How to determine optimal top length?

Peri

This morning I put on a JCrew T shirt I wore all last summer and suddenly it seems too long!

And yet, on Amiable's post yesterday on tops, several comments said some of them were too short. Not that I noticed! I am, as in all things, clueless!

I am very firmly anti-tuck!! This has not wavered since my little 8 year old self fought with my mother and refused to tuck in my tops. Tucking in...yes, even half, faux and semi...feels very wrong on me!

Is there a way to determine optimal top length if left untucked? I'm winding whether to hem some tops. If it matters, I have a long torso relative to height.

12 years ago

General

11 replies

Latest reply was from shedev

Gabrielle

Active Member

This is a great question because I struggle with it as well. One thing I notice is that many women wear untucked shirts that end at the widest part of their body. Although it is unflattering to my eye, no one in the forum ever comments on it so I decided that must be the look the wearer is trying achieve. Perhaps it has something to do with trying to achieve a voluminous look?

12 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Angie had a blog post on this a while ago.

That post is about tops worn with pants. With skirts, it's a bit different; typically the ideal length would be a bit shorter (or...gasp...you could tuck!!) As with jackets, it is frustrating to need an entirely different set of tops for pants vs. skirts! Of course it does depend on the style of the skirt, too, and your body type also plays a role in what proportions will look best, whether you are wearing pants or skirts.

12 years ago

Elizabeth P

Veteran

I think it varies based on your body type. I got a style analysis thing done ages ago, and my best length, based on my body, is crotch or low hip.

12 years ago

Gabrielle

Active Member

Angie's post is very helpful. I think the length of most of the shirts in my wardrobe may be wrong. This is a bit depressing and maybe why I haven't really felt like shopping for tops.

12 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I think this can be tricky, so I feel like I struggle with this as well. With my short torso, I have to watch that tops aren't too short, but if they're too long, they end at the widest point of my saddlebags, which is bad bad bad.

I wish there were some numerical formula or something, but I think it's a matter of trying tops on and seeing where they fall on your particular body. And it's also so different between skirts, trousers, and jeans too!

One thing I do notice is that a curved hem that dips down in the front and back and up on the sides really helps in the flattery department on me, and high-low hems as well. Anything that cuts straight across is not terribly easy to wear for anyone with curves.

12 years ago

Carole

Veteran

It is tricky, isn't it? It's all about proportions, what works with skirts, doesn't necessarily work with pants, and throwing a jacket or cardigan into the mix changes everything, too. I'm with Janet, a curved hem is super flattering and seems a little more versatile. This must be why I have a bizillion tops!

12 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

In addition, I've noticed that the width and length of the skirt/pants/jeans and whether you choose to belt over the top will factor into its optimum length -- so there's no ONE solution!!! Well, I guess there is: Just pretend to be clueless and pre-YLF. Life was easier then, lol.

12 years ago

Peri

Veteran

Haha Donna, I like it! Except I think my ignorance wasn't that blissful really.

Thanks for the link to the Angie post Suz. Thing is, the bottom line of the no was the yes at one point...so it's no wonder why I'm confused...about everything! I can remember when so many things that are dissed on now were declared fantastic. Oh well, keep trying to keep up!

12 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I know...it can be frustrating, can't it, Peri? But I think it's like this. Fashion evolves constantly. And some of those evolutions lead to changes in proportion, overall. So what looked good with yesterday's pants might not work with today's pants. It's not that any one of these is bad, per se. It's just that the whole effect is compromised if the proportions don't match up.

12 years ago

Glory

Veteran

I feel your pain Peri. I have no clue what the formula is but based my purge on how things looked in the photos I took. Almost every single blouse felt too short for me unless I wore a skirt and tucked them in. Even the tshirts felt too short.
I hope they don't come back into style next year

12 years ago

shedev

Veteran

I purged a ton of shorter tops. When I started taking outfit photos, I just felt that that I like longer tops on my body.

12 years ago

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