Dressing petite figure

It’s not easy to find clothes that fit properly when you’re petite, but there are ways of dressing fashionably to get the illusion of height. Here are our dos, don’ts and tips.

Dos

-         Clothes in the right size

-         High-waisted, figure-hugging trousers. If you wear low-rise trousers, make sure they’re not too short

-         Short jackets if you haven’t got a big bust, and longer, looser coats if you have

-         High-heeled boots and minis

-         Short dresses and skirts 

-         Cut-away swimming costumes

-         Heels, but not excessively high ones (5cm max)

-         Monochrome tops and trousers (similar shades flatter petites)

-         Small, preferably vertical prints and motifs 

-         Belts the same colour as your skirt or trousers

-         Little accessories

Don’ts

-         Long dresses that fall below your knees

-         Oversized trousers that hide your shoes

-         Bermudas and shorts

-         Built-up wedge heels that make your figure look out of proportion

-         Thigh boots

-         Shoes that break up the line of your leg, such as sandals with a strap over the ankle

-         Tops that clash with your bottom half and cut your silhouette in two

-         Horizontal stripes

-         Avoid large prints. As they make you look smaller and overwhelm your body.

-         Avoid cropped pants, tops and jackets; these make your figure look shorter.

Tips to make you look taller

-         Wear open vests 

-         Wear buttoned shirt dresses

-         Tie long, dangling skinny scarves loosely round your neck

-         Emphasize other features such as your shoulders or décolleté to draw attention away from your lack of height

-         Put your hair up in a bun or wear a headband to elongate your top half

-         Look for proportional clothes. Don't settle for jackets that are too long in the sleeves or make your shoulders look big.

-         Let tops land where they're supposed to, preferably at waist level. Purchase structured clothes or clothes with seaming at the waist to emphasize your waist.

-         Choose skirts that hit above the knee to make your legs look longer. Avoid calf-length or ankle-length skirts that make you look shorter than you are.

-         Go for straight-legged jeans.

-         Consider buying pointy-toed shoes, or avoid shoes with a squared toe. These make the leg look shorter than pointy-toed shoes.