Women’s Figure Flattery Guide: Petite
Elongate your silhouette by making your legs look longer.
Look for...
- Items in the petites department: they’re proportioned for a shorter woman.
- Monochromatic ensembles.
- Narrow silhouettes.
- Drapey, fluid fabrics.
- Vertical lines and detailing: seams, closures, embellishment, etc.
- Princess and/or center seams.
- Small prints.
- Skirts are better than pants because they conceal the point where your legs begin, allowing you to create the illusion of longer legs by raising the waistline.
- Jackets & Coats
- Cropped styles.
- Styles with simple lines.
- One or two button closures.
- Narrow lapels that end above the natural waistline.
- Coats should be no longer than one inch above the knee.
- Empire-waist styles.
- Belts, if any, should be placed above the natural waistline.
- High necklines create the illusion of height.
- Tops
- Simple, fitted styles.
- High-waisted tops.
- Empire line tops.
- Cropped tops and sweaters.
- Tops in fluid, drapey fabrics.
- Pants & Jeans
- Straight leg pants with front creases.
- Longer cut styles work best; wear these with heels for a longer line.
- Classic 5-pocket jean styles.
- Natural waist styles to visually lengthen leg.
- Skirts & Dresses
- Above-the-knee and knee-length skirts and dresses.
- Tapered straight skirts.
- A-line skirts.
- Button-front skirts.
- Wraparound skirts.
- Slim dress silhouettes.
- High-waisted dresses.
- Empire line dresses.
- Wrap dresses.
- Semifitted to fitted sheath dresses.
- Off center slit to elongate legs.
- Vertical detailing: buttons, seamlines, trimmings, etc.
- Higher neckline for a taller look.
- Accessories
- Minimal accessories.
- Medium height shoes.
- Pointed toe shoes to elongate foot and leg.
- Shoes with a low vamp (toe opening is long and narrow) for a longer line for your foot and leg.
Run from...
- Stiff, tailored clothing.
- Baggy clothing.
- Big horizontal lines.
- Large prints.
- Excess detailing.
- Jackets & Coats
- Double breasted styles.
- Long coats.
- Voluminous styles.
- Styles with wide lapels.
- Tops
- Tops that hit at your natural waistline.
- Baggy tops.
- Highly embellished tops.
- Tops made of stiff fabrics.
- Pants & Jeans
- Pleated pants.
- Cropped pants.
- Low rise pants.
- Cuffed pants.
- Wide-leg pants.
- Flared pants.
- Skirts & Dresses
- Skirts that hit at mid-calf.
- Long, ankle length skirts.
- Hem detailing.
- Overly girly styles.
- Overembellishment.
- Extremely full skirts (think Cinderella).
- Accessories
- Very High Heels.
- Overembellished styles.
- Styles that disproportionately large for your frame.
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