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short waisted or high waisted?

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I think I confused myself somewhere along the line. I thought I was short waisted (by Imogen's hands trick). But then I read that short waisted means little distance from ribs to hipbone/pelvis. Well, my waist is less than one hand's width below my bust! But I have plenty of real estate (for my height at least) from there to both my navel and then my hipbones below . . . am I merely high waisted? Is there a difference, when talking about how to dress said waist?

Excuse the state of me in the pic - it's the only one I have on hand that shows where my waist is clearly

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Body Type

25 replies

Latest reply was from Mo

Arya

(website)

I tend to think high-waisted, Mo, because as you say there's a plenty of torso length. I'm interested to see what people post about dressing - whether it's a high waist or a short waist.

P.s. You rock that bikini, walker or no walker! Just sayin'...

catgirl

Veteran

Mo, I am eternally confused by this difference too. Plus I can't really find my waist, being rectangular. What a drag. I would love to revisit this topic - thanks for asking!

My question: are short-waisted and high-waisted synonymous?

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Short or high waisted, you have a gorgeous figure!

I can't really answer the waist question, but I suspect you might be long in the rise. Or at least I consider myself to be long in the rise on account of the vast amount of real estate between navel and crotch. I have more distance between bust and waist than you appear to have (and less distance between natural waist and navel). But I wonder if small busted women like me will always have more distance between bust and waist?

Oh, the myriad variations that is us! In our infinite variety we do not resemble Barbies coming off that assembly line, at any rate!

And no wonder it is difficult to find jeans that fit!!!

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

I don't think you are short waisted (which I think of as "having a waist, and a short torso at the same time"). I think you aren 8 (Imogen's again). So, yeah maybe "high" waisted? Or, having hips that are set higher in your torso, so to speak?

Love that red on you, BTW, hottie.

Elly

Veteran

Well, by these standards I am short-waisted but not high-waisted. I have almost identical distance between my bust and waist and waist and crotch-- however, I have only an inch between my hipbones and ribs.

Edited to add--- I also have a shorter overall torso compared to my arms and legs.

MsMaven

Veteran

You look perfect to me. The whole proportion thing is difficult for me. If I looked as good as Mo I wouldn't worry about it.

Short waisted and high waisted seem to mean different things in different systems. I always thought I was long-waisted because waistlines in dresses were always too high for me, but that is because overall I am tall. As far as my own body, I am short from bottom of bust to ribcage and I don't have much room between bottom of ribs and top of pelvis.

Diana

Veteran

I agree that this is an issue of terminology and different people use different terms. I tend to use Angie's definition here, and think of "short waisted" as meaning short from waist up (so waist to bust, I guess):
http://youlookfab.com/2007/07/.....t-waisted/

I guess another way to think of it is that short or long waisted refers to how a top will fit, whereas high or low waist (or rise) refers to how a bottom will fit. So I am very short waisted and things like jackets are often too long for me, but I am also high waisted, so jeans rises are often too low (I am a pear too which doesn't help this issue).

ETA: meant to add that, even though Angie and most style experts suggest dressing to lengthen your torso if you are short waisted, I often dress to emphasize my short waistedness (like, with skirts tucked in at my natural waist) because it makes me look like I have legs a mile long. =D

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Diana, I find that very interesting that you mentioned emphasizing your short waist to make your legs look long. I have been told again and again to wear longer tops but maybe shorter feels right on me *because* of how high up my waist is? I agree that my legs look longer with shorter tops and I like that, being a little fuller through my hips/seat. Also, I fit Jr and petite jackets best because of my waist placement. Hmmm, I guess I'll consider myself high waisted since I don't feel my torso itself is particularly short in relation to my height. Confusing stuff!

And thanks gals for the nice comments on being bikini clad I was still recuperating and this was actually an alteration I did on the top to kill time, so that's why the goofy pic. Also I notice my Fitbit pedometer - which is really funny because walkers don't rack up much mileage lol!!

