Wearing outfits that make you feel good can help boost your confidence. And with the best-fitting clothes, it can help you appreciate your body, no matter the shape or size. Because clothes are not meant to be “one size fits all”, it’s important to be more selective about wearing pieces that will make you feel comfortable and complement your body and height.
Many designers and brands consider five foot and five inches as the standard height when producing clothes for women. So if you fall below that height, you might find most clothes too long for your petite frame. Custom clothing is best but if you have to buy retail, here are some styling tips as a petite woman that you can follow to make these clothes work for you.
Show Your Ankles
One of the best ways to appear taller is to wear bottoms that show your ankles. When you buy jeans, you can either have them tailored or cuff the ends. All it takes is to fold the hems up until you get the desired length. Ideally, your ankle should be seen between the ends of your pants and the start of your sneakers or boots. It will help create an illusion of longer legs.
Another option is to buy denim leggings in petite sizes. This way, you won’t have to worry about cuffing the ends while enjoying the look of denim in the form of comfy stretchy pants. If you find the petite size too short but the standard legging too long, there is an option for you. Some leggings are offered in seven-eighths length, which is one-eighth shorter than most standard leggings.
Stay Away from Baggy Pants
While many petite women opt for outfits that can give them a taller appearance, you still need to be mindful of your body proportions when selecting pants. For example, those who have wider shoulders and smaller hips can do well with trousers that are well-fitted and slightly flared at the ends. With this, they can achieve a more balanced proportion and still look taller. When you wear baggy pants, the loose fit can be unflattering and make you look shorter.
You can also try wearing flared jeans from Vibe Clothing Company as they offer a flattering silhouette for most petite women. Even if they go beyond your ankle, the ends of flared jeans have a graceful curve that evokes femininity and helps extend the length of your legs.
Show Off Your Legs
Another effective styling method to make your legs look elongated is by wearing skirts. When selecting skirt lengths, it’s best to get those that fall above your knees. If you wear a skirt reaching your calves, it can appear like it’s cutting off your legs and make you look short. Depending on how comfortable you are with wearing short skirts, you can choose skirts that are three or more inches above your knees. They can do wonders in making you appear taller.
Go for Structured Pieces
When selecting dresses and tops, make sure they have a definite or structured shape that can complement your body frame. Shapeless clothing won’t enhance your figure. Instead, they will look like the fabric is swallowing your body and make you appear smaller or shorter. In dresses, choose those with cinch details at the waist like wrap dresses. For looser-fitting dresses, add a belt to highlight a slimmer midsection and help elongate your legs.
In terms of the tops you wear, choose pieces that are not too tight or loose. One option is a boxy shirt as they are flattering for many body types. Also, get blouses or shirts that hit no lower than your hip bones. These can help balance the proportion of your torso and legs. To effectively create an elongated appearance, pair your tops with pants or skirts that are cut a little higher on the hip.
Wear Flattering Jumpsuits and Maxi Dresses
Jumpsuits and maxi dresses are other outfit ideas that can help you look taller. Jumpsuits are versatile pieces since you can wear them almost anywhere, whether at work or in casual events. Make sure to pick one in a solid color and with a slight flare at the bottom to create an elongated look. For the neckline, select jumpsuits with v-necks or anything that allow the eye to move along your figure vertically.
Wearing maxi dresses also allows you to create a column of colors. The continuous color or pattern helps lengthen your body so choose solid colors or small prints. Large prints on maxi dresses can take a large area of the dress and cover your body. This can appear overwhelming for your small frame and highlight your petite height. The length of the dress is also critical. Get one that shows your ankles or have it tailored to adjust the length.
When it comes to choosing a dress, look for cottagecore style dresses that combine comfy cuts with ultra-feminine details, such as ruffled necklines, puff sleeves and flower embroidery.
Maximize Vertical Stripes
In case you want to play with different patterns, you can experiment with stripes. While many people adore the Breton stripe tops, the horizontal pattern won’t do much for your height. Since the lines extend from shoulder to shoulder, it can make you look wide and shorten your petite frame. Instead, wear tops with vertical stripes. This style can easily trick other people into thinking that you’re taller than you actually are because the direction of their eyes will naturally move vertically.
Alternatively, you can try wearing pants with a tuxedo stripe that runs down on the outer side of each pant leg. They are simpler stripe details that can effectively make your legs look longer.
Wear the Right Types of Shoes
Wearing heels is one of the easiest ways for petite women to look taller. Many girls prefer platform shoes in lieu of stilettos because they can effectively add a few inches to their height while still being comfortable to wear. However, chunky platform shoes can add bulk to your feet and draw attention down rather than up. In this sense, stilettos are more flattering as the pointy and slim design help extend your legs. In case you are not used to walking in stilettos, your alternative can be to wear pumps.
The distinction between pumps and stilettos lies in their heel size. Stilettos have a thin long heel of one inch or more, while pumps feature a heel of an inch or less. The latter can also have a block heel, which makes it more comfortable to wear than stilettos.
There are various ways to wear clothes to complement your body type. Even if you have a petite frame, you don’t have to feel limited by the selection of clothes most stores offer. Explore other brands that offer a collection for petite and fashionable women. You can also follow any of the petite styling tips for women mentioned above to appear taller and have a flattering silhouette.