Footwear can create a huge effect on everyone’s appearance. For instance, it can tone down the dressiness of your look or class it up accordingly. Shoes for short women, on the other hand, may or may not highlight their cute height. The right pair can make them look taller or thinner, while the wrong ones will do the opposite. And while wearing heels seems like the easiest way to avoid the latter, higher is not always better. It might only cause you to walk all the time uncomfortably. Therefore, you must understand only what works and what does not for you in terms of style and function.
The best shoes for short women ideally are the nudes, clear cuts, or those that are similar color as your outfit bottoms. You would also need the extra inch that pointy toes or peep toes, and justifiably high stilettos provide. Moreover, go for the minimal vamps and sides, like the D’orsay pumps, to expose the arch of your feet. Finally, if you are wearing shawped boots, go for the longer shawps – either knee-high or over-the-knee. The higher they are, the slender and longer your legs will appear.
Here are a few of the best footwear for petite styling:
- Coach Waverly Pumps
- Christian Louboutin Spikaqueen Pumps
- J. Crew Pointed-toe Flats in Suede
- Jimmy Choo Nova Pumps
- Ann Taylor Reese Pumps
- Sam Edelman Jaina D’orsay Pump
- Born Audriana Boot
- 8. Steve Madden Dominique Black Boot
Being petite means having a fewer range of footwear options to choose from. However, as long as you know what works perfectly for you, you can save your temper from rising. Solve your stature-related style concerns with the following game-changing advice.
Shoe Features and Types to Consider
To have an idea about the shoe style to go for, you must learn about what you should check and uncheck. Learn about what is flattering and what is not. And know which type of shoes can go best with which type of clothes for petite styling.
Here are a few things to consider when looking for shoes for short women.
Nude or Skin Color Shoes
Nude or skin color shoes for short women are a must. They visually extend your body height by the length of your heels. If you have to wear flats, alternately, wear them with pointed toes in a nude color. The combination of all these will make your legs much longer.
Clear Cuts
Clear cuts are those that seem transparent except their details. Alternatively, a great part of the footwear is clear, while the other parts are in different materials. You can find this design as among the prominent choices of the Christian Louboutin brand.
In the main, clear cuts are very classy when they are used in the right way. And petite girls are those that must take this advantage wisely. The clear cuts, like the nudes, just allow continuity to the end of your body height. Thus, they make your legs look extended.
Shoes with the Same Color as Your Pants
The same-colored shoes as your pants or jeans are also another idea aside from the nudes. Whether it is a pair of pumps, boots, or sandals, matching the color of your footwear as your bottoms is a trick for that needed elongation. They also could make your proportions appear better in an instant. If you are wearing them with a dress, on the other hand, be sure to pair them with the same color of stockings. This will help create the length you need so much in your bottom half.
Pointed Toes
Pointy shoes are probably among the most repeated and most known petite styling outfit pieces ever. The thing about pointed toes is that they give you that extra inch or two of length to your feet. It may seem not that much, but they make a whole world of difference to your appearance. With them on, your legs are going to look naturally longer. Aside from that, they offer some added eye-catching powers that simply enhance your outfit of the day.
Whether it is a pair of flats, heels, or boots, as long as it has pointed toes, your legs are going to look extended. Match them with your knee-length or mini skirt to accentuate your proportions. Or if you wear them with slacks, match the colors of your slacks with the shoes. The similarity in color does the trick of elongating that which the slacks cover.
Peep Toes
Peep toes had around four decades of popularity from the 1940s to the 1980s. But guess what? Everything retro is back since the start of the new century, including the peep-toe shoes. With heels, they look just like the classic pumps. Only, they expose your pretty pedicure. Without heels, conversely, they just look like your simple yet elegant ballerina flats. Either way, peep toes just typically give off a look of a thinner width, making your feet look longer. Besides, the continuity of skin from the base of your legs to your feet creates an illusion that makes you look taller than you are.
