Petite Dressing–What to Wear and What to Avoid

My friend Kim, who is one of two friends who urged me to blog, asked me if I would write something about style for short people–so, Kim, this one’s for you.

The information comes from the book Real Style: Style Secrets For Real Women with Real Bodies (Clarkson Potter, 2005), which I had the pleasure of co-writing with stylist Sam Saboura. If I could take Sam with me every time I go shopping, I’d be the best-dressed woman on the planet.

In the book, he breaks down body types into seven categories: the pear, the willow, the hourglass, the apple, the rectangle, the diamond, and the half-pint. The following is reprinted from the section on the half-pint: petite women.

The Half-Pint

You can have any of the body types listed above, but the one characteristic that sets you apart is your short stature. You might have a stocky, athletic body or be petite and slender. No matter how you’re built, one thing is certain: if you gain five pounds, it looks like ten.

To make up for your lack of height, you wear three-inch heels to the grocery store—just because. You struggle with the proper skirt length for your frame, and pants are always too long. Since it’s not likely that you’ll be attending a leg-lengthening seminar in Switzerland anytime soon, you’re anxious to find out what you can do to look longer and more proportional.

You can magically add inches to your height by wearing all one color—called monochromatic dressing. It makes your body look like one long, lean line because there are no other colors to break it up.

Surprisingly, longer pant lengths will create height by visually elongating your leg, and are better still when paired with a medium heel. Keep pants simple and darker in color, with a flat front and a side or back zipper, because they provide an uncluttered line for your lower half. Choose a medium-low to a higher waist, since super-low-waisted pants will make your legs look shorter than they are.

When shopping for both tops and bottoms, look for seaming that adds vertical lines, which will make you appear taller. You’re better off with patterns that are small and delicate—just like you—so avoid wearing prints that overwhelm your short frame.

If you have longer hair, trying wearing it in a cute, messy updo or a high ponytail that can work for day or night. Both will add some height to your frame. If you prefer a shorter hairstyle, that, too, can make you look taller by reflecting the proportions of your petite body.

Keep jewelry and purses simple and in proportion to the rest of your body. Choose small, delicate bracelets and necklaces. If you like long earrings, make sure the length is no more than one inch. Look for a scaled-down handbag, such as a clutch or pochette. The point is to enhance your body, not make it disappear under piles of accessories.

STYLE SOLUTIONS FOR THE HALF-PINT

For the half-pint, proportions are extra important. If an item of clothing is just a few inches too long or too short, it can make or break the big picture. You may want to put your tailor on retainer, because it’s the subtle details—a nip here or a taper there—that can help to finesse your overall style.

Keep things slim on your bottom half. A straight or boot-leg pant with a longer hemline will do wonders. When it comes to dresses and skirts, shorter styles work best as long as you’ve got the legs. If not, stick to styles that stop around the ankle, but no longer. Pair everything with some kind of heel to give you additional height.

On top, fitted works better. Solid colors rule most of the time, so when opting for a pattern or a print, keep it very simple. A vertical stripe works well, because it will help lengthen your torso. Just keep in mind that you don’t have the size to carry off anything too big or bold. Add your own spin and interest to an outfit by finishing it with some funky accessories.