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Proportions - pants, shoes, top length - one change leads to another...

Sal

Veteran

Hi All

I have been having a few troubles styling pants, tops, shoes recently and wondering why.... a couple of looks my legs look too short - and as a shortwaisted person I have wondered why... For this exercise I am talking about slim fit pants (relaxed skinny, straight leg jeans etc)

Keep in mind - this is for me - a tallish hourglass with muscular thighs who does consider figure flattery.....

Stage One - this worked

Full length slim/skinny pants
Longer tops
Could wear flats or heels

Stage Two - this worked

Ankle length skinny or slim pants
Longer tops
Heeled boots or sandal boots

Stage Three- this worked

Ankle pants,
low contrast top (longer or shorter)
Flat shoes

Stage Four - Does not work

Ankle length pants
Longer tops - some higher contrast
Flat shoes

I have not posted the photos as I have strongly disliked the photos. Everything fits well - all tried and true pieces...

Solutions:

With the trend to flat shoes and higher waisted pants I need to shorten the top, otherwise I feel too short in the leg.
Or I wear the pants longer again (which I am doing with one pair of jeans).

I do have higher waisted jeans - and I think getting that top length right - just on the hip - essentially showing the curve of my hip rather than hiding it - will make me happy again with the proportions. I can semi tuck but am not good at it - it never stays.

Am I on the right track?

Dressing

18 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

Anonymous

It sounds like it . And I need to follow your lead . I’m horrible at assessing this on myself - as proven in my last outfit post - and need direction . The flat shoe trend is definitely throwing my eye off - and although I’m shorter than you , we do have similar body type considerations .

Anonymous

I am also shorter than you but have a similar short-waisted body but rectangular rather than hour glass. Your experiments have helped me to see why I like low contrast or a base that is a column of color. Even a kitten heel is more flattering on me than flats but I am almost always in flats. So, I think that you are on the right track. Try nude or nearly nude flats or a color that blends with your bottom piece, especially if full length, Pointed toes and a low vamp help on flats.
ETA: practice that semi-tuck. You might try knotting or rubber-banding the section of the top that you plan to tuck prior to tucking to get it to stay. I saw that idea on you-tube. There are lots of semi-tucking ideas. I use a side tuck most now to create a diagonal line across the front. A front tuck creates the diagonal on the side and a high-low hem. It just depends on the look you want.

unfrumped

Veteran

I hear you big- time.

I often like to have my top give some rear coverage, but the low hip length cuts me totally in half , with flats.
I have had some success with ? “ cocoon “ hem that is shorter in front but curves to longer in back. I like those better than straight- cut high/ low hens but those also can work. Also shirttail- style hems.
Right now I’m also focusing on pants that give a flattering hip line with top tucked or cropped( not true high-cropped, but short/ boxy). I’m finding I can tolerate “ exposing” hip region in pants more if the trade- off is longer legline.

Gigi

Veteran

Yes, this makes perfect sense. I am pretty sensitive to good proportions, and I too have noticed that if I wear ankle pants, my top needs to be a bit shorter to make the proportions pleasing. If I wear my top a little longer, then I need to make sure I have full-length pants--and I have only one such pair in my closet! As you note, the situation with longer tops and ankle pants can be rectified by wearing heels, but sometimes a person doesn't want to bother with heels.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

No wonder you and I have always understood each other well—your description of you in the second paragraph sounds just like me! And then there’s personality/lifestyle too.

I cannot figure out how to make crops work, but some ankle pants, like my new jeans, really do. You may have given me some valuable clues to making them work—thanks!

There are some pants that are on the short side that look much better when I don’t have a tummy than when I do. I’m not sure how much of this is due to fabric being taken up by the gut and how much is proportional.

Ps: for an example of “stage four” (I love your logical progression in setting up stages) not working, check this out https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....ate-whites

Bijou

Veteran

Sal, I found a similar issue when I bought some high waisted skinny cropped jeans. I need my knits to sit with a hem about 2 inches below the waist line of my jeans to give a flattering look. Tunics that hit at thigh length make my legs look stumpy and visually shorter than they really are.

I do think body shape "rules" can be useful in understanding your body shape and playing to your strengths. As a pear, I know that items of clothing that look amazing on Inverted Triangles are too far away from my body shape to work. I like to wear most styles, but as soon as something is tailored and provides even subtle waist definition, I feel at home because I know this is what works best for me.

Anonymous

This is a GREAT analysis, Sal. You are definitely on the right track.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I feel sure that you must be right Sally, and I think I have mucked up proportions in my summer looks with cropped pants more than my winter looks with full-length pants, since I wear flat shoes most of the time. This may be partly why I'm not as happy with my summer photos as my winter. Since several of my fave summer tunics have died I will be needing a small number of carefully chosen tops I think, so you might have helped me by my hopefully bearing this in mind! I should buy them a little shorter.
But then what about the 1/3-2/3 thing, will that still work?

Jane

Veteran

Looks very good analysis / understanding. I do sometimes struggle to recall why I like an outfit and I think setting it out helps to keep it fresh in my mind.

Brooklyn

Veteran

I think the colour of the shoe might have some impact too. The higher the contrast of the shoe to the pants the more important that the top is shorter or, if longer, low contrast to the cropped pants.

I am enjoying wearing knee high boots with skinny jeans again. I do think they help balance the thighs and give a longer leg line than cropped jeans with ankle boots.

