Short waisted vs short rise? Confused.

Sal

I am a little confused about a few terms used. Can someone confirm if I am correct?

Rise - the length from the top of the pants/ waistband to the crotch.

Inseam- length from the crotch to the hem of the pants.

Being short waisted- having a shorter length torso in comparison to leg length. Is the torso from the shoulders to the crotch or only to the waist?

So can you be short waisted and long in the rise?

I would describe myself as short waisted, I have long legs in proportion to my torso.

Sorry about the overuse of the crotch word, I cannot think of another word to use but I do dislike this word!!

9 years ago

Body Type

20 replies

Latest reply was from Sal

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Good question. And YES. You can be short waisted but long in the rise - like Suz. Or long waisted and short in the rise.

I am neither long or short waisted - just regular. But I have a short rise despite my round bottom. So mid rises are high-rise on me in two ticks. But I don't have a short torso. Does that make sense?

9 years ago

Anonymous

I am short waisted and long in the rise. Suz and I need to compare notes!

9 years ago

Diana

Veteran

I like Imogen's description and method for determining waist "length:"
http://www.insideoutstyleblog......-waist.htm

I am very, very short waisted and can fit just one hand between my bust and waist. But I have a regular length rise. I also have a high waist, which often goes with a short waist but I think one could theoretically have a lower waist and short rise if one's breasts sit low on one's chest, or a high waist and regular/long rise if your breasts are very high or rib cage is very tall.

Another way to think about it is how much room there is vertically between the bottom of your rib cage and the top of your pelvis (at the highest point, which is usually at the side). On me, it's only about one inch, which explains, for example, why I can't wear wide waist belts.

9 years ago

froggiebecky

Veteran

Another short-waist, but long-rise person here!

It sounds like you're comparing three terms here: 1. The distance between your shoulders to your waist (thinnest part of your torso-your elbows hit here), 2. the distance between your waist and your crotch/hips/where your legs separate out from your torso, and 3. your inseam--the length between your legs (where they attach to your body) and the floor.

I'm short--5'3", but I have to shop for trousers in the regular women's department, because the distance between my crotch and my waist is proportionally similar to that of a taller woman. Petite pants simply aren't long enough for me in that particular aspect. but, the distance between my shoulders and my waist is relatively short. But for fitted tops--jackets, blazers--I usually do well in the petites department.

9 years ago

Alassë

Veteran

How do you determine whether you have a long, medium, or short rise?

9 years ago

Sal

Veteran

OK I think I get it now.

Being short waisted is more about being short from chest to waist. My my case I think I am short waisted but with an average rise.

Diana - I also cannot wear thick waist belts even though they can be recommended for hourglasses. I find them both uncomfortable and unflattering. I will happily wear a thin waist belt with a dress and a thicker jeans belt if the jeans are mid rise, and in the past sometimes even a thicker hip belt.

9 years ago

Anonymous

i think we have a similar body - I have the same issues with belts. I feel like an extra in (name an opera here) when I wear a thick belt - it's right up on my ribcage and up against my bra. Lol. I appreciate my long legs relative to my short 'lil torso though.

9 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

In the days when I sewed, patterns would use the "back waist" as a measurement. That was from the bone at the back of the neck to the waist, and to my knowledge had nothing to do with one's chest. I am extremely long waisted, meaning the length from that neck bone to my waist is as long as a much taller person. My rise is probably either short or normal for a 5' 1" Petite sized person. In general, I have a very, very long torso. Due to my long back waist length/long waist, I can sometimes wear regular size peplum tops since the waist hits me at a better place. Regular size pants, on the other hand, tend to be a bit off.

9 years ago

Sal

Veteran

Ha Ha Lisa.

It is so wrong isn't it!!

9 years ago

Mia

Veteran

It sounds like my figure is a little like Donna's. Long waist
relative to my rise and legs but really only regular length in my top half although I look long waisted in proportion. I buy petite pants when I can and regular tops most of the time. Problem is that I have short arms too so long sleeve jackets and tops always need alteration.

It took me forever to figure this out and I used to sew. I always love an Empire waist. No worries....

9 years ago

Nebraskim

Veteran

Ah. This explains why almost all pants, regardless of "rise" hit me far above my belly button.

