Shopping for clothing for short waisted plus size women can be a challenge, but if you learn what to look for to complement your body type, it makes the task a bit easier and less discouraging.
Short Waisted vs. Petite
People often get short waisted and petite confused. Petite clothing is designed for individuals who are short in the rise which means that the measurement from their natural waistline to their crotch is short. It doesn't matter if you're tall or short, if you are short in the rise, Petite cut clothing is right for you. However, not everyone who is short-waisted is petite.
Measure to See if You Are Short Waisted
Instead of guessing whether or not you are long or short waisted, get out the measuring tape. Start at the top of your head and measure to your natural waist. Write down the measurement and then measure from your natural waist to the floor. You might need help for this one. Write it down and compare the two numbers. If the measurement from your head to your waist is longer than the measurement from your waist to floor, you're long-waisted. However, if the measurement from your waist to the floor is higher, you're short-waisted.
Finding Clothing for Short Waisted Plus Size Women
Now that you understand the difference between petite and short waisted, and have measurements that confirm whether you are actually short waisted, it's time to learn a few tricks to aid in finding clothing for short waisted plus size women. This can be challenging sometimes when nature gives plus size women curves in places that make it a little harder to find that balanced look. The key is to wear clothes that give the illusion of elongating your torso.
Tips for Short Waisted Women
Remember these tips to help make your clothing selections the next time you go shopping.
- Wear a supportive bra that helps to define your waistline as it pulls everything into place, giving you a more proportionate silhouette.
- Wear low rise pants if you plan to tuck in your shirt.
- Buy paneled skirts with strong vertical seaming and low-slung waistlines.
- Longer tops or dropped waists look best.
- A-line, blouson, princess and empire dresses that come to the knee are ideal.
- Wear tops and tunics fitted on the shoulders and torso.
- Avoid broad, waist-cinching belts.
- Instead, wear loosely slung narrower belts.
Things Short Waisted Women Should Avoid
When you pick out styles you like, details like the size of your belt, and how colors come together can make a big difference in the look you convey. Choices like slimming empire waist styles hide your natural waistline and give the illusion of a longer torso. Dresses that flare at the bottom also make your waistline look thinner. Here are a few things you'll want to avoid:
- Don't wear outfits that change color at the waist.
- Don't wear belts that match your pants or skirt and contrast with your top. Instead wear narrow belts that match your shirt or blouse and contrast with the bottom.
- Don't wear wide belts.
- Don't wear short jackets that end at the waist.
The bottom line is that to look good, short-waisted women want to avoid highlighting their waist. Instead, draw attention away from the waist using some of the tricks you've learned here.
