I have a 30" waist and 36" hips. Is there any way to get ready-made skirts for my figure? I mean skirts that fit snugly over the hips.

Quote from: MichelleT on September 15, 2008, 05:51:32 PM
I have a 30" waist and 36" hips. Is there any way to get ready-made skirts for my figure? I mean skirts that fit snugly over the hips.

I think you have a standard body figure as a woman. You can get it at any store, IMHO.

Barbie~~

I'm surprised you think that. All the size charts I've seen show that I need to reduce my waist or increase my hips by about 4 inches.

The few skirts I have fit poorly. I live in a small rural town and do most of my clothes shopping online.

Skirts are just wonderful but they are also a pain owing to the huge variety available.  I can never get a structured tailored skirt to look good owing to having no real womanly hips but there are countless other styles that hide my defects.   My only real concern is that they fit well at the waist and they look okay when on my body....the rest takes care of itself.

Only you know what goes best with you regards style, length and taste regarding a skirt as no two women will really be the same but being able to blend with the rest is probably more important than if it is in fashion.

Comfort is my prioity followed by look and apropriateness for the occasion 

Quote from: Crécerelle on September 18, 2008, 02:11:23 PM
Seconded! There are quite a few styles of skirts out here, so I think you should be able to find one that fits you... maybe a low-waisted skirt (without denim-style definition on the hips) would help make sure it stays on your hips?

I'd also recommend trying skirts in person if at all possible; skirts are trickier when it comes to fit than most other garments, in my experience, even though I'm an off-the-rack size. There are a lot of women with similar proportions, so I'm sure you will be able to find one to your liking

Further to my earlier contribution, never go by the indicated size on the label, a common mistake for those of us that do not 'try on in store' before purchase.  There is no standardised sizing in real life because we are all of differing proportions.

As I mentioned, my first thought is to my waist for a good fit because if you cant get into a skirt ( or trousers ) then the rest is pointless.  If one is shy or just dislikes a public changing room, I suggest doing what I do and go to an auction website  .

I am regularly getting my skirts that way because I can specify my needs , and ask the seller for specifics and see a photograph of the garment.  I also get these clothes at vastly reduced cost therefore if I make a mistake after trying it on, I can simply sell it on the same auction site to get money to buy another item.

I do not know if I am breaking board rules here but I have found that 'Kim & Co, Pago Pago' and others that use pay TV stations as an outlet offer great clothes that deal with unusual sizing issues such as those we might have. They use fabrics that mould to our bodies and do not have structural problems that denims and similar fabrics present to us.

As for having a boyish figure, are we not among many other females with the same complaint? The fashion houses deal with 'boyish figures' with their designs and I guess the trick is to read up the fashion press for ideas 

Quote from: Crécerelle on September 18, 2008, 02:11:23 PM
maybe a low-waisted skirt

I've had good results with low-rise pants. I did some searching the other for low-rise skirts. They don't seem to be as common as the pants. I ordered a few that looked like they were low-rise, but I won't know for sure until I get them.

Hi, Michelle,

There are some size charts: e.g., http://www.rothco.com/general/sizechart_w.htm

As others mentioned, those charts are really variable and you may use fitting room before purchasing it. Skirts are more flexible in size compared with women's jeans. I do not remember my hip size correctly... I guess 26-inch waist and 34-inch hip. In the U.S., I purchased skirts of size 0 to 4 and wearing them did not cause any serious problem.

Good luck,

Barbie~~


Posted on: September 20, 2008, 01:00:27 PM

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I also have a boyish figure, meaning that my hip is relatively small compared with women of the same waist size.

But in the U.S., my figure was actually girlish. Because of my small hip, I usually purchased underwear pants for little girls of about age 10. Girls size 10 or 12 were nice for me. Funny thing is that people would think I am purchasing underwear pants for my little daughter. Hanes underwear pants and socks were really nice and inexpensive. I still wear those underwear pants I purchased 5 years ago in Target or Walmart.

Regarding thongs, they are always too large for me.

Barbie~~

i'd try an a line skirt

gives you a waist, hides big thighs and looks lovely

A few years ago, at least, a lot of skirts were designed to ride low on the hips, weren't they? But I don't think they were called "low rise," simply because the concept of "rise" doesn't exist for a skirt. Where the skirt hangs depends on how the waist compares to the hips. If the skirt's waist is 10" smaller than the hips, it's supposed to hang at your waist. But it the skirt's waist is only a few inches smaller than the hips, it was designed to ride much lower, obviously.

