The measurement around a person's body at the narrowest part of the waist, or the line of a garment that sits at that location.
Compound of 'waist' (from Middle English, origin uncertain, possibly from Old Norse) + 'line.' Created in English as fashion terminology to describe where clothing is seamed or fitted.
Waistlines have moved up, down, and sideways throughout history—sometimes sitting right under the bust, sometimes at the hip—which says way more about cultural ideas of beauty and women's freedom of movement than any fashion magazine ever could.
Waistline measurement became a gendered beauty standard in 20th-century media, disproportionately applied to women's bodies and weaponized in body shaming rhetoric.
Use descriptively when necessary (e.g., garment fit), but avoid using as proxy for health, attractiveness, or worth. Recognize the term's history in objectifying women.
["torso measurement","circumference","fit"]
Women's athletic and health movements have reclaimed body measurement language to emphasize strength and function over appearance standards.
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