So, remember how nothing fits and I’m pulling my hair out because of it? That appears to be an ongoing project, as a rifle through my “things left half finished from ages ago” pile to find things to work on shows that with the exception of one or two things, nothing’s worth finishing now because it won’t fit. This is incredibly frustrating, because I’ve put time and effort into making something, and it’s all for naught.
But this has also prompted me to retake my measurements, and realize that I’ve been taking the waist measurement wrong for years. A little googling later, and I realize that I’m quite short waisted, which I’ve never accounted for before. I’ve always taken my waist measurement several inches lower (where I assume a normal rise waist would be) and ignored it because it didn’t fit with the rest of my measurements. (Bad seamstress, I know.) A good proportion of the time, my ignoring the waist measurement means that what I’m making doesn’t fit right, amplifying the frustration. (This also explains why most of my pants are unflattering, if they fit at all, and why dresses that have a higher waist tend to look fantastic and fit considerably better than dresses with lower waists.) This is quite the epiphany for me — I know what to do with my patterns now, though I’m a bit sheepish it took me this long to figure it out.
For the curious, here’s what the consensus of the internet says about waist length. To find your natural waist, bend to the side (left or right); your natural waist is where the crease between your bust and hips forms. For a quote unquote normal length waist, your natural waist should fall about two hands breadths below your underbust. If your waist is closer to your bust, you’re short waisted; farther away, you’re long waisted. Complicating the matters is the rise (length from natural waist to crotch) — the internet is of minimal help about how to determine this, but this post by Angie at You Look Fab may help elaborate on that. (See also her post on long waistedness.)
I’m sure there’s a pile of so called rules that I’m supposed to follow to flatter a short waist, but I’ve no idea what they are (and even if I did, I suspect I’d be less than beholden to them. Following rules for how I should dress is not something I’m keen on). Any ideas, though? If you’re short waisted, what works for you?
I’ve barely got one hand between waist and bust, so I’m short-waisted to no-waisted… One of my biggest problems is dresses – the straps are always too long because they assume my torso (from the waist up) is longer than it is.
I’ve noticed that too, but I suspect that has as much to do with the quality (or lack thereof) of the tanktops as much as anything.
Growl! I’m super short-waisted, too! I used to get so insecure about this when I was younger because I thought I had no waist to speak of. When seamstresses or sales ladies took my measurements, they always tend to go lower where most women’s waist lines are! Of course I’d get a bigger measurement because of it and I’d feel more huge than I was. This is why I always say I have no waist.
When it comes to dresses, I think the empire is the safest. I also prefer shift dresses that doesn’t hug tightly but hangs well and has an implied shape. I’m not totally sure, though, if these silhouettes are right for me. What do you think?
Also, I love belts! I have a big collection of them but am clueless on how to wear them because I’m so short-waisted and straight. You gals look great with belts on because you’re not straight as a log like me. Waaaah! I want to use my belts!!!
I’m in good company, between you and Katie! I think my waist measurement shrunk by five inches or so when I did it properly (ooh yeah, abdomen city over here) I’m the least belt-y of us, though — I think I have three belts, none of which I wear on any sort of a regular basis, all of which are thin. And I have no idea how to wear them either!
I too like empire or slightly lower than empire waisted dresses, or better yet, dresses with a midsection panel. I like shift dresses, but my rather voluminous thighs have other ideas about them… I tend to wear things that are a-line or flare-r. I like to think it works, but that may just be because I say it works :p
I think you look smashing with belts! Stop the nonsense talk
A-line all the way, or anything empire-waisted. I always read that since I’m big busted I shouldn’t wear belts high on my waist because it just makes my bust look like it’s about to lunge at you and attack, but that’s where my waist is! Emphasizing that part of my body puts everything else into proportion, so I ain’t about to stop. Although, even with empire waisted dresses I tend to belt, since in order for the dress to be big enough for the boobage it’s usually a bit too big in the waist…