Elongating the Short Torso

One of the most common complaints I hear from customers is, “I have a short waist, and need a design that will elongate and slim my midsection.”

The key to elongating a short torso lies in balancing the proportion between the bust, waist, and hip to create that ideal body shape:  the hourglass figure.  With this shape, the hipline height lies at the midpoint of the total body height; by breaking the body into two equal halves, the distance between the bust, waist, and hips is evenly distributed.  Unfortunately, only about eight percent of the female population has a natural hourglass shape.  The task for the rest of us is to create the optical illusion of this ideally proportioned body.  Fortunately, with some ingenuity and good planning, a balanced silhouette can be achieved with show clothing.

Think Vertical

Vertical lines can make the midsection appear inches longer.  Angling these vertical style lines inward towards the center of the garment also helps define the waist.  Figures with short torsos have long legs and, therefore, a hipline height that is less than half the total body height.  Defining the waist with style lines placed a couple of inches below the actual waist achieves a balanced proportion.  This trick will make the waist and hipline appear to be lower, thus elongating the torso and creating an even silhouette.

A rule of thumb is to keep the sides solid, with no loud patterns or applications; if possible, stay with a dark color.  This doesn’t mean you must shy away from bright colors.  On the contrary, use bold, bright colors in the upper and center parts of your garment to draw attention away from the sides.

Elongating the Neckline

To fully benefit from the vertical effect, the neckline must be included in the vertical concept. The V-neck is the most flattering neckline when dressing a short torso.   Try to avoid high, zipped-up collars, as this turtleneck effect draws a horizontal line at the neckline.  Unzipping or unbuttoning the show garment instantly makes your neck longer.  An older or Select rider can unzip the neckline up to seven inches, while four inches is more appropriate for a young rider.  Another option is to simply choose a “V” neckline.  A flattering V shape is one with a lapel and standup collar, which will frame a face and taper a neck of any width appropriately.  A high collar can hide the sides to the neckline, elongating it and keeping the attention at the center of the body.

Undergarments

Unfortunately, bodies with short midsections tend to put on weight around the waist, above the waist, and on the back of the hips.  The resulting ripples and bulges add to the appearance of a barrel-shaped torso.  Since the midsection of this body type is already round, every effort should be made to eliminate any additional bulging.  Unless you are fortunate enough to have this body type with little or no fat in the midsection, consider an undergarment; ill-fitting underwear can enhance this “bulging” effect.   An undergarment will smooth out the waistline area, and can reduce the circumference of the midsection up to two inches.

If you have fullness in the underarm area, make sure your undergarment reaches up to and fits snugly around the arm.  At the same time, select an undergarment that is snug but not too tight; a tighter garment will have crease at the body’s natural breaks, enhancing the very “rolls” you’re trying to smooth out.  An overly sung undergarment will also have the tendency to roll down.  If you choose a panty girdle with a high waistline, make sure it can be tucked into your bra.  Some styles come with straps that hook onto the center and sides of the bra.  If your high waist panty is not fastened, it might roll down while seated on your horse.  A word of caution:  if you’ve never worn an undergarment, don’t wait until your show to wear it for the first time.  Be aware of movements that might cause the shapewear to shift or roll out of place.  You don’t want to fidget around with your girdle while in the show arena.

I’ll leave you with five guidelines to keep in mind when making or buying your next show garment:

Think vertical

Avoid horizontal lines

Lower the waistline

Keep the sides solid

Elongate the neckline