YouLookFab Forum » Topic: The fall of the waist

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: The fall of the waist https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Thu, 28 May 2026 14:03:41 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php jayne on "The fall of the waist" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist#post-699211 Tue, 21 Aug 2012 04:58:36 +0000 jayne 699211@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Being a pear, I went several years not buying jeans at all because they ended at my hips, very wide and very hard to keep up...that was so frustrating. Now midrises and high rises are back and after trying a few types I am leaning for the classic chino cut. Not chino with pleats mind you, the flat front, regular mid rise chino. It sit lower than my waist but not so low as ow rise and they usually have a good taper to a straight or sometimes skinny leg or even a very lovely bootcut. Finding the brand was difficult because they are not made the same and my particular waist to hip ratio meant that I ended up finding my best fit at H&M (of all places!). I found also that the chino cut is the same used for the business slack there so I can have casual version in cotton and business version in a tweed look (not real stuff of course). This is part of my experimenting to find a style so now that I have found a slack that looks good I intend to start finding a better brand that fits me or start buying ones I like and get the waist taken in, as a pear a too big waist is the common problem! I do mean also to stock up a bit because who knows what will happen to this style in a few years. I remember back when it was impossible to find a chiino. They are everywhere now but that will not hold. SO investing in pieces that can last a 5-10 year cold spell in the market is essential Clarissa on "The fall of the waist" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist#post-699200 Tue, 21 Aug 2012 04:03:32 +0000 Clarissa 699200@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ High rise shorts are very in trend for us young ladies. Although my thin torso with a defined waist is probably really good for them, I think they make your crotch and behind look too long a lot of the time. I think a mid rise is the most flattering. I just wear fitted tops or tops with defined waists most of the time. Gaylene on "The fall of the waist" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist#post-699194 Tue, 21 Aug 2012 03:50:31 +0000 Gaylene 699194@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I think that's why Angie keeps pushing everybody to try it instead of automatically rejecting something as "I can't possibly wear that with my body shape/age/size". As I sit here typing, I'm wearing my cropped jeans rolled to the knee. When Angie started posting about this being a flattering length, I just about choked on my coffee. With my short legs and full calves, my reaction was "no way, not ever"! But, low and behold, once I tried cropping and rolling to the knee, my husband's first reaction was "wow, that makes you look so tall and slim." Who would have thought it-- obviously not me! unfrumped on "The fall of the waist" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist#post-699182 Tue, 21 Aug 2012 03:32:03 +0000 unfrumped 699182@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ It is great to hear these comments from a variety of body type viewpoints. And believe me, I can't wear the same things I did 10 years ago, waist or no. And I have some low waist pants that fit better than my old pleats. I recently bought some lower-cut, bootcut/slight flare pants that (I think) look good and I was kinda shocked- it's because cut, fits, and fabrics are a combination of factors that can't always be captured by a single or simple term ( high, low , straight, curvy, flat, pleat) and how they look on you " depends" on this interaction. Alaskagirl, you remind us that it may be more about options for finding one's best look than whether an entire type of garment is ever truly in or out. I do feel more empowered this year to look for the best style interpretations for me rather than labeling things as off limits for the wrong reasons. Keix on "The fall of the waist" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist#post-699165 Tue, 21 Aug 2012 03:20:00 +0000 Keix 699165@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Shiny, I suspect the difference is in torso length. I'm short-waisted but long-torsoed, although also petite. I've never found pants with a rise that actually hit my waist. My hip bone to belly button is 3" and hip to waist is around 4.75". That expanse of lower torso includes both an apple belly and no tapering from the hip (I wear 1-2 sizes smaller in low-rise denim than my waist measurement). shiny on "The fall of the waist" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist#post-699126 Tue, 21 Aug 2012 02:15:59 +0000 shiny 699126@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ KL, the distance