# Another "dress me" thread - this time, a tall pear! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 22, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412 "2008-07-22T20:23:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Walpurgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Walpurgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walpurgis)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/1 "2008-07-22T20:23:01Z")
I wanted to ask for help with this for a long time (but was too shy), and was hoping you fashion-minded Dopers can help me. Hi, I’m Grammanaut, and I’ve for some reason lost the ability to dress myself well. _waves_ I just don’t know how to work the proportions. Everything just looks weird on me. I’m 5 foot 10 in, measurements 35/28/42. Tall, very long-waisted and pear-shaped. It seems that whatever I wear, my torso either looks extremely long and spindly, or my lower body short and wide (or just wide). I’d like to look proportionate, but I’ve no idea what to do. Help! Which bits of clothing are supposed to be loose, and which tight? What needs to be longer or shorter? (oh, and I’m an old ex-goth, so any rock chick style tips are extra welcome) ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/2 "2008-07-22T21:44:36Z")
No tips I’m afraid (I’m a short hourglass, so not much help). Try Googling Gok Wan- he seems to give reasonable advice on how to dress for your body shape. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/3 "2008-07-23T06:33:50Z")
I know a woman with those kind of proportions, except possibly bigger hips. She looked fabulous in long coats, open at the front - sorta Matrix-like. My favourite was a grey outfit. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/4 "2008-07-23T06:52:13Z")
I have no advice, unfortunately. I must commend your choice of coming here for fashion help though. I did and I look about a zillion times better now that I have purchased clothes that fall within the guidelines I was given here on the dope. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/5 "2008-07-23T07:15:51Z")
I’m short with no hips, but I love fashion so I’ll take a crack at this! First, are your hips wide or is it junk in the trunk? Or is it both? You want to draw the eye to your top half. Empire waist shirts and/or dresses are good at that as long as you buy them to fit. Too big and it’ll make you look pregnant. Lower necklines or [heart necklines](http://www.starletsandharlets.com/v/vspfiles/photos/towner-31720-2T.jpg) are pretty ways to bring the eyes up. Also, look for shirts or dresses that use color, texture, or patterns to break up the clothing, especially around the bustline. I don’t mean [this dress](http://www.starletsandharlets.com/v/vspfiles/photos/TOWNER-34154-PINK-2T.jpg) in particular, but see how the break in color makes you look at the top? I don’t like [this particular dress](http://www.starletsandharlets.com/v/vspfiles/photos/TOWNER-34190-BLUE-2T.jpg) but the waistline is directly below the bust which de-emphasizes the hips. [Patterns like this](http://www.starletsandharlets.com/v/vspfiles/photos/towner-31900-2T.jpg) are slimming and bring the eyes in. You can find these in tops as well as dresses. If you’re doing a jacket, go for one that is a bit longer. You don’t want anything at waist level in a jacket. ---
**Author:** ![Walpurgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Walpurgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walpurgis)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/6 "2008-07-23T08:34:43Z")
Thanks for the replies! **Irishgirl** , I checked out Gok Wan and he did indeed have good recommendation for what he calls the “perfect pear”. Unfortunately when it comes to tops, he states that “most of you have a short upper body” and then proceeds to base his tips on that. I wonder if it’s possible to dress for ze pear, while shortening the torso. \*\*Sleeps With Butterflies \*\* - I don’t have particularly wide hips, but there’s plenty of junk in the trunk and the top of my thighs are wide. All body fat is placed between butt- and knee height. Also, thanks for the links! The cut of the dresses make me think of the 50’s, it seems like a good era to go for. It’s a general problem to find tops and shirts that are long enough; most shrink to navel height after a few washes. Any ideas on brands or stores that carry longer tops (and not wider at the same time)? If it happens to be stuff not readily available outside the US, I could at least se what models would work. ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/7 "2008-07-23T08:46:24Z")
For plain T-shirts, buy from menswear shops. For some reason the guys get decently long T-shirts that don’t shrink in the wash. Often cheaper, too. ---
**Author:** ![threnodyangelfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@threnodyangelfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threnodyangelfire)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/8 "2008-07-23T09:38:41Z")
5’11 here. I know your pain. Long coats - we can carry them off so well. I buy vintage skirt coats from ebay - they look sensational. A line skirts - we are one of the few who can carry them off - and they’re so flattering. Just my 2 c ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/9 "2008-07-23T09:41:24Z")
Question–how do you know if you’re long or short waisted? I have a fairly long torso–shirts almost never come all the way down on me, but at the same time my legs are pretty long, too. ---
**Author:** ![Walpurgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Walpurgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walpurgis)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/10 "2008-07-23T10:58:52Z")
\*\*Freudian Slit \*\* - I don’t have a good cite for you, and I’m at work so can’t really google it - but you should be able to measure or tell from the way your clothes fit you. I first realized it when making Goth and larping clothes. I always had to add a few centimetres to the waist length when making bodices or shirts, or the garment would be too short (hitting waist instead of hip height, for example). Same thing when buying corsets, most stores I went to had corsets for short- and long-waisted women respectively. _thinks_ I should just start sewing my own stuff again, shouldn’t I. ETA: I’d just like to say thanks again for you guys replying and encouraging. 🙂 It helps a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/11 "2008-07-23T11:12:54Z")
Try things that accentuate a wider shoulder line. It will balance the hips. ---
**Author:** ![MissMossie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@MissMossie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissMossie)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/12 "2008-07-23T12:50:42Z")
Another vote for A-line skirts. I have a similar body shape as you 5’10, but my pear shape wideness is more of a result of wide hips (when I was twelve, my grandmother said I had birthin’ hips…that was weird) instead of junk in the trunk. I have a long, A-line denim skirt that I would wear everyday if people wouldn’t think less of me for it. [QUOTE=Grammanaut] I should just start sewing my own stuff again, shouldn’t I. [/QUOTE] If you do, consider [this book](http://www.amazon.com/Sew-What-Skirts-Fabulous-Fabrics/dp/1580176259). I have it and it’s a great way to start designing your own skirts. I wish I could help you on the shirts. I really, really wish I could because that would mean I would know where to buy shirts that don’t show off my belly-button. I can’t though. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/13 "2008-07-23T13:16:46Z")
[QUOTE=Sleeps With Butterflies] If you’re doing a jacket, go for one that is a bit longer. You don’t want anything at waist level in a jacket. [/QUOTE] No, not waist length, but not much longer than hipbone. A long torso and shorter legs (me too) means a long jacket will make your legs look even shorter in proportion. I would say long straight-legged black trousers and a shorter jacket/top with interest up around the neck would pull the eye up and make you look more proportioned. Of course, I watch too much What Not To Wear!! Shorter, wider jackets like [http://www.lizclaiborne.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=1988213&cp=1986587](http://www.lizclaiborne.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=1988213&cp=1986587) would balance out the pear shape and elongate your legs in comparison to your torso. ---
**Author:** ![Walpurgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Walpurgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walpurgis)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/14 "2008-07-24T12:54:09Z")
Well, I went home and went through my wardrobe. I don’t really have the funds to new stuff at the moment, but I’ve whipped out my sewing machine and will be adjusting a LOT of clothes. There’s been some great advice here, and I think I know how to move on. Again, thank you! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/15 "2008-07-24T15:01:28Z")
\*\*Hijack: MissMossie\*\* - How’s the living in going? /hijack StG ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dress-me-thread-this-time-a-tall-pear/457412/16 "2008-07-24T15:09:46Z")
Chweck out the books of Trinny Woodall, " What not to wear" on Amazon. Plenty of good tips, with illustrative pictures.