Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Long Waisted
May 16th, 2005
Visually raise your waistline and create the illusion of longer legs.
Look for…
- Anything that visually raises your waistline.
- Short tops over long bottoms.
- Jackets & Coats
- High-belted styles.
- Empire-waisted styles.
- Cropped styles.
- Medium length semi-fitted styles.
- Styles that taper above your natural waistline.
- Cropped jean jackets.
- Cropped biker jackets.
- Snug-fitting bomber jackets.
- Tops
- High-waisted styles.
- Empire-waist styles.
- Off-the-shoulder styles.
- Tucked-in styles with a raised waistline.
- Horizontal detailing: yokes, wide collars, square necklines.
- Pants & Jeans
- High-waisted bottoms.
- Slim legged pants.
- Pants without cuffs.
- Straight-leg jeans that hit near your natural waist.
- Skirts & Dresses
- Empire-waist styles.
- Straight styles.
- Off-center slits make legs look longer.
- Vertical detailing.
- Single pleats in soft, fluid fabrics.
- Empire waist styles.
- Coat dresses.
- Semifitted sheath dresses.
- A-line dresses.
- Fitted styles that nip in above your natural waistline.
- Detailing above the waist.
- Horizontals on the torso.
- Suits
- Pick skirts over pants, as they help obscure the exact point where your torso ends and legs begin.
- Narrow bottoms.
- Cropped jackets.
- Swimsuits
- Two-piece suits or one-piece suits made for long torsos.
- Tankinis.
- Horizontal detailing on the torso.
- Higher leg cuts.
- Accessories
- Belts placed above waist level.
- Belts that match your bottoms.
- Slim, elevating shoes that match bottoms.
- Pantyhose that matches shoes and bottoms.
Run from…
- Anything that visually shortens your legs.
- Bottoms with loud patterns.
- Jackets & Coats
- Long jackets and coats.
- Coats that belt at your natural waist.
- Tops
- Long shirts.
- Excessively fitted styles.
- Long, narrow lapels.
- Princess seams.
- Vertical detailing.
- Pants & Jeans
- Cropped pants.
- Cuffed pants.
- Low-waisted bottoms.
- Tight pants.
- Flared jeans.
- Wide-legged styles.
- Baggy styles.
- Skirts & Dresses
- Anything that calls attention to your natural waistline.
- Horizontal patterns.
- Hem detailing.
- Belted styles.
- Stiff fabrics.
- Suits
- Long jackets.
- Bottoms with hem detailing.
- Swimsuits
- One piece suits that are too short in the torso.
- Boy-cut shorts.
- Accessories
- Belts placed below waist level.
Entry Filed under: Features,Figure Flattery Guide,Figure Flattery Guide,Women
4 Comments
1. Amanda | September 12th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Thanks so much for your guidelines to dress a bod with a long torso. I have been dressing the wrong way for years and plan to change my whole wardrobe now. I appreciate your site and am excited to shop without risking more embarassment to myself!
2. Trisha | September 18th, 2007 at 12:41 am
So glad to help, Amanda!
3. Jen | March 11th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
What about the length of skirts? Summer wear? I have spider veins on the backs of my legs and don’t like to wear shorts more than I have to. I like the comfort of capris but am learning they aren’t good for my short legs. Pants in winter are easier to manage and knee length skirts with matching hosiery and heels works well in winter also, but what about summer when I want to go hose-less and sandles? What do I wear?
4. georgena kaulback | May 15th, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Thank you for the outline,I’m confused, Trinie and Suzanne say that short tops give you a saggy bottom look. Their approach is long to the knee coats are the best look which I’m not fond of.
I’m big boned 5’9′ tall . I don’t have much choice in clothing.
Thank you Geannie