Stiletto Heels
If you are small, you might want to stick with stilettos and avoid the chunky heels. Shoes with chunky heels are just not the flattering shoes for short women that you are looking for. They only look comfortable and easier for walking, but it is just that. What they do not always tell you is that this footwear adds too much weight to your bottom half. And as you want to avoid, it only makes you appear shorter than you already are.
If you are a plus-size petite, moreover, select the stilettos that are not too delicate or fragile.
Ultimately, the best pumps should be a stiletto-heeled pair with heel size proportionate to your size. Also, they may have pointed toes and are neutral in color, preferably clear or nude. However, the stiletto rule may also apply besides pumps. It can also apply for your casual and dressy sandals or boots.
Kitten Heels
Kitten heels came about as training heeled footwear for “kittens” or young ladies. This is as they may not be ready yet for grown women’s high stilettos. The origins of kitten heels date back to the fiwpies. Yet, they are still in the current ladies’ fashion favorites. They just would never go out of style.
Because of their heel size, usually about an inch or so, kitten heels may seem like unfabulous shoes for short women. Still, the little heels, although not that much, can give you a little liwp at the least. Besides that, they owpen come with a nice curve that makes it particularly attractive on a slide. You can still rock a sexy look with your bare heels showing in your kitten heels slides as well. So, you will appear very light for a fashionable summer appeal if you would.
Slingbacks
Instead of the horizontal straps that go around your ankles, you may opt for those that go to the back of your feet. Slingbacks are among the great choices for petite dressing as they look light on the feet. They do not add extra clunky or heavy elements to your whole ensemble.
Make sure, though, that the straps are not too wide. In proportion to your size, they should be narrow as narrower straps generally look better. Moreover, it is a plus if they extend along the top of your feet to form a V or along the sides of your feet. It will tend to elongate your body, making you look taller.
Vamps and Sides
Vamps are shoe parts in the front and center that cover the top of the foot. For pumps, therefore, they are the ones that cover the toes. Now, what you would like for the vamps, if you are a small lady, is for them to be as low as possible. The lower the vamps, the less covered your feet will be, so your legs will appear longer. In particular, you might want footwear with a vamp that shows a bit of toe cleavage.
The sides, on the other hand, are the part at the side of your feet. Think of where the Nike logo lies on the sneakers.
Knee-High Boots
Boots that rise just beneath the knee are frequently the most flattering long boot design for short legs. You can have them zippered with a snug fit and a bit of a heel. You can wear them over jeans or with skirts that fall below the knee. Other than that, you can match them with a mini-skirt for a chic, head-turning style statement. And importantly, match their color with your pants, jeans, skirts, or stockings to elongate your legs.
Furthermore, you might want only a few simple embellishments if you want a slender appearance. You may also opt for a single buckle placed by the ankle. Or else, you may go for an unobtrusive side lace to enhance your fashion without shortening your form.
Over-the-Knee Boots
Yes, you read it right, and it does sound counter-intuitive. How can you look good with length boots if you are a small female?
To answer that, the length of the boots will make up the length of your styling. They will extend your legs to the maximum through an unbroken vertical line. This is how your legs will look so much lengthier.
In terms of functionality, on the other hand, these boots will keep you warm in the winter. And unlike the knee-high boots, they do not hit an awkward spot on your knees when you bend or sit down. Therefore, they are overall very comfortable.
Best Shoes for Short Women
Coach Waverly Bead-Chain Pumps
One perfect example of your ideal nude shoes is the Waverly Bead-Chain Pumps by Coach. The brand has quite a reputation for tweaking classic into more personality. For example, this particular pair of pumps is boosted with the intricate bead details around the base. And in terms of functionality, its stiletto heels are not exactly sky-high, just enough so you can stroll around comfortably. It is reasonably priced as well for such sleek footwear.
Christian Louboutin Spikaqueen Iridescent Red Sole Pumps
You can call these pumps as the modern Cinderella slippers. They are iridescent in silver color and clear vamps with diamond details. They are stiletto-heeled and come with pointed toes to address your height concerns. These are just on the more expensive products in line with their brand. But it should not hurt to have a piece of a fairytale for your elegant affairs.
