No matter where you go, coats can be an amazing way to spice up any outfit. However, if you’re a petite woman with an inverted triangle shape, you would want to choose styles that complement your body shape rather than create an unflattering silhouette.
I am 5’2″ and I know how much effort petites have to put into in order to find the coats that fit. Besides, I also have a full petite clothing line so I dress petite models of all sizes and body shapes.
This coat guide contains everything I’ve learned so far from feedback I receive from thousands of my petite customers. Here’s the ultimate guide of what you should wear and what you shouldn’t as a short woman with an inverted triangle shape.
Table of Contents
Trapeze coat
A trapeze coat usually has an A-line silhouette that is wider at the bottom than the top and has a slightly oversized look. This coat style can be rocked to formal and informal settings, especially if you’re a petite woman with an inverted triangle body shape.
Since they come in different styles and lengths, I recommend opting for those as long as your thighs. However, the most important feature here is how it balances out your body proportions by adding more volume to the bottom half of your body.
This is what you should look out for when trying out different coat styles for your body figure. However, I’m a huge advocate of answering a few important questions before hitting that purchase button. Does the coat make you feel comfortable? Would you wear this to any event without feeling self-conscious?
Does it feel too big or overwhelming on your petite frame? If you have satisfactory answers to all these questions, then feel free to buy the trapeze coat.
Single-breasted coat
When choosing the perfect coat for the petite woman with an inverted triangle body shape, the features of the coat matter a lot. While some emphasize your body shape in a not-so-flattering way, others enhance your best features and help you achieve balance on your bottom and upper half.
This is the difference between single-breasted and double-breasted coat designs. Most single-breasted coats have only one column of buttons, and the fabric overlaps narrowly. Therefore, this simple yet stylish coat design on an inverted triangle shape helps to give a more proportional body silhouette.
Since single-breasted coats don’t have excess embellishments, this doesn’t make your broad shoulders look even wilder. Also, the single column of buttons adds to the visual illusion of a more elongated body shape.
I have no doubt that you will fall in love with the single-breasted coat that’s structured to complement your feminine structure and inspire confidence as you attend various events.
Wrap coat
I’m a huge fan of wrap coats and would hundred percent recommend that you invest in getting a few wrap coats for your closet. This is one amazing coat style that will have you looking your best, especially as a petite woman with an inverted triangle shape.
A huge benefit of the wrap style of this coat is that it helps add more definition to your waistline while doubling as a great way to add volume to the lower half of your body. As a woman with an inverted triangle shape, one of the common body features is a narrower lower half.
However, this classy coat will flatter your body type in a way that draws more attention to the best parts of your shape. Apart from this, most wrap coats come with a neckline that reduces the concentration on your broad shoulders, while this focus is at the center of your body instead.
So, here’s a quick summary of what a wrap coat can do for your petite inverted triangle shape. This beautiful style can keep you comfortable, and more feminine, soften your sharp shoulders, help you stand out in style, and add more balance to your body structure.
Coats with unstructured shoulders
Once again, you can’t ignore the smaller frame below the waist and broad shoulders typical of most petite women with an inverted triangle body shape. In fact, this body structure should inform your choices when shopping for clothes.
Since creating a balanced look flatters your body proportions is important, you should avoid coats with unstructured shoulders. This style of coat will make your shoulders appear wider, which will make the lower half of your body look smaller and throw off the overall balance of your body.
Coats with unstructured shoulders will give you a disproportionate silhouette where you appear top-heavy, and that’s not a very flattering look for the petite woman with an inverted triangle body shape.
Better choices are coats with a more fitted waistline and, of course, structured shoulders. You should opt for coats that can add to the illusion of an hourglass figure and accentuate your waist.
This is possible with most of the coats recommended in this detailed guide. So, look out for coats with A-line silhouette, like the trapeze coat, for amazing results.
Dark-colored coat
In all your shopping, never underestimate the influence of colors on various clothing styles. The color of your clothes can either boost your look or make you look drab. Therefore, these special details have a huge effect on your body and the right choice will make your body shape look amazing.
In this scenario, I recommend dark-colored coats for the petite woman with an inverted triangle shape. Brightly-colored coats break up your body appearance and draw more emphasis on areas of your body you want to downplay. So, if you’re thinking about stepping out in a bright red coat, it’s time to shelf that idea.
This is also true for the effects on your shoulders. They will appear visually wider, which creates an unbalanced silhouette. However, the best colors for your inverted triangle shape are those that are darker, like grey or black.
Dark-colored coats have a slimming effect on your broad shoulders when worn on a suitable clothing style. So, don’t hesitate to get your outfit popping with dark-colored coats while also wearing something that flatters your unique body shape.
Avoid double-breasted coats
Just as I mentioned how flattering single-breasted coats can be for your inverted triangle shape, the direct opposite of this is the double-breasted coat. While coats with a single-breast style complement your body silhouette, the double-breasted coat doesn’t create the appropriate structure for your inverted triangle shape.
Instead, this design will draw more attention to the upper part of your body. Double-breasted coats usually have a wider overlap with two rows of buttons. Therefore, the overlap of these buttons tends to add more volume to the upper part of the body and people are more likely to pay more attention to this part.
Therefore, it’s not a great idea to have this in your closet as a petite woman with an inverted triangle shape. You shouldn’t invest in double-breasted coats that fit too snugly on your body frame and create an unflattering silhouette.
Avoid coats with shoulder pads
Short women with an inverted triangle shape usually have broad shoulders as I may have mentioned earlier. Therefore, this means that you should wear more of coats that will visually narrow your shoulders rather than those that add more to your width.
Coats with shoulder pads will exaggerate the broad width of your shoulders and further bring unbalance to your body silhouette. However, the best styles of coat for the inverted triangle shape are those that are without lots of details that draw attention to the upper part of your body.
Therefore, you should focus more on styles that move this attention downwards. Since coats with shoulder pads give your shoulder line more volume and a disproportionate frame, it’s best to completely avoid this style of coat.
Here’s the ultimate tip. Wear what makes you feel amazing. Wear what makes you feel comfortable. Also, be sure to never over-accessorize as this can erase the positive effects of the coats that flatter your body shape.
