Body Proportions
There are body shapes (X, A, H, I, O, V, 8) which tell us where to add detail and where to use horizontals to balance or draw attention, and where to use verticals to elongate. Then there are body proportions, which tell us where to end hems of sleeves, tops, jackets, skirts and pants, and how long necklaces should be. If you’re not sure of your proportions, watch the video here.
There are 3 common body proportional variations:
- Long body short legs
- Long legs short body
- Balance with a short mid-body
The Balanced Upper and Lower Body, but with a Shorter Mid-Section
This is a pretty common body proportion variation. Many women don’t have either super long legs or a super long body. They have fairly even upper and lower bodies (a titch of a difference doesn’t really matter), but what they do have is a short waist and short thigh proportion which shortens their mid-body area.
Often the top of head to bust peak is long, and knee to the ground is also longer, while the middle of the body is overall shorter in comparison.
If you have a long chin to mid-bust point and long knee to the sole of the foot proportion, but your thigh is short as is your waist, and if both halves of your body are relatively equal, then you may have a balanced body, but with a short mid-body.
How to Flatter Your Shorter Mid-Body
You want to create balance with your longer proportions. To do this you want to create the illusion of elongation through your shorter sections and then use detail and interest in your longer sections.
- Since you have a long decolletage, play it up, wear great jewellery, or put interesting detail and necklines on to draw attention to it.
- As you have longer calves, draw attention to your feet with fabulous shoes. Skirt hems can also be detailed to draw the eye to this longer proportion.
- Keep your shorter mid-body clear of detail. Avoid wide belts. Use empire waist garments to create the illusion of a longer waist.
- Use vertical detailing through your body to elongate – think about an open jacket or cardigan which creates long vertical lines through your body.
- Wear a column of colour on the inside, that is a similar top and bottom colour (in value, aka depth of colour) so that you don’t draw an obvious horizontal across your mid-section further shortening it down.
- End skirts and dresses on or at your knee, no longer than just under the knee (unless it’s a maxi length) as this will create the illusion of longer thighs and legs.
- If you do tuck in a top (not highly recommended for your shape) blouse, blouse, blouse it. The top needs to be more voluminous and full so that it’s easy to blouse it over the waistband of your pant or skirt.
- Wear a mid-rise pant or jean as it balances your body.
More Tips on Dressing Your Proportions
Wow. I don't think I can even imagine this body proportion (though I may well have it!) – for some reason I find these proportion posts challenging to understand (not because of how you describe it, which is very clear). It's just some kind of visual block I guess.
I've never heard my own body described this way, but this is spot on. Very interesting! Thank you!
This is me! (although I try to think of myself as long-legged, rather than short bodied) Imogen your tips are spot on. Princess lines work really well for me, as do knee length skirts and deep necklines.
K.Line – just looking at your pic on your blog you look fairly balanced.
Goodworks – glad to be of assistance!
Jamtart – I like to think of myself as long legged too!
Always accentuate the positive.
thanks! that's helping alot already đŸ™‚
thanks! that's helping alot already đŸ™‚
This isn't quite my body type since I don't really have super-long legs, but a lot of the rest of it (short waist, long decolletage) fits, and your tips are *really* helpful. I do some of these things already like wear empire waists with a wide band to balance the disparity between waist and hip, but sometimes I just have a hunch that something works but I'm not sure why. Thanks for helping me understand.
If I’m proportional from chin to mid-bust and from mid-knee to foot, and short in the other measurements, does that still count?
Ashley – yes – this would be the best option to work with as you’re short through the middle.
Great! Thanks.
Im really confused!
I’m short but I have a balanced upper and lower sections, with long waist. The only thing I have short is the thigh
I mean upper, lower and waist have the same length and my only from my hip to knee is shorter.
What shape do I have?
Does this make your legs shorter than your body – including your head? If so then you are long body short legs.
I am exactly this, so thank you, Imogen.
But I do have a clash in my mind now regarding body shape and body proportions.
I am a figure 8. Most of my fat is concentrated on the hips high up and lower abs. I never liked wearing empire waist garments as I always thought that I look pregnant in them!
Especially this kind really never suited me I felt: https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT0mXD647UYL3l9HSmQqoccb7GQtRkjOhly2tH5rFtuvZyiBccR
Also , for figure 8s, you suggest the waist should be emphasised with belts?! For my body proportions I shouldn’t stress my waist though, you say??
Please advise!
Susie – as your waist is balanced you can belt at your waist – 8 shapes look great in belts too.
PS I am neither short nor long waisted (I can fit exactly 2 handwidths under my bust to my waist).
Thank you Imogen! This has helped me a lot. Just to clarify, if I am short waisted yet have a long rise, with shorter thighs and longer calves, are these my best styling options or is there something different I should try?
Yes and also look at the post on a Long Rise
yes- this describes me and i have struggled for so long with trying to find my type. i have a long neck with very thin, long extremities but thick upper thighs(they’re the widest part of me), wide ribcage, short thighs and long pelvis. at my thinnest i lose all curves and look like a boy. it’s so hard to find the right clothes for my type as i just feel dumpy no matter what. i hate it!
Thank you for this explanation. it is helping me understand my proportions more clearly. I am a v shape with a short waist, balanced body, 36D bra. When you say no waist detail is that structure of the top and also pattern? I believe that dense patterns will be more flattering but should I just focus on plain colored tops?
Can someone who is balanced with a short mid-body wear tunics to mid thigh and leggings?
For those with a short mid body, what is the best length for a tunic?
Hi Imogene,
This is very interesting. I have a short body with long legs – I never knew! And a long decolletage but I am not short waisted but short in the other half – my waist to hip is short. It is very strange somethings work and others are terrible. Empire waists look terrible on me. Do you have any other suggestions for this unusual combination?
Thank you,
Sue
Yes some people have a short rise – less common but still happens – you’ll find then that you’ll easily get bunching and extra fabric at the front of pants at the zip if the rise is too long for you.
Great post, Imogen! I like that you write about body shapes and proportions.
I have an X body, but I’m fairly sure I have a short mid-body too. According to this I’m not supposed to add details to my waist, but the X shape guide tells the opposite.
Uhm, is it possible to have a balanced body but long waisted?? Cause I think that’s me… or I just have a very long rise and it makes me look short legged.
Ahh!! I just wish I had this body type
Absolutely it’s possible! You’re a human and human’s are all unique – these are general categories. Are you long from bust to waist, or from waist to leg-break? Long waist is bust to waist. Long Rise is waist to leg-break (crotch) and is fairly common – just search LONG RISE here on the blog to get tips on dressing it!