A very quick and easy way to tell if you have a short waist is to stand up straight, and see if you can fit two hand widths under your bust to your waist (narrowest point).
If you can fit more than two hand widths you have a long waist, less than two, a short waist.
Try this at home!
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24 comments:
Wow. I have learnt more about my body from your blog than I've managed to work out by myself in the last 40+ years!! You are fabulous. I may have NO waist, but apparently it's a balanced lack of waist ... Does this mean I don't have to worry too much about balancing top and bottom halves?
Oh my god, oh my god, something about me is balanced!!! I have a balanced waist, oh wait, is that good?
Oh thank you!. I have always been told that I am long waisted and I am not. According to this description, and your body proportion post a while back, my waist is quite fine, clothes are just to short in the waist because I am tall. Now I also have short short legs, which makes the torso look even longer but that is a completely different issue.
What great helpful info! I have a question for you...I am very busty (38 DDD) and short waisted, which causes me to look pregnant in a lot of tops. Do you have suggestions for what kind of tops are flattering for my body type, and which to avoid? Also, being so short (high) waisted, where should my waistband sit?
This is very helpful! I know I have a slightly short waist (not outrageously but still, not long) which is made a bit more challenging by an ample bust. Not that I'm complaining. I find ways of elongating with clothing. But now I can corroborate my suspicions! I've always imagined that long waisted people have the easiest time with clothes. Is this true or am I being all "grass is greener"
Hah! Will try this when no one is looking. I'm so curious ...
I wonder if this changes if you are tall. I am tall with smallish hands (according to my piano teacher), so I fit in the balanced category according to this test, but when I try on garments, the waist is often in the wrong place. I've always thought I was short waisted for my height.
Recently I've been wondering how to tell if I'm short- or long-waisted, and here you go with a simple way to do so! Thanks so much Imogen. Apparently I am balanced, or very slightly short-waisted.
What a great post! Thank you!
I have one more question to add to the one about tops for short waisted women. I wasn't sure where to post this quesion. I was reading your body type descriptions and I can't figure out if I'm an "H" or an "8". My current measurements are
45-40-45 (post baby)...they are normally 45-36-45. There is about 1" between my hip bone and my lowest rib. I do tend to carry weight below the waist, as described in the "8" description. Can women go from being an H to an 8 or is that anatomicaly impossible? Can you help?
Me again....I should probably add that I am 5'4, short legs, very busty, have a curvy, not quite "shelfy" booty. The celebrity examples were soooo not helpful. I don't know anyone who looks like them. I guess I am closest to Jennifer Hudson, only a bit smaller. Thanks so much for any help you can offer...I have so much trouble dressing this body of mine.
Tiffany - yes - just don't draw attention to your mid section, instead put detail above your bust and then lower down your body.
Cybill - balance is easier to dress - nothing is good or bad!
Mardel- If you're tall, where the garment manufacturers expect the waist to be will not be where yours is. You may have a very long rise (the proportion from where the leg bends at the hip to your waist).
Anon - I'll do a post on this.
K.Line - yes a longer waist can be easier to dress (though if it's really long, not so), but the long waisted people normally have short legs, so they may not agree!
Sal - let us know!
Anon - if you're tall, the proportions of clothes will be out for you as they are made for an 'average' height woman, not for a tall woman. Your piano teacher is probably also looking at he spread of your fingers too and if your fingers are a little shorter they won't reach as far.
Cciele - glad to help!
Anon - when we put on weight we can change our body shape - if you have a small distance between ribs and pelvis, you will lose your waist more quickly than if you have a longer waist. Being petite means that when you put on weight there is less for it to spread over so you will look more compact more quickly. By the sounds of your measurements I'd be looking at dressing you as an H - if you want, email me a photo via my bespoke Image website of you in a pair of well fitting jeans and t-shirt and I'll have a look - send front side and back views.
Yes please do a post on short waisted, big busted bodies.
It is so frustrating to see everyone belted (need a new look - just add a belt!) when I know I can't carry off that look.
The hand trick is super!
My natural waist is about the same "hand width" away from my bust as yours. No surprise there - I'm definitely short waisted.
I don't mind this, but I dislike the fact that my waist is short, my hips/rise is very high, and the fullest part of my bum is pretty low. It's an imbalance that's hard to disguise and not very aesthetically pleasing to my eye, but it is what it is.
Just as I suspected; I'm a tall girl with a long waist. Waists on dresses and blouses usually fall a good 6 inches too high on me and I can never, ever find t-shirts that are long enough to cover my tum... especially since I put on a heap of weight and much of it went to my belly. *sigh* Can't wait to read more of your fabulous hints and tips!
Interesting - I have exactly two hand widths, so I am in proportion - I always thought I was short-waisted, but I guess I'm just short! Just the opposite of your other commenter who said she's not long-waisted, just tall!! Keep the great blog posts coming - I love the self-analysis!
Imogen, this becomes real interesting. I now realize that I´m tall, I have skinny long legs, long calves, I´m H-shaped and have a somewhat short waist. No wonder that very wide belts feel uncomfortable to wear, and that I like to wear tops that are quite open in the front ( no polos). I like to wear my jeans turned up to cut the length of these long, skinny calves and I prefer to wear t-shirts with 3/4 length sleeves. I´m a frog! Now am I on the right track?
Chris - check out my existing posts on Large Bust - they will give you lots of ideas.
Kari - you need to keep your tops longer (or layered) a long rise can be hard to disguise. Skirts are a great option and way more flattering than pants for a long rise.
S. - being tall means that clothes are not made to your proportions - it will always be more difficult for you to buy off the rack if you're looking for waisted garments.
Robin - at least your balanced for your height!
Metscan - you're on the money!
Imogen,
You have the most amazing fashion, style bog there is ever! The stuff you put on here for us to figure out!! Love it!
Thanks so much!
Maria
So, does a long waist mean that I can wear wide belts?
S - yes you can wear a wide belt if you have a longer waist (and a shaped waist ideally too).
Please use a helmet and follow the proper safety measures when attempting this exercise at home!
I already knew that I was short-waisted, but this really confirms it--my waist is about one-and-a-third hands below my bust! This would explain why I've never worn a belted or tucked-in look successfully...
Finally!Thank you! A way to tell for sure what waisted I am (which is on the short side, something I always suspected)
Nice!
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