I am 5'3" and EXTREMELY short waisted. I think there is less than 1 inch from the top of my hip to the bottom of my ribs. Not kidding. I am confused about what type of pants waist to purchase. In reading through the style tips for "petite" sizes, there is mention that I should avoid low rise pants. However, if I wear a high waist, it really looks as though I have no upper body (picture pants hitting up around the armpit :)) In my online search, I have discovered a few pairs of pants at JCrew in the petites section that I really like that are online only. One is a hutton trouser that indicates it sits higher on the waist. Any advice is welcome. Thanks!!

Amanda, I am petite and have a short torso too. I have found some great pants for work at Ann Taylor in their sale sections before - maybe try there! I have found that moderate rise pants work better for me than low-rise, especially since I'm not as slim as I used to be. :)