The Best Dresses for Petite Women: How to Dress When You’re Short

The Best Dresses for Petite Women: How to Dress When You’re Short

As someone who is around 5’4”–5’5” and a size 6–8, this week’s Style Guide is one I can speak about from very personal experience.

I’m petite. I own a dress hire store. And I’ve spent years trying on dresses that look completely different on me compared with a 5’9” model.

So let’s start by clearing something up.

Petite does not mean size 6.

You can be petite and a size 6. You can be petite and a size 10, 14 or beyond. Petite dressing is much more about height and proportion than the number written on the label.

And just like our recent guide to dressing a bigger bust, I think it’s time to forget some of those old-fashioned fashion rules.

If you’re short, you don’t have to live in mini dresses. You don’t have to avoid maxis. And you certainly don’t need to wear a six-inch heel every time you leave the house.

It’s about understanding proportion and knowing which details work for your frame.

Let’s Start With the Obvious: Minis

Do I love a mini as a petite woman?

Absolutely.

One of the biggest advantages of being shorter is that some of those very short designer minis can actually become the perfect length.

A great example at Your Secret Closet is the Acler Borras Mini Dress.

It’s beautifully cut in a gorgeous thick crepe, but it is short. On Tallulah, who is around 5’8”–5’9”, it can literally skim her bottom. On me, it sits around mid-thigh.

Perfect.

This is something petite women should actually take advantage of. A dress that looks incredibly short on a tall model online might be exactly the length you’ve been searching for.

But does being petite mean you should only wear minis?

Absolutely not.

Yes, Petite Women Can Wear Maxi Dresses

This is one of those fashion rules I’ve never really understood.

We’ve been told forever that short women shouldn’t wear maxis because they’ll make us look shorter.

I disagree.

I own some beautiful long dresses outside of the store that I absolutely love wearing. They’re fitted, they pull in at the waist and they create a long, slim silhouette. I don’t put them on and suddenly look three inches shorter.

And think about it another way: plenty of petite women have worn floor-length wedding gowns and looked incredible.

The issue isn’t necessarily the length.

It’s what the dress is doing to your proportions.

For me, a great maxi on a petite frame usually has some shape. I want something that fits properly, defines my waist and doesn’t completely overwhelm me with fabric.

If there’s a split that shows some leg? Even better.

A V-neck or an open neckline can also create length through the torso, and you can always add a wedge or heel if you’re comfortable wearing one.

What I would personally avoid is something like an oversized kaftan.

Put me in masses of loose fabric with no waist definition and I’m going to look like I’ve borrowed something from somebody who’s six feet tall.

The maxi isn’t the problem. Too much dress can be.

Midi Dresses Can Be Surprisingly Tricky

This is probably the length I’m most careful with.

A midi is designed to finish somewhere around the mid-calf, but when you’re petite, that’s obviously not always where it’s going to land.

Sometimes that’s brilliant.

I’ve worn midi dresses that effectively become maxis on me and because of the cut, they look fantastic.

But if a dress finishes around my ankle or just above it, personally, I don’t love it. I find that awkward in-between length can actually make me look shorter.

So don’t necessarily reject a dress because the website calls it a midi.

Look at where it’s going to finish on you.

A midi that looks one way on a 5’10” model may become a completely different dress on a 5’3” woman and sometimes the petite version is even better.

Waist Placement Matters More Than You Think

Length isn’t the only measurement petite women need to consider.

Where the waist sits can completely change the dress.

If a dress has been designed around a much longer torso, the waist seam can sit too low on someone petite. Suddenly, all the proportions feel wrong even though technically you’ve chosen the correct size.

I’m also cautious with dropped waists for the same reason.

Empire waistlines can be tricky too. Sometimes they work; other times they can make it look as though you’re wearing a dress that simply wasn’t made for your proportions.

What I love instead is waist definition.

Anything that draws attention to your natural waist can help create shape and give the illusion of longer legs.

Petite Women Should Absolutely Try Two-Piece Sets

I love a two-piece on a petite figure.

You have more control over where the pieces sit and how much midriff you show, and that little break between the top and skirt can create fantastic proportions.

Our LEO LIN Kyra Embellished Top & Maxi Skirt Set is a beautiful example.

Rather than drowning a petite frame in one continuous piece of fabric, you’ve got that gorgeous definition around the waist.

And yes, it has statement sleeves.

Which brings me to another petite fashion “rule” I’d happily ignore.

You Don’t Have to Be Scared of Dramatic Dresses

Being petite doesn’t mean everything you wear has to be tiny, simple and understated.

You can wear the big sleeve.

You can wear the dramatic skirt.

You can absolutely wear the statement gown.

It just needs balance.

The Acler Sageston Gown is a perfect example for me. It’s strapless and has a beautiful full skirt, but the bodice is incredibly fitted.

I wore it and absolutely loved it.

The volume didn’t overwhelm me because the top half still gave my body definition. You could see my shape rather than just seeing a mass of fabric.

That’s what I’d focus on when you’re petite: proportion rather than rules.

Necklines Can Help Create Length

There are certain necklines I particularly love on a petite frame.

Halter necks can be beautiful because they draw the eye vertically and can give the illusion of additional height.

I also love strapless dresses and, perhaps surprisingly, a high neck.

One of my favourite dresses I’ve ever worn is the One Fell Swoop Kristina Dress in red.

I don’t think I’ve ever received so many compliments in a dress.

It has a high neckline, the back drapes beautifully and then it skims back in at the waist.

I’m not even sure it was intended to be a true floor-length gown, but on me it became the perfect black-tie dress.

And I was obsessed.

That’s another reason petite women shouldn’t dismiss a dress based purely on how it’s described online.

