7 April 2009, originally uploaded by academichic.
Vest up-close, originally uploaded by academichic.
My favorite velvet flats, originally uploaded by academichic.
Sources:
- Blue button-down – Gap, b-day gift for my 16th birthday! (so many many remixes…)
- Vest – Ann Taylor, remixed
- Pants – Banana Republic, “Ryan” fit
- Velvet flats – J. Vincent, remixed
- Pendant – Anthropologie, remixed
Endnotes:
In this week’s Fashion 101 we’re discussing our own body issues and how we create proportions that appear more pleasing to each one of us. As I’ve noted, my issues are with my midsection and yesterday, I pointed to the usefulness of a skinny belt in emphasizing a waistline.
Today, I present you with my profile view and what I consider to be the ideal waistline for my body shape:
As you can see, no amount of crunches will change my natural tummy curve (and believe you me, I’ve been doing crunches since I knew what crunches were). So instead, I do what Clinton on What Not To Wear recommends: attack the belly! I try to avoid low-rise or high-waisted skirts and pants and instead look for a mid-rise waist that sits right on top the most protruding part of my belly.* Yesterday’s skirt is a perfect example of a wide mid-rise waist - the most ideal waist-line for me:
I’ve also found it extremely useful to shop at stores that cater to a variety of body shapes and name their different cuts accordingly. At Banana Republic, I am a“Ryan” fit**, (what I’m wearing today) and ever since I’ve discovered that, it has made shopping for pants there tremendously easier. S.
*Warning: If you’re like me, low-rise pants or skirts will give you a muffin-top, and a high-rise skirt line gives me a little preggers bulge right underneath the seam!
** This fit is described as sitting low on your waist, but since I am short-waisted, it sits on that perfect tummy-bulge spot for me. Lesson learned: don’t just read the description, try things on for yourself!
I have that exact same issue…I’ve found that “The Flirt” jeans from Old Navy do that same thing, and give me the lovely illusion of a waist. They also miraculously lengthen my legs (known as “stumps” by my more callous friend)!
Clare, thanks! I will have to check out the Flirt! Next time I’m in Old Navy, I’ll be hunting it down to try it on, I’m keeping my fingers crossed! S.
Thank you so much for these tips. I have tried over and over to make wide belts work for me and they dont. Your tips have helped me alot.
Poppin my collar.
I’ve been waiting to see your ideas. I have a similar tummy issue that you have. Even when I was a size 2 I still had a muffin top. Now at a size 10 I really have to be careful. Do you also have the problem that if you get the pants to fit with no muffin that they just don’t stay up? It seems that I have to tighten my belt a bit and then I risk a little muffin. I can’t get away from the muffin! HA!
I love that waistcoat! I’m still trying to find my perfect cut of pants. I always prefer pants that are curvy and mid-rise, because I’ve found that this type is the most flattering for my tummy, hips and butt.
@Cam – I’ve found that a wide belt only works with dresses for me! When using a wide belt to break up the long line of a dress (from neck to hemline), it totally works. But when using a wide belt to break up the much shorter space of my torso, I end up with a scrunched in upper half!
@T-Money – you know it! ;)
@Alison – I often can’t get away from the muffin either! But the wider the waist line, the more successful I am with this. The thinner waistline cuts in, and like you said, even at a size 2, there is muffinage!!
@Diana – It’s hard to find that perfect fit, but it sounds like you already have a good idea about what works for you! That’s half the battle – the other half is finding that fit at the store! S.
[...] for re-adjusting the proportional lengths of my torso and legs is wearing higher-waisted bottoms. Like S., I managed — through lots of trial and error — to find the appropriate “fi… that hit about an inch below my (rather high) belly button. At Banana Republic I am a [...]
[...] S: On Defining a Waist, On Belting, On Elongating A Short Torso, On The Empire Waist, On Reducing Muffinage, [...]
i have the EXACT same problem. it drives me crazy because i’m not overweight but some clothes just look AWFUL on me. the low vs. high waist dilemma hit home for me… it needs to be in between! i will definitely be checking out those BR pants and reading your entries often :)
I’m a size 2 with muffinage (borderline rectangle/apple figure) and have actually found the best-fitting pants to have a super-low rise that sits on my hips without touching my tummy. My favorite jeans are Express’s Zelda fit, described as “ultra low rise” but with sufficient butt coverage. My waist is a size 6 and my hips are absolutely swimming in size 6 pants; I can button a size 2 mid-rise pant, but it just gives me a divided muffin AND is uncomfortable when sitting down.