9 years ago

Windchime

Veteran

I wonder where the terms "long waisted" and "short waisted" came from originally; I find them a bit baffling. Maybe "short torso" and "long torso" would be more clear? In my case, I'm long waisted--that is, I have a long torso-- and I have a long inseam, so I need my pants to be extra long.

9 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

Windchime, I agree that "short torso" and "long torso" are clearer terms.

I am short in the torso (I can't wear regular misses' tops but must always have petites') and disproportionately long in the rise. However, since I am only 5'2", my long rise enables me sometimes to wear misses' pants without the rise being too high for me. However, the inseams will still be too long and require hemming.

9 years ago

shipskitty

Veteran

Short waisted and regular rise here. But thanks for this post Kiwigal because I don't think I really understood 'rise' before.

9 years ago

Anonymous

I don't think you can use the terms long torso and short torso. Some people are long-waisted and long in the rise. Some are short-waisted and short in the rise. There are all these different combinations to account for.

The way I know (or think I know) that I'm long in the rise is the way my pants fit. I'm short in stature but can't usually wear petite pants. My waist on the other hand, is definitely short, not only because of Imogen's hand width test but also because I almost always have to wear petite dresses, jackets, long-sleeved shirts and skirts. Most of the time I can wear regular-sized tops if they're sleeveless because clothing manufacturers only make them about an inch longer than petite tops. Sometimes petite tops are too short in length. Lastly, one-piece swimsuits always fit my torso, so I don't think I have a short torso overall. It's just that it's short in one area and long in another.

9 years ago

karymk

Veteran

For the best tutoring on this subject, go see Imogen at Inside Out Style. She is an expert on body parts, proportions etc and how they relate to the clothes we should pick.

Our torsos aren't just one big block like we think. From head to toe we are divided up into eight sections, so your middle is really two or three think she says. I have a short waist, and long rise. I like higher waisted styles on me with my torso proportions.

Imogen has lots of posts on this subject, I recommend her for these technical aspects of understanding our proportions.

http://www.insideoutstyleblog.com

9 years ago

gradfashionista

(website)

Veteran

Long-waisted with a long rise over here. I didn't realize it until recently and thought that having undergarments hit at a lower point than I'd prefer was due to a large rear.
Thinking about proportions can help you establish a hierarchy of preferences when choosing outfits. In the case of a long rise and long waist, high-rise skinnies hit at the right spot in the waist, but also make the rear look longer. So even though I should be getting garments that have a higher rise for oodles of reasons, i.e. accenting the waist and lengthening my legs to balance my torso, my priority has always been visually diminishing my rise.

9 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

I agree that long and short torso aren't adequate descriptions for many us. I'm a broad- shouldered IT, with a high bust, a long stretch between my bust and waist, a normal rise, slim hips and thighs, and short between the ankle and knee which ends up giving me a shorter than normal inseam despite my "normal" upper leg measurement.

As a YLF newbie, I was surprised to learn that not everyone could fit 2-3 hands between her bust and waist, but it explained why belted jackets and waistline seaming always ended up circling my rib cage instead of being anywhere close to my waist. And why mid-height boots were always constricting my lower calf. Once I figured out how my body was different from the "norm", it made clothes shopping much easier. I also realized that sometimes alterations made more sense than trying to find my fit off the rack. For example, I buy a Tall in fitted coats, jackets and dresses and shorten sleeves, and, despite my inseam measurement, I buy jeans and pants in regular sizes to fit my rise and to get the knees in the right place and resign myself to redoing the hems.

9 years ago

Dixie

Active Member

I think I'm kind of proportionate, maybe my legs are slightly shorter and my torso longer, but because I have big boobs and high hips, I look like I have a short torso.

9 years ago

Sal

Veteran

Thanks to you all for your advice.

I looked up Imogen's blog and found it very informative. I think for those of use who are long or short waisted it can be more helpful than whether you are hourglass or pear etc... I am an hourglass, but not an extreme hourglass.

Now I am a veteran (I noticed this yesterday on my return from my weekend at the beach -I feel very grown-up!) I have realised that the most important thing I have learnt from this forum is about the fit of clothes. I need to be braver about buying the larger size and getting it taken in where I need to....

9 years ago

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