How do we feel about shorter tops? Y/N - YouLookFab Forum

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Dressing

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How do we feel about shorter tops? Y/N

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I am finding myself still purging as I pull things from the depths of my closet. The biggest violator is shorter tops. And by that I mean barely hipbone length, not belly shirts! These were all deemed too short on me with pants when I first joined here a year and a half ago, and it was the hardest lesson for me to get into my thick head. My question is whether the tide is changing and this isn't such a no no anymore? I think it really started to happen with the advent of skinny jeans to help balance the narrow proportions. But sometimes we wear wide legs or flares or just regular ol' straight legs. Is this still the 'rule' or should I be holding on to some shorter faves looking toward a shift in shirt hemlines?

yay - keep your short shirts; maybe the day of long tops is fading
nay - toss them; this is a proportion issue and not a fad

Dressing

25 replies

Latest reply was from Velma

HelenInCanada

Veteran

Keep your absolute favourites - you could layer them over a tank or cami.

Anonymous

I've done away with them. They do nothing for me except to distort my figure. I think it's because I'm short in the waist and long in the rise (crotch).

Meredith1953

Veteran

If they can be layered over a button down or cami you might want to save them but otherwise ditch them. I also have tops that are too short and it's a shame because some of them are beautiful colors

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Mo, this is a good question, and I'll be listening in, so to speak, on the answers. I was just looking at an old favorite top in my closet the other day that I have had for going on 9 years. It's a fitted woven black shirt with pinstripes and a cool hook-and-eye closure detail in place of buttons -- you and me and our love of hardware! It was tight for a while and now it fits again, but it is on the shorter side, so I wondered about it as well. I am relatively short waisted, but I'm mindful that a couple of times Angie has mentioned that a shirt could stand to be longer on me.

I wonder if you and I both need to post some pics for feedback.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

For example, here are ones I'm hanging on to, but have not yet worn. I can at least wear this length with skirts, but with my cold climate I'd love to be able to pair them with pants. You can see I tried the layer trick with the pink sweater, which is the shortest one I own.

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HelenInCanada

Veteran

#1 and #2 I'd hold onto!

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

Depends on the style. Can you post the ones you are considering? I wear some of mine layered with longer cardi's or bf jackets. Also if they are cropped you could wear a longer tank underneath.

But basically yes, I am not really that into my shorter tops these days. I am wearing tunics that go past my crotch most days -- though today I have a shortie jacket and a shortie blouse on.

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

I like the ones you're holding on to - I think the pink sweater is the one I am most hesitant about.

cciele

Veteran

I like the tops you're holding on to! I really thinking it depends on the proportions of your outfits and your body as far as optimal top length goes (regardless of trends). Lately, I've been thinking some of my tops are too long to go with my flares and bootcuts!

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I have a chunky knit cream sweater in the same category. I tried it on yesterday over dark blue 3/4 sleeve top and jeans with blue and white boots, but it didn't work. I'd love to be able to salvage it.

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Jonesy

Veteran

I think I like the chunky cream one the best, maybe with a similar-toned top underneath and some lighter pants (e.g., olive skinnies) so the look is pretty monochromatic?

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Jonesy, I was wearing olive skinnies at first lol! But I have no cream top Would a white t-neck be just awful with the cream? I could wear my dark olive tee to tone with the pants I guess.

Jonesy

Veteran

I like white and cream together. Olive sounds good too, or what about a heather gray?

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I think I'd let the pink sweater go and probably the #3 top as well. #2 has a nice pattern and looks nice (not so short) with that green cardi over it. The cream sweater is okay but it's pretty bulky to my eye. If you don't mind that, then I agree a cream or other color top under it might be nice.

catgirl

Veteran

I feel like this length looks dated - everything at the thrift stores seems to be in this category. If they were shorter, you could pull them off as cropped (at least the sweaters) which I do love.

But I also don't have the bod for shorter tops with my mini-gut.

bella

(website)

Veteran

I think #2 and #3 work with skirts but not jeans.

Anonymous

The sweaters will be tough to pull off, but the other tops might work with the high waisted skirts and pants that are coming back. However, the *new* cropped tops are wide and voluminous and often have a hi-lo hem. I'm struggling with some short button front shirts that I recently thrifted. They were too short to stay tucked into my skirt, and I didn't like the way they looked untucked. I think the answer for me is going to be to wear them outside of my skirt and belt on top of them.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Echoing what others have said, I think hipbone-length tops, if fitted, look great with A-line skirts and wide-leg pants, but not with straight or skinny pants. That's a general rule that I've found to be true for my figure, which is not wildly different from yours (although you're more hourglass than me).

Sometimes a shorter top can be saved by wearing a long tank top underneath, but for me this only seems to work if the top is quite tight. Otherwise it just looks boxy and weird, in a topheavy sort of way. It might work on a woman with fuller hips, though.

Elly

Veteran

For the most part the length kills them, but there are also other dated details on these tops. The chunky thick knits in the fitted silhouettes on the sweaters don't seem very current -- for the most part most of the chunky knits in the last few years have been artfully over-sized or very cropped. The bell sleeves plus the short length on the one top is a bit dating. Sometimes dated stuff can be saved by pairing with new things, but other times the skinny jeans just magnify the fact the sweater is a style from the last decade.

I'm trying not to be too harsh, but this is my pet peeve other than PPL--- nothing makes someone look their age (in a negative way) or older/out of touch than when they are than wearing clothes that scream "17-27 y.o. 10 to 15 years ago". If one part of your outfit strongly reminds you of something that Rachel or Monica would have worn on "Friends" during the middle years (before Ralph Lauren and restaurant ownership) it is probably badly dating you.

cciele

Veteran

I'm really confused about top length here. I can see how, combined with a few other details, some tops can be dated. But in the last few months, I've bought tops from the Gap that are at my hip length or a bit above. And then, for example, this sweater from Ann Taylor:
http://www.anntaylor.com/ann/c.....;cid=A0001

So is it a matter of our eye getting used to the shorter length again? Just as some people have been embracing ankle-length pants...

Alecia

Veteran

I think there is definitely a shorter shirt look happening now but they're more voluminous and shorter than the tops you posted. I got rid of shorter shirts or relegated them to skirts shirts until yesterday when a laundry strike forced me to pair one of these tops with pants. There's a reason I did that.

Scarlet

Veteran

I definitely see a lot of shorter shirts for sale these days, but they tend to be boxy. Not that that makes them better in my eyes. I think it is because rises are supposed to be getting longer, aka the high-waisted look. Proportion-wise that look is a disaster on me so I will never convert. I have a feeling you can pull of short tops better than I, so I would take a long hard look at what you feel looks best on you and stick with that. I will be in long tops and low waisted jeans for as long as they can be found.

ManidipaM

Veteran

The woven tops can be used in layered or tucked outfits, but not sure about the pink sweater --- looks untuckable and not easiest for layering either...

fashionista

Veteran

Yay keep some favorite ones since as HelenInCanada refers you could layer them. And who knows they may be back soon.

Velma

Veteran

I think #2 is a keeper (especially worn with a skirt, but it looks cute in the photo). I'd say to dump the rest!