Fashion Pitfalls For Petite Women Over 50 and Ways To Avoid Them
Some may argue that I am not a true petite, but at 5’4″, I’m on the cusp of most brands’ petite sizing, and I struggle with clothes being the wrong proportion. all. the. time. I’m going to preface this post by saying that personal style is a choice, and you should wear what makes you feel most confident. There are no rules for how to style your outfits, but these tools may help you to zero in on what feels and looks best on you. Here are a few fashion pitfalls petite women make and how to avoid them.
Tailoring
Don’t neglect tailoring. You can’t assume that simply hemming a garment will fix all the issues it may have. Petite garments have shallower armholes and often a slightly lower rise. The proportion of the sleeve and leg are also smaller in well-made petite garments. Off-the-rack clothes are always improved by some subtle alterations.
Accessories
Wearing overly chunky accessories and/or too many at one time. I love a wide belt just as much as other women, but a narrower belt is a more flattering option for me. Bold statement earrings are lots of fun and may be best worn without an oversized necklace.
Hemline
Be mindful of skirt lengths. Midi-length skirts and dresses come in and out of popularity on a regular basis. These can be especially challenging for petite ladies because they often fall at the widest part of the calf This makes your legs appear shorter and stubbier…much like standard Capri pants. Some maxi dresses can have an elongating effect because they show an unbroken line. Hemlines are often most flattering on a petite lady when they end near the knee.
Layers
Layering pieces in our outfits adds dimension and interest, but excessive layering can add bulk and shorten the look of your silhouette. Choose lightweight, drapey fabrics, and pay attention to the proportions. Wear stiff, heavy, and bulky fabrics in moderation.
Prints
Prints naturally draw the eye and can make an area look larger or smaller. A pattern on the top draws the eye up, which makes you look taller. Patterns on the lower half can make your legs look shorter. Solid color layers help break up an all-over print.
BTW…Here are some great places to shop for petite women’s fashion.
Best Patterns for Petite Women
- Smaller, more delicate patterns are more flattering than large or bold prints on a petite frame. Large-scale, overly long patterns can easily overwhelm petite women, which makes you appear shorter. Conversely, wearing all small prints can look dated, so add some bold touches to keep your look modern.
- Vertical stripes and patterns draw the eye up and down, which helps to elongate your silhouette. Think pinstripes or patterns with a vertical orientation.
- Monochromatic patterns in varying shades of the same colorway are also a great choice because they create an elongating and cohesive look.
- Asymmetrical patterns add interest and can help you look taller when placed strategically.
- If you love a specific large pattern, consider breaking it up visually with some layers or solid color accessories.
Best Proportions for a Petite Frame
Petite clothing is scaled to work on a smaller woman. An entire outfit of oversized clothing can easily overwhelm a small frame and make you look wider.
- Pair one oversized piece with a fitted garment on the other half of your body, like an oversized sweater worn with slim jeans and smallish accessories.
- Choose styles with some tailoring or structure. Shapeless clothing hides your figure and will add visual weight to your frame. Try adding a belt, experiment with fabrics with stretch, and look for pieces with gentle shaping through the torso.
- Wide leg pants have been trending for several years, but they can be a challenge for short women. Create the illusion of long legs by wearing these at or just above your natural waistline. It goes without saying that low rise pants will make your legs look shorter.
I choose to ignore many of these tips because I love long skirts, I seldom wear prints and I love the drama of oversized pieces. Knowing these rule/tools allows you to break them at will 🙂
What other tips can you add to this list?
Following but can’t type with my right hand now. Tumor on nerve in my wrist. Very good post today. I’m petite too.
Wishing you well Sydney
Great tips for petites. I am 5’4” and need petite pants for length, but find that some regular size ankle pants work for me, just not as ankle length. I usually need petite for arm length as well, but at some stores (like J Jill) I can get by with a regular size extra small. I have some wide leg pants I love, but they only work if I wear a shorter length top with them. I break rules too!
Thank you for this post….I am not petite…I am SHORT! I have to hem most petite pants and sleeves are always too long. Great tips here….thanks again!
Super tips Jennifer and agree, ‘wear what makes you feel most confident’. For another suggeston but not written in stone; for accessories think scale. i.e.: Choose a small sized handbag/tote over a larger/oversized one. If a cross body type; even consider shortening/adjusting its strap so it will hit ‘not’ beyond the waist. -Brenda-
Jennifer, thank you for a very timely post. My last wellness check, I found out I went from 5″5′ to 5″3′, that explains the issues I’ve been having with my pants length..(and why my kitchen cabinets seem to have grown more out of reach……..I’m going to explore proportion, tailoring, and try the petite sizing, though I think I might have to go a size up. As always I enjoy your posts and great clothing style.