ChrisM

Veteran

Terrific analysis, Sal!

I’ve not jumped on the cropped/ankle pant train because I can’t get the proportions right.

I want a tunic that covers my tummy and my bum. That means full length pants. You proved that with your analysis!

I agree with both Joy and Brooklyn that the color of the shoe makes a huge difference. My big revelation this summer has been the value of a nude-to-me shoe. My high volume foot doesn’t like low vamps, but match the shoe to me and voila! Magic!

I think i’ll spend a little time with my closet experimenting today too!

Well done!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I ageee that you definitely seem to be on the right track. You and I have some similar concerns and flattery priorities, so I understand 100%!

I struggle with cropped pants, especially cropped flares. Even though I have long legs, which in theory makes crops easier for me to wear, the thickness of my legs can easily cause these styles to have a stumpifying effect on me, because the visual result of “chopping up” tends to shorten the overall lines of the legs, and the whole body.

Combine that with my reluctance to tuck tops, and it’s tricky to get proportions right. Too short tops or tucked tops with mid-to-high waists emphasize the shortness of my torso, but untucked tops need to be just the right length. Tunic lengths or anything that hits at crotch point or low hip are really problematic for me because the proportions just aren’t pleasing at all. I think tunics tend to cut me right in half, and hip lengths can end right at my widest point, which is never flattering.

Reading through your descriptions of each styling option, I nodded along in recognition. Heels really help me compensate for a lot of proportion issues, but I’m moving more and more away from heels in my life too. Flat shoes definitely can require a little adjustment, both in styling and in our eye. Great analysis!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

YES, you are on the right track, Sal. Nicely done.

Showcasing the waist with a semi tuck or full tuck lengthens the leg line in flats VERY effectively. I find that wearing a matching belt and shoes can make the leg look longer in flats too - because it pulls the look together. The eye likes the ease of colour repetition.

Brooklyn has a good point about low contrast footwear - although I personally almost always wear high contrast footwear with my bottoms (and I ALWAYS wear flats). Bookending. I’m not long in the leg either. Just regular.

Sal

Veteran

Thanks Lisa - I think photos show this up more than when I look in the mirror.. but flat shoes are requiring some adjustment for me.

Joy - I agree - I have a couple of pairs of low contrast flats (tan and gold) and these do work with the longer tops whereas the white and silver flats which are brighter and clearer do make a difference. I will experiment with tucks, knots etc especially as we move into spring and there is less layering.

Unfrumped - yes I agree entirely. One change leads to another doesn't it - that is how fashion keeps us spending money!! I remember when jeans became lower waisted and suddenly I needed longer tops otherwise I had lots of midriff and lower back on display..

Gigi - yes we are on the same track. Yes I think for me to wear a longer top and cropped or ankle pants I need either heels OR low contrast...

Thanks Fashintern - I am glad it helped. I was trying to work out why some of my older pieces were no longer working. Thanks for the positive feedback.

Bijou - thanks - I agree - that mid thigh length is tricky - and for pears and hourglasses, some waist definition is super helpful.

Sterling - thanks - glad you liked it!!

Jenni - I am not an expert.... I do think there are a few intangibles at play. Cropped or ankle pants are super helpful for work in our spring summer aren't they - I think lighter low contrast shoes help (pewter, cream etc) or low contrast top and bottom half. But I think that you (like me) could wear tops just on the top part of the hip really well. Or asymmetric lines or curved bottoms also help.

Thank you Jane - I took three photos last week and disliked them all and then I realised why.... I probably need to go the other way now and look at why I like some!!

Brooklyn - yes the outfit I particularly disliked had white sneakers, darkish blue jeans and a white/cream longer top. I think if I had my pointy tan flats might have worked better. I have also worn knee high boots over skinnies a couple of times this winter and liked the proportions

Chris - interesting that you came to similar conclusions. I do agree shoe colour can help and I like having some low contrast shoes.

Janet - exactly - I agree with you 100%. I think on shorter waisted women with thighs just on the hip can work really well.... Waist length tops can make our torso look too small (esp with a bust).... And my other concern that I didn't mention is my sway back that makes tops ride up constantly.... which is why I quite like longer tops for comfort......

Angie - thanks for chiming in. I agree that a matching look can help or bookending (for me camel or tan are the closest).... In the photo that made me feel sad( horrified/annoyed/confused) I had a cream top, dark blue jeans and white sneakers....I needed either low contrast between the top and jeans, or a heel, or maybe tan flats would have been better.

I hope to experiment more and have some success now!!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Or a semi tuck!

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

Oh yes, finding the right proportions for your body is the most import thing and it was such a fun delightful discovery. As a petite it was Paramount and I have to be very careful particularly when wearing flats. I do faux tuck or tie knots in shirts a lot. A column of color works well for most of us. Pairing shoe color with pant color is also a big one for me to extend the leg line. I love that you have written it all out, my ADD brain admires the organization of others, lol

Sal

Veteran

I love the semi tuck but I am hopeless at it......I don't know if it is my swap back or my short waist or just that I am doing it wrong...I start off looking casual and end up dishevelled....

Thanks Tracey - I am much better at colours than I am at proportions. I am long in the leg but not narrow so top length is critical - it is a mistake I have made a few times.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Semi-tuck, take picks, and lets sort you out.