https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1 Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:14:08 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1/page/2#post-489289 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:49:19 +0000 Suz 489289@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oooh! ! Thanks, Imogen! Perhaps we should start a new thread about this with a request? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1/page/2#post-489247 Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:29:50 +0000 ImogenL 489247@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow what a great conversation is going on here - glad that you've all begun to understand how proportion is so important - in fact as important as body shape in working out what will work for your unique body.</p> <p>To clear up questions:</p> <p>It's full head length, not just face length - but a 2D length not 3D - you may find taking a photo - take it with the camera at half your height so that it doesn't skew up or down the apparent length of your body.</p> <p>A large bust will visually shorten your waist - I - in measurement (if I measured in quarters rather than eighths - would have a balanced waist - but because a large bust sits lower - my chin to mid-bust is longer and mid-bust to waist is shorter - has to be to fit the amount of flesh in!</p> <p>Waist is the narrowest point between end of rib cage and top of pelvis - so not the belly button (which is lower than natural waist).</p> <p>Necklaces - that's the Balance Point concept - and is based on face length, not head length (so hairline to chin).</p> <p>I would love to do a series of posts on proportions so if you'd like to send me photos taken as described I can give you some pointers - will happily blank out faces! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1/page/2#post-488793 Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:29:46 +0000 Anonymous 488793@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I did Imogen's proportion thing and figured out I'm short waisted but have a long rise. I always gain weight in the tummy area, which confirms her theory. Now I know why I can wear petite tops (I'm 5 ft. 2 in. tall) but NOT petite pants! It's because petite pants are too short in the rise. They're not easy to find, but I buy misses' short pants that have a 30-inch inseam to wear with heels. I can also buy regular misses' pants and have them hemmed, but I only do that if the pants are on sale and priced low enough to justify taking them to the tailor.</p> <p>Also, my shoulders are the same width as my hips, and I can't always wear petite tops. Some petite brands are too narrow in the shoulders and too short in the arms. So I shop both petite and regular sizes for tops.</p> <p>My biggest fit issue is tummy flab from having 4 children; 3 of them c-section deliveries. I never see any fashion advice about what to do to conceal that. I don't have as much of a tummy as many women I know, but I still have a pooch, and I hate it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1/page/2#post-487630 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 02:33:30 +0000 Suz 487630@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>VERY interesting, Rosee and Mochi! Rosee, it sounds as if you are enviably well proportioned! That is great news! But I sympathize about the struggle to find clothes as a pear. I think it can be extremely frustrating, but that it perhaps more about the way the clothes are cut horizontally than their vertical proportions; they are made for people with narrower hips. </p> <p>My bottom half confirms Imogen's theory; I DO tend to put on weight on my thighs, which are proportionately short. But I DON'T tend to put on weight on my short waist...or at least not for a long time; it goes on other places first. So Mochi, I'm a bit of a spanner, too. </p> <p>I think it more likely that we LOOK as if we've put on weight in our shorter areas first. We may, in fact, be gaining all over, but it is in the shorter areas that our weight gain will be more visible. Does that make sense? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1/page/2#post-487625 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 02:23:58 +0000 Mochi 487625@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't put on weight in my upper thighs (relatively), but I'm proportionately very short there. I guess I'm the spanner, eh? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1/page/2#post-487619 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 02:14:01 +0000 rosee 487619@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for posting this video Suz! </p> <p>I finally got around to fixing my video player and did the exercise. I came up with an interesting discovery. Either I am very proportional (8 head lengths) or I did it a little wrong. Assuming the second, but when I repeated, I got very similar results. I even did it with a measuring tape instead of a string. There was a half-inch difference in some measurements from the 8.5" (the head measurement), like 9" from chin to mid-bust, but I'm sure a better fitting bra could fix that! I also seemed to be 8" in the lower torso (waist to crotch).<br /> I'm 5'6" (66") and my head and torso are 33" as are my legs. I always thought I had shorter legs but my inseam measurement would dispute that. I used to measure the length of my upper leg (leg break to mid-knee) v. the length of my lower leg (mid-knee to ankle), not including my foot, so maybe that's why I thought that. </p> <p>Funny thing is I still have trouble finding appropriate fitting clothing. I am pear-shaped (now more of a pear-apple!) so I carry most of my weight below my waist.<br /> According to Imogen: "that we are proportionally SHORT where we tend to PUT ON WEIGHT first." So that would mean I should be shorter in the lower torso and mid thigh area. MY natural waist is tricky to find right now (it's padded) but I noticed I am narrower a little above where my belly button lies. So I'm assuming that is my natural waist not my belly button line.