7 Ways to Wear Petite Dresses

Regular-sized dresses are typically made for women that are approximately 5' 5" in height or above, and because of this, shorter women often have a hard time looking for clothes that fit them straight off the rack. Women who are 5’ 4” and under are classified as petite, therefore meaning petite dresses are the welcome solution to this sartorial dilemma.

Are you a short gal? If so, you understand the clothing struggles of all fellow short girls everywhere. Ill-fitting shoulders, trailing hems, sleeves that are too long, frequent trips to the tailor for much-needed alterations—the list goes on. The good news is, many clothing brands now carry petite sizes, and there are a few good stores that specialize in petite outfits. Clothing that is specifically designed for petite sizes will often have shorter sleeves and narrower shoulders to fit the petite woman’s smaller frame.

When shopping for dresses, choose one that flatters your body shape. Find styles that add an illusion of height to make you appear taller. Read on below for more tips on how to rock your petite dresses and get some outfit ideas to inspire your fashion sense.

1. Get Vertical

Dresses that incorporate vertical lines are great for adding height. The most obvious would be vertical stripes, yet pleats and prints that simulate lines are cool options too. In addition, wearing a monochrome or single-color outfit helps to keep that element of verticality. Here are a few examples to inspire you:

• The pleats in this cool blue outfit gives the appearance of vertical lines, and the long statement necklace adds to it by drawing the eye down. The solid color completes the vertical effect.

• V or U-shaped necklines are great for drawing that vertical line. The all-white color helps keep the line unbroken, and the short length of the outfit makes the legs appear longer.

• The V-shaped neckline and zebra stripes in this outfit contribute to the vertical element to achieve the illusion of height.

• The V-shaped neckline and the patterns on this outfit create a vertical line effect.

2. Watch Your Footwear

We have to admit, wearing high heels is the easiest way to instantly add height to your petite dresses. Ankle-strap heels are usually not recommended because they “cut off” your feet, breaking the illusion of longer legs. Choose heels that show most of your feet, like pointy sling-backs or pumps. These will not break the vertical line of your legs.

• Match your heels with your outfit or accessory colors. For example, wear red heels with red dresses.

• One awesome tip is to wear nudes. This makes your legs look longer since the color is close to your skin tone. This lady’s cute, pink dress, with the shorter hem in front, is paired with nude heels to perfectly show off her legs and make her appear taller.

• If you want to wear boots, wear it with same-color tights or leggings to keep that illusion of longer legs.

• You can still wear flats (because you can’t live your life in heels) but it’s probably best to either wear it with short dresses so that your legs look longer, or pair it with an ankle-length outfit that gives you that appearance of height. See examples:

3. Follow the Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds means that one part of your outfit should cover one-third of your body while the other part covers the remaining two-thirds. In other words, don’t choose dresses that appear to cut your body in half. In the image below, the band or belt is placed high at the waist so that the upper part of the outfit is the one-third while the bottom part is the two-thirds. This style is good for women with a longer torso because it makes the lower body appear longer to give a sense of balance. If you have shorter torso, simply flip it up: make the upper part two-thirds and the bottom part one-third to make your torso appear longer.

Accessorize with a Small, Chic Bag

Carrying a large bag is a definite no-no because the bag will dwarf your short stature and make you look burdened. Pair a stylish shoulder bag, chic handbag, or a handy cross-body bag with your outfit instead. You’ll be more comfortable and you won’t look like you’re struggling with that weight.

• This lady is pairing a chic, black bag that complements her outfit. Plus, the tiny prints on the outfit give the appearance of vertical lines, giving her a slimmer, leaner look.

5. Grab That Waist-Cincher

Have you noticed that nearly all the dresses featured here have cinched waists? A waist-cinching dress is one of the most flattering outfits for petite women. It defines your waist and accentuates your body’s natural curve. Avoid baggy, drape-y dresses because these weigh you down and might even make you look shorter than you actually are. You wouldn’t want to look like you’re drowning in all that fabric now, would you? Here are two examples of waist-defining looks:

• This fab sheath dress with vintage vibes has a high cinched waist that perfectly accentuates the body. It is also just the right length for a petite lady to show off her legs.

• Wrap-around dresses are awesome waist-cinchers. Plus, you get some control on how tight you want it to be and you can adjust the position of the cinch. What’s more, the overlapping layers automatically give you a V-shaped neckline.

6. Go Easy on the Prints

The perfect prints for petite dresses are small, unobtrusive ones (typically no bigger than your fist) with a solid color base. Large prints can overwhelm your petite frame and make your body look wider than it is. You’ve already seen some examples above but here’s a few more for good measure:

• Fine white dots on a red base plus a cinched waist make this a perfect petite outfit for you.

• Polka dots are certainly popular! This white on blue ensemble looks totally flattering, plus those nude heels helps with the longer legs effect.

• Here’s an example of a not-so-flattering print. Those large patches of color don’t give her body shape the definition it deserves, and makes her hips look wider than they really are.

7. Skinny Belts are the Way to Go

You would have already realized by now that the core idea here is to keep that vertical line as unbroken as possible to achieve that illusion of height. That’s why when it comes to accessory belts, you can’t be conspicuous. Skinny belts go best with petite dresses as they don’t interfere too much with the style or the vertical line that you are trying to keep. If you do end up wearing a wider belt, then choose one that is the same color as your outfit to keep that vertical line unbroken.