Attention Everyone Under 5”4’—I’ve Found the 6 Chic Skirt Styles Petite Women Are Swapping Their Jeans for
What do Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande have in common? Aside from sharing the former-child-actor-to-pop-star career journey, they’re both short and stylish women who regularly wear a variety of different skirts, proving that the best skirts for petites aren’t dictated by a specific hem length.
Despite being peddled to those under 5'4" as a style faux pas, skirt outfits can actually complement shorter frames without leaving feeling like your figure is being swallowed by fabric (such is sometimes the case if you’re wearing a maxi dress) or revealing too much (say if you're wearing a mini.)
Take the Espresso songstress, for instance. From her off-duty wardrobe comprised of Miu Miu micro bubble skirts to her babydoll dresses and corset bodysuits worn during the Short’N’Sweet tour, Carpenter knows the key to wearing a skirt is balancing her exposed skin with a chunky Mary Jane or platform to root the outfit with a more stocky shape.
On the other hand, Grande has taken a more dainty approach to styling her skirts. The Wicked actress can often be found in skirts that protrude from the waist and finish with a pointed stiletto to counteract any widening effect.
The point is, this pair has proven that, irrespective of your height, there are no limitations to the best skirts for petites. The challenge, however, arises when you're not part of the Hollywood elite with a stylist on call—it's about finding styles that flatter your unique body type.
You see, the plight that all petite women face is finding styles that can fit their bodies directly off the rack. Many styles will ultimately have to be altered, and visiting a tailor can do wonders for trimming larger garments, but there’s nothing quite as joyous as taking something home from the store and wearing it right away.
It’s often the case that a mini skirt can fall mid-thigh on petite women while maxi skirts graze along the floor like a sort of unintentional train. Of course, overcorrecting this with heels can only do so much, particularly if you have to commute to work. Thankfully, there are numerous expensive-looking high street and designer brands that offer dedicated ranges for smaller statures, including Reformation and Rixo.
Stopping by boutiques with curated offerings first is a petite styling tip I'll always recommend. But knowing which styles are better tailored to petite proportions is a challenge in itself. Fear not. Below, we’ve compiled a list of the 6 best skirts for petites to guide you through your next purchase. From specific fabrics that suit better to new lengths to consider, see them all ahead.
The 6 Best Skirts for Petites:
1. Cotton Poplin Skirt
Style Notes: Considering sourcing petite jeans can mostly prove a struggle, think of the cotton-poplin skirt as the anti-denim solution to your styling difficulties. In warmer weather, this style adds a billowiness to your looks effortlessly put together. Simply pair it with an equally relaxed shirt and your favourite spring shoe.
Shop the Skirt:
Reformation
Petites Lucy Skirt
This affordable option is available in a size XXS to 4XL.
ZARA
Collection Long Skirt
This iteration is made with a pleated waist for a subtle fold.
2. Knee-Length Skirt
Style Notes: While not every petite woman wants to add height through how they dress, wearing a knee-length skirt is a deceptive styling trick to lengthen your body by exposing a strategic amount of skin. I love the look of knee-length skirts with knee-high boots, leaving just a glint of your leg.
Shop the Skirt:
H&M
Coated Zip-Front Skirt
This skirt is ideal for petites as the zips allow you to control the amount of your limbs are on display.
Anthropologie
The Colette Knee-Length Skirt by Maeve
3. Denim Skirt
Style Notes: Take it from late '90s petite style muse, Brittany Spears, and her iconic 2000 MTV Video Music Awards double denim dress, jean skirts have been a staple in short women's wardrobes for decades. Not only do they add great structure, but denim skirt outfits are a suitable alternative to wearing jeans—a piece that is notoriously hard to shop for if you're under 5"4'—while still incorporating denim into your look.
Shop the Skirt:
The styling of this piece feels straight out of the '90s fashion rulebook.
COS
Raw Denim A-Line Midi Skirt
This slouchy fit works great for all climates.
4. Slip Skirt
Style Notes: From French women showcasing the most stylish Parisian outfits to the Danish sartorialists displaying the best of Scandi style, slip skirts are a wardrobe essential for so many chic European women. Not only do they always look polished, but they're easily dressed up for day-to-night moments, too.
Shop the Skirt:
& Other Stories
Satin Midi Skirt
This soft blue feels Sabrina Carpenter-approved.
Free People
Sweet Talker Half Slip
Kate Moss has certainly worn a similar style before.
FRAME
Silk-Satin Maxi Skirt
5. Mini Skirt
Style Notes: It's a tale as old as time that petite women have been encouraged to create the illusion of height by keeping their skirt lengths short. While we've proven that you don't need to adhere to this advice, it's also not entirely faultless, either. While Paris Hilton's famous declaration "skirts should be the size of a belt" may not work for smaller frames—unfortunately, most conventional sizes will always fall slightly longer—you can always achieve the same effect with a more rigid fit.
Shop the Skirt:
MANGO
Zebra-Print Fur Skirt
Animal prints are a major trend for this season, and I have no doubt that zebra patterns will soon usurp leopard, cow and snakeskin styles come spring.
Reformation
Petites Brandy Skirt
This outfit looks like it just stepped off the Champs-Élysées.
Reiss
Suede Button-Through Mini Skirt in Tan
Pair with suede loafers for the ultimate chic textured silhouette.
6. Pencil Skirt
Style Notes: Petite women may be vertically challenged, but they also know that creating vertical lines through their look is the secret to elongating the figure. That's why pencil skirts are one of the best skirts for petites. The tailored shape is incredible sleek and draws the eye down the body because of how contoured the fit is. Balance out the polish of the skirt with an comfy top or knit.
Shop the Skirt:
M&S Collection
Jersey Knee Length Pencil Skirt
For those still uncertain about the ankle-grazing measurements, this knee-length iteration is perfect for you.
THE FRANKIE SHOP
Peri Silk-Blend Organza Midi Skirt
Same with this Frankie Shop style. The sheer panel reveals more of your leg, which also adds a few extra inches to your silhouette.
ST. AGNI
Paneled Leather Maxi Skirt
Celebrities like Kendall Jenner and Jennifer Lawrence love St Agni, and I adore how sharp the construction of this burgundy leather version is.
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