Best Spring Dresses For Petites
Check out the best spring dresses for petites!
Alright let’s just ignore the fact that there were snow flurries in Chicago yesterday, because SPRING IS COMING! The flowers are starting to bloom, the days are longer, and the sun has been making way more appearances. All of those perks are great, but I also love that the warmer temperatures means that we can start wearing dresses again!!!
Because I know that petite women (like myself!) can run into some trouble finding pretty and flattering dresses for our frames, I thought I’d pull together some of my favorite silhouettes and lengths. We all know that dresses can either lengthen us or make us look shorter… and the goal is always to find flattering options, right?!
Now… I know I don’t have many new spring and summer dresses to show you yet. Because of the pandemic, I didn’t make a lot of fashion purchases last year and I’m still easing into the idea of it this year. Call me a bad blogger all you want, but I like to make sure I’ll get a lot of use out of everything I buy- good for my bank account and the environment 😉 I have placed a few new orders though so I promise to update this post when those come in. (And maybe also finally write a spring capsule wardrobe post? We’ll see!) In the meantime, I found some really great similar options for you to shop. Now let’s dive in!
Best Spring Dresses for Petites
Short Dresses
Obviously mini dresses are our friends – duh! While our taller friends might be worried about flashing someone, short dresses usually hit us at a somewhat conservative length without us needing to do anything ?
I also love short dresses because we don’t need to rely on shoes to elongate our legs. The dress already does that, which means you can wear them with sneakers, sandals, flats, or heels.
This mini dress is old, but Yumi Kim (the designer) has a ton of other great styles that work for petite gals. I paired it with classic Keds to explore Grand Rapids with Adam a few years ago!
This dress was from last spring but there are still a few sizes left!
This is another oldie – but I loooove this new off the shoulder mini!
Swing dresses
Swing dresses can be really tough for petites. They are usually pretty shapeless with a ton of fabric… aka it can swallow us whole. That being said, they’re comfy AF and great summer dresses for those sticky hot days.
Luckily, a lot of brands carry swing dresses in petite sizing! The one pictured below was from Loft last year and I can guarantee that if I tried it in regular sizing it would have looked like a tent on me ?While it’s worth perusing the regular section for some styles, I think the special sizing is a must for swingy styles. In addition to Loft, I know Banana Republic, ASOS, and Madewell all have great petite options in this category!
Midi Dresses
Midi dresses are definitely the hottest topic among my petite readers right now! I get it – similar to swing dresses, midi dresses can just feel like way too much fabric on us. That being said, I think there are more tricks to look for beyond just petite dresses. In fact, my two favorite midi dresses don’t even come in petite!
In my opinion, you always want to look for midi dresses that are fitted up top and have a defined waist. A blousey top is too much with a longer skirt – and a defined high waist helps elongate us! I also usually look for styles that are on the shorter side of the midi skirt spectrum. A slit does wonders for us, too!
This dress is a few years old, but it looks like they made a VERY similar style again this year! I love this one because the top is super flattering, and the skirt pulls away from the body a little bit, but is still very slim. I also love that the buttons go all the way down, so if it feels too long for you, just unbutton a few towards the bottom so you have a little slit to show some leg! (I have a size 2.)
This midi dress was a total impulse purchase – but it worked out in my favor! Again, it’s not petite sizing, but the skirt isn’t super long so it works if you’re a short girl like me! (I have a size small.)
Wrap Dresses
I know this post is geared towards petite fashion, but let’s be honest here. Wrap dresses are flattering for EVERYONE. Once again, this isn’t a style that makes me feel restricted to the petite section. Because most dresses allow you to adjust the wrap to fit your body, regular sizing works just fine!
I personally love short sleeve wrap dresses that hit above the knee, but you can play around with different sleeves and lengths, as long as it has that signature wrap around our waist.
Once again, both of these dresses are old, but there are tons of similar styles out there! I love the tulip sleeves and sweet floral print on this one. So pretty! Wear it with heels for an event or with casual sandals for brunch!
If you’re looking for a more casual and less expensive option, I love this one and this one! So easy, feminine, and fun!
Maxi Dresses
YES petite gals CAN wear maxi dresses! Of course we can!! There are definitely a few things to keep in mind while shopping though. First, look for petite sizing first. That’s just the easiest method. I usually look at Loft, Anthropologie, and Nordstrom for these.
I hope Loft makes another maxi dress similar to this one again – it’s so pretty and breezy!
And this one is an example of a non-petite dress that was ankle length on all of the models! I wish it was still available so I could show you the way it was styled – but ultimately, I saw that it didn’t come to the ground on any tall ladies, which meant it would probably be a great length on me, and I was right! This “technique” can obviously be hit or miss depending on the model’s height and your height – but it is an option!
Belted Shirt Dresses
I just ordered this shirt dress with a belt, so I’ll update this section as soon as it arrives! Hang tight!
Jumpsuits
Okay, I know jumpsuits aren’t technically dresses – but they are GREAT for spring! I love this jumpsuit that doesn’t come in petite because it is meant to hit above the ankles, which means it’s more of a full length on me. No shortening required! If you don’t want to take that gamble though, there are a lot of brands that carry petite jumpsuits! I think Abercrombie, Express, and J.Crew have the best selections so far this year!
Shop current favorites:
PS. You might also like Spring Jackets and Coats, Activewear For Petites, and The Best Petite Friendly Items from Everlane!