from my hip bone to belly button is only about an inch. Then less than an inch to the widest part of my hip. I find the UO's do not dig in at all, in fact I need a belt to keep them in place. Which is rare for me because usually pants and also skirts are too tight in the "waist" -- wherever that's supposed to hit which to unfrump's point, is nowhere near the real waist. I probably could've rocked mid-rises before kids, but now there's too much loose skin that needs to be tucked in somewhere. :-Q That said, i do not wear the skinnies with a tucked in top; I prefer a top that has some volume and is hitting above crotch point. And then with a layer over to add structure and nip in at the waist (to Suz's point). I would wear the Huttons with a tucked in top -- and definitely with a form fitting top. No muffin top no lumps no bulges. Maybe I should take one of my pairs of Huttons (I have two) in and have it made into a straight leg? Hmmm. That might be my ideal jean. Keix on "The fall of the waist" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist#post-699107 Tue, 21 Aug 2012 01:52:24 +0000 Keix 699107@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Shiny--funny, I was just bemoaning the other day how UO didn't carry any low-rise skinnies! I find even their mid-rise a bit high for me, and the high rise looks horrid. The rise hits my belly button, but since that is my widest and squishiest point (my hips are narrow, especially from the front), it's not a flattering look. My torso doesn't get any smaller from hip to belly button, so the higher rises just dig in. I still feel like low-rise dress pant options are few, though perhaps the majority are mid-rise and therefore not satisfying to you, either. Thistle on "The fall of the waist" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist#post-699101 Tue, 21 Aug 2012 01:40:16 +0000 Thistle 699101@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I completely know where you are coming from. I am a pretty pear, and have similar issues. As a pretty pear, though, I have given up on pleats ever looking nice, although I still like a pant with good drape. If you are okay with not sporting that look, you can still find the higher waist a lot of stores. Also, the Hollywood fit seems to be making a come back, and that seems to sit higher. I have also seen more stores carrying a curvy fit that sits a bit higher, and tends to work well for pretty pears. I think it is important to know your body and style, and select those trends you like and flatter, and enjoy the rest as a spectator. shiny on "The fall of the waist" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist#post-699089 Tue, 21 Aug 2012 01:26:40 +0000 shiny 699089@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I relate to everything you wrote, and also to Suz's response. When I was younger-before-kids (back in the 80s) I adored the high-rise at the waist pleated look. After kids, I had a bit of an apple shape and pleats are no longer flattering (to Suz's point) but I still think that a higher rise is more flattering on me, and also way -- infinitely -- more comfortable. For all the reasons you both ave already cited. For this reason I have a love/hate relationship with pants. I have embraced dresses big time in the past year or so, and may be now leaning towards skirts. But I still love pants -- it's just so difficult to find ones that are comfortable (don't feel like they are falling off my hips) and flattering (no muffin top, accentuate my rear view). My "happy medium" and ideal is to find pants and jeans that hit right at the belly button, no higher, no lower. My natural waist is several inches higher, right under the rib. Pants that hit at the belly button -- especially if they have a wide waist band -- lock and load the tummy area. No pleats, so no puff. Unfrumped, these jeans hit me at my belly button -- not where they appear on the model in this picture: <a href="http://www.revolveclothing.com/DisplayProduct.jsp?code=CITI-WJ227" rel="nofollow">http://www.revolveclothing.com.....CITI-WJ227</a> They are the most flattering and comfortable jeans I own. For skinnies these are my brand: <a href="http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=16688517&parentid=W_BOTTOMS" rel="nofollow">http://www.urbanoutfitters.com.....