Maxi dresses are like jeans, trousers and mid-length skirts in that they can be tricky for shorter girls to wear. You’ll have no problems if you’re supermodel tall, but finding a maxi dress that doesn’t swamp your frame and drag on the floor when you’re petite can be a bit of a challenge. Don’t worry though, women of all shapes and sizes can look fantastic in maxi dresses – it’s just a matter of shopping carefully and choosing the right one. Here are some top shopping and accessorising tips for petite ladies:
- Choose fitted over flowing and loose. The best way to wear a maxi when you are petite is to choose one that fits your frame and accentuates your curves, to the point of being clingy. In fact, the more body confident you are, the clingier you might want to go with your maxi. A loose, flowing maxi, will only swamp you. Instead, you need one that brings you in under the bust or at the waist and shows off that figure. A maxi with a fitted bodice and slim, curve skimming skirt is ideal.
- Jersey maxis are great for shorter girls. Clingier maxis tend to look better on petite girls than flowing ones, and jersey dresses are the ideal clingy maxi. They skim your curves without being too clingy, and they are perfect for daytime. Choose one with a racer back and very simple print or pattern and team with sandals and a light jacket for the perfect casual chic look.
- Find your ideal length. The perfect length of a maxi dress for a petite woman is just between the ankle and the top of the foot. Any shorter than this and the maxi could look boxy, whilst any longer could make you look shorter. Long maxis can also end up dragging on the floor and getting tangled in your heels, so choose a manageable length if you don’t want to spend all your time carrying your skirt.
- Elongate your body with a V-neckline. A V-neck on a maxi dress draws the eye down, thereby elongating the upper part of your body.
- Go for a solid colour for a statuesque look. The silhouette a petite lady should be aiming for when choosing a maxi dress is a statuesque column, and this can be achieved in two ways. The first, as we have already mentioned, involves choosing slim-fitting maxi dress styles that cling to the top of your body and fall over your hips to the floor. The second, however, involves colour and print. Shorter girls should avoid overly fussy or complicated prints, opting for solid colours or clever colour blocking designs to make their bodies look leaner and longer.
- Throw on a pair of heels. As every petite girl knows, a pair of heels is the quickest and easiest way to give yourself some extra height. You can do this with a maxi, but just make sure that the dress is not too long or it could get caught on one of your heels as you walk.
Christine Felton is a Writer at Fashion Union provider of on trend women’s clothing in the UK.