In most brands, I do got up a size when I go from reg to petite.
Thanks for these tips! I’m 5′ 2″ tall and long-waisted, yet I still need petite tops to fit my narrow shoulders and shorter arms. Sometimes I succumb to regular misses sizes in tops, but they’re usually just a little “off.” I also find that petite pants/jeans fit better for the shorter rise and length, although it seems brands are making petite clothing longer and longer in both sleeves and overall length! I usually have pretty good luck with the fit of Talbots petites.
Pants are longer these days to work with higher shoes, which I don’t wear so it can be very frustrating.
Love these petite tips! I am 5’1 and just under 100 lbs. The struggle is real to find clothes that fit. Petite tops are perfect on me but I find the pants to be too short and too big in the legs but I can usually find jeans in juniors. Just trying to find any petites is a problem. My Nordstrom doesn’t have a petite department anymore. Many stores have just done away with them. I keep looking though!
I’m just about the same size – 5’1″ and 103 lbs. And I agree 100% that it’s so challenging to find clothes if you’re a small or extra-small petite woman! Stores that do have a petite section will carry larger sizes but next to nothing for those of us who are smaller. I’m actually going to start sewing some of my own clothes because shopping is just too frustrating.
My seamstress is on speed dial LOL. At 5’ , broad shoulders , long waisted and very short arms and legs, there isn’t a lot that doesn’t need something altered. Add being 75 and not wanting to look like a dowdy old person, as a cool winter I love bright colors year around. I buy very little that isn’t on sale with additional markdowns knowing it will need altering. Many petites are still to long in the arms and legs. I’ve learned to check the inseam on pants, even on petites. Crops become ankle length, ankle are full length. Then full length are too long with my 25” inseam. Talbots and Landsend are my go to for petites.
Thank you for your insight. I look forward to reading you every morning with my coffee.
Landsend is a great resource for petite!
One of your best style suggestions has worked well for me, the thirds! I recently added two Eileen Fisher sheer silk georgette high collar jackets to my wardrobe to give another length in the proportions. I think your best photos include one of these with slacks, although I also wear them with knee-length slim dresses.
Jennifer, I like the black and gold sunglasses you are wearing in the photo showing layering with a pair of slacks, top and long, gauzy top. Can you tell me a little bit about them?
They are a very old Prada frome that I keep updating the prescrition in.
Thank you!
Good reminders, thanks. Two comments: I agree about small prints but think we petites (I’m 5’2″) have to be careful that they aren’t too little girlish. Also, if buying Regular size pants, be wary of cargo pants because the pocket can come way down your leg. I’d love your thoughts about styling Eileen Fisher for Petites.
I find their tops with fitted shoulders work best, and dressing in a column of color is a great tool. Lighter fabrics and layers that allow you to see the pieces underneath. Close to the body tanks under open third layers.
I love this post! As I am petite, getting clothing that fits well and looks good is a challenge. I wear hospital scrubs for work and use my days off to express my style.
I also followed your link to the previous post about petite styles and saw the comment about Shortstory.com. I have just signed up and will let you know how it goes. I had signed up for Stitchfix in the past but found their clothes to be expensive.
I too have to watch my spending and enjoy trips to Goodwill for a bargain. I also discovered ThredUp.com, an online consignment store and have bought and sold items with them. You are able to customize your sizes, if you know which brands and sizes work for you, this is a great resource.
