Dresses for short women per body shape: How to choose the right one

Are you wondering how to find dresses for short women as per your body shape?
This is what a stylist has to say!
How to choose the right dresses for short women of petite size depending on the shape and the occasion? For my miniature height (160 cm), I managed to create an excellent collection of outfits, they all fit me perfectly and visually lengthen my silhouette.
Many of my friends are constantly trying to figure out how I manage to dress so stylishly and beautifully despite my small stature.
You are interested? Then let’s get started!
How to choose the right dresses for short women?
When choosing a dress, first understand whether you like it or not. If so, go through this checklist to see if it will make you visually taller. If so, great! If not, you can always make the necessary adjustments with accessories and shoes.
Vertical lines are what you need! A wrap dress can be a great option for you. It will make the silhouette slimmer and visually add a few centimeters to the height. Clothes that have vertical decorative seams, stripes, zippers, cuts, a row of buttons, etc. will look good on you.
For petite women, a V or U-neck is ideal, as it visually lengthens the neck.
When buying a dress in a store, pay utmost attention to the armhole of the sleeve, the waistline, and the shoulders. And in the online store, look at the height of the model.
Shoulder seams, armhole, and waist should be in the right place! If you buy clothes from the petite collection, then there will definitely not be any problems, since the patterns are designed for a female figure with a height below 160 cm.
If the dress code allows, then for short young women the ideal length of the dress is up to the floor or short one. Moreover, “the floor lengths” or long dress should be worn with the very shoes with which you plan to wear your dress. For the office, it is better to choose the length of the skirt just above the knee or slightly below, but in no case up to the kneecap.
Choosing a dress with a flared or loose top or bottom, it is best for you to wear high-heeled or platform shoes in order to maintain the proportions of height and visual body volume.
If you choose an outfit with a print, then the print should be small or medium. And the pattern on the fabric should not exceed the size of your fist.
I advise you to choose narrow belts and waist accessories. If you want to opt for a wide belt, it is best to wear a belt in the same color as your clothes or other accessories like a bag.
Don’t forget your shoes! It is best to wear pumps as they visually stretch the silhouette. And be sure to wear shoes to match tights, leggings, pants so that your legs look longer.
If you are choosing a long evening dress for a holiday, then opt for an outfit made of light and flowing fabric. The vertical folds on these outfits are exactly what you need!
For brides, when choosing a wedding dress, the same tips as above will work really well. Although there are still a couple of nuances about how to choose a wedding outfit for little girls.
Silhouette. It is best if the wedding dress is made in the Empire-style or has an A-line silhouette. A long dress with to the floor will look very gentle and elegant on the bride. But with very fluffy loose or flared skirts, you need to be careful. When choosing a silhouette, also consider your body shape.
Sleeve. You can opt for a sleeveless model, or a narrow stipes cropped tight sleeve ¾ or even a loose sleeve.
Straps. If you want an outfit with two straps, then those should be thin. However, if you want to make your shoulders visually narrower, then you can take it wider. An armhole or V-neck are great options that will suit almost any bride. And undoubtedly, a strapless robe or one with one strap will look great on the bride.
Wedding accessories. It is better to refuse a long and lush veil, as it visually shortens the height. It is best to wear a delicate and graceful headband, a small hat, or a wreath of flowers.
What should short women avoid?
Now, I will share some tips on what to look out for girls with short stature. In fact, everything is simple: horizontal lines and irregular proportions. Now in more detail what to avoid:
Large prints and drawings, as well as contrasting combinations in clothes. Be careful with color-blocking, as it all makes the silhouette shorter and breaks the shape apart. If you decide to wear an outfit that consists of different contrasting colors, then you better keep the 3/5 proportion so that there are not many divisions. Ideally, keep the dress in two colors.
Clothes with large decorative details in the form of large pockets or collars that turn away, as they “steal” several centimeters of growth. Against the background of any large elements, you look even smaller.
The skirt is mid-calf length, but if you want to wear this length, then I recommend emphasizing the waist with a pretty belt and wearing stiletto shoes.
You should also avoid dresses with a low waist, otherwise, your legs will seem short and you will be even smaller than you really are.
How to choose dresses for different bodies shapes for short women?
Not sure which cut will suit your body type? Below I will tell you how to do it correctly. If you follow all the tips, then your outfit will be very harmonious and stylish. In order to make it clearer for you what the types of figures look like, there is a photo for each description.
