High Hip – is where the top of the pelvis is – you have a hip bone that juts out at this point. It’s often a really good place to end tops, unlesss you are an 8 shape.
Hip Break – is where the leg bends – often lots of creases on your trousers will be at this point, you may find that this is a good point to end tops, provided it’s not your widest point.
Low Hip – is the top of the thighs, for A shapes and X shapes and some H shapes this can be the widest point of your hips and the worst place to end tops. For V shapes and I shapes and some 8 shapes it can be a good point to end tops.
Standing in front of a mirror, try ending your top at each of these points and seeing which is the most flattering.
Because we look for horizontal lines because they make us feel balanced (looking for the horizon), the point where you end horizontal lines (such as hems) is really important as they can easily become focal points.
Ideally, we end our hems for tops and jackets on the narrower points that also work well with our body proportions, so that our legs don’t look overly short, or our bodies don’t look overly long or short.
So what is the best place for an 8 to end?
Somewhere around Hip Break and Low HIp – depends on your unique shape – do the test I mention in the mirror with a top to see which is the best length for you.
Great tip as usual Imogen – I shall be posing in the mirror with each of my tops from now on…any excuse huh?
Gems x
Australian Fashion Review Blog – Gems recently posted..Wonders Cease Australian Women’s Fashion – Winter 2012
Very interesting. Do some hem lengths make you look taller/shorter?
As an 8, nearly every length is “widest” for me. What is your thought about combining different lengths of shirts and jackets? (Which should dominate?) What about breaking the line with a belt inside the jacket?
kathleen – the more horizontals (hem ends) you have, the more you’ll draw attention to that part of your body. Where possible create a column of colour, on the outside, you can belt at your waist which is narrower to draw you eye upwards
Good thing I saw this post! Seems ending tops at the hip/leg break is my only alternative of the three, otherwise I have to tuck at waist or have hems go down to mid thigh area. Low hip placement is just below my widest point and seems to visually bring the widest point down and extend it while also shortening my legs. High hip placement cuts my torso off while also being just below my tummy’s widest point (and I don’t feel like extending that either).
I’ve been away (in Australia, actually, for six weeks and am way behind on my blog reading. I’d really like to read what you published while I was gone, but can’t find anything like an archive. Do you have one? Don’t find a ‘older post’ link either… Fingers crossed I’ve just overlooked them?
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Shelley – there is an archive down the right side – you can read posts by the month, also at the bottom of the home page you can click on the previous or older posts option