Sometimes a dress becomes something completely different on a shorter frame.

What About Prints?

This one is personal preference rather than a hard-and-fast rule.

I don’t wear a huge amount of print.

On my smaller frame, I sometimes feel as though a big print can start wearing me rather than me wearing the dress.

If I do wear print, I tend to choose it in a mini.

For a maxi, I almost always gravitate towards a beautiful block colour.

Does that mean petite women can’t wear a printed maxi?

Of course not.

But if you’re already dealing with a lot of fabric and volume, adding a very dominant print can be one more element competing with a smaller frame.

Your Shoes Can Completely Change the Look

Shoes make an enormous difference when you’re petite.

I absolutely love a pointed toe.

My feet are around a size 5–6, and if I wear a very rounded shoe, I feel like I suddenly have these tiny little baby feet at the bottom of my body.

A pointed toe creates that extra visual length.

I also love a nude or skin-tone shoe because you’re not creating an obvious visual break at the foot.

I’m a little more cautious with ankle straps and very strappy shoes. I do wear them, but depending on the shoe, that horizontal line around the ankle can make the leg look shorter.

And no, you do not need to wear enormous heels just because you’re petite.

I’m wearing far more kitten heels these days, particularly with minis.

If you’ve already got plenty of leg on show, you don’t necessarily need another six inches of height underneath you. A smaller heel can actually create a beautifully balanced look.

Can You Temporarily Hem a Rental Dress?

This is a question that comes up particularly often for petite customers.

When Your Secret Closet first opened, we actually had a seamstress working in store who could temporarily take hems up.

Over time, we’ve moved away from offering that service.

One of the problems is hemming tape. The residue can be extremely difficult to remove, and on delicate fabrics such as silk and satin, it’s simply not something we’d recommend.

If you hire from us and want to temporarily adjust a hem, hand stitching or carefully pinning may be an option, but it needs to be completely reversible and must not damage the garment.

Any alteration is at the hirer’s own risk and cost, and if the garment is damaged in the process, the hirer will be responsible for that damage.

So please don’t attack a beautiful silk gown with hemming tape five minutes before your event!

Online Shopping When You’re Petite Can Be a Nightmare

We’ve all been there.

The dress arrives.

You put it on.

And there’s another 20 or 30 centimetres of fabric lying on the floor.

Product imagery can be particularly misleading for petite women because you’re looking at a dress photographed on a model who may be significantly taller than you.

So don’t just look at the photo.

Look at the measurements.

Check the actual garment length and compare it with dresses you already own.

If you’re shopping or hiring through Your Secret Closet, you can also use our Mirror AI virtual try-on. Upload your own full-body image and you can get an idea of how the dress may look on your proportions.

Is AI going to predict the hemline to the millimetre?

No.

Use it as another tool rather than relying on it completely. Combine the virtual try-on with the actual garment measurements and you’ll have a much better idea of what to expect.

And Watch Tallulah and Me Try Them On

There’s another very easy way to see how dramatically height changes a dress.

Follow us on Instagram.

In our try-on videos, you’ll regularly see the same dresses on Tallulah and me.

I’m approximately 5’4”–5’5” and a size 6–8.

Tallulah is approximately 5’8”–5’9” and a size 6.

That height difference can completely change where a mini, midi or maxi finishes.

Rather than looking only at a six-foot model in a campaign image, you can see the same dress moving on two different heights and get a much more realistic idea of where it might sit on you.

It’s one of the reasons we love doing those try-ons.

My Favourite YSC Dresses for Petite Women

If you’re petite and don’t know where to start, these are some of the styles I would personally look at:

One Fell Swoop Kristina Dress in Red
One of my personal favourites for black tie. The high neckline, beautiful draping and waist definition create an incredibly elegant silhouette, and the length worked beautifully on my height.

Acler Sageston Gown in Purple
Proof that petite women don’t have to be afraid of volume. The fitted strapless bodice gives you definition before the fuller skirt begins.

LEO LIN Kyra Embellished Top & Maxi Skirt Set in Yellow
A fabulous two-piece option that creates definition through the waist and allows a petite woman to wear statement sleeves without being overwhelmed.

Acler Borras Mini Dresses in Pink & Blue
A mini that can be very mini on a taller woman but sits beautifully on a petite frame.

LEO LIN Genevieve Mini Dress in Black Floral
One of the printed styles I love for petite women. You still get the impact of a beautiful LEO LIN print without being surrounded by metres of printed fabric.

Nookie Siren Gowns
A gorgeous option if you want something sleek and fitted. The length works beautifully on a petite figure without requiring huge amounts of fabric and volume.

Nookie Rihanna Gown
Another beautiful cut for petite proportions. It’s fitted, creates shape and gives you that long silhouette without overwhelming a smaller frame.

So, What Should Petite Women Actually Wear?

Whatever makes your proportions work.

That’s really the point.

Being petite doesn’t mean you have to wear minis. It doesn’t mean maxis are forbidden. It doesn’t mean you can’t wear dramatic sleeves, full skirts or black-tie gowns. And it definitely doesn’t mean you’re sentenced to six-inch heels for the rest of your life.

Think about length, waist placement, volume and proportion.

A maxi can make you look long and elegant.

A designer mini that’s almost indecent on someone 5’9” can be perfection on you.

A midi might become your ideal maxi.

And a dramatic gown can absolutely work if there’s enough definition elsewhere to prevent the dress from wearing you.

Most importantly, don’t judge a dress solely by how it looks on the model.

Check the measurements. Look at different heights wearing it. Use virtual try-on tools. And if you can, try the dress on.

Because sometimes being petite doesn’t limit your options at all.

It just means you get to wear the dress differently.