Hemlines dragging on the floor, feeling like you’re wearing a giant potato sack? No more! Let me show you the right way to wear a maxi dress for short plus size in this simple how-to style guide.
If you are petite or short, if you never considered yourself to be petite (which is 5’4 or under) then you might avoid maxi dresses like the plague. Mostly because you’ve either had a terrible experience with them–tripping, ripping, dirty hemlines–or you read/saw somewhere that you are not allowed to wear them because of your height.
Here’s the deal, you can wear whatever the *bleep* you want! This is your life and your body babe, just to clarify. Now, when it comes to wearing maxi dresses and being vertically challenged, I do have some personal insight on the subject.
As a fellow petite plus-size babe, I understand the style struggle but I’m here to tell you that you not only can you wear maxi dresses but you should! Yes, even if you’re short.
In this style guide, I’ll be breaking down the Best Maxi Dress Styles to wear when you are petite aka 5’4 tall or under:
I’ll also help you find the best maxi dress length for you, style tips to help you put together a stunning maxi dress look, where to shop for petite plus-size maxi dresses, and more!
This how-to style guide is all about the best maxi dress styles for short curvy body types.
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Maxi Dress for Short Plus Size
What is a Maxi Dress?
A maxi dress is a dress that is long with a hemline that typically stops at your feet or just grazes the floor.
It’s probably, historically speaking, the oldest hemline because of how modest women were required to dress in the fashion days of old.
Now, this does not mean that all maxi dresses are modest in style, as you will discover in this how-to style guide, maxi dresses come in all shapes, styles, and silhouettes!
And I’m going to help you find the perfect maxi dress style for your petite plus-size shape, so let’s get into it, babe!
Can You Wear a Maxi Dress if You Are Petite?
Yes, you can 100% wear a maxi dress when you are petite, tall, plus size, mid-size, and every size in between. Depending on your body shape, certain styles of maxi dresses will be more flattering than others.
How long should a maxi dress be for my height?
When you are petite, you want a maxi dress to be exactly ankle length or a few inches longer so that it’s touching the tops of your foot. No longer or you will be tripping all day and too short will have you entering into midi dress territory, which is a lesson for another day.
Best Maxi Dress Styles for Petite Plus Size
You now know that maxi dresses are not exclusive to those with glamazon proportions only. A maxi dress is a flattering option and one of my personal favorite dress styles for my petite plus shape.
Here are my recommendations on the most flattering maxi dress styles for someone who is both petite or short and plus size.
Maxi with a Slit
First up, let’s talk about slits. A slit in a dress or skirt is an opening in the skirt, usually in the front center or on the side, sometimes in the side seam.
A slit can be added to a dress for many reasons, one of which, if you remember Angelina Jolie at the Oscars that one year (or Florence Pugh in more recent years) is for drama with a capital D.
The other reason, which is most pertinent for petite plus-size babes, is the ability to show off your leg(s). You might be thinking, “But Sharae, I’m wearing a maxi dress to cover my legs, not show them off!”
I hear you friend and if that’s the case for you, just skip this option and move on to the other styles on this list to find the best maxi dress for you.
For everyone else though, wearing a maxi dress that has full leg coverage can sometimes make you look shorter and larger. This is especially true if you are wearing a maxi dress with a high neckline or little to no waist definition.
In this case, a slit can help to open up the silhouette and show off a little skin. It seems simple but it really will help to visually elongate your look.
I love a front or side slit style and there are maxi dresses with slit lengths that are more dramatic and some that are more reserved.
So, don’t be afraid of showing a little leg babe. Petite plus-size legs are beautiful too and deserve to be seen and celebrated!
High-Low Maxi
Speaking of celebrating the skin that you’re in, a maxi dress with a high-low hemline is another way to show off a little leg while still wearing a maxi length.
This is a great option if you can’t find a maxi dress that is the right length for you. Remember, you want a maxi dress to stop at your ankles or at the top of your feet.
I know this can be a struggle to find when you are petite and plus-size. So, my easy remedy is to find a maxi dress with a high-low hemline. You can get a maxi look without having to worry about tripping over your dress.
