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Petite Dressing

Dress for your Body Type and Height

Apple, Hourglass, Look slimmer, Look taller, Pear, Tops · September 3, 2022

I’m 5’2, this is how to Choose Tops if you are Short and Curvy

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If you are short and curvy, finding the right tops can be tricky because of your petite frame. Your goal should be to find tops that effectively elongate your short torso, and overall make you look taller and leaner.

Being 5’2″ myself, I surely understand the challenge you face, and here are the 9 types of best tops to flatter a short girl with a curvy figure and 4 types of tops you should avoid.

Table of Contents

  • ¾ sleeve tops
  • Wrap tops
  • Well tailored tops
  • Corset tops
  • Roll up sleeves
  • Peplum tops
  • Off the shoulder tops
  • Solid color tops
  • Tops with vertical stripes
  • Avoid tunic tops
  • Avoid large patterns and prints
  • Stay away from baggy tops
  • Avoid balloon sleeve tops

¾ sleeve tops

BEST TOPS FOR SHORT AND CURVY WOMEN-34 sleeve

¾ sleeve tops naturally give a short and curvy woman the illusion of an elongated body. With the shirts made to fit the figure, it lets it sit comfortably on a short and curvy woman.

This type of top exposes the arms as it ends half way through the arm. The top can be tucked into bottom pants and skirts to accentuate the curves and most importantly highlight the waist of a short and curvy woman.

¾ sleeve tops are effortlessly stylish and incredibly flattering for a short and curvy woman and as such are a recommended top option for her figure.

Wrap tops

Some tops can be flattering and not elegant for your figure but the wrap top has both qualities and that greatly makes it the best fit for the short and curvy woman. The wrap top features a v-neckline and a wrap that goes around the waist.

The wrap top remains a fitting and suitable style that not only reveals the waistline but is very stylish and of the right structure suitable for the short and curvy woman. No matter your style sense, wrap tops should never be left out of your wardrobe staple.

BEST TOPS FOR SHORT AND CURVY WOMEN-wrap tops

Samples of Wrap top

The V-neckline in the top is structured to first flatter the chest area giving the body the illusion of a lengthened figure.

The wrap in the top cinches the waist to highlight the curves and give the body the desired confidence necessary to help you embrace your curves.

Well tailored tops

BEST TOPS FOR SHORT AND CURVY WOMEN-Wear well tailored tops

One of the secrets to looking flashy in any top suitable for your body is putting on clothes that you are comfortable with and that should apply also to a short and curvy woman. It is as simple as getting yourself a well-tailored top.

You should get a tailor to take your appropriate measurement and make you a top that is perfect and fitting for you. The top of a short and curvy woman should be made to suit her body shape and give her the comfort she desires for her figure.

Well-tailored and fitted tops are the most flattering pieces for a short and curry woman as such should not be found missing in her wardrobe.

Corset tops

One basic way to further structure the figure of a short and curvy woman is by wearing a corset top on the body.

The structured fitting of the top gives the body the illusion that it is elongated and the cinched waist is not only highlighted but also helps her own her curvy shape.

BEST TOPS FOR SHORT AND CURVY WOMEN-corset tops

How Flattering is a corset top?

The corset top design oozes elegance and sophistication because it cinches the waist and highlights the curves of the short and curvy woman.

The corset tops are aesthetically amazing with a design that makes them a recommendable top option for a short and curvy woman.

Roll up sleeves

BEST TOPS FOR SHORT AND CURVY WOMEN-Wear rolled-up sleeves

Contrary to not wearing voluminous sleeves, a short and curvy woman could wear rolled-up sleeves because it is a way to give the illusion of a longer body so she could rightly appreciate her figure.

The rolled-up sleeves tend to expose the arms giving it the feature of an elongated body suitable for a short and curvy figure. The rolled-up sleeves are an incredible way to style up the top of a short and curvy woman and this makes it a beautiful and highly recommended style idea.

The rolled-up sleeves balance out the silhouette and they’re also a very comfortable style idea that flatters and suits a curvy and short figure.

Peplum tops

BEST TOPS FOR SHORT AND CURVY WOMEN-peplum top

How does Peplum top works?

A short and curvy woman can never go wrong with peplum tops when it comes to enhancing her curves and lengthening her body.

A peplum top accentuates the waist, slims it down, and flares out at the hips to widen it.

Off the shoulder tops

BEST TOPS FOR SHORT AND CURVY WOMEN-Off the shoulder tops

This top pattern is a cute and versatile top design that is trendy and classy for a short and curvy figure. The off shoulder top is a shoulder baring piece that draws attention towards the shoulder and away from the figure of a short and curvy woman.

This top design is stylish but to attain the desired effect, opt for those with diagonal and round necklines as these patterns would give your figure an elongated look. The horizontal patterned neckline would make your figure look wider and less flattering and as such should not be the best choice for a short and curvy woman.

Solid color tops

The importance of choosing the right color for clothes should not be ignored because good colors make clothes aesthetically amazing and could add elegance to the figure of a short and curvy woman.

Colors should be carefully selected and it is best to wear tops with solid colors for a woman who is short and curvy. They are very flattering and could look contemporary and sleek on a short and curvy woman’s figure.

BEST TOPS FOR SHORT AND CURVY WOMEN-Wear solid color tops

What are the best colors to be worn when your short and curvy?

Solid colors tend to create a slimming effect on her figure and distract the eyes away from her curvy body.

Dark solid colors are the best choice of colors to be