Waistline

Clothing & Fashion Industry Definitions

Fashion Definitions

Placement: From Empire to Drop Waist

Waistlines may be grouped, like necklines, by their shape, depth and location on the body, and location is the most visible variable. At the high extreme sits the Empire waist, a waistline that cuts horizontally across the body just below the bust. It gives a long, slim look and excellent fabric drape in the skirt, allows for short, inconspicuous shaping darts, and is flattering for figures without too much curvature. Popular in Jane Austen's time and linked to the Empire silhouette, it lengthens the apparent leg and shortens the bodice to a band. A raised waistline is a less extreme version: a horizontal waistline that falls significantly above the natural waist, by more than one inch.

The natural waistline falls at the natural waist. It is the reference position against which other placements are described, and it tends to make the wearer seem shorter by cutting the figure in half, though it gives the clearest definition of the waist itself. At the low extreme, the drop waist is a horizontal waistline that usually falls near the level of the upper hips. It balances the upper and lower bodies and adds to the impression of height by lengthening the torso, the opposite trick to the Empire line. A diagonal waistline cuts across the body asymmetrically, with its highest point usually below the natural waistline.

Shaped Waistlines: V, U, and Inverted Forms

Not every waistline is a straight horizontal. The V-shaped waistline, also known as the Basque waistline or the antebellum waistline, dips to a point at the centre front and is generally flattering, especially for figures with curvature, because the point lengthens the bodice and draws the eye downward. The U-shaped waistline is a softer, less pronounced version of the Basque form, replacing the point with a gentle curve. The inverted forms reverse the logic. An inverted V-shaped waistline starts high in the middle and drops at the sides. It can fall as high as the bustline, for example paired with a low V neckline to give a bowtie look, but is usually found near the hips, for example extending bolero curves in the bodice. The inverted U-shaped waistline is the softer, less pronounced version of the inverted V, usually a gentle downwards curve.

The Waistline in Construction

Beyond appearance, the waistline is a working boundary in garment construction. Shaping darts, such as those over the bust and in the back, can be ended at the waistline, so the seam that joins bodice to skirt also finishes the shaping that fits the upper body. A waistline seam gives a place to attach a skirt, to insert a waistband or elastic, and to distribute fullness evenly around the body. The exception proves the rule. The princess seam style of dress needs no waistline at all, since it does its shaping without darts by mating edges of different curvature. The resulting princess seams typically run from the shoulder, or under the arm, over the bust point and down to the lower hem, producing a long, clean look often seen in dresses with an A-line silhouette.