So this week I took on a challenge for a petite girl like me, the midi skirt. In particular I was asked, “how do I wear a midi skirt without looking frumpy?” I’ve been a longtime fan of the midi skirt, but when it comes to a petite frame not being overwhelmed in the longer skirt, it’s all about the sizing and what you wear with it.
So, I revisited my original tips for wearing a midi skirt, stuck with a few of them and adding a few new ones to come up with these four petite friendly midi skirt outfits.
Tips for Styling a Midi Skirt When You’re Petite
Fit: First, you need to a choose a skirt that is actually made for a petite person. The two skirts I’m wearing in this post are petite from Abercrombie. I also love buying petite lengths at J.Crew and LOFT. The average midi skirt is around 32 inches long, but a petite gal really needs a length of around 25″-27″. Of course, those measurements will be individual, at 4’10” those are the lengths that work for me. Knowing your measurements really comes in handy if you’re shopping online, just look in the description of the item to see how long the skirt is.
Style: I’ve worn my fair share of full or pleated midi skirts, but they are not as flattering as one that has a slimmer fit, similar to the styles I’m wearing in this post. A hi-low midi skirt is also very petite friendly!
Tops: Choose a top that is fitted. Oversized tops, although so cute, can be overwhelming on a petite person. You can wear a bodysuit for a slimming effect, or tuck your top into a shapewear half slip so you get smooth lines.
Shoes: My favorite shoes to wear are something nude, with a pointed toe. Even pointed toe nude booties work! However, I think you can pull off a flat too if it has a leg elongating pointed toe.
Four Petite Friendly Midi Skirt Outfits
Wrap Style + Bodysuit
I love this outfit with and without the jacket. My Abercombie bodysuit is so thick and warm, and gives a perfect slim base layer for the skirt. The wrap style of the skirt shows a little leg which is less overwhelming on a petite frame.
Shop The Outfit
Hi-Low + Moto Jacket
I’m wearing the same bodysuit with this outfit. The skirt up close has little touches of brown in it, so I wanted to pull that out with this jacket! Nude pumps create a leg elongating look – you’ll just have to excuse my purple feet, it’s apparently cold in my house.
Shop The Outfit
Shapewear Magic
If you watch the IGtv style video that goes with this post, you’ll see I pulled out a shapewear slip to tuck my tunic sweater into. I’m not sure if it’s totally clear what I’m doing in the video with it, because let’s be real – tucking your top into shapewear isn’t cute and I wasn’t about to film that, but it really is perfect under skirts!
Shop The Outfit
Black + Red
I also tucked this top into my slip. I don’t love the way midi skirts look with flats on me, but I think it can be pulled off. Especially when they make a fun statement like this red pair!
Shop The Outfit
Which one is your favorite? Be sure to watch the style video on my IGtv channel and let me know what you want to see next!
-Brooke
Now, let’s get linking!
Where do you find shoes that fit but are “grown up” styles? I’m 4’11” and wear a child’s size shoe.
Hi Sheri! I’m sorry for the delayed response. I wear a five now but before I had my boys (weird my feet grew) I wore a 4.5. I found a lot of shoes at Nordstrom, they carry smaller sizes, and some brands like Sole Society carry size 4.5. I also have found that Steve Madden carries a small five. I wrote a post about small shoes in the past, I’ll share the link here: https://pumpsandpushups.com/under-size-five-womens-shoes/