Dresses for PEAR shaped body
Girls with this body type have wide hips. In this case, they should balance the figure harmoniously by adding volume to the top of the outfit, and this will balance the bottom of the figure. Pencil skirts will look perfect, A-line skirts are also acceptable. Skirt slits are welcome. The top of the dress should be either shiny, or with a print, or with some kind of decor, with a boat neckline, voluminous sleeves, and the like.
The task is to balance the shoulders and hips in order to visually bring the figure closer to the “hourglass” shape.
Let’s look at an example.
By the way, all items from the selection are tailored for height +/- 160 cm!
- The first dress has a black pencil skirt of the ideal length for petite ladies, which visually makes the hips narrower and the legs longer. At the same time, the top creates additional volume in the chest, and graceful “wings” on the shoulders make them visually a little wider. The waistline is where it should be, and the colors of the top and bottom do not contrast with each other. This will make your thighs look slimmer and you taller.
- A wrap dress with lanterns on the sleeves perfectly stretches the silhouette thanks to the horizontal lines and makes the hips narrower, the A-shaped skirt does not add volume to the hips, the lanterns on the sleeves create a balance between the lower and upper body. Such a dress can be worn both in the office and played with it for casual looks.
- Black long dress in itself visually slims down and stretches height. The shoulder line is essentially horizontal, which visually widens the top and creates a balance between top and bottom. This dress can be worn as an elegant one, complementing the image with heeled sandals and bright accessories. You can also create a comfortable urban look with it, throwing over a denim jacket and white sneakers.
- A very beautiful bright dress, perfect for the “pear” type. The flare of the skirt visually makes the hips “hidden” and the legs longer. In general, the petite height is also “stretched” by a slightly high waistline. And the sleeves and boat neckline add some volume to the upper body. A stunning dress that can be worn as a summer dress or as an office dress with a blazer, as well as create relaxed urban outfits with it.
Owners of this type of figure have a wider upper body, medium or large bust, and a bumpy tummy. Against this background, slender legs, butt and hips stand out noticeably. The main task for this type of figure is to hide a large chest and stomach, as well as draw attention to the face and slender legs.
The simpler and more concise the form is, the better it looks! It is better to choose the length of the dress up to the knees in order to focus on the legs. And the V-neck and Empire-style dresses will draw attention to your face. The best option is plain fabrics, as well as the print, which must be chosen very carefully. Don’t forget about shapewear too.
Dresses for an APPLE body shape
Let’s analyze it with examples from the selection
- Short black A-shaped dress with V-neckline and long sleeves. Visually makes you taller, and also hides the tummy. An excellent option both for going out and for every day with your favorite trainers for a casual look. This dress will look good with Amina Muaddi heels or classic black Sergio Rossi pumps and complementing pearl necklace for a date night.
- By the way, I already wrote in one of the previous articles where to buy the perfect pearl necklace and how to wear it.
- Another very beautiful version of a short summer dress with a V-neck and without a strong accent at the waist. Draws attention to the décolleté, neck, and face, accentuates the legs. Visually stretches and slims you down. You can wear it with almost anything, as well as alone or over a turtleneck during colder times.
- Short black dress with an Empire-style top. In fact, everything is the same as in the previous paragraphs – it adds on height, hides the tummy, focuses on the legs and neckline. A great option for parties, corporate events, and dates.
- Long dress will visually make you taller. Despite the fact that this is a floor lengths, it does an excellent job with its functions for an apple body shape. The tummy will be neatly hidden, the silhouette will be stretched out. Perfect for summer for creating both festive looks and relaxed urban ones with converses.
Dresses for an HOURGLASS body shape
All young ladies with such a body stature have a graceful and pronounced waist. And the chest and hips are the same in volume. We can say that this is a truly ideal figure who can afford to wear everything. Dresses that emphasize the waist look especially luxuriously. And also very deep V-necks and short flared skirts. In general, any dress from those listed below that I gave as an example, or at the very beginning of the article will suit the owner of the hourglass figure.
- A short dress with V-neck accentuates the waist and pulls the silhouette together. It can be played in a fairly large number of sets. Wear it with a leather or denim jacket; like a skirt, wearing a cropped sweater or sweatshirt on top; with a shirt worn on top like a cardigan, with sneakers or with Prada-like boots. In general, there are a lot of options.
