Styling tips for petite women
What is petite?
There is always a common misconception that petite means skinny and that petite size is made for slender women. However, being petite has nothing to do with your body weight.
Petite refers to stature, not weight. Petite size in fashion and clothing describes a woman who is 5’4 tall or under and would come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, whether they are a size 4 or size 14. The reason why there is a petite size is because the regular size is normally tailored for women of 5’5’’ and above, which does not fit women under it.
Check out the characteristic that indicates you fall in this category:
- You are 5’3’’ and under
- Your inseam is 27 inches or less for non cropped styles
- You often feel the regular sleeves or straps are too long on you
- Pockets, shoulders or knees on garments always fall in the wrong places
How petite size works
Most of the petite women have narrower shoulders and that is why petite designers will need to adjust the shoulder width when making the size. This is important when it comes to garments with structured shoulders like jackets and coats. Well-made petite outerwear tailors the shoulders to fit measurements for petite women.
Besides, a petite woman normally has shorter arms. Therefore, its length should be adjusted accordingly as it is the most overlooked detail of the entire outfit. It could sabotage the quality of your outfit if the length is not adjusted nicely. And you will look like you are wearing clothes that are not the right size for you.
A shorter torso is considered one of the common issues among petite women. This will affect different types of clothing from blouses to blazers and dresses for shorter women. A regular size blouse may look like a drop-waisted on them if the sizing is not right. Therefore, designers will need to adjust the inseam to fit them nicely.
What are the tips for petite figure
Identify your body shape
Every body is shaped and proportioned differently. It can be apple, pear, rectangle, hourglass or inverted triangle. You should identify your body shape and look for the clothes meant to complement that specific shape before you start to shop.
Know your measurement
Always remember your exact size which includes bust, waist, hip and inseam measurement. It can be useful when purchasing the correct size garments while looking at a brand’s size chart and product description.
Elongate your legs
Certain styles will lengthen your look and emphasise certain parts of your body more than others. Therefore, matching the colour of the boots and pants along with elevating your waistline can help your legs look much longer.
What can you wear
High-waisted jeans
The high-waisted jeans are chic, sexy and functional, and are highly recommended for petite women. A higher waistband on a petite woman can draw the eye up and create a longer leg line to make you look taller. It effectively elongates your legs and creates the illusion of heights.
Off shoulder clothes
It is not surprising that the off shoulder clothes are universally flattering and they work exceptionally well with the petite body frame. By exposing the skin on the shoulders, it can elongate your neckline and make your proportion look much better.
A nude colour heels
All petite women should get nude-coloured heels! They do an incredible job of elongating your legs while wearing shorts or dresses with bare legs. In addition, the heels add a little boost to your height and will make your feet visually look like an extension of your legs.