Sometimes you can tell that from a picture, particularly if the skirt is being modeled.

At the risk of suggesting the obvious, have you considered getting a waist cincher and/or a panty girdle with hip and butt pads? You shouldn't need much. After all, most clothing is cut for a 10" difference between waist and hips. You already have a 6" difference, so if you knock 2" off your waist and add 2" to your hips, you're there.

Yes, I guess rise does not apply to skirts.

In a few days I'll find out how good I am at finding skirts with a low waist.

I tried a cincher but it barely made any difference. I have a corset but it shows through my clothes and I don't seem to have enough hands to lace it up well.

I've considered hip and butt padding and may try that.

Do you have any suggestions on something that is good for cinchers and padding?

I don't have any personal recommendations, but Penneys & Fredericks of Hollywood both have "padded briefs" in the online stores. Stuff like this is generally listed under "shapewear."

And I know what you mean about the corset! I have no idea how anyone could get into a backlace corset by herself ... or get out of it. Of course, perhaps that's the idea!

I've also seen DIY articles on how to make your own pads, but I don't remember where.

Oh yes! Check the local resources, like https://www.susans.org/reference/clothes.html. That recommends gathered & pleated skirts to hide small hips.

MichelleT,
  I purchased two waist cinchers from Penney's. I ordered them a size too small and sewed the ends repeatedly so that the hooks and eyes wouldn't pull loose.
  I wear them both at the same time.
  They are just as tight as my corset and easier to put on.
  They can also be modified to use with stockings. I sewed the elastic part of sheet keepers to the bottom of one waist cincher. The type with the metal garter. Not the ones with the plastic garter. The plastic ones don't seem to hold.
  Alicia
 

Quote from: MarySue on September 22, 2008, 04:42:42 PM
Oh yes! Check the local resources, like https://www.susans.org/reference/clothes.html. That recommends gathered & pleated skirts to hide small hips.

Doesn't the skirt still have to fit well to look good?

Posted on: September 23, 2008, 09:34:46 AM

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Quote from: Alicia Marie on September 23, 2008, 09:16:02 AM
MichelleT,
  I purchased two waist cinchers from Penney's. I ordered them a size too small and sewed the ends repeatedly so that the hooks and eyes wouldn't pull loose.
  I wear them both at the same time.
  They are just as tight as my corset and easier to put on.
  Alicia
 

That is interesting. How much reduction do you get from that?

It made my waist about 4 inches smaller.
It took 2 of them though. One didn't do much.
They also helped with my lower back problems as they go down farther than a back brace.

Quote from: Alicia Marie on September 23, 2008, 09:46:34 AM
It made my waist about 4 inches smaller.
It took 2 of them though. One didn't do much.
They also helped with my lower back problems as they go down farther than a back brace.

I ordered two cinchers in size small. The first one gave a 1/2" reduction. Adding the second one gave another 1/2" reduction for a total of 1".

I can't imagine how you were able to get about 4".

I'll second the suggestion for a-lines. Pencil skirts or snugly tailored skirts can look terrible if you don't have the curves for them.

"Low-rise" can be good, because it just menas that the waist is a little wider, so by design it will sit lower. If your waist is a little wider, this just means it will fit better, while sitting at a normal place.

MichelleT,
  For a lack of proper words I have a rather flabby belly. It was 30" since high school some 30 years ago. Sitting at home the last 3 years made it climb to 36". Both cinchers bring it down to 32". I think it's just because the fat is so easy to crush.
  My latest experiment is the cheapest.
  I have a corset that has 5 sets of stays made out of shoestrings instead of the 2 it came with. They are long enough to come around front. That gives way more leverage.
  I have them knotted at points where it is loose enough I can put it on. Then I just pull on the ends of the stays in front and tie them there. Beats fighting sucking in my gut to hook the front hooks and eyes.
  The reason I use five is so that I can adjust each one as tight as I need at bust, underbust, high waist, belly and hips.
  Since I can individually draw them tight I can get the shape I need.
  The leverage makes it possible to tighten them to the point where I can baredly breath. It's way better than the 2 stays it came with. The $1.00 per pair price of 54" long shoestrings from Dollar General made this way cheaper.
  Now I just have to sew the ends like I did the waist cinchers so the hooks, eyes and stay gromets don't pull loose.
  I was going to post a picture of it but don't know how to go about that.