if you are short and curvy, shoes play a critical role in how you look. The right styles of shoes can flatter your curvy shape and make you appear taller and leaner, while the wrong styles can make you look heavier than you actually are.
I’m 5’2″ myself, and I have a petite clothing line for women 5’4″ and under.
Based on my own experiences as well as feedback from thousands of my petite customers, I’ve put together this complete guide for curvy petites with the 6 best types of shoes and 6 types of shoes you should be cautious about and even stay away from!
Table of Contents
Peep toe shoes
The peep toe shoes are a promising and stylish shoe that defines the shape of a short and curvy woman and also adds length to your figure. The peep toe shoes are structured to comfortably fit in the widest part of the feet.
Short and curvy women could wear peep-toe shoes because they work so well on them. They come in varying lengths and you should choose those that give you comfort when you are in motion for better comfort in your overall appearance.
The toes showing at the tip of the shoe give the eyes the illusion that the legs are long and they are also pretty on the toes because they could brighten your toes if you love to apply pedicures. Peep toes should never be left out of the shoe rack of a short and curvy woman because they are also versatile and classy for your figure.
Nude colored shoes
Contrasting colors that appear too bright on the figure of a short and curvy woman would create a visual imbalance in her body. So it’s best to avoid wearing shoes with too bright colors so they do not make your figure appear disproportionate.
Shoes with dark colors have a natural slimming effect that could create a pleasing appearance for a short and curvy woman. They are more appropriate to be worn as they flatter your shape and make you appear elegant.
The right color of shoes for a short and curvy woman are those with nude colors as they eliminate every form of broken lines that could give the eyes the illusion of a reduced figure.
Choose nude colors that have a tone that is close to the skin as that’s the best way to appear taller and keep a structured shape.
Over-the-knee boots
Short and curvy women should wear shoes that add length to their figure and one of those designs is over-the-knee boots which are designed to have an elongating effect. They end above the knee and give a short and curvy woman the comfort she desires.
They flatter the figure of a short and curvy woman and give her a unique look in whatever outfit she wears. Make sure to opt for those that fit your legs properly to avoid rolling down when you are in motion.
Over-the-knee boots are best for short and curvy women because most designs help you worry less about the shaft and calf circumference of the boot. Over-the-knee boots are versatile and are greatly recommended as shoe designs for a short and curvy woman.
Low vamp pumps
The classic pump is very feminine and cool on the figure of a short and curvy woman. They have low vamps that create a visually elongating appearance that makes them a better shoe choice for the short and curvy woman to embrace her figure.
Classic pumps exist as simple and sophisticated shoe styles that every short and curvy woman should own for a lightened and lengthened appearance in her outfit. They also do well in adding poise and elegance to the figure of a short and curvy woman.
They are designed to be confidence boosters and are super comfortable on the legs of the short and curvy woman.
Simply put, vamp is the top piece on your shoe. Low vamp shoe comes up lower on the top of your foot, while high vamp shoes come up higher on the top of your foot.
In other words, low vamp shoe covers less of your feet, and high-vamp shoes cover more. Low vamp shoes do not accentuate the width of the curves yet the classic pump shoe are suited to keep the shape of the short and curvy woman structured.
Ankle boots
The ankle boots are recommended for a short and curvy woman because they compliment your overall appearance and draw the eye from the ankle to the tip of the toe. Opt for ankle boots with pointed toes for a more elongating effect.
Ankle boots could go wrong on a woman that’s short and curvy if styled wrongly. For a more flattering effect, pair short skirts with leggings of similar color as the ankle boot, to eliminate any form of broken lines along your body figure.
Ankle boots do not cause any form of discomfort and are easy to style for a short and curvy woman. It is shaped to add glamour and balance the body proportion of the short and curvy woman.
Knee length boots
This is another boot that’s very perfect for a short and curvy woman for a chic and classy appearance. This can be chosen in preference to the over-the-knee or ankle boots with your shape still well-defined.
These boots are trendy and stretch well to make you appear elegant. The most preferred knee-length boots should have the right shaft and calf circumference that can accommodate your calf and allow you to walk with confidence and poise.
Knee-length boots for a short and curvy woman are very flattering and since most of them have heels, they are best for increasing the length of your figure. They also remove any cut-off effect along your body and give your figure a vertical line that assumes height for your figure.
Caution with wedges
Wedges are too much of an attention seeker for the short and curvy woman with a sole that could make you look heavy and appear shorter.
The thick heels of wedges do not give comfort and do not boost the posture and shape of the short and curvy woman.
For a curvy petite, if you do want to wear wedges, it is important to go with a style that is not too bulky. The thicker the bottom of the wedge, the easier it will make you look bottom-heavy, which is never flattering for a short girl, no matter whether you are curvy or not.
Avoid strappy ankle shoes
One simple shoe that’s beautiful but not flattering for a short and curry woman is the strappy ankle shoe and that is because it makes the legs appear cut off. Strappy ankle shoes create an imbalance in the body that affects the figure proportion of a short and curvy woman.
It creates horizontal lines that interrupt the visual vertical stripes along the figure of a short and curvy woman. Strappy ankle shoes should not be worn by a short and curvy woman because it doesn’t give the desired length effect a shoe should give to the body shape.
If you are a short and curvy woman, make sure to stay clear of strappy ankle shoes because they are not great confidence boosters for your body shape. Strappy ankle shoes are not feasible and give the eyes an illusion of a reduced figure.
Avoid chunky heels
The sling-back sandals are not too complicated shoe designs that add refinement to the overall figure of a short and curvy woman with a sling-back strap that helps to keep the legs in a good position without causing any disturbance in the legs.
Though the sling-back sandals are a unique design, choose those with straps that should not be too bold on the legs as the slimmer ones are most favorable for the short and curvy woman. The straps at the back do not create and form any horizontal line across the legs that could cause the short and curvy woman to appear shorter than normal.
Avoid platform shoes
Platform shoes are too weighty and not the most comfortable shoe design to wear if you are a short and curvy woman. They make the figure of a short and curvy woman appear shorter than normal.
This design of the shoe affects the shape of the short and curvy woman by emphasizing the width of the curves and draws too much attention of the eyes to the legs than normal. They are not an incredible shoe design for the figure of a short and curvy woman.
Avoid gladiators
Gladiators are cool designs that seem to give the illusion of height but create a contrasting effect of reduced length through the series of horizontal straps in the pattern of the shoe. Both the sandal design and the heel patterns are not recommended for short and curvy women and as such should never be worn.
The series of straps in gladiators alter the visual vertical line of the shoe and this would make a short and curvy woman appear longer. They draw attention that is not needed to the legs and make the normal length of the short and curvy woman too visible.
Though trendy, wearing gladiators if you are a short and curvy woman is not classy and it’s best to stay away from them.
Avoid the kitten heels
Simplicity and comfort are basic roles played by the kitten heels but are not great designs for the legs of a short and curvy woman because they are not too high and do not add too much length to the figure.
Kitten heels aren’t too flattering on a short and curvy woman and could help her lose the desired confidence.
The slight height that the kitten heels give the short and curvy woman gives her shape a weighty feel that doesn’t make her appear elegant as she should.
They are not as high as the stiletto heel and though you don’t have to worry about slipping off when walking are not recommended. Kitten heels would accentuate the width of the curves of a short and curvy woman.