=W_BOTTOMS</a> Again, these hit me right AT belly button (completely cover it up), not below. Note that neither of those styles have pleats. Honestly? No matter what I do, how I style them, I just look ridiculous in mid-rise and especially low-rise pants. And even if I can style them to look okay, I find them utterly uncomfortable so I'm squirming and feeling awful in them... which is never a good look. catgirl on "The fall of the waist" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist#post-699060 Tue, 21 Aug 2012 01:00:08 +0000 catgirl 699060@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I think the underlying assumption in your post is that one has a waist to define. The truth is, pants in the style you are describing simply don't work for all body types, and they used to be the only option for workwear pants. For instance, those Liz Claiborne high-waist pleated tapered gabardine career pants were the only thing out there in the early 90s. They did nothing for me as someone who is petite and relatively slender but has no defined waist and very narrow hips. So while I hear you, I have never been so happy to have options, and even then I can barely find anything that fits in pants! Aziraphale on "The fall of the waist" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist#post-699044 Tue, 21 Aug 2012 00:42:35 +0000 Aziraphale 699044@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I found this post fascinating. I can't exactly relate to your issues, because the lower-waisted pants look a lot better on me than ones that hit my natural waist (ie the smallest part of my torso), but I can totally understand where you're coming from. It's true that lower-rise pants tend to ride down (I still haven't found a perfect solution to this) and back in the 90s, when I wore higher-waisted, baggy pants (and very short tee shirts), I never had that problem. So. Here's the thing. Pants, or at least jeans, look dreadful on my figure if they come up too high. That's the bottom line. But they don't on all figures. Some women -- particularly those with a long torso or lean midsection, can rock the higher waistband, pleats and all, and look terrific. Secondary to the fugly factor, there's also the issue of comfort. I simply prefer the feel of pants that button below my belly button. Maybe it's because I'm used to lower pants, but a bulky zipper that extends up above my belly button is just plain uncomfortable. However, I wear skirts that go right up to my natural waist -- which is way above my belly button -- and they look and feel just fine. Maybe it's because they all have a flat front. I recently tried on a jcrew denim pencil skirt which had a front zip and high waist, and I found it both uncomfortable and not terribly flattering. But I saw a client of Angie's, a 70+ woman named Karen, wearing the exact same skirt and looking like a million bucks. So it goes to show -- what works on one bod doesn't necessarily work on another. As far as defining the waist with my low-rise pants, I rely heavily on tops with built-in waist definition. I also look better with belts that lay across my hips, because it makes my lean straight figure look more curvaceous. So if the belt loops are at hip level, all the better. But women with lots of natural curves often look great with a belt -- or the waistband of their pants -- right at their natural waist, which is often teeny in comparison to their hips. So my suggestion is: wear the current version of whatever pant silhouette suits you, and whatever you feel comfortable in. There really is a plethora of choice out there in this decade! geargirl on "The fall of the waist" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist#post-699029 Tue, 21 Aug 2012 00:26:47 +0000 geargirl 699029@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I can definitely relate. As a "pretty pear" with a long torso and short legs, I have many of the same issues. I like the "semi-tuck" or a cardigan buttoned or belted at the smallest part of my waist to lengthen my leg-line and emphasize my waist. I have found some belts with elastic in them (I found mine at anthropologie) to sit flatter and are more comfortable and secure. I could not find any online at anthro currently, but here is a link to illustrate what I mean: <a href="http://www.zappos.com/cole-haan-slider-stretch-belt-black-jute" rel="nofollow">http://www.zappos.com/cole-haa.....black-jute</a> I just googled "stretch belt". I definitely sympathize with your frustration. You are not alone! Gaylene on "The fall of the waist" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist#post-699013 Mon, 20 Aug 2012 23:59:08 +0000 Gaylene 699013@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I think body type plays a big part in choosing a pant style. Most rectangles, apples, and inverted triangle type look good in pants that fit on the hips, as do women with an overall slim build, so that makes these pants very popular. But I'm not convinced that a pant that fits at the hipline is always the most flattering choice for a more hourglassy or pretty pear shape for the reasons you've articulated above. If you like to emphasize your waist and still wear pants that fit on the hip, why not try tops that have built-in waist emphasis like drawstrings or shirring at the waist so you can wear the top untucked but still get your waist emphasis? Or look for non-pleated pants with yoked waistband, or longer rise, so the pants fit closer to your actual waist allowing you to tuck and belt at your waist. Pants can be hard to fit on some body shapes and may need to be altered to get the fit just right. And, finally, I have noticed that some of the newer pant shapes are designed to fit looser and at the waist-- so hang in there. Your