How to Make the High-Waist Pants Trend Work If You Have a Short Torso

Pant legs that are not too tight, not too wide, but somewhere right in the middle are going to offer the most appealing silhouette. A slim-fit pair of pants are great for showing off your stems but make it impossible to fake the appearance of a longer torso. A wide-leg or a flare runs the risk of drowning your bottom half in a pool of fabric. Stick with straight-leg or boyfriend styles when dealing with a higher rise.

Get the look: Blanc Noir sweater ($54); Lucky Brand T-shirt ($40); Rag & Bone pants ($158); Superga sneakers ($65)

Tucking lets the pants serve their purpose, which is to draw attention to your waist (or, you know, to create the illusion of an hourglass shape). Women with short torsos should opt for tops with a bit of volume, rather than a super-slim fit. The addition of puffy sleeves will help even out the proportions between your mile-long legs and your petite upper half.

Get the look: Ulla Johnson top ($333); Madewell jeans ($80); MICHAEL Michael Kors heels ($99)

A peek of ankle is fine, but once you start to show calf, you run the risk of looking like you just pulled your pants up far too high. Stick to longer inseams and leave those cropped jeans for another day.

Get the look: BB Dakota top ($58); Frame jeans ($294); Rebecca Minkoff bag ($120); Naturalizer heels ($110)

Let’s say an 11-inch inseam perfectly hits right at your waist…but is also just a short hike away from swallowing your boobs. A nine-inch inseam will give the same leg-lengthening, middle-defining effect, with the added bonus of elongating your torso a bit, too. Trust us, they’re still going to look as trendy as their super-high-waist cousins, just more proportional.

Get the look: Alexis top ($394); Suboo pants ($241); Cult Gaia bag ($111); Dolce Vita heels ($120)

Sticking to a single hue (and we truly mean just one, not similar shades of the same color) creates one long, lean line while the high-waist pants work their magic to whittle your middle. The end result? The illusion of a supremely chic jumpsuit and a well-defined waist, with no weird proportions in sight.

Get the look: Nasty Gal blazer ($22) and pants ($30); River Island camisole ($20); Stuart Weitzman boots ($200)

While V-necks are usually the most flattering neckline for those of us with shorter torsos, that rule does not apply when wearing pants (or even a skirt) that hit at the waist. V-necks elongate your middle by drawing the eye downward, but a high-cut waistband draws the eye up and so your neckline should follow. Crew necks, turtlenecks or even a Meghan Markle-approved boatneck will work with to draw the eye up, up, up and create the illusion of a longer middle.

Get the look: Reiss blazer ($350) and pants ($180); Diane von Furstenberg top ($222); Coach bag ($198); Sam Edelman sandals ($100)