When shopping, it can sometimes be made apparent that the styles we love are not suitable for our body types. Lots of clothes seem to have a design fitting only for the classic supermodel figure small waist, slim hips, and legs for days. But for most of the population, that description simply is not accurate and not inclusive.
Can you be ‘tall’ and have short legs?
The answer is yes! Being tall is not that simple as it seems, like for those who are petite who also have long legs. The reason behind this wide variety is that there are many different body proportions. For example. some people either have a longer or shorter waist and/or legs, longer and/or shorter torsos.
With all of these possibilities, the next question you should be asking is how to determine where your proportions belong. Understanding your body type is important and will tremendously help you achieve that flattering and balanced appearance.
How do you know if you have a long torso and short legs?
There are different ways to determine you have this body type.
Some stylists recommend measuring your body ratio by your waist length by putting both of your hands over your bust area to the waist. The answer relies on the distance between the top of your first placed hand and the one near your navel.
Others have suggested comparing two measurements. First, measure from your underarm to the area above your navel. Second, measure your waist to your hipbone. If this latter measurement smaller, a person can confirm that he/she has a long torsos and short legs
What should I wear if I have a long torso and short legs?
If you have a long torso short legs, you might feel fed up with trying on tops that show your stomach and midi skirts that reach the floor. It should not be challenging to find clothes that fit your body, make you feel comfortable, and give you confidence! You just need to know what to look for when shopping.
Have you been wondering ‘What should I wear if I have long torso short legs‘? Read on this post for the answer you have been craving. In this section, we will be sharing the best tips for how to dress the body shape ‘short legs long torso’.
1. Wear High-Waisted Pants And Skirts
When it comes to finding fashion for this body type, high-waisted bottoms are the best friend of long torso short legs.
From jeans to skirts, high-waisted styles will create the illusion of a higher waistline. The effect is that it will shorten your long torso and make your short legs look longer.
To make the most of this look, try wearing a belt to add more definition to your waist. As long as it is comfortable, you can also pull up your bottoms until this sits just above your natural waistline. The look will make your waist appear higher, creating the appearance that this is where your legs begin.
2. Choose Dresses with an Empire Line
If you thought it was impossible to find flattering dresses for short legs, think again! The trick is to find a dress (or top) that features an empire line.
This style of dress is generally loose in the skirt, but with a fitted bodice that ends immediately beneath your bust. The inseam is the only thing giving the garment shape. As such, it helps skim over your natural waist while creating the appearance of a waistline that is much higher. This proportioning elongates the body and disguises short legs.
3. Wear a One-Piece (Jumpsuits and Rompers)
Jumpsuits, playsuits, rompers these outfits are an excellent style secret if you are searching for clothes for long torso short legs. One-piece styles will make it harder for people to see where your upper body ends and where your shorter legs start. It creates a vertical line that will elongate your legs.
As dresses are also types of one-piece, these clothes can create the same illusion. As we mentioned earlier, always look for high-waisted styles that will skim over your natural waist for perfect balance.
4. Wear Heels or Pointed Toes
This tip is one of the most obvious advice for people struggling to dress their long body short legs. High heels will lengthen your legs just make sure to avoid styles with a strap around the ankle. These high heels can visually cut you off at the foot, leaving you with the opposite effect!
If high heels are not your thing, there is no need to suffer for the sake of this styling. You can achieve this similar lengthening effect and still look taller by choosing flat shoes with a pointed toe style. These flats will help elongate your feet, which in turn makes your legs look longer.
5. Match Your Shoes to Your Pants or Tights
Once the weather is cold enough for tights, you can greatly reduce the appearance of your short legs long torso by wearing matching shoes. Black stockings with a pair of black heels will balance your upper body, by making your feet look as though they are extensions of your legs. Visually, it adds inches to your height. You can also match your shoes to your pants for the same balancing effect.
During summer or for formal events, you cannot go wrong with a pair of nude heels! If you are planning to go out with bare legs, nude heels will similarly help elongate your legs and always make you appear taller.
6. Wear Block Color
As we mentioned in the previous tip, this style of wearing the same color on more than one part of your body will help disguise where your legs start and end. Also, choosing styles in block color will also give you this balanced effect on your long torso.
Whether you opt for a jumpsuit or go bold with a matching top and pants, the block color effect will create a cohesive and balanced look. This style will make it much harder for people to see where your upper body meets your short legs.
7. Opt for Crop Tops
We know that if your body type has a long torso and short legs, many tops end up looking cropped on you! But by choosing cropped styles that end on or above your waist, you can create the illusion that your longer torso ends at the same place as your top.
For full impact, pair your favorite crop top with a pair of high-waisted jeans or a skirt. The pairing will simultaneously shorten your torso and lengthen your legs, resulting in an outfit that disguises the proportions that may make you feel insecure.
8. Choose Pants with Vertical Detailing
It’s a well-known tip in the fashion world that vertical detailing helps elongate the body, as this style draws the eyes upward instead of outwards. Choose pinstriped pants or jeans with vertical front seams for a statement look. The combination is the perfect answer to your question about how to dress short legs.
9. Follow the ⅓ To ⅔ Rule
This tip can be one of the golden rules to dress for short legs. When you are deciding which clothes to wear, try to structure your outfits around the principle of ⅓ to ⅔. This ratio means that you want to divide your body visually into ⅓ on the top and ⅔ on the bottom for example, by wearing a cropped jumper and midi skirt.
On the body, this combination will divide your body type into thirds. This styling gives the appearance that your legs are twice as long as your torso.
By following these tips, you can find fashion for short legs. These fashion hacks will flatter your figure and make you feel great!