comparison. Some of the things I wear might suit you, Una, but some might not, because it sounds like although we have some similarities in size and frame, we have some important differences, too. (I'm saying all this because you've been asking me for pics for a long time now, thinking that some of my favourite pieces might suit you too -- but now that I've learned this stuff about proportions, I'm thinking they might not). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-488121 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:45:05 +0000 Anonymous 488121@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This exercise was interesting for me as well. I've always thought of myself as long waisted, but I'm actually long from chin to bust, short waisted, normal rise, and long legged, especially in the calf.</p> <p>This explains why I've always like cowl neck sweaters. They fill in the upper chest real estate. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-488046 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:28:08 +0000 Mochi 488046@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I was just thinking about the empire waist thing...anything with strict definition (like a seam that goes horizontally right under the bust) does look horrible, terrible, catastrophic on big-busted me. That said, I had just rememembered this top I bought recently at J. Crew:</p> <p><a href="http://www.jcrew.com/womens_feature/NewArrivals/teesandknits/PRDOVR~58153/99102543266/ENE~1+2+3+22+4294967294+20~~~20+17+4294967121~90~~~~~~~/58153.jsp" rel="nofollow">http://www.jcrew.com/womens_fe...../58153.jsp</a></p> <p>It's sort of close to an empire waist, but very subtle...and it looks great on me! I don't care about any torso-lengthening properties, but it sort of defines and then smoothes over my big belly. I also could nab it in black, which was a really good color for me as well. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-488042 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:19:44 +0000 Janet 488042@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>*Waves along with Mo* Empire waists are my friend, as long as they're not too voluminous under the waist area (no billowy effect, like cciele mentions). That is my smallest part -- smaller than my natural waist -- so they generally really work well on me. I'm even wearing a closet orphan dress with an empire waist today! </p> <p>Maybe you haven't found the right empire waist. I feel like they help emphasize my upper chest and shoulders a bit too, so maybe that's where they are problematic for you. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-488018 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:36:30 +0000 Suz 488018@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Okay - I just checked on her blog in the comments section. Somebody else asked the question. It seems that it is a "visual" ballpark top of head, not actual top of skull and not top of face, either. But I'm probably going to have to do this again to see if I measured wrong! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-488016 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:33:37 +0000 Suz 488016@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wait! Is it TOP of head? Oy! I thought it was hairline, too. Although in my case maybe there is no difference. I have a high forehead. </p> <p>Maybe we should get Imogen to clarify a bit. I'll bet if we asked questions over on her blog she would help us out! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-488013 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:28:25 +0000 cciele 488013@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Not all empire waists are created equal! The ones I like fall straight from under the bosom and skim the body instead of billowing out like a tent or maternity wear. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-487996 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:49:07 +0000 cheryle (Dianthus) 487996@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Very interesting results and conclusions. I roughly did the measuring last night but everything seemed out of whack. I went back and read more and it was supposed to be top of head to chin and I was using hairline. I also hadn't read the leg break bit and was using crotch. I will try again but suspect I will be a touch long from chin to chest, very short from chest to waist, normal thigh and long calves. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-487995 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:43:59 +0000 Mo 487995@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'll have to try this out. I have suspected ever since the 'hands test' that I'm as much low busted as I am high waisted.<br /> As for the empire tops or dresses - me me me. I love 'em. They skim right over my upper hip and cup right underneath my lower bust. Hiding what I want and highlighting what I want all at the same time :)<br /> Off to hunt down the measurements test . . . </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-487990 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:32:36 +0000 catgirl 487990@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So WHO looks good in empire waists? I'd love to know! </p> <p>*Sigh of relief that my head is not pin-size* Math is not my strong suit.</p> <p>Do you look awful in tunics? I would like to see an example - I have yet to see you look awful in anything, and I doubt you do! The key may be in the length. Maybe a shorter tunic length for you, to lengthen legs? Not that your legs look short to me. I feel they look best on me at a slightly longer length, about 2/3 down my thigh. But I don't have the scientific approach and methodical picture-taking skills that you do! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-487983 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:27:35 +0000 Suz 487983@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I know...hilarious, eh? </p> <p>You're supposed to be 8 head lengths, not 6. 8 including your head, that is. So it sounds as if you were right.Women, she says, are more like 7 and 3/4. But clothes are made as if we are 8. </p> <p>I think she recommends empire styles for me, too, and I don't like how I look in them, even though I'm not large busted (er, to say the least). They sort of obscure any curves that I have and make me look like I am swimming in fabric. Maybe they work better on the tall. </p> <p>Here is one thing that makes me wonder: you look fab in tunics. Yet overall, your torso must be a bit longer than your legs (if your legs are proportionate but your upper body long in several places). SO....how come tunics work for you and look awful on me? Really, they do. I am thinking it is the advantage of your calves. My short legs really tip that balance in the wrong way. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-487976 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:20:50 +0000 catgirl 487976@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Suz, again, thank you SO much for posting this link! It was really brilliant. </p> <p>The only recommendation she had that I didn't like was empire tops, but I think that has to do with being full-busted and looking preggo with that particular cut. I'm also wondering if my head is small because I added up to more than 6 head lengths overall. I mean how could I be long in three parts unless my head is small?</p> <p>(Can you imagine a man ever having this discussion? Just typing the words "long" and "parts" cracked me up!) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-487967 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:59:44 +0000 Suz 487967@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Una, this is so cool! So really, the recommendations are right in line with what you've instinctively gravitated towards in your time on the forum! </p> <p>Your extra calf length is probably why you think of your calves as skinny. (They are not...just a bit longer than average). It also makes you look LOOOOONG legged, even though you are only 5'1". You lucky duck; I am the opposite. </p> <p>Your extra upper body length allows you to wear chopped up layers on your torso that would not work for a shorter bodied person. So your tunic with a cropped jacket look and variations that appeal to you really IS an especially good look for you! </p> <p>I sympathize about the rise. This is my perennial problem with pants. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-487937 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:37:21 +0000 rae 487937@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oy, yes, I really need to get going on this exercise! Great job correlating the body type to outfit adjustments! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-487922 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:23:08 +0000 Sveta 487922@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Knowledge is power! I really need to do this test too... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-487918 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:15:43 +0000 cciele 487918@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>That's cool that now you understand what you knew about how clothes fit you! I really gotta try this too... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/thanks-to-suz-and-imogen#post-487917 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:14:04 +0000 catgirl 487917@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I did the string test this morning. Thanks Suz! Here are the results: </p> <p>My bustline is slightly lower so measurement 2 (chin to bust) is a little long. </p> <p>Surprise! I am a bit LONG-waisted (bust to waist is longer than a length, but not by much) AND long in the rise - this explains why low rise pants are such a nightmare for me, which I knew but didn't understand - I assumed it was because I had no waist. This assumes I know where my waist actually IS.</p> <p>My legs are overall proportionate but I'm long in the calves, which I did not expect at all. Again, that explains why I can wear boots with a relatively tall shaft (15" - 16") for my height of 5'1".</p> <p>Very enlightening! Now I need to know what to adjust wardrobe-wise. Seems like cropped jackets and sweaters are my friends, mid-rise jeans work best, and I need to fill in the space between chin and bustline more (which is maybe why I don't like low scoopnecks?). I also see Imogen recommends not tucking with this body type which is also in line with my preferences! Other suggestions?</p> <p>Very cool exercise! </p>