How to Wear a Maxi Dress/Skirt Guide for Petite Women

Hi Loves!
Happy Monday! I have been in the mood for maxi dresses and skirts for fall, as I have seen lots fall inspiration with some classy dresses! As a petite girl (I am 5' 2"), I have always loved the trend but never really knew how to wear it since every maxi dress or skirt I tried was wayyyy too long! I have shorter legs and a longer torso, so most of the time normal length pants and skirts are too long for me!

I decided to do some of my own research and come up with a guide on what I found for petite girls who want to wear Maxi dresses or skirts, as well as a few dresses or skirts from some shops that I really like! Maxi dresses or skirts are perfect for fall, as the temperatures get cooler you can trap some heat and also look rather fashionable! Here are some tips and shoppable links!

1. Wear heels  - You don't have to wear sky high heels, but any length can help. Even wearing ankle booties with a slight heel is better than nothing! A good alternative to getting height without sacrificing comfort is wearing wedge heels with a platform. Heels will lengthen the leg and flatter the lower body. You want the skirt to hit somewhere between the lower and upper part of your ankle. Anything longer will cause you to step on/drag the dress/trip, and anything shorter may actually make you look even shorter! You can always go to a tailor to shorten the skirt, which can be very helpful.

2. Accentuate your waist - a big thing to help a petite girl seem taller is to accentuate the waist, whether you are wearing a dress or a skirt. A belt always does the trick, and helps elongate the line making you seem taller! Even without a belt, look for dresses that cinch at the waist, so your petite frame is not overwhelmed. You can also tuck your shirt into the skirt for a high waisted look that will make you seem taller! A skirt with a foldable waist also allows you to adjust the length of the skirt as you can roll it down.

3. Pencil/A-line/Body con - Like accentuating your waist, you don't want to get lost in a very flowy skirt. Too baggy of a skirt can make you look larger on the bottom, and won't be as flattering. Look for a skirt that is more tightly fitted, to accentuate your curves.

4. Avoid horizontal lines - Horizontal line patterns tend to make a petite body look shorter because of the way it falls and looks to the eye. Opt for vertical lined patterns or more elongating patterns! You will notice you look longer and taller!

The best part? Maxi skirts are totally acceptable to wear to the lab! Score! (as long as you wear closed toed shoes, and the skirt for sure covers you down to your ankles! So yes, this is a handy guide for me to keep in mind to wear to lab now that the temperatures are cooling down and I want to be comfortable in the lab! 

Do you have any extra tips for petite girls that want to wear maxi skirts? or just wearing maxi skirts in general? Is there a piece of clothing you have trouble wearing for your body type? Let me know in the comments below, would love to hear about it and maybe even come up with a guide for it!

Have a great week!

xo

Andrea