Petite Formal Gowns

As someone who is 5’2″, I totally understand how hard it is to find any long dress for petite women. It gets even harder, if you are looking for a long dress for a formal occasion!

Not only I am petite, but also I have a petite clothing line, so I get feedback from thousands of my petite customers.

Based on my own experience, and feedback from my customers, I have put together this comprehensive guide to help you choose the perfect formal long dress for your upcoming occasion.

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Each silhouette creates a different shape and suits different body types, but there are several that generally look better on short women than others.

This style of petite formal long dresses is designed in such a way that the seam runs vertically from the shoulders down to the hips.

Since you have a shorter frame and less to work with, the most flattering formal petite long dresses are those with simple and sleek silhouette to complement your natural figure.

Petite Designer Prom Dresses And Evening Gowns

It fits snug on your upper body and flare out under your waist, emphasizing a slim waist that is flattering to petites of all body shapes.

If you go with something overly complicated, you will easily get overwhelmed and it may look like the dress is wearing you.

A line formal petite long dresses are ideal for short women because they hug at your hips to accentuate your waist line of your body.

Purple Petite Formal Dresses & Gowns

Don’t underestimate the power of the neckline.  They can totally change the shape of your face and even the look of the whole dress.

It creates ample space around your face, and what that does is to make your face appear more slender, even without the help of make up.

Even though this post is about formal petite long dresses, whether a petite woman should wear short dresses or formal petite long dresses is the never-ending debate.

Petite Evening Gowns

For petite women, the key to style your jewelry is to draw attention above, not down. That means wearing anything higher up such as hair accessories, earrings and necklaces will draw attention to your face, thus is more flattering.

Many women of petite height have shorter necks. A necklace with a long pendant is a great choice to elongate your short neck.

Despite the current trend of wearing a bold and chunky statement necklace, women of petite height should use caution. Petite women can look overwhelmed by a giant necklace unless they are petite and plus size.

Gorgeous Petite Evening Dresses For Special Occasions

Pointy toe pumps are the most flattering to short women, period. It may be just half an inch of the difference compared with round toe or square toe, but that slight change makes a whole world of difference in how your legs will look in them.

The lower the vamp, the longer your legs will look. If you don’t know what vamp is, think about those pumps that show a little bit of your toe cleavage.

Straps make your legs look cut-off, so avoid them if you can. For more tips, read my post on “The Best and Worst Shoes if you have Petite Feet“.

Formal Wear For The Petite And Busty

Now, if you know you might be standing or walking quite a bit. Make sure your heels are comfortable enough. I am sharing with you my tips of standing and walking all day in heels on my wedding day on post on “7 Tips on How to Wear Comfortable Heels All Day”.

If you are a curvy petite woman, carrying a tiny clutch may actually make you even bigger and out of proportion.  So, the key is the size of the bag should be in balance with the overall body size of a petite woman.

A good quality brand on the market could cost anywhere from 200 dollars to up to 500 dollars, depending on the designer, fabrics, and details. Since formal dress can be such a high-ticketed item, buying it should be treated like an investment decision.

Petite Formal Dresses, Petite Dresses For Women

Even if you are not ready to throw 500 dollars into a formal dress, you should still have the mindset of investment vs expense.

The mindset of investment means you buy what is the best value from the long-term perspective, whereas the mindset of the expense will lead you to jump on the lowest price for what is trendy this season.

You will need more than one formal dress in your wardrobe for different events. Most of us have our preference for certain colors, styles, and even lengths, and we tend to be shopping for a similar style in our closet.

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For formal dresses, the smart way to shop is to get different style and color so that you can wear to multiple events without always looking the same.

Of course if you are shopping for mother of the bride dress, that is the special day of your daughter and you might be ok to just wear the dress once and then put it in your closet as a memory. 

Otherwise, if you are shopping for a wedding guest dress or a dress for a black-tie gala,   you are better off looking for something you can wear more than once.

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Hello there! My name is Chi Li, 5'2, founder of PETITE DRESSING, the clothing line for women 5'4 & under. Are you petite and have you been frustrated with what to wear?

Being petite myself, I have been writing about fashion for short women since 2016 and my brand petitedressing.com has touched the lives of millions.

My styling concepts for petite women not only focus on the perfect fit but also on flattering & elongating the petite frame for a lean silhouette, optimizing the proportions.If you're shorter than 5ft 4 inches, you might be considered petite in the fashion industry. Shorter women aren't exactly the prime audience for most fashion retailers' designs.

Formal Evening Dress

Also, the lack of formal dress options for petite shoppers makes it a nightmare to find one that complements your smaller frame. Most evening dresses for petite women require different design pattern, cut, or silhouettes. Too often, petite shoppers have to settle for dresses with a torso or skirt that's too long.

In short, finding outfits that fit short-heighted women is a challenge. This is especially true when searching for formal petite evening dresses for special occasions. Even if you dress casually most of the time, you'll need some formal dresses and outfits for occasions such as weddings or celebratory events.

If the hassle of finding a formal dress that looks good on you sounds relatable, we can help. Here's a list of fantastic formal outfits for petite women.

Petite Evening Dresses

This is one of the sparkly R&M Richards petite formal dresses you can wear at special occasions and evening gatherings. Designed with a satin ribbon bow to accentuate your waistline, this R&M outfit is all you need to give off a dazzling persona. The godet pleats and sequins make this evening gown stand out from the rest.

The delicate sequin embellishment makes this dress the perfect choice for a black-tie event. The dress comes in two attractive shades, including Mocha, Merlot and Navy, so petite shoppers can pick whichever suits their personality the best.

If you're looking for a sequin evening dress to dance the night away, this R&M Richards short sleeve sequin-embellished design is an ideal choice. The stunning dress is a high low with beautiful golden-toned sequins.

Petite Formal Dresses Mother Of The Bride Sale

The silk belt accentuates your waistline and complements your frame, making it a glamorous gown that you can wear on all kinds of special occasions. If you're not fond of wearing long-sleeved gowns, this one has an embellished stretchy top with short sleeves so you can dance and meet guests comfortably. And if you're wearing it as the mother of the bride, you're sure to steal the spotlight with this stylish outfit.

This is one of the most-sought after Alex evening petite dresses for the mother of the bride. With its intricate chiffon and lace work, the Alex evening dress is an ideal option when you're celebrating a special occasion. The One piece long gown features an a-line chiffon skirt and sequined bodice – truly the best duo for a black tie event. The high-quality fabric complements petite frames, while the a-line skirt gives you plenty of room to move.

It's truly the right gown for when you want to give off an effortless yet stunning appeal. Not to mention, the light fabric is ideal for summer celebrations outdoors.

Plus Size Formal Dresses, Evening Gowns, Size 14 30w

The best feature of this petite woman lace outfit is the excellent balance between a balance between a formal and semi-formal look. So if you don't want something too fancy or shimmery, this is a classy evening gown for a formal occasion.

Are you the Mother of the bride and looking for a subtle yet elegant petite evening gown? In that case, you can't ignore this R&M Richards petite formal dress. Its sleeveless shiny knit and glamorous touch set it apart from other formal dresses and gowns.

Whether you pick the gown in Merlot, Steel, or Navy, the fitted top with a draped cowl neck will look gorgeous. Flaunt your waistline with a flowing chiffon skirt that brings the look together.

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Make a statement with Alex evening dresses, such as this floral sequined gown with