If you’re a shorter woman, you’ve probably had this moment.

You see high-rise underwear on someone else — smooth, flattering, perfectly placed.
So you try the exact same pair…
and suddenly it’s sitting way higher than expected, rolling, digging, or feeling like it’s competing with your bra.

And you’re left thinking:
Is it just me?

It’s not.

When “High-Rise” Isn’t Designed for a Short Torso

High-rise underwear is usually designed on an average or tall body.
That means longer torsos, more vertical space, and different proportions.

On shorter women, that same rise can:

  • Sit uncomfortably high on the stomach

  • Land right on the most sensitive area

  • Roll or fold because there’s nowhere for it to settle

  • Feel restrictive instead of supportive

What’s marketed as “more coverage” often becomes too much coverage in the wrong place.

Why This Isn’t a Sizing Issue

This is where the conversation usually goes wrong.

When high-rise feels uncomfortable, short women are often told:

  • “Try sizing down”

  • “It’ll sit better once it stretches”

  • “You’ll get used to it”

But the problem usually isn’t size.
It’s shape and proportion.

Two women can wear the same size and have completely different experiences in the same underwear — because bodies aren’t just different in width. They’re different in torso length, rise placement, hips, thighs, and sensitivity.

Sizing up or down doesn’t fix a rise that was never designed for your body shape.

Inclusivity Isn’t Just About Size

A lot of brands talk about inclusivity — and often mean expanded sizing.

That matters.
But it’s not the whole picture.

True inclusivity means acknowledging that:

  • Not all bodies are built on the same vertical proportions

  • Not all women want or need the same rise

  • “High-rise” isn’t universally comfortable or flattering

When we only talk about inclusivity in numbers, we miss how clothing actually feels on real bodies.

So Does True Inclusivity Start When…

…brands stop scaling one shape up and down —
and start designing for real variation?

Not just in size.
But in shape.
In proportion.
In how women actually live, sit, move, and feel in their clothes.

Because one size fits all was never really true —
and short women have known that for a long time.

December 28, 2025 — Jody-anne Sellwood

Leave a comment