The waistline is the line of demarcation between the upper and lower portions of a garment, which notionally corresponds to the natural waist but may vary with fashion from just below the bust to below the hips. The waistline of a

garment Clothing (also known as clothes, garments, dress, apparel, or attire) is any item worn on a human human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin s ...

is often used to accentuate different features. The waistline is also important as a boundary at which shaping darts (such as those over the bust and in the back) can be ended.

Types of waistlines

Similar to

neckline The neckline is the top edge or edges of a clothing, garment that surrounds the neck, especially from the front view. Neckline also refers to the overall visual line between all the layers of clothing and the neck and Shoulder, shoulders of a per ...

s, waistlines may be grouped by their shape, depth, and location of the body. * None: The

princess seams Princess seams are long curved seams sewn into women's blouses or shirts to add shaping or a tailored fit to closely follow a woman's shape. They are a dart variation that is sewn into the front or back of a shirt that extends from the waist up t ...

style of dress needs no waistline at all, since it does its shaping without darts, by joining edges of different curvature. The resulting "princess seams" typically run vertically from the shoulder (or under the arm) over the bust point and down to the lower hem. This creates a long, slimming look, often seen in dresses with an " A-line" silhouette. * Diagonal: An asymmetrical waistline that runs across the body diagonally. Usually the highest point is below the natural waistline. * Drop waist: A low, horizontal waistline that usually falls near the level of the upper hips. Balances the upper and lower bodies, and adds to the visual impression of height by lengthening the torso. Common in 1920s silhouettes. * Empire: A high waistline that cuts horizontally across the body, just below the bust. This waistline gives a long, slender look and excellent fabric drape in the skirt and allows for short, inconspicuous shaping darts. This waistline was popular in

Jane Austen Jane Austen ( ; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for #List of works, her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment on the English landed gentry at the end of the 18th century ...

time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

; see

Empire silhouette Empire silhouette, Empire line, Empire waist or just Empire is a style in clothing in which the dress has a fitted bodice ending just below the bust, giving a high-waisted appearance, and a gathered skirt which is long and loosely fitting but ...

. * Raised: A horizontal waistline that falls significantly above (>1 in.) the natural waist. * Natural: A horizontal waistline that falls at the natural waist and tends to make the wearer seem shorter by visually dividing the figure in half. * V-shaped: A generally flattering waistline, especially for figures with notable curvature. Also known as the Basque waistline or the

Antebellum Antebellum, Latin for "before war", may refer to: United States history * Antebellum South, the pre-American Civil War period in the Southern US ** Antebellum Georgia ** Antebellum South Carolina ** Antebellum Virginia * Antebellum architectu ...

waistline. * U-shaped: A softer, less pronounced version of the Basque waistline. * Inverted V-shaped: Starts high in the center and drops at the sides and can fall as high as the bustline (e.g., paired with a low V neckline to give a "bowtie" look), but usually found near the hips (e.g., extending Bolero curves in the bodice). * Inverted U-shaped: A softer, less pronounced version of the inverted-V waistline, usually a gentle downwards curve.

Secure mechanisms

Waistlines can be secured with a variety of methods: *

Button A button is a fastener that joins two pieces of fabric together by slipping through a loop or by sliding through a buttonhole. In modern clothing and fashion design, buttons are commonly made of plastic but also may be made of metal, wood, or ...

* Clasp *

Drawstring A drawstring (draw string, draw-string) is a string, rope or lace used to " draw" ( gather, or shorten) fabric or other material. Ends of a drawstring are often terminated with a sheath called an aglet. The ends may be tied to hold the drawstr ...

Elastic Elastic is a word often used to describe or identify certain types of elastomer, Elastic (notion), elastic used in garments or stretch fabric, stretchable fabrics. Elastic may also refer to: Alternative name * Rubber band, ring-shaped band of rub ...

Knot A knot is an intentional complication in Rope, cordage which may be practical or decorative, or both. Practical knots are classified by function, including List of hitch knots, hitches, List of bend knots, bends, List of loop knots, loop knots, ...

Zipper A zipper (N. America), zip, zip fastener (UK), formerly known as a clasp locker, is a commonly used device for binding together two edges of textile, fabric or other flexible material. Used in clothing (e.g. jackets and jeans), luggage and oth ...

References

Fashion design Parts of clothing Waist {{fashion-stub

Types of waistlines

Secure mechanisms

See also

References