The petite girl’s guide to style, according to short celebrities
When you’re petite, shopping for clothing can be a minefield. With conflicting information about the best cuts and styles to suit your—no offence—shorter frame, it’s easy to end up right where you began: unsure.
Well, fear not: we’ve rounded up six short celebrities who’ve nailed petite style. Here are their guidelines.
It’s time to bust the myth that petite women shouldn’t wear midi dresses! As Salma Hayek exemplifies, a dress that stops above the calves will elongate your legs rather than shorten them, giving the illusion of being taller. Mini dresses above the knee are another great option.
Nobody's Child
Blue Denim Tulla Midi Dress
£95.00
Nobody's Child
-50%
Ariella
Knot Front Maxi Dress Blue
£55.00
£110.00
Roman
Fat Face
FatFace Isla Indigo Blue Regular Velvet Midi Dress
£72.00
FatFace
Finding cropped trousers when petite might feel like searching for a needle in a haystack, but it’s absolutely worth it. Ankle-grazing, slim, and high-waisted silhouettes are the most flattering for petite women–as exemplified by Zoë Kravitz–as they elongate the legs and make you appear taller. The newly-trendy capris are also a good option (if you dare).
-18%
Dondup
Cropped Trousers, female, Brown, W30, Velvet Cropped Trousers with Jewel Buttons
£183.75
£225.33
Miinto
-58%
Mariella Rosati
BOTTOMWEAR - Trousers on YOOX.COM Blue
£40.00
£96.00
Yoox.com
-33%
Max Mara
Cropped Trousers, female, Green, 2XS, Cropped Trousers
£138.33
£205.00
Miinto
-11%
Transit Par-Such
Comfort trousers - Grey
£242.00
£271.00
FARFETCH
3. Jenna Ortega's maxi skirt
Just like with dresses, petite women shouldn’t think long skirts are off the table. Maxi skirts definitely can (and should!) be a part of your petite wardrobe: follow Jenna Ortega’s example and go for a skirt with a very defined shape, or with an A-line silhouette. Generally speaking, try to stay away from skirts with too much fabric; those might drown you.
Roman
Elastic Waist Check Print Stretch Skirt Grey
£26.00
Roman
-80%
Marni
A-Line Solid-Color Skirt size 42
£171.82
£859.10
GLAMOOD
-80%
Alexander McQueen
A-Line Eco-Fur Skirt with Animalier Pattern size 38
£144.19
£720.96
GLAMOOD
Diagonal lines infuse a garment with dynamic energy, creating a sense of movement and distracting the viewer from any feature you might wish to hide. When it comes to petite frames, diagonal lines (like Sabrina Carpenter’s asymmetrical dress) help create the illusion of height.
-50%
AllSaints
Womens Linen Skye Floral Asymmetric Hem Midi Dress, Size: 6 White
£129.00
£259.00
AllSaints
-32%
Reiss
Womens Khaki Satin Drape Tuck Midi Dress, Size: 12
£108.00
£158.00
Reiss
-33%
AllSaints
Viscose/Polyester Zenia Sleeveless Asymmetric Midi Dress, Size: XS Black
£133.00
£199.00
AllSaints
5. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's proportional accessories
At 5'0 and 5'1, respectively, Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen are among a legion of stylish, petite celebrities.
Accessories are often overlooked when thinking about the proportions of an outfit, but they’re a key component that shouldn’t be ignored. Take inspo from the ever-so-stylish Olsen twins and try going for accessories proportionate to your frame, like small bags. Avoid belts, bags, scarves, and jewellery that are overtly chunky or oversized.
Charles & Keith
Mini Daylla Tote Bag White
£75.00
Charles & Keith
Ganni
Black Mini Hobo Bag
£375.00
GANNI
Charles & Keith
Mini Lyla Tubular Tote Bag Grey
£89.00
Charles & Keith
Tory Burch
Womens Mini Romy Bucket Bag, One Size Black
£330.00
Tory Burch
6. Kim Kardashian's strapless top
When you’re on the shorter side, showing off your shoulders can actually help you appear taller! A cold-shoulders design and Kim Kardashian’s heart-shaped corset top draw the viewer’s attention upwards, thus making you look taller than you are.
-80%
Msgm
Strapless Draped Crop Top size 38
£50.94
£254.71
GLAMOOD
-40%
Faithfull The Brand
Strapless linen top Black
£87.00
£145.00
Mytheresa
-80%
Balmain
Cropped Strapless Top with Iridescent Animal Print size 42
£153.69
£768.44
GLAMOOD
-66%
Alysi
CHOCOLAT Black
£58.00
£173.00
Yoox.com
Original text and content: Steph King