Short legs/long body?

[PrettyCandles]

How do I know which part if me is out of proportion?

I think I have a long body, because swimsuits and all-in-ones (remember 80s jumpsuits, and bodies which pollster under like baby vests?) are always too short for me. As are all hip-skimming shirts.

But does that mean my legs are disproportionately short for my overall height?

Should I shop for trousers in Petites and tops in Long Tall Sally?

And which part of my torso is disproportionately long? Is it all over, from neck to groin? Or just one part, say from waist to groin or waist to shoulders?

How do I tell?

'pollster'?

Autocorrect obviously didn't like 'popper'!

I'm same. Spent the early nineties having my fanny garotted.

I'm five foot seven with thirty inch inside leg, and I love tunics!

Don't know how it all fits together physically, but my mother used to say I had a "long back", whereas Trinny and Susannah used to describe our type as "long waisted".

It has its drawbacks, but I think it helps me carry my (slightly excessive) weight better, as the old tum is stretched over a longer area.

I have bought tops from Topshops Tall range before, but these days tops seems to be longer anyway, especially ones designed for layering. Gap is good for longer length tops.

same here! Need extra lengh tops, but can manage 'normal' length trousers if wearing with a heel. Layered top half does look better I find.

What looks best for me are dresses with a slight empire line. Waisted dreses are always in the wrong place, so to have the artificially high waist looks a lot better, and disguises my proportions better!

But please don't go analysing which part of your body is 'wrong'

I'm the same! Though it took years to understand why a style of tops on my friends would hang below their belts and on me I would have a gap above my jeans...And I'm short anyway so it's a double whammy :)

Ah, BlooKanga, I was careful not to describe any part of my body as 'wrong' .

But knowing where my difference actually is, could perhaps help me to buy clothes better. Or even to make my own! One reason I don't sew for myself is that I never know whether patterns will fit or suit, and I don't understand how to modify them.

You know, tawdry, I think I may also have a 30" inside leg. I think I took 30" trousers in my teens, when I was 5'7". I grew another inch in height, but I don't know whether that was in my legs.

How do I measure? Is it groin to floor?

I have the same inside leg measurement as my two sons.

They are 10 and 12.

I can actually wear their school trousers. Not that I do. But I can.

You measure from groin to floor, yes.

I have this body type. I buy long tops, wear skirts rather than trousers as it is hard to find trousers to fit. I have to waer bikinis ratherthan swimsuits (although a few shops now stock long ranges including sweaty Betty).
I also buy empire cut dress or tops whenever I see them so I don't struggle with my actual waist in a very different place from the waist on the dress

i have a long waist too. buying trousers is difficult as somehow they cut me at the crotch as they are not long enough in the waist and then the leg length is too long.

I find tops ok and i am glad the tops are longer now.

I'm long as well - although tall too so fairly in proportion.

You know you're longer in the body when:
*swimsuits require a brazilian
*your t-shirts and jeans never meet in the middle
*waisted dresses always seem to ride up and make you look pregnant (even if you're not and you have a great waist)

To find out how long you are, you can measure your back waist length. That's from the bone at the nape of your neck, down your spine to your waist. Boden used to publish this measurement in their size chart, but I can't find it on their website at the mo. I know I'm 17" which is fairly long for a size 12/14.

(If you make your own clothes you'll need to compare your measurement with the size chart and lengthen the pattern to fit you - it's not too hard to do.)

Topshop and Dorothy Perkins both make tall ranges of clothing that work well if you're only a bit longer than average - say 5'7" upwards. Long Tall Sally are the best if you're really long in the body say 5'9" upwards. Lots of other ranges say long on the label but the often only mean the leg length, not the upper body or arm length, so always ask if you're not sure.

The best news is that long bodies and long backs generally means less bulk around the waist, and you're unlikely to get muffin top. Although my doctor seriously recommends pilates for preventing back problems in later life!

But please, please can anyone recommend somewhere that does a good selection of long bodied swimsuits?

Thanks Bungle! That's exactly thesort of info I was after.

Dr's right about Pilates. I discovered pilates only when pg with dc1, 11y ago, but wish I'd known about it earlier - I tore muscles in my back when I was 10, and the dr said at the time that happened because my muscles weren't strong enough to support my height. Nobody did anything about it tho.

Wrong about the muffin top. put enough weight on and it will show - especially when fashion forces you into lowrise jeans.

BHS used to do a decent range of extra length swimsuits in the summer. Evans (changed name, can't remember new name) used to do tankinis with high-waisted bikinis, which worked very well. I dont know whether they still do these ranges.