The same rules apply here as the guidance given on maxi dresses with a slit. By showing a little leg, you will look streamlined and avoid appearing like you are wearing a shapeless sack.
Wrap Maxi
If you’ve read my other guides on the best dress styles for petite plus size or midi dresses for petite plus size, you already know about my love affair with wrap dresses!
They are one of fashion’s greatest inventions–thank you DVF–And one of the most flattering dress styles for petite plus-size body types.
A wrap-style maxi dress is great for your body shape because it provides an open neckline and gives you waist definition. These two design details are always a good idea when you are short and plus size.
The open neckline visually opens up the area around your chest, neck, and face. The openness will help you to have an elongated look instead of the more stumpy vibes that come from wearing stuffy necklines like high collars or turtle necks.
The second design detail that is helpful is the wrapping mechanism itself. This waistline belt/sash helps you to cinch in your waist as little or as much as you like.
As a woman with PCOS, I can attest that at certain times of the month, I want to emphasize my waistline, and at others, I literally would rather wear a potato sack, haha!
A wrap dress is forgiving and that is why it is so flattering, whether you wear it as a mini, midi, or yes, maxi dress length.
You might like: Clothing for Short Curvy Women, The MoraRae Story
A-line Silhouette
An a-line silhouette is a great maxi dress style for my more modest babes. An a-line maxi dress with provide you with some waist definition but won’t be as waist-snatching as a wrap dress or fit and flare style–more on that later.
A-line maxi dresses are a good option for petite plus-size body types when they come with a little waist definition though. This can be in the form of back ties, allowing you to make the dress as fitted to your waist as you like.
Or, it can be within the design of the dress itself. Princess seam lines are one way an a-line dress can give a more fitted effect while still being modest overall.
An a-line maxi dress with an open neckline and long sleeves can be a flattering dress style for the colder months. It will provide you with full coverage while also giving you a flattering overall silhouette.
Empire Waistline
Where are my apple-shaped babes at? I’m going to tell you something a little controversial, empire waistlines won’t make you look pregnant!
Yes, I said what I said. Now, let me explain a bit more. An empire waist dress is a style of dress that hugs your bustline and then flares out from underneath.
Women who have larger mid-sections, like me and other apple-shaped babes, have been told for what seems like millenia, that wearing an empire waistline will make you look pregnant.
There is a sliver of truth to this to be sure (the fact that most maternity wear is designed with empire waists doesn’t help) but it all comes down to how the empire waistline fits your body.
My rule of thumb for an empire waist dress is to choose one that has an open neckline, hugs me just under my bustline, and then flares out subtly from there
I stay away from empire waist dresses that have a narrow skirt or little to no flare. Having a waistline that high and a tighter-fitting skirt will not be flattering for my body type.
When you have a larger midsection, you also don’t want an exaggerated flare happening either, this is where the ‘pregnancy vibes’ can come in. So, it’s best to try to find an empire waist maxi dress with a skirt that isn’t too narrow or too full.
A simple flared silhouette will be just right for you. Now, fashion always has exceptions to the rule though, which is why we love it right?
Selkie’s viral Puff Dress is the perfect example of this. Their dresses have empire waistlines with exaggerated full skirts. They are worn by women of all shapes and sizes and they all look stunning!
This is because of the romantic design, delicate fabric, and of course, the confidence at the end of the day that these dresses are helping women feel about themselves.
So, if you want to try an empire dress, starting with a maxi length is a great option. The height of the waistline will create an illusion of a longer torso and leg line. Drawing the eye up and making you appear taller instead of shorter.
You Might Like: Find the Perfect Petite Plus Size Mini Dress with These 8 Style Tips
Fit and Flare
If you prefer more classic styles, a fit-and-flare maxi dress was made for you. A fit and flare silhouette is similar to an a-line one but it has a defined waistline.
So, how an a-line dress might have a modest fit, a fit-and-flare silhouette will be much more distinct. Think of the era of Marilyn Monroe & Audrey Hepburn.