</p> <p>It's too bad there isn't an app where we could take our picture and get a printout like Heleen's!!! Thanks again for posting this, but now look what you've started... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1/page/2#post-487155 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:43:12 +0000 Suz 487155@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yeah, Nicole, Imogen has a video about necklace placement, too! Actually, she names 2 sweet spots, a short length and a long length. There is a bit of room for play there, though, because it will also depend a bit on the layers you're wearing. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1/page/2#post-487133 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:26:45 +0000 Carole 487133@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Very interesting. I've got some homework to do. I've always struggled with figuring out my proportions, thanks for the nudge. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-487132 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:24:49 +0000 nicoleb 487132@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Innnnnnnnnnnnteresting. I'm going to have to try this out. I have a tiny head though lol.</p> <p>I just just learned yesterday that measuring the length of your head, and the the exact same distance from your chin down is the ideal placement of where a necklace should fall? I just kind of toss it all on, but it was interesting to learn. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-487129 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:24:06 +0000 Turkey Vulture 487129@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Good video! I love her blog. :)</p> <p>I've had many a revealing conversation with my tailor about my body proportions. I appear short-waisted from the front because of my *ahem* sizable bust. But from the back, I actually have a LOOOONNNG waist. When I buy dresses I usually have to get them a size up so they'll fit my bust, and then have long darts put in on the back side so they'll fit my long waist.</p> <p>I try to look on the bright side: darts aren't that expensive and at least I only have to have the back darted, not the front! My boobs take care of the extra fabric in front. Ha ha.</p> <p>No wonder I've always felt I look slightly off in profile. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-487089 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:43:56 +0000 Suz 487089@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Okay, I just measured again and my thighs are about 2.5 inches shorter than they "should" be and my calves about 2" shorter than they "should" be. My friends, meet Lady Shortlegs! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-487086 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:38:04 +0000 HeleenH 487086@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Imogen measured from the hairline, just the visible part of the head. Don't remember why. She mentioned it somewhere. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-487033 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:13:54 +0000 Lynne 487033@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I could relate to Imogen's 8 shape; it makes so much sense and explains why I never feel 'right' with belts on my waist. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-487031 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:03:00 +0000 Gaye 487031@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is a great tread, thanks for sharing the link Suz.<br /> Thanks Claire for enlighting me :-)<br /> Going to have a go later, I have a feeling I am gonna get a tad confused . </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486914 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 03:43:37 +0000 Suz 486914@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Mochi, I wasn't sure about how Imogen was doing that measurement, either. So I made an executive decision to measure from the hairline, lol! </p> <p>As for the bust, Imogen shows you that it mid-bust should be one head's length from the chin. I assume that is with a proper fitting bra. Ahem. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486912 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 03:41:12 +0000 Suz 486912@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Good question, Jonesy. It did explain a mystery (why the heck do I fit better into petite jackets if I am long waisted?) and it also confirmed a few other facts: despite my short waist, my torso is actually normal length (because my long rise "makes up" for my short waist), but my legs are short, and most of that shortness is in the calves. This is why I need to guard so hard against "stumpification" and why I resisted the booties with a dress look; objectively, it really IS more difficult for me to carry off than it is for you, for example, particularly since in addition to being on the short side, my calves are quite muscular. </p> <p>I'm one of those people who really benefits from wearing heels, but sadly, I much prefer low heeled shoes for comfort! Ah well.... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486836 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 02:06:46 +0000 Jonesy 486836@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I wonder how many women are carrying around erroneous things in their head that their mothers taught them long, long ago :)?</p> <p>It's great that you figured out that about your bod, Suz! Do you see it being helpful in a practical way, in terms of buying stuff, proportions, etc.? I find myself running from these sorts of complex mathematical assessments of my body, but I appreciate hearing about the scoop with others! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486801 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 01:15:14 +0000 Mochi 486801@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I just now watched Imogen's video. Was she measuring her head length all the way from the top of the head? It went fast and looked almost like she was just measuring from the hairline. </p> <p>HeleenH, I also have a disproportionately large head and will probably end up in the 6 territory. I wonder how this effects your clothes proportions, though...it's not like there's anything you can do with clothing to offset the size of your head. I think I'm confused here!