- Long boho dress with a print acceptable for short girls. The slit and deep neckline add a couple of visual centimeters to the height. A great option for an hourglass body shape for the summer. In cool weather, you can wear a coarse-knit sweater on top, emphasizing the waist with a strap.
- A lace dress will perfectly accentuate an hourglass figure. Although the neckline here is regular cut, but with the correct length of the dress, as well as the accentuated waist just above the natural line, will visually stretch the growth.
Very nice bodycon dress with a deep V-back. Looks very sexy and also makes you look taller.
Dresses for a RECTANGLE body shape
Girls with this type can be both thin and have fuller bodies. Their shoulders and hips are approximately the same in width, most often their bust is not very large, but their waist is poorly expressed. The main tasks for miniature “rectangles” are to make a visually narrow waist and stretch the height.
In this case, you should stop the choice of outfits that, with the help of trim, color contrast, style, and other visual illusions, create the effect of a thin waist. Girls, I’ll make a reservation right away – wrap-around dresses are not the best option for you, since you will look angular in them.
Another important point, if you are a full rectangle and you might have a tummy, then the dresses for you will look like those that fit the “apple”. You should avoid emphasizing the waist as well as the belts. Empire-style dresses with a slightly high waist will suit you well.
But usually, there are very few full miniature girls with a rectangle-type figure, but there are a lot of thin, low “rectangles” and they are very worried that their figure resembles a boy. They dream of gaining a little weight in order to get more feminine lines. If they were taller, then their appearance would strictly correspond to the model standards. For slender “rectangles”, dresses in a tulip skirt, flared or A-shaped is ideal.
Dresses like this will add some volume to the hips. At the same time, the upper part of the dress should also create a little volume: details on the sleeves, boat neckline, dresses with thin spaghetti straps will also look good. But wide horizontal lines (color block, wide belts), which could add volume, are best avoided, as they will shorten growth. Let’s look at examples
- fluffy or flared midi dress creates the necessary volume due to the texture. The flared skirt and the boat neckline, and the correct length does not steal centimeters from the height.
- Flared dress with a sun-skirt, boat neckline perfectly creates the illusion of the waist and stretches the silhouette.
- A double-layered top and a flared skirt create the necessary volume and a slim waistline. The short length and slightly cropped top lengthen the height.
- The textured dress with a tulip skirt gives a feminine shape to the hips, important for a rectangle uneven neckline. Correct length. A great option for the night out.
Dresses for an INVERTED TRIANGLE body shape
In this case, dresses that have a tight top and fluffy skirts, as well as peplum, are perfect. Dresses with a V or U-neck and an American armhole are ideal. You can also give preference to the mini length.
And again, consider the details of cuts in these examples.
- Dress with peplum and plunging v-neckline. Everything is simple here: the peplum will add volume to the hips, the V-neck will narrow the shoulders. Since the peplum does not differ in color, it will not steal height.
- Another coloured dress with a peplum, a color for bold and bright girls. It copes well with the function of body shaping and height. For the inverted triangle shape, this is what you need.
- Primrose pink dress. V-neck or boat neckline, wide sleeves visually narrow the shoulders and make the height look taller, and the fluffy skirt balances the figure down. A great option for both parties and dates.
- A calmer option is a white dress. Suitable for both summer vacation and special occasions.
I think the principle is clear to you.
All that remains is to choose the right outfit that suits your lifestyle and the style in which you like to dress.
And now you know exactly how to choose the right style for miniature height, taking into account the type of figure.
Here I say goodbye to you! Do not forget to post on social networks so that later you do not look for the information you need.
P.S.
In an amicable way, when correcting a figure, it is necessary to take into account not only volumetric characteristics, which are usually estimated in “types of figures”, but also planar ones.
Also, it is important to take into account that the ideal of the “hourglass” body shape has long ceased to be an ideal.
And now all the figures are in fashion and trend!
It is important to note that rather not those zones that fall under this or that type, but those that you like in yourself in order to focus on them and do not like in order to retouch them.
However, it is extremely important to consider your planar characteristics.
READ MORE:
CAPSULE WARDROBE FOR EACH BODY SHAPE
INVERTED TRIANGLE BODY SHAPE WARDROBE