Petite Cocktail Dresses

It can be difficult to find a way to complement your body type if you are a petite woman, which is why it is very important to find the right dress by knowing exactly what you should be looking for. Of course, finding the right dress will require petite women to learn how to attract the right kind of attention, and knowing what type of dress will do that is almost a science. Here are some helpful guidelines:

Picking a Color and Length

One aspect that is often overlooked by petite women is color. If you try to hide behind a print or pattern, or use a belted dress type of look, you will end up accentuating your shortness. Instead, it is always best to go with smaller patterns, or at best, a solid color that is not too bold throughout. Black is always a great choice, though.

For length, a good guideline is to not go too short. It's not as if you should never wear a shorter dress, but you will look a bit longer if you wear a dress that is at least long enough to end just above the knee, or even longer, if you prefer.

What Style is Best for Petite Women?

As with color and pattern, it is best to keep it rather simple when it comes to the style of the dress. Avoid excess ruffles or frills, and go with a nice, straight look with clean lines. You can try an 'empire waist' dress, as they have a waistline just below your chest, which then makes your legs look longer. If you are very small around the waist, you may prefer an A-Line style to give your body a bit more fullness. Otherwise, slim-fitting dresses are usually a good idea. Again, avoid belted waist styles when possible!

How to Properly Accessorize Your Cocktail Dress

Petite women will want to follow some simple guidelines when it comes to accessorizing their cocktail dresses, as well. One key is to avoid larger accessories, such as big purses or handbags. Instead, stick to a smaller handbag. This is the same guideline that you should follow with jewelry, also. Of course, it goes without saying that most petite women will want to wear high heels as part of their ensemble. As always, anything that can give you a little more length will be a benefit to you!

Petite women have a lot of eye pleasing options when it comes to cocktail dresses. While it may seem as if taller women have it easier, there are truly challenges to dressing properly for every body type, and petite women have a number of strategies available to accentuate the positives in their shape and size. If you keep some of these ideas in mind, you will have a much easier time finding a dress that will look great on you at any event. Then, others will certainly be noticing you based upon how wonderful you look, and not so much because of your size.