I've always been larger on top than on bottom, but it has become much more noticeable in the last 15 years due to the nature of my work. I've discovered that knits are my friends for my top half, as wovens wind up being so constricting (even with stretch!). Rather than try and minimize my top half and maximize my bottom, I've learned to just roll with it and embrace strong shouldered looks (as long as no shoulder pads are involved because then I look like a linebacker LOL)

Interesting thread. I have plenty of fit issues, but I don't think of myself as disproportional. That might be due to having watched a lot of online videos about Kibbe's body types, which seem to me to embrace more diversity than what we see in off-the-rack clothes.

I have heard that clothes are generally cut very straight because it is much more difficult to sew curves--and therefore more expensive. So in short it is cheaper to produce clothing that is made for a straighter body.

Finding tops that fit is a huge challenge for me because my waist is so short and my shoulders so narrow. So inevitably excess fabric ends up at my armpits, and I feel the shoulder seams on the outside of my shoulder (not a comfortable feeling). The waist, which is the smallest part of the garment width, will hit me at my high hip, which is one of my widest spots due to my figure 8 shape. Nothing will make me look frumpier than a misses'-cut top!

My solution is to shop petites' as much as possible, though that can be pretty boring. I have had success buying some form-fitting *knit* tops (turtlenecks, tees) in misses' sizes, as long as the sizing runs small. I have some turtlenecks from Club Monaco and some tops from Reformation that fit me well. Anything woven and tailored is likely to be a disaster unless specifically cut for a petite.

When I'm shopping misses', high crew necks and turtlenecks are good styles, because they help hold the shirt in place (if it's a little too wide in the shoulders, it can shift around). I avoid V-necks and scoop necks, because the neckline will be scandalously low. When shopping online, I have also recently started looking at the back view of the model, to see roughly where the shoulder seams hit her and whether she is an inverted triangle (many models are). If she is an IT and the shoulder seams are accommodating her nicely, I just assume that the top will not work for me and I pass on it.

The struggle is real!

Jacquez - we are totally opposite in our larger/smaller areas. Maybe we could cut garments in two and trade halves...

Gigi, I have the same issues with tops. Finding a blazer that fit of the rack is mission impossible. I also have to size up to accommodate the chest area and shoulders are always too big, even if I shop petite sizes.

I have the same fit issues as Gigi mentions. I am happy w/ my size but get aggravated by always having to shop petites as selections are so limited. I get stuck w/ the same brands over & over. Even certain department stores (such as Nordstrom) which supposedly carry a "size inclusive" range have such a paltry selection of petite sizes that I don't bother looking. Skirts are the only item I can buy in non-petite sizes because I wear a variety of lengths.
I fault the stores though & not my body.

Irina, yes, I agree that blazers are tough! I'm glad that my bust is of average size or I would have hardly anything to wear. In case you're interested, I have noticed some "curvy-fit" petite tops at J. Crew and I think Madewell lately. I ordered a button-down from J. Crew in the petite curvy cut to see what it would be like, and it was way too huge in the bust for me (I am a D cup). I am glad they are making an effort to accommodate more people in the sizing, although they have a long way to go.

Irina, I am really tired of the boring petite selections too. The only place I can find anything interesting is Anthropologie. But it gets old shopping the same place over and over. And alterations to tops can be expensive, and you never know if it's going to look good once it's done.

Gigi, thanks! Unfortunately, I don’t buy anything from “curvy” lines - My hips are too narrow for it to fit. I celebrate if an item I bought doesn’t require alterations
I remember once I complained to DH about paying for alterations on top of price of a garment. He said “You could roll up sleeves on your tops or ignore that a top a bit too long. But it’s not you to ignore details. So, you have to pay a bit more for staying true to yourself. Accept it, it is not a big price to pay to feel comfortable “. And this is what I do

Irina, what a great husband!