</p> <p>I also have a very large bust. As in, it takes up a lot of length on my ribcage. So I wonder if that's throwing off the proportions or not. Again, probably confused and need to watch once more. </p> <p>I am assuming my proportions are very outlier! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486763 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:46:14 +0000 Suz 486763@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Denise, I'm confused...if your waist is higher than it should be, does this not mean you are short-waisted? </p> <p>I feel as if we need degrees in engineering to get this right, lol! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486713 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:55:47 +0000 CocoLion 486713@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What I discovered: I am quite short waisted and my legs are long. I think I knew that, but by doing this measurement technique I need not 2x2 head lengths to accommodate for my legs, I need another .5 heads to make up for my legs. My waist is very high up, close to my bust, and 2.5 inches above "where it should be." </p> <p>I do think think this might be an ethnic trait. When I lived in Japan, I noticed that many of the women had these lovely long and low waists. If you look at a mannequin, their waists are also lower on the torso than mine.</p> <p>What is new is that I now know that my torso is balanced to my head and as long as it should be, the only "flaw" being that my waist is very high. So I would follow instructions for high waisted dressing, not for having a short torso or waist. Does that make sense? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486613 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:05:08 +0000 Suz 486613@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>That's correct about the rise, Claire. At least that's my understanding, too! It's so interesting to hear what others have discovered!</p> <p>Scarlet, I actually re-did the hand test and I didn't pass it after all, even with my small hands; I must have been going hastily or roughly before. I've just done this whole thing in front of a mirror and made additional discoveries but I have to run right now; back later!</p> <p>ET fix the spelling of Claire's name. Sorry, Claire! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486584 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:28:10 +0000 Anonymous 486584@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I always thought I was an "H" and Imogen told me I'm an 8. So my wardrobe was all wrong, but I'm glad I found out. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486575 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:16:43 +0000 Anonymous 486575@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Gaye, the "rise" measurement is from crotch to waist. Low rise jeans are like hip-huggers because they don't come all the way up to the waist. Someone with a long rise is long in that measurement. At least that's my take on it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486570 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:03:45 +0000 Gaye 486570@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am gonna have to give this a try sorry a naive question what is low rise and long rise? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486565 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:51:07 +0000 Scarlet 486565@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I haven't had the courage or motivation to do this but that is very interesting about your small hands misleading you. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486561 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:46:09 +0000 Claudia 486561@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Having followed the video I am 8.5 x my head measurement. I am long in the torso both chin to chest and chest to natural waist, balanced in the rise and balanced in the thigh, but extra long in the calves.</p> <p>This makes sense in how my clothes fit me. Very interesting! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486551 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:15:53 +0000 Mochi 486551@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What I learned from an archived post from here (which went into the trick for measuring short/long waist with your hand length)...was that I was not only short-waisted, which I already knew, but there wasn't even a full hand length! It's pretty serious, IOW! </p> <p>I'm also realizing that I think my leg is longer or at least the same foot to knee than in the upper leg. Is this common? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486546 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:07:12 +0000 Janet 486546@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Interesting. I just tried it, and I'm definitely short from bust to waist, but long from waist to leg break. My upper legs are slightly short, and my calves are definitely long. Explains a lot about how some things look in the mirror! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486480 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:49:12 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 486480@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Interesting. All my life I thought I was short-waisted until I started to sew, and then I discovered that I was long through the torso but short between the waist and hip. Explained a lot of why I could never find dresses with waist seams low enough, but low-rise pants looked like normal pants on me... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/who-knew-1#post-486471 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:42:09 +0000 rae 486471@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ooh, bringing the science! I love the video and Heleen's pic. I've always kind of gone by what my eye saw as off, but measuring is definitely more accurate. </p>