The Great Swamp Dress?
So its safe to say I am vertically challenged. I have measured myself in countless pharmacies, gyms and against the wall at home and I have never managed to hit five foot three. So I will admit it I am five foot two. The size of the average 12 year old.
Now a lot of the time this is fine. I get told I am cute. People are often quite willing to carry me and I don’t take up too much room. My friend Aoife likes to pick me up to hug me and I have to admit it makes me feel special. However as we know from my rant on playsuits looking ridiculous on my short-ass legs it causes problems with my choice of fashion attire.
This seasons staple the maxi dress is a fashion MINEFIELD for me, a MINEFIELD.
Floral, flowing, flouncing. The three F’s designed to make a littler lady like stumpy and rotund as opposed to cute and petite.
But I want one. The sheer comfort factor and the hiding of my pasty, blue-tinged, winter skin is too much of an incentive.
So I went in search of a maxi for mini – me.
Rules ladies. There are rules. This season’s maxi is often ruffled so instead of going straight down, they cascade in layers of chiffon.
Oh so pretty – oh so OH NO! Step away, step away. The ruffled style will make you look as wide as you are tall (not very) and also given this season’s penchant for patterns, there is a chance you may look like a toilet roll holder.
Again with the patterns. I love a good pattern but too small + too busy = not going to work.
For example, this Indian Bandeau dress from Miss Selfridge:
It will make you seem closer to the ground, has a super voluminous skirt and the pattern is just too much (if you are vertically challenged I mean)
So I think the key is find the shops with the petite section (Topshop, Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins are good). Then find a maxi with a large print or find a block colour. Strapless again can give a stumpy impression so I think straps are a definite must.
My favourite maxis for a little person on the High Street include this black embellished petite number from Miss Selfridge:
Block colour and not too much material. Embellishment around the boobies to draw the eye up!
If you find black a bit too much given its summer, then I also like this floral one again from the Miss Selfridge petite range. The print is large and not too busy and it does not have too much material
I have the black one and have worn it out with wedges and some blingin’ pennies bangles. Styling while covering up my gym battered legs! Noice.