Dress styles of that time followed the fit and flare formula: a clearly defined waistline and a full skirt.
This can be a very flattering style for all body types but especially for petite plus-size babes. The fitted top of the dress provides waist definition and the full skirt brings balance to your hips and legs.
So, this is another great maxi dress style for those who don’t like to show off their legs as much.
Just remember that getting the length just right for this maxi dress style is most important.
Choosing a fit and flare with an open neckline is also important to make your overall silhouette appear longer.
Maxi Dress Style Tips for Petite Plus Size
Now that you have a good idea of which style of maxi dress will be most flattering for your body, I wanted to give you a few easy style tips to help you make almost any maxi dress work for you.
So, if you already have a few in your closet but you’re not sure how to put together a killer look, these tricks will help.
Add Waist Definition
If you’re not tired of hearing me say it already, here’s one more time: you need to define your natural waistline in order to balance your overall proportions.
This can be achieved by adding a narrow belt to a shapeless maxi dress.
You can also achieve this by layering on a cropped cardigan, blazer, or jacket that will help to give your overall look a flattering rule-of-thirds proportion.
How to Accessorize a Maxi Dress
When it comes to your jewelry or purses, the smaller and daintier the better.
A maxi dress is a statement piece on its own. You want to let your dress be the star of the show.
When you layer on too many heavy accessories it can add a visual weight to your look, making you appear frumpy instead of fabulous.
So, just remember when accessorizing, that less is more.
Choose Shoes that will Elevate your Look
Since a maxi dress will be stopping at your ankle or at the top of your feet, choosing a skin tone matching shoe color can help to visually lengthen the look of your foot.
Which in turn will help your legs to appear longer as well. Wearing a shoe with a pointed toe has the same effect.
Whereas, chunky or heavy shoes like platforms or sneakers can make your bottom half appear more heavy and stumpy. Which when you are short, will only make you look shorter.
Related: Best Shoe and Boot Styles for Petite Plus Size
Look for Vertical Details or Patterns
If you enjoy wearing maxi dresses with print or pattern, make sure to choose one with a simple, smaller-scale design.
If you like stripes, like me, wearing a vertical stripe will help you to look streamlined vs horizontal stripes, which can have a shortening effect.
Avoid large-scale, all-over prints which can camouflage your shape and make you appear larger than you are.
Don’t Go Oversized
I know that oversized styles are having another moment right now and in some cases, I’m all for it! But when you are short and plus size, wearing an oversized maxi dress will inevitably make you look shorter and larger.
A caveat here is if you find an oversized maxi dress that has a deep v-neckline and front slit, then maybe just maybe, an oversized maxi dress could work for a petite plus shape.
Keep it Monochromatic
When wearing a maxi dress that covers up so much of your body, choosing a monochromatic color palette for your overall look will help you to visually appear taller.
This works by wearing the same color, from head to toe. Choosing one color, which will give a matchy-matchy vibe, is not only sophisticated but figure-flattering as well!
Lighter Weight Fabrics
Last but not least, you want to choose a maxi dress made with lightweight fabrics. Heavy or bulky materials will visually weigh down not only your outfit but the proportions of your body.
So, I would avoid faux fur, leather/pleather, corduroy, or chunky knit materials for maxi dress styles as much as possible.
Instead, try maxi dresses made from cotton poplin, linen, Tencel or even velvet can work, as long as it has a lower pile.
Related: How to Look Taller (without wearing heels)
Where to Shop for Petite Plus Size Maxi Dresses
Below are some of the places I like to shop for petite and plus-size-friendly maxi dresses:
There you have it! I hope after reading this in-depth how-to style guide on the best maxi dress styles for petite plus size you have a new perspective on how to wear this dress style and feel amazing in the body you have, right now, today!
If you learned something new or just enjoyed this style guide, please drop me a note in the comments section, or better yet, share this article with a fellow petite plus-size friend.
Your support means the world to me and helps brings awareness to my mission to help petite plus-size babes feel seen, heard, and celebrated!
This is your go-to style guide on the most figure-flattering maxi dress styles for petite and plus-size body types.
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