Did you know that petite doesn’t necessarily small? Yes, dictionary wise, it does mean someone who is more slight of frame, but in the fashion industry, it actually just means someone who is short, most often 5 feet, 4 inches and under. Petite encompasses all sorts of shapes and body types from slim to boxy to pear shaped. I myself am 5′ 3″ and consider myself petite. In the past few years of really honing my personal style, I have stumbled upon many tips for dressing a petite frame including which styles of clothes look best and where to shop for pants you don’t need to have hemmed. In this post, I’m sharing all my best tips and tricks for my fellow petite girlies.
What Does Petite Mean?
As I mentioned above, petite doesn’t just mean small. In fashion and clothing, it means short. Petites can come in all shapes and sizes. Most brands that carry petite sizing recommend this option if you are 5′ 4″ and under. There are some differences that you will need to consider when making a purchase to ensure you find the best fit your particular body type, shape, and style preferences.
When it comes to pants, petite sizing is not the same as short sizing. Short sizes usually only shorten the inseam of the pant, meaning the length, whereas petite also means a shorter length as well as a shorter rise among other possible adjustments. If you have a short torso, petite sizing is best because it means the shorter rise will fit closer to your natural waist whereas if you have a longer torso (like me) a shorter rise will mean the pant hits lower than your natural waist. What you want depends on your fit preference.
For example, two of my favorite denim brands, Madewell and Everlane both carry jeans for those of us who are short. Madewell has petite options while Everlane has different inseam options. If you read the description, the rise on Madewell petite denim is shorter than the rise on the regular denim. Whereas for Everlane, the inseam is the only difference, and the rise stays the same for both lengths. You’ll want to consider this when purchasing and make sure to go with the fit that you prefer. Personally, I don’t want a rise that’s too short (I really don’t like anything under 10 inches) so if I see a petite option at Madewell that has a 9.5″ rise, I get the regular version instead and either cut the denim myself or take them to be hemmed at the tailor.
Petite tops are a lot less common, but you will see them at places like Gap and Banana Republic. For tops, petite options will have shorter sleeves as well as other adjustments like raised armholes, narrowed sleeves, and a higher waist. Consider your proportions when deciding to purchase petite tops. Personally, I have a longer torso with shorter legs so I typically get regular size tops and petite bottoms.
Tips For Styling A Petite Frame
I’m going to preface this section by saying you can wear WHATEVER YOU WANT. These are not rules to be followed. If your goal in styling your petite frame is to make your legs look longer or to have a more proporational frame, then I have some tips. You do not HAVE to do these things.
Avoid bottoms that cut off your legs at weird places.
Anytime a hem hits at a place in the middle of your legs, it cuts off body and makes you look shorter. If your goal is to look like you have longer legs, you want one long line down the length of your legs. Choose bottoms that hit either high on the leg (I like shorts, skirts, and dresses that hit mid-thigh so I show as much leg as is comfortable) or that hit at the bottom of your leg (I like them to hit at my ankle bone or longer.) Bottoms that hit at the knees or high on the ankle visually cut you off and make your legs appear shorter.
Choose footwear that matches or is close to your skin tone.
Shoes that have a similar tone to your skin will extend the line of your legs and make you look taller. For me, nude, tan, or white shoes always make my legs look longer than black or dark brown shoes. I still wear these colors, but I just take this into consideration. This is also why minimal shoes like flip flops or sandals that show a lot of your foot will make you look taller as well.
Choose shoes with an elongated toe box.
Similar to the tip above, shoes with a longer toe box like these will extend the line of your leg and make them appear longer. Shoes that have a shorter toe box (like the ballet flats of the 2010s) will cut your leg line off and make them appear shorter.
Watch the length of your outerwear.
Outerwear like blazers, jackets, and coats can also cut off your body and make you look shorter. The idea here is to be one long line from top to bottom. Outerwear that hits at the middle of your body will cut you off. Personally, I prefer my coats and jackets to be on the longer side (i.e. to my calves) if the style allows.
Balance your proportions using your clothing.
This is not just a tip for petites, but for those of us who are a bit more unproportional. As I mentioned, I have a longer torso and shorter legs. To make my body more proportional, I make sure my top isn’t too long which would make my torso look longer. I find this is an issue most often with oversized button downs which, when worn untucked, are on the long side and make my legs look shorter. I still wear them, but for those tops that are really long, I will wear a full length jean as opposed to a cropped jean or wear a shoe with a slight heel like an ankle boot. These two options extend the line of your legs. Conversely if you have a short torso, choose bottoms that have a lower rise or a longer top which will make your torso look longer.
Embrace tailoring.
I know some of you may hate this tip, but most people, especially petites, can benefit by taking the time and money to tailor their clothes. This is a step I have recently started embracing myself and have taken ten or so pairs of bottoms to my tailor in the past year to have them hemmed. If you aren’t wearing something in your closet, consider taking it to the tailor to be adjusted. It could become a closet staple for you with just a few tweaks.
Okay, those are my top tips for styling a petite frame. You may also hear that petites should stick to more fitted styles to prevent overwhelming your frame, but I actually think this one is bunk. Just look at a few outfits from style icons Mary Kate and Ashley Olson who are 5’2″. I think the trend toward more oversized styles goes hand in hand with letting go of the word ‘flattering.’ People care less about complimenting your frame and more about creativity and putting together an interesting look. Personally, I’m somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. I am embracing some more oversized silhouettes while still styling my outfits to balance my proportions. I hope this post was helpful for my fellow petites!
Where To Shop For Petite Clothing
Madewell // Everlane // Gap // Banana Republic // Reformation //
Aritzia // Levi’s // J.Crew // Abercrombie
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