Petite Dresses

"Buy Dresses That Are Designed for Your Short Height!"

Courtesy of Dorothy Perkins

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If you:

• Are tired of buying "regular-sized" maxi dresses but discover that they're way too long for your height
• Just hate how a most wrap dresses sit weirdly on your short frame
• Finally found an online store but discover that their selection is limited and/or that their clothes are something your grandmother would wear
• Wind up spending more money on getting things tailored then on the piece itself

Â… Then read along and find some of the best and stylish petite dresses you can find online!

But before you shop here are some general things to embrace:

How to Look Taller in a Dress

Courtesy of Miss Selfridge

Wear heels.

A 2-inch heel will elongate your body, making you look long and lean.

Choose a fitted cut

Boxy dresses will make you look like a little girl playing dress up. Stick to dresses that cinch around the waist or tie your waist with a belt to give it a defined look.

Elongate your upper body and make you look taller. Other necklines will often make your chest look wider, hence shorter. However if you have favorite dress with a round neck then you can always top it off with a long necklace.

Stick to simplicity

The thing with print and color block dresses is that tend to overwhelm your petite stature. Opt for solid colors with minimal details.

Tip: There are exceptions of course. For instance, select a dress with vertical details instead of horizontal. And you can still wear prints. Just make sure that the print isn't bigger than your fist and that the shape of the print is vertical long rather than wide. Like for example pinstripes or floral patterns that stretch vertically.

Courtesy of Miss Selfridge

A fabulous tailor.

Since petite clothing is limited at most stores, it helps to have a great tailor who can alter your garments to fit your shape.

Dress your body shape. Make sure that your body appears proportional. That means you should try balancing out your figure. Like for example if you have a pear shape with wide hips and narrow shoulders, than you'll look best in petite dresses that add more width and attention to your upper half, like for example a dress with ruffled neckline.

Make sure you don't cut your body in half as it can shorten your figure. So stay away from high contrasting colors like black with white, ankle straps and hemlines that hit the widest point of your legs (calves).

Need more advice on how to dress your petite frame? Please visit the advice on womens petite clothing-section for more fashion tips.

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Shopping tip for international readers: Expensive worldwide shipping? US store doesn't ship to your country? Save up to 50% off retail price in your home country and gain access to the goodies. Try a mail forwarding service!

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• Petite Jeans
• Petite Skirts
• The Basics on Dressing and Flattering Your Petite Figure
• Outfit Ideas: How to Create to Create Stylish Outfits