Short women should go for denim shorts, mini skirts, or maxi dresses to look heightened. But avoid wearing calf-length outfits that will surely make your look short.
Choose maxi dresses that have some definition over straight cuts. Asymmetrical hemlines, cap or flower sleeves, ruffled bodice, etc., are great. Dresses with lighter fabrics like organza, georgette, etc., are good. Bump it up with chunky accessories but ensure they are not too consuming.
Opt for knee-length or ankle-length skirts and dresses. Hems that hit directly at your mid-shin, cut off a quarter of the visual length of your body, making your legs appear much shorter.
Wearing pants, jeans or a jumpsuit in the same color as your footwear creates an optical illusion that makes your legline appear longer. Matching the color of your tights and shoes (or wearing nude shoes with bare-leg looks) offers the same optical illusion.
The reason is if you are short, creating length in your outfit is one of the key factors to make you look taller. The easiest way to achieve that is through wearing a long dress, as it forms a vertical line to lengthen your statue and effectively extend your frame.
If you're short or petite, floor-length dresses will always work best for you in comparison to the ankle-length ones, as shown in the picture. If you don't wear an outfit that touches your ankles, you're likely to give an illusion of a shorter person, no matter whether or not you're wearing heels.
A mid-rise jean (around the belly button or just below) is generally the go-to for petite sizes. It tends to keep bodies evenly proportioned and is more slimming than a low-rise. High-rise waists are a dream for petite women! By hiking up your waistline, you're elongating your legs.
Maxi skirts can make short girls look even shorter because those long skirts don't typically show any leg, drawing attention to a shorter-than-average frame. However, a crop top will instantly help your torso appear longer, so wearing a crop top with a maxi skirt will make you look taller rather than shorter.
If you are short, here's the 3 most flattering lengths for your dresses: The best dress length to make short legs look longer: 1″-2″ above your knee. The most versatile length for petites: right at your knee. The ideal length to make a petite girl appear taller and leaner: ankle length.
Try saturated hues. While wearing head-to-toe black is the simplest—and eternally chicest—option, saturated hues work well, too. In fact, bright colors are such as a yellow top and a yellow bottom is very flattering to short women, as they add presence to your outfit, compared with an all-black outfit.
Miniskirts look the most flattering on petite women. They end at mid-thigh above your knee and make your legs appear longer. What length skirt is the best for short legs? Skirts that end three to four inches above the knee look the best on short legs.
Avoid low-rise denim, which visually shortens your legs. Instead, opt for a high-rise jean that hits at your natural waist (the narrowest point) and manages to steal length from the torso and add it to the leg line for optimal proportions.
Short dresses, cinched at the waist, that enhance your legs. Avoid maxi dresses and large prints. Also jumpsuits and playsuits look great on for petite bodies.
One-piece garments such as dresses, jumpsuits, and rompers can make a short person look taller because the continuous colors or prints can create a vertical line that lengthens your frame.
How does it flatter a petite? Jumpsuits form an unbroken vertical line that lengthens petite women. If worn correctly, jumpsuit can really elongate the petite body frame and be one of the most flattering pieces in your wardrobe. They are especially flattering to women with longer waist and shorter legs.
The Basics
No matter your body type, the general idea is to have your dress end at a relatively small part of your leg. For example, at or just below the knee tends to be the most universally flattering skirt length, whereas anything hitting the widest part of your calves can create the illusion of a shorter leg.