Hello calling all petite ladies!! Petite women come in all shapes and sizes, but technically the height of a petite women is 5'4 and shorter. I know dressing petite women can be difficult when you have a vertically challenging body but there is good news! Making your body look great is not difficult at all with some of these simple fashion tips. The idea is to define your waist while enhancing your leg length.
#1 APPLY RULE OF THIRDS
Okay, ladies now this tip will be your best friend. Have you heard of the Golden Mean Ratio? The ancient Greeks discovered the Golden Mean Ratio appears in nature about what human eyes find most aesthetically pleasing. According to the Greeks, the 1/3 to 2/3 ratio is the most aesthetically pleasing to our eyes. Now, remember when you thought you would never use math in life? Especially not in styling. I guess the teachers were right (I hate when that happens). You will find if you follow the rule of “1/3- 2/3” you will instantly change the proportion of your body and creating a greater vertical image. For example, if you wear a high waisted skirt that falls below your knees the skirt represents the 2/3's of the ratio and your top would represent 1/3 of the ratio since the skirt is high wisted and covering most of your body. Of even vice versa. You could have a long sweater with a short skirt. You want to create an illusion that on part of your body is longer, giving you length.
Vanessa Hudgens
#2 MONOCORMATIC COLORS
The trick is to you want to stick to monochromatic colors or outfit with few color variations. Monochromatic colors instantly create a vertical image. This is great for dark colors. Dark colors are slimming enhancing your vertical image. Overall, this trick will work for all monochromatic color variations.
Queen of monochromatic outfits Kim Kardashian
#3 SAY YES TO THE DRESS!
Dresses that fit below the knee are amazing for petite bodies. They follow the perfect 1/3- 2/3 rule of thumb. A short dress is good too, but I would suggest that the dress covers your arms or at least your cleavage. This again follows the ratio of 1/3-2/3. Overall, dresses are your bestfriend.
Nicloe Richie
#4 PROPORTION YOUR SKIN
You don't want to show too much skin when you're a petite woman. This creates more attention to your body than your outfit or the illusions that you're trying to create. It's important to show your skin strategically. If you want to wear a short skirt then cover those girls up. If you want to show the girls then it's more tasteful to wear a longer skirt or dress. You pick legs or the girls. As the old saying goes, leave something for the imagination.
Samla Hayek
#5 WEAR THE CORRECT SLEEVE LENGTH
Sleeve length is probably one of the most overlooked details for women's petite wear. When it comes to men's wear certain rules apply about the sleeve length of dress shirts and formal suits, but when it comes to women's wear the rules seem to be much more relaxed. However, the wrong sleeve length could instantly downgrade your outfit and the impression people get from it about you, especially in work or formal social occasions. For example, if you a wear sleeve length that is past your wrists then your clothing could appear to look oversized or sloppy. If you were to roll up the sleeves then the jacket or top has created a more fitted or casual look. Sleeve length is especially important for jackets and coats, and it is such an important detail of petite fashion.
Samla Hayek
#6 WEAR HIGH WAISTED ANYTHING!
What do we want? LONG LEGS! When do we want them? NOW! Okay, first of all high waisted bottoms look fabulous on any body type! Especially, when it comes to the petite crowd. Again, this is giving the illusion that your legs are long. I would suggest putting a cute pump of some sort or booties with a heel to give you some extra inches and really enhancing those amazing legs of yours. If you don't own a pair of high waisted denim I suggest you go and buy some now!
