Maxi Dresses for Petites

 

Summer is absolutely the time to dust off those cute dresses hidden at the back of your closet and wear them to no abandon! I’m constantly on the hunt for summer dresses, especially maxi dresses and skirts the whole year round because you can never have too many of them! 😉 But, it can be quite a challenge for someone who is under 5’6 (I’m 5’4) as most maxis are waay too long. And I mean extremely long. I don’t even have to try them on, I can eyeball them from the rack and see that it just wouldn’t work out. Which makes me so sad because there are so many tiny ladies out there that could use a perfectly fitted maxi without having to do any alterations.

So when I saw this dress, tried it on (and it also helped that lots of other bloggers were wearing it) I was instantly hooked! I think this is supposed to be a slightly longer midi dress, but for petites, this dress is already a maxi! And I’m not complaining, I love the color, the vertical stripes and the smoked top. My only complaint is that the ruffles won’t stay put, just like in these photos, too late I didn’t even realize it until they were done 🙁 And another thing is the smocked top could go down a bit longer in my opinion as it does kinda make you look bloated in the stomach area, on another note a pregnant person would probably love this dress!

In this post, I’m sharing my tips on buying the right maxi dress for petites, which can be really helpful when you are eyeing one in a store that doesn’t have a Petite section.

 

This dress Free People I’m wearing an XS. Similar one here. Sandals Tory Burch Affordable options here and here.

Similar earrings here. Another pair here.

 

When I buy maxi dresses, I look for 5 things. The first thing I scope out is the length as I said above, I hate altering my clothes! If I do, I usually just cut off the hem and I always end up being too lazy to sew it. To me, if I can walk on it without tripping then it’s a go.  Usually maxis can be pretty wide too so petites should definitely avoid really baggy and wide styles.

Second, I look at the sleeves/straps and a lot of times when they are too long, maxi dresses may have really long straps which would not work for me so skip those my pint-sized friends.

 

Sunglasses Quay Australia

Third I look at the top/torso area. As someone who wants look slimmer and taller, I like styles with a more fitted top, not too loose especially if the dress has a flared/a-line skirt. This dress has a smocked top which hugs the right places, though you may want to wear a bralette underneath as regular bra straps will show. Warning if you even have a slight belly pooch or a food baby, it will show in this dress. Just a word of caution. 😉

Next the print. If the dress has huge designs on it I veer away. This will make you bigger and wider so opt for smaller and fine prints like in this dress has tiny stripes which give me a lengthening and slimming effect as opposed to horizontal ones.

 

 

Last but certainly not the least, I grab the dress to gauge its weight. Yes dresses can be heavy! Especially maxis! This girl ain’t taking a dress on a trip that’s 3 pounds or more! That takes away so much from my carry-on weight limit! The fabrics usually contribute to a heavier piece of clothing and if the dress has too many sequins and heavy studs, that’s a no.

And there you have it, I hope you learned something new today mademoiselle. If in doubt, always try the dress (or anything) on before purchasing. Because sometimes looks can be deceiving! Happy hunting! Stay tune for my next post- it’s something festive. 🙂

 

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