Confused! - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Body Type

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Confused!

Anna26

Hi everyone!

I am trying to find out my vertical and horizontal body shape but am so confused with the information out there. It all seems to tell you something different!

For the long/short waisted definition some sites tell you it's the torso length in relation to leg lengths, others say its waist to neck length and has no baring on leg length or rise length, others say it is where the waist falls in comparison to the crotch and armpits!
I am so confused as this information is so different. I am also trying to figure this out in relation to torso length, can you have a long torso but be short waisted, some of the info above would assume so. And can you be long and short waisted but with similiar size rises!? AGGGHH!!

Plus some sites say that your horizontal figure is determined by your shoulder, waist and hip measurement and others say it is bust, waist and hip measurement. I am petite and my largest point (as in the hip measurement) is very low down (almost upper thigh) , therefore does this mean i have no hips?!

Help!

Body Type

17 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

Nicole

Veteran

Hi Anna! I think the best way to get some help in this is to post a photo of yourself. Please wear jeans that fit well, and a fitted shirt or cami. Measurements, including height will help.

Also try to have someone take the photo for you (or dig out your camera book and figure out how to use the timer). Your arms should be by your side to get a fair assessment. Oh and SMILE!

Anna26

Hi Nicole

I will try and sort a photo out soon and get someone to help me.
My measurements are 32-25-35. However that makes me sound like a pear and i think i have quite broad shoulders for my frame (14" from one shoulder to other at the back) and most of my hip measurement is the size of my bum rather than my horizontal hips (does that make sense!lol)

I am 5'1 and think that my torso is longer than my legs. I think it is due to the fact that I have a long rise aswell as a long waist (thats if i have got that right cos still dont really get it lol!)

Any ideas much appreciated!

Anonymous

I understand what you are saying. All of us are built so differently it is difficult to put us into catagories. We may fit a certain catagory and have tendancies towards another. I am very long waisted but my naval is very high. My bra straps have to be very long and some people call that long waisted when it has nothing to do with my waist.
If you post a photo I'm sure it will be helpful.

Nicole

Veteran

That is why a photo is most helpful.

Your comments and questions to make sense. I had the hardest time trying to figure out my waist length. There is no formula that works, it seems. Turns out I have a normal waist length. I think we are trained to look for our flaws, instead of embracing our bodies as a whole. Thats why I was trying to figure out if I was long waisted or short waisted. I hadn't even considered I'd be proportionaly waisted since not much about me is proportionate! ha!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You just got the best advice from San and Nicole. They make me proud. Bring on the pic and we'll help you out.

Anna26

How do i post pics? there's no photo uploader?x

Anna26

whoo hoo iv worked it out! Please help me decide what my horizontal and vertical body type is!! Thank you!! xx

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3133/2796735492_012740c512.jpg" width="208" height="500" alt="DSC00506" />

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3035/2796735788_20ff18f384.jpg" width="192" height="500" alt="DSC00507" />

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3178/2795888717_6f02cb4597.jpg" width="157" height="500" alt="DSC00508" />

Tanya

Veteran

I am not completely sure, but I'd say you are either a rectangle or a straight hourglass. Angie will probably clear it up

Anna26

thanks tanya!! straight hourglass is a new one to me lol! i hate my body from the back view, i think it looks masculine, but doesnt from front! which i dont get. its all very confusing isnt it. i am getting married soon so want to be sure

anne

Veteran

Hi Anna, Hope Angie can help, because I can see that it isn't easy to work out - from one perspective I would have said inverted triangle (probably what you mean when you say it looks masculine, but from the side you look more pearshape. I can relate to what you say about most of your hip measurement being at the bum rathen than the hips because I am a little like that to ( you are more so)
I think you do have a proportionally long torso - I suppose that means longwaisted Angie?
What wedding dress styles are you considering?

Anna26

Thanks Anne. Yes it's very confusing! Like you say at certain angles I look inverted triangle however i do not have some of the other characteristics that comes under this shape, i.e i large chest and no bottom.

I am hoping to have a v-neck top at back and front because this seems most flattering on my back. and a fullish skirt to even my bottom half with my top. Thats about all im considering at moment!

I hope angie can help with my body shape, cos i think i am a bit of a mish-mash! lol xx

Anonymous

Anna26, you don't look masculine from the back at all. You're very curvy, really cute figure. I'd give just about anything to have a round butt like you have. It is very hard to find pants to fit a flat butt.

Anna26

Thank you San. Your comments are really nice. I have always disliked my body from the back and felt it is out of propotion so you have made me feel a lot better! I know what you mean about finding pants, sometimes i wonder how they make them, they dont seem to help either girls with bigger butts or girls with no butts! xx

shiny

Veteran

I agree with San - you have a cute figure and I'd also die to have a round butt like yours.

Can I ask a few questions? Where is your belly button? And what is your inseam and your height? And what is the rise on that pair of pants you are wearing?

My first reaction looking at your photo was that you have short legs, which makes it appear that you have a long torso. Does that make sense?

However, I'm not sure you really do have short legs... I'm wondering if it's simply just an illusion created by your choice in jeans?

In my opinion (and Angie will correct me if I'm totally offbase) super low rise jeans tend to make legs look short. They definetly increase the visual length of your torso. (This is yet one more reason I prefer higher rises - just below the belly button - I think it balances me out better vertically.)

Not saying you shouldn't or can't wear them - you have the abs for it so enjoy! - just saying that with a tank top this photo is making it appear your legs are short in proportion with your torso.

Also pocket flaps - you don't need them ! Those are for us gals who have flat butts and want to give the illusion of a more rounded one like yours!!!

I read somewhere (sorry - can't remember where I read this, and cautioning that I may even be remembering it somewhat wrong) that you should measure:

1) From top of head to shoulder line
2) From shoulder line to top of bra (not the band)
3) From top of bra to skinniest part of waist
4) From waist to widest part of hips
5) Sitting down - with your back pressed against the chair - from back of chair to back of knee
6) From back of knee to ground (ie. bottom of feet).

Wherever you are longest, that's were you want to do things to give a shorter illusion. For example, if you are longest in zone 4, you may want a top that hits in the middle and not at the hips where it'll just make you look longest.

Wherever you are shortest, that's where you want to do things to give a longer illusion. For example, if you are longest in zone 4, you may want a top that hits all the way down on the hip for a more elongating effect. If you are shortest in zone 6, you may find you have a penchant for high heels, etc.

When I did this exercise I was surprised to discover all my 6 zones are nearly equal - except for #2!! That's where I'm shortest. Which explains why even petite tops often have fit troubles for me!!

Anna26

Shiny thank you so much for that message, it was very helpful!

I think i do have short legs, not just an illusion of the photo! However I don't think my jeans help. I find that when shopping for jeans they are very focused on low rise, there are very few high rise jeans. Also when wearing high rise jeans sometimes i find it difficult to look 'in fashion' and not frumpy! does that make sense?

However I am sure I need to create height in my bottom half and there must be jeans out there that are high rise that can look nice.

Im about 5"1 and my leg length is about 29" which i think demonstrates that my legs are short. They tell you to wear heels but it is not always practical in everyday life to wear heels!

I am going to try your excercise and see if it helps me. Everyones comments are slowly making it become clearer!

Thanks!

Nicole

Veteran

I'd say your an hourglass with a strong shoulder line.

I also agree with the gals that you have a nice backside, and shouldn't dislike the back half of your body. I think you have the right curves in the right places.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Wow. Clever lot you are! I'm going on holiday. See you soon.

(p.s. Anna, you're a long waisted rectangle and Shiny is spot on about the low rise and pocket flaps).