ButterflyLady

(website)

Veteran

I don't think I'd be worrying too much where my waist was if I looked like you lol!

I have a small distance between under my boobs and my waist, but I have a long (high?) rise, and overall I have a long body (shoulder to leg break). So a little similar to you. So I wouldn't want elongate my body when I dressed, as I would look a bit weird. I also can't tuck into pants as my proportions look very strange indeed. I worked this out (without knowing the proper terminology) years ago by comparing myself to other people!

HeleenH

Veteran

I think people are short waisted or long waisted, and clothes can be high or low waisted.

rae

(website)

Veteran

My gut says you are short waisted with a longer rise, but I am not an expert.

Come to think of it, I never officially discovered my own body type... oops!

RandomThoughts (Andrea)

Veteran

Hi Mo,

I'm with Rae - short waist, long in the rise for you. Angie uses Imogen's "system" too, evidently. Or at least approves it enough to make a reference:

http://youlookfab.com/2009/06/.....g-waisted/

Also like Rae, I don't "officially" know my body type! Heh.

Carole

Veteran

I always thought I was short waisted, but now I'm beginning to wonder........

Mo

(website)

Veteran

bumping for Angie's thoughts

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Mo, I would bet a million bucks that you can get almost two hands below your bust before you hit your belly button. You do not have giant hands! I think you're somehow measuring in a different way.

You do not look short-waisted. You do look long in the rise though. Your torso is in good proportion to your leg length

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Okay, so my natural waist is not necessarily where I'm narrowest? Because that is WAY above my belly button! See, I told you I was confused!!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I think the "hand" test is to the navel, even though for most of us, as for you, the natural waist is a bit higher.

So, regular waist, long in the rise. This is me, too.

I think petite/juniors jackets fit us better because we are on the short side and also have smallish frames. In my case, I also have short arms.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

True. Your natural waist is a little higher than the position of your navel, but I think that you are over compensating. I trust my eyeballs, have seen millions of women in this pose, and you do not look overly short waisted. You are not tall, but I have not seen you struggle with the waist length of garments. Do you have the same impression, Malina?

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I find that empire dresses work because they hit my small spot but regular dresses seem tight across the waist because I'm not as small where the dress's waist is. I also buy juniors jackets and petite ladies jacket to get the waist and sleeves to fit. So I guess I do feel my waist is up higher than the norm. just wondering if that should affect how I wear my top lengths and such.
For instance, when I measured for a sheath style bridesmaid dress, I had to let it out over an inch to actually fit - because my 27" waist and it's 27" waist were not nearly in the same spot lol!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Ah. I hear you. You fit into petites quite well from the navel up, but because your rise is long, petite tops look shorter than they should.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

So I'm half petite Ha ha! I'll stick with just the jackets in that dept.

Aida

Veteran

Mo I feel you on the half petite thing! I'm petite from the waist up and long in the rise too, but with broader shoulders than you. So I rarely can purchase ANYthing from the petite section

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Mo, you and I are really similar in this regard. I think it's okay for us to buy our jackets in petites because even if they are shorter than intended, a slightly cropped effect actually HELPS us; it makes our legs look a bit longer (especially in skirts where people can't see the rise). And with shorter jackets being common it doesn't look as if we have squeezed ourselves into something too small.

I sometimes have the problem you are describing with tops, too, but it depends how I want to wear them. With skirts, or tucking them in, it isn't really an issue, so I can go with petites. It's only if I want them untucked with pants that it becomes a slight problem. And since I favour tucking on the whole, I don't really worry about it.

I have not encountered the problem you describe with many dresses but I suspect I have a tiny bit more real estate between bust and navel. And probably less on the legs...sigh....

Aida, I hear you on the shoulders thing. Mine are just barely okay for petites (and sometimes not). My mom's are a bit wider and she has really struggled all her life with it.

Barbara

Veteran

Mo, to me, your body looks completely proportional. And you look so tall!

You are seriously rocking that bikini AND the walker.

LOL

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for the compliments, I'm blushing :O