It’s true when they say that the grass always seems to be greener on the other side of the fence. But for some, even seeing over the top of that fence can prove to be a bit of a challenge. If this sounds familiar, chances are you belong to the ranks of the “vertically challenged.”
Being of shorter stature often poses sartorial challenges that are unknown to fashion enthusiasts who are a bit more vertically endowed. Trends such as maxi dresses, midi skirts, and cropped trousers are often dangled in front of the shorter fashion enthusiast as trends to be avoided.
However, just because you’re short doesn’t mean that you can’t have great style or participate in an ongoing trend. The secret is in knowing how to dress for your particular frame. These three fashion tips will set the record straight once and for all. Short girls can wear just about anything that tall girls can wear. The secret lies in choosing the right styles in proportions that flatter. Here’s how you can look taller:
Understand Your Body Shape and Dress Accordingly
There is a general misconception about what the word petite means in the context of fashion. Although most women who are under 5’3” fit into what would be considered a petite size category, there is no size limitation. In other words, you can be a petite woman but still wear a size 18.
Petite sizing is all about collective measurements; the torso, inseam and arms are all taken into account as a whole and generally sized-down from standard sizing. In order to find clothes that will best suit your petite frame, it is important to understand your body shape and specific measurements. Generally, petite body types fall into two main categories: horizontal and vertical.
Horizontal body types are your curvier petite body types and are often categorized by pear (bottom heavy), apple (round in the middle), and hourglass classifications. Vertical body types are straighter up and down although leg and torso length will differ.
For horizontal shapes, the key to elongating the silhouette is a balancing act. For pear shapes, wearing open necklines like portrait collars and v-necks help to balance your shape by drawing attention upwards. Apple-shaped women look best in silhouettes that flow away from the waistline like loose-fitting shift dresses. Hourglass shapes are lucky to have a balanced bust to hip ratio, so they look best in more form-fitting garments that flatter the natural shape of the body.
Vertical body shapes are a bit easier to dress although getting the all-important torso to leg ratio in balance is key. If you have a long torso and shorter legs, your body will look best in shorter tops (cropped jackets and peplums are great) and trousers or skirts with a medium to high waist. If your legs are longer than your waist (in other words, you’re short-waisted), the reverse is true. Try a pair of low-rise jeans with a longer jacket or tunic that hits at the hipbone or longer.
Pick Your Pant-leg with Care
The shape of a pant-leg is crucial when you are looking to elongate the silhouette. Choose flat-front straight, boot cut, or wide leg trousers that extend all the way to the floor and wear them with heels. If you’re wearing a dark colored trouser, stick to a dark shoe (light trousers, light shoes). This keeps the silhouette long by not visually breaking up the line of the leg.
Make Well-Heeled Choices
While there’s nothing written that shorter women have to wear heels all the time, it’s certainly one of the quickest ways to add a few inches of height to your frame. However, not just any old pair of heels will do. There are a few styles that work better than others on petite women.
Platform heels are a petite woman’s best friend. Not only do they give you that extra few inches of lift, but they are actually a lot more comfortable than heels without platforms because they offer more stability than traditional court pumps. Choose one in a flesh color that matches your skin tone to really elongate the leg for best effect.
Slingback pumps also work wonders at creating an unbroken silhouette. However, a word of warning; Petites should avoid any heels with ankle straps. Ankle straps cut off the silhouette at an awkward place and interrupt the lengthening effect.
Petite fashion enthusiasts who wish to create a longer, leaner silhouette need look no further than the three fashion tips given here to find a taller, more streamlined version of themselves. The structure and guidance given here is a useful guide in helping women select styles that are best for their frame. In doing so, it is likely that they will discover that with this newfound knowledge, no trend is completely off limits.
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