5 Winter Style Tips for Short Girls (Like Me)

If you’re reading this, then, more likely than not, you’re also, well, short. While I myself am 5’2” and have found it comes with many perks, I’ve also come to understand it can pose certain difficulties when it comes to dressing. This is especially so in winter, during which you’re forced to wear layers upon layers, topped with heavy coats and the occasional cold-weather accessories. It can be hard not to look like you’re drowning in your outfit. That, of course, was until today.

With 26 winters on this planet, three of which have been spent in NYC, and a serious passion for perfecting seasonal style, I’ve come up with some tips and tricks over the years to combat the aforementioned problem. To read about what they are and of course do some shopping along the way, just keep scrolling.

1. Give Yourself a Little Height

This is actually my M.O. in any season, but especially in winter when you're physically bogged down by so many layers. Even if it's only an inch or two, always look for shoes with some height.

2. Opt for Coats That Are Slightly Cropped

The fun thing about being 5’2” is that cropped tops and jackets are usually just the right length for me. While many winter coats can awkwardly cut you off somewhere around your mid-thighs, cropped coats will hit you higher and let your legs look as long as possible.

3. …or Coats That Are Slightly Long

Funny enough, another great option for petite girls is coats that are on the longer side. If a coat goes to your ankles, it creates one elongating line down your body, rather than chopping you up into two shorter halves—as modeled above by myself and my fellow petite colleague Lauren.

4. Tuck In Your Sweaters

If cropped sweaters are too hard to come by or don’t feel like a good investment for you, simply tuck your knits into whatever bottom you’re wearing with them. Not only does this let you show off your waist, but it makes your legs look longer because your sweater isn’t covering them up.

5. Monochrome Outfits Are Your Friend

While, as you can probably gather, I’m a personal fan of all black, this trick works for any shade. Monochrome outfits create the visual of one color from head to toe, making you appear lengthier and lending to an overall more put-together look. In short, the less you break things up the better.

Up next: five things I'm buying to dress better for work this year.