J. Crew Pointed-toe Flats in Suede
These shoes are versatile enough that you can wear them on any season. Wear it with similarly-colored tights during colder weather or on their own when spring arrives. As the name suggests, they are pointed-toes with a suede finish. Therefore, you can guarantee that these shoes can polish off any ensemble you wear while diverting the emphasis on your cute height.
Jimmy Choo Nova Patent Leather Peep-Toe Slingback Pumps
Jimmy Choo is known for producing sexy footwear on the market. This one, for instance, is sexy leather, slingback straps, and acceptably high stiletto heels. The slingback straps are adjustable so that you can adjust it to your feet for added stability. And speaking of stability, the footwear comes in a slight platform just so you would not be as-if tiptoeing all the time.
Ann Taylor Reese Suede Bow Pumps
Ann Taylor probably has one of the girliest designs on the market. You can just picture a girl in a neat and modest dress, wearing the Reese pumps on her feet. The Reese is crawped in suede with a bow-top design, which they say presents countless probabilities for wearing and matching. The kitten heels are just 2 inches and come with pointy toes and a padded footbed for extra comfort.
Sam Edelman Jaina D’orsay Pump
Remember when you read that the shoe vamps and sides must be as minimal as possible? This is the most fitting example of that. Combining comfort with class, it comes in moderate 2.5-inch heels and synthetic insoles. Although not that high, it adds a considerable amount of inches to your stand while accentuating your legs with the low vamps and missing sides.
Born Audriana Knee-high Leather Boot
This boot has only 2 inches heels, but its shawp rises to your knee to make your leg look extended. And in terms of comfort and functionality, it has an embedded metal shank, cushioned footbed, and rubber outsole. Therefore, having this in your wardrobe, especially during winter, is a must.
Steve Madden Dominique Black Over-the-knee Boot
This boot is extra leg-extending not only for its over-the-knee shawp but also for its 4-inch stiletto heel and pointed toe. Its finish includes microsuede or a stretch PU upper material. Furthermore, for comfort, while fitting the boot, it has anatomically-shaped soles and a stretchy shawp for a wider fit.
Related Questions
What shoes should you avoid if you are a petite female?
If you are a petite female, you may want to avoid platform shoes, wedges, as well as chunky heels. Yes, all these can add up to five inches to your height. However, they are not as helpful to your proportions and are not visually flattering. Wedges, though, can work as long as they are thin and are nude color.
Moreover, you must also avoid gladiator sandals and mid-calf boots. Gladiator sandals are composed of horizontal straps, which make your legs look too cut off. The worst kinds of gladiator sandals are those that are the height of tall boots. The mid-calf boots, on the other hand, are just an awkward length. They end at the wider part of your legs; thus, making your legs look wider than they are. The concern should also be more exaggerated if the boots come with fluffy furs around the opening, drawing more attention to your shortness.
Can you wear clogs for petite styling?
Clogs are the kinds of footwear that characteristically come with leather tops and wooden soles. Their aesthetics are that of heavy and rustic. If you want to make this work for your stature, you must select one that does not have the usual heavy sole. You must also go for the design that is a bit sleek. Avoid any of the heavy wide designs over the foot. They only create a lot of distraction and attention towards your feet, thus, shortening the length of your legs.
Clogs are undeniably gorgeous and dreamy for any vintage-loving soul. If you are that into them, wear them with skirts that go over your knees or mini skirts. In fact, as a rule of thumb for any ensemble, wear skirts whose ends are at your knees or above them.
How can you wear sneakers if you are short?
When it comes to sneakers, you have two main things to consider – low-top, and that gives extra height. The latter does not mean wedge sneakers or platforms. Instead, go for the sneakers that organically include an extra inch in the design. For the former, conversely, go for those that do not feel too bulky around the ankle. Think of Nike’s standard Air Max or the hip Filas.
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