A commonly taught method for finding your waist is to bend side to side and mark the natural crease — and for many people, this works well. However, if you have a prominent tummy or a unique body shape, this approach might not give the best result in terms of fit and visual balance. Here’s another way to consider your waist placement that could help tailor your designs more precisely to your shape.

Here’s why this alternative may help:

•   Waist Placement Affects Fabric Distribution: A lower waist often means more fabric ends up sitting above the waistline — creating excess volume and drag lines.

•  Darts Work Differently: Placing darts at the fullest part of the tummy can cause pull lines where fabric needs to be released instead of reduced.

•   Different Bends, Different Points: Side-to-side bending differs from forward bending. The forward bend often starts above the tummy — suggesting a naturally higher waist placement.

An Alternative Approach: Positioning the Waist Above the Tummy

Try placing your waistline just above the protruding tummy — where your torso narrows from the side view. This allows:

•   A truer, more supportive silhouette

•   Improved dart shaping

•   A flattering visual line

Look at Your Body from Two Angles

Looking at your body both front-on and from the side provides essential insight when deciding waist placement