Good morning, Jennifer. What a great article today! I’d like to add some advice regarding vertical proportions, particularly for those petite ladies who still have issues even buying from the petite section of the store (though I make this recommendation to all ladies who find themselves having fitting issues, regardless of height). Besides taking the “big three” (Bust, waist and hip circumference) when measuring yourself to decide what sizes you should buy, have a friend or family member help you take the following additional measurements to tell you your vertical proportions: 1) shoulder (at the side of the neck) to your bust point, 2) bust point to your waistline (keep the tape straight please, don’t hold it against your body), 3) bust point to hip line, 4) waist to ankle, 5) Now subtract your bust point to waistline measurement from the bust point to hipline measurement to get your waist to hip measurement. These measurements will tell you where your vertical petiteness comes from (and explain why even that blouse you bought from the petite section of the store still doesn’t fit you properly). For example, I’ve always known that my torso is short but until I learned how my torso was vertically proportioned I didn’t understand why the bust point on shirts hung 3″ below my bust point and the bottom of the arm hole was always below the bottom of my bra. My torso’s short length comes mostly from having a very short shoulder to bust point measurement. The rest came from a very, very short waistline to hipline distance. Unfortunately, there is not a lot you can do about altering the bodice of a ready to wear dress or blouse to fit you if you have a particularly short shoulder to bust measurement unless it is sleeveless. In my case, I do know how to sew and have learned to alter patterns to fit me. If you don’t sew, see if you can find a family member or friend who is comfortable adjusting patterns who can make your dresses and tops. Otherwise, the money spent to have a tailor or dressmaker make them for you is worth it. You won’t be unhappy with the way you look and there won’t be a lot of unused clothing in your closet. I hope that at least some ladies find this advice helpful
Thank you for sharing that Christine! Very valuable info we need to know
You have described my torso perfectly! It makes so much sense now and will shop differently.
Spot on tips for petite ladies. I look ridiculous in huge clothing and will not wear true wide leg pants; I don’t care for wide leg jeans on anyone. I’ve got a seamstress friend and I can do basic alterations. My mom, who sewed into her mid 90s, called all this “sneaky stitchery”.
Love your mom’s “sneaky stitchery”!
Great tips, but I don’t think we need to constantly try to look taller or thinner. I just tey not to be overwhelmed by my clothes! One thing that helps me is either rolling up sleeves a bit to show wrists and or having sleeves tailored. I have short arms. It makes a huge difference for me. Also your whole body may not be petite. I’m a short waisted 5’3”. I’m more likely to need petites in tops, coats and dresses but my legs are proportional in length so petite pants are often too short.
Great points! I’m long waisted so seldom need petite tops.
A very informative post Jenifer and some great tips from your readers.
For me being 5ft 2ins overwhelming baggy clothes are a no go.
Love the fine white gauze flowy top on you , a fine fabric for petites .
Pamela UK
At 5’3″ I also live with the need for petite clothing. One thing I have never seen addressed is knee-high boots always being so high that they cut into the back of the knee when you sit. Do you know of any boot manufacturers that make knee-high boots for short women?
That is a great topic, Jan! I will look into it.
Hi Jan, I’m turning 67 this year, 5ft tall and around 100 lbs. Last year for the first time in my life I found a pair of knee high black suede boots that I love and think they look great on me.
They were on the sale rack at DSW. Size 5 with a nice platform and heel by Jessica Simpson.
It was pure luck, I never in a million years would have even been looking for them.
I treat them as if they are fine designer boots because I know I will never find a pair that are as perfect for me.
I hope you get lucky some day too!
Your remarks today fit me perfectly! I am 5’1″ with a large bust, and I am not as thin as I used to be. So I take extra care when selecting outfits. One thing that seems to work for me is choosing three layers: pants with a straight or boot cut leg and a short jacket or sweater cardigan in the same color; then a v-neck shell, either in a small print or a complimentary color. I also sometimes match the shell and pants, creating that column of color you often recommend, with an interesting third layer. Colorful scarves, jewelry, and purses are added for extra fun. P.S. I am 81 years old, but I don’t feel it!
Those sound like fabulous proportions, Bea
Thanks for the post. As a petite lady I appreciate reminders for making the best choices for my wardrobe.
What great timing. I bought a stone coloured denim midi length skirt today and am conflicted about the length. It has a split in the front, but felt frumpy as the length is mid calf. I am 160cm (5’3”) and am debating whether to get it shortened to just below knee length. What do you think?
Your styling tips are always spot on.
I think you’ll like that proportion better on you. Have the hem end where your leg indents.
Thank you Jennifer, but not quite sure what is meant by where the leg indents? It is super annoying when the sales assistants say that a mid calf straight denim skirt ‘looks great’, when it really doesn’t.
Your leg naturally indents above the calf and below the calf. A narrowing of your leg.
Very helpful post! I especially liked the comment about purposely ignoring style guidelines. That’s what makes our fashion choices unique! Thank you!!!
Agreed! 🥰
At 4’10, 66yo, and a tiny tad heavy – I give up. Lands End boys for the preppy look. It is what it is. I’ll never look nice. But it’s okay, I’m good being me, but dread weddings and graduations.