pants preferences may be all over the shops in a year or so! Suz on "The fall of the waist" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist#post-698995 Mon, 20 Aug 2012 23:36:09 +0000 Suz 698995@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I do. I am "of a certain age," LOL. And all of this makes a lot of sense to me. I still like the look of "classic" trousers that sit on the true waist, have pleats, drape -- think Katherine Hepburn. Of course, not everyone has the figure to look as great in those trousers as we'd all love to look or as we think we SHOULD look, in theory. In truth, I'll bet the female body in general is more flattered by skirts and dresses than by trousers, horrible as that might be to say! (Know, too, that I wear jeans 9 days out of 10!) I think you are right - we give up some waist definition even if we tuck with our low-riding pants. Here's one solution: the right jacket. If you put on a waist nipping topper, all of a sudden you get your waist again, and you don't have the problems of silhouette that you refer to above. The "third piece" is often a statement piece and it makes a huge difference. You can get a similar effect with a vest or a cardigan buttoned in the right spot. If we wait long enough, the true waistline will come back. One reason it may be "out" is that pleated trousers that go right up to the waist emphasize apple tummies. They work really well on women who are slim in profile, but not so well on women who have a bump there. As many of us do! unfrumped on "The fall of the waist" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-fall-of-the-waist#post-698984 Mon, 20 Aug 2012 23:24:30 +0000 unfrumped 698984@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ The not-so-new change to jean and trousers that sit " below the waist" has me somewhat perplexed, even though over the last couple of years I've finally ditched all my regular waistline, pleat-front wool trousers (no rotten tomatoes, please). These were admittedly older vintage, and so needed to be ditched even if re-interpreted in a fresher version, and I don't regret making a change. However, I find the lower-waist trousers really difficult for defining a waist. By definition, if you tuck in a top and belt at the loops, you've "defined" a horizontal line at your not-smallest area; then your top blurs the natural waist. Sure, you can compensate a bit with a fitted woven shirt or knit top, but it has to be perfectly fitted there to even approach the look of having a belt closer to the natural waistline. So, most folks it appears to me, IRL and on these pages, go untucked or end up surrendering the waist even if not thinking they are wearing a true "waist-surrendering" top. I've done some belting-over-the-top and that's interesting, too. It can work okay for a heavy top fabric, but otherwise a waist-sitting belt has to ride above the pants' waist and the waistband, no matter how flat you aim to get it, sticks out in silhouette. Then you can of course belt lower on the hips--hmm, but that's not the waist. I get almost all of my "new" (lower-waisted) pants tailored to fit as snugly as possible in the so-called waist and still, because they ride below my smallest zone, they don't feel quite as secure. I have a very thin flat belt I wear most times anyway even under tops. So I have had to live very untucked ever since I went in this direction. Is this all in pursuit of having the smallest-looking booty zone possible by bisectiing that zone horizontally and so the "shirt" take up more visual space ? Because I'm finding that sacrifices a lot of other body-flattering looks. A challenge for me is that I don't wear any significant heel height for most work days. That means, my leg line was longer when I had a blouse tucked into a higher-waist pant than if I have an untucked top or a belt that about bisects me if I wear relatively flat shoes. Still, I'm glad I finally took stock and have become more style-aware in order to (try to) become unfrumped. What I was doing before wasn't really right, either and I've become more conscious of the total look, whether it's flat-front/bootcut/Hollywood style or other, for my shape/age/style. Thanks to this site with Angie's blogs and tips from the forum, I realize I may be able to indulge my "waist tendencies" and even pleats if I pay attention to updating to new interpretations. It also means, I have learned to try to keep from buying too many of any one kind of pants ( or one kind of anything, really) in order to have room, budget and closet-wise, to pounce on some different styles that I like much better when they are more "in" and hang back when they are not. I'm just not sure I "get" why the waistline is so unpopular in pants to the extent that it kind of "poisons" the eye so I'm no longer sure it's "acceptable" or is considered fringe and freaky. Of course it is much more acceptable make use of a natural waistline in skirts and dresses, but I don't wear those nearly as much in my work. Anyone out there relate to these issues?