How can a short-waisted women wear tops and dresses that cinch at the waist?

Question

Most magazines and sites i've seen say that women with short torsos should wear only empire or drop waisted tops and dresses to hide the position of their true waist, but I want to show off my actual small waistline. What proportions will allow me to do that without looking even more shortwaisted?

Answer 1

Try going with a pretty, short sleeved, bright colored, tailored boho top. Then get yourself some great pencil jeans or jeans that make your legs look LONG! Find a cute thin belt to wear over the shirt. The shirt itself should only come to the tops of your pockets. Any longer and you will look more short waisted than you are. It's in the proportion between what is above the belt and what is below. If you have a ton of fabric below the belt, you look short waisted. Jessica Alba wore it perfectly to the 19th Annual kids choice awards. Yellow blouse and tailored jeans. Spectacular.

Answer 2

1] wear a flexible belt, like a chain, medallion, concha, or bead belt, that fastens around your waist and drops a bit in the front - shows small waist while elongating torso!
2] wear lightly low rise jeans - still see the waist, but also elongating
3] be sure top is not very 'wide' - too full will make area 'squared off' looking shorter
4] try shirts/blouses/dresses with vertical stripes - and DON'T wear them on bottoms.
5] a wrap dress in solid color or small print will show off waist [ check where tie hits on body - should be waist or slightly lower ]
6] an overblouse or sweater worn outside the bottoms, even with a skinny belt at waist, or wider belt at hip, will make top half appear longer
Good luck!