Anything you can use, I may use shorter… As a little gal, this has always been my style philosophy, and it has mostly been true. We aggregator have a lot of options these days from to. I’ll admit, however, that things may get a little complicated when it comes to. After all, with “maxi” ideal there in the brand, they’re not exactly made for us “mini” traditions. But I don’t believe in writing off an entire category of clothing—especially one that can actually be really flattering—just because of my height, and to my: neither should you!
It is for it to acquire some design strategy, though. There are a few techniques I’ve been able to make those beautiful long gowns job for my 5-foot-1 body, aside from using platforms or taking them to the seamstress. I’ve come up with five “rules” for wearing a super costume as a little person after much trial and error and years of soaking in the counsel of fashion bloggers and the stylists I follow on social media. I dare say they will work for anyone who wants to put a little elevation to their appearance.
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1. Wear More Fitted Silhouettes
Stephanie Maida
I am aware of how simple it is for my shorter appearance to get lost in the extra material, despite how much I enjoy the look of a frilly, hippy dress flowing in the weather. I run the risk of ruining a cute dress because I’m more bloated in the bust area. For this reason, I stick to slimmer silhouettes when wearing maxis, or, at the very least, ones that feature a more fitted bodice or waist. The more you can define your petite figure in a longer dress, the less likely it is that you’ll completely engulfed by it, despite the fact that you can go full bodycon.
Shop Fitted Maxi Dresses
Abercrombie & Fitch Crochet-Style Dress
130
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Quince Tank Dress
40
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SNDYS Claire Dress
73
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2. Throw on a Belt
Stephanie Maida
If you made the decision to skip rule one ( as I do occasionally ), you might feel shapeless in a roomy maxi. Use it to cinch in your waist and, again, deliver your actual shape from beneath a sea of material. In many 90s-style slip dresses, this technique has saved me from appearing like a pint-sized rectangle. Keep in mind that thicker belts or bands at the waist can make you look even shorter, and that if you’re petite, you should stick to thinner belts that are proportional to your frame. On that note, maxi dresses with built-in belts or waist ties are a plus.
Shop Belted Maxi Dresses
Tuckernuck Lucienne Dress
168
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Swiss Dot Dress Mascomoda Boho
47
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Universal Thread Belted Shirtdress
28
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3. Opt for a Lower Neckline
Stephanie Maida
We short peeps can use the same visual trickery to our advantage in our wardrobes, just like Las Vegas magicians. Case in point: Donning a lower neckline to seem taller. Not only does a V- or scoop-neck style help to lengthen your neck, and by extension, your entire figure, but in the case of a maxi style, it also prevents the aforementioned issue of getting overwhelmed by too much fabric. In my opinion, any dress that highlights the décolletage is a major “Do,” even though even a hint of skin below the neck can help in this regard.
Shop Low-Neck Maxi Dresses
Skims Soft Lounge Dress
63
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Immaculate Perfection Lulus Dress
69
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Abercrombie & Fitch V-Neck Column Dress
100
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4. Stick to Smaller Prints ( or Solids )
Stephanie Maida
Larger prints can overwhelm smaller statures in the same way that too much volume can overwhelm smaller ones. I personally enjoy big, bold prints and color splashes, but whenever I shop for a maxi dress, I prefer to buy smaller, delicate prints to avoid being drowned out by them. This advice is found throughout the petite style community. Alas, busyness tends not to benefit us shorties. A better bet is to stick to solid colors because their sleek, simple lines can greatly lengthen your figure.
Shop Mini-Print Maxi Dresses
Kutumai Puff-Sleeve Floral Dress
57
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ASTR the Label Edessa Dress
https://howl.me/cmPnubYxb5i
188
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Petal & Pup Kelda Dress
https://howl.me/cmPoRhYH73y
79
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5. Have a Top-Rating Strategy?
Stephanie Maida
I’ve written about my love for before, but beyond my passion for period pieces, I could n’t really put my finger on what, exactly, I found so flattering about them. Then Petite Elliee, the author, introduced this. She explains that puff sleeves or shoulders aid in raising the eye, giving the impression of length and height once more. I completely agree with this, and I’d go one step further and claim that the top of your body can become more interesting, thereby affecting your overall appearance. Not your cup of tea, but puff sleeves? Try ruffled straps or flutter sleeves, or even a unique neckline detail, like a twist or a knot. If you’re trying to maximize your height in a maxi dress ( no pun intended ), the higher up the eye is drawn, the better.
Shop Statement-Sleeve Maxi Dresses
Free People in Sundred Clothing
168
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Zesica Lace-Strap Dress
37
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Lulus Stroll the Avenues Wearing Clothing
63
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Bonus Rule: Buy a Midi
Although I’ve long ago come to terms with the necessity of tailoring, I still don’t enjoy spending the time, money, and effort getting my clothes hemmed. So I’ve given myself a bonus rule to follow whenever I’m in the market for a maxi dress and turning up empty: Don’t buy a maxi dress at all—instead, buy a midi. Midi dresses that are shown at the mid-calf of a 6-foot-tall model end up skimming our ankles, as most of my fellow petites can attest, are as I’m sure to say. They’re the perfect “maxi” length, sans the extra fabric pooling at our heels. What’s the next best thing to do is snagging what’s marked as a standard midi if a brand doesn’t offer maxi dresses in actual petite sizing. And let me tell ya, this approach, along with all of the above, has yet to let me down. So, shorties, go forth and conquer maxi dresses once and for all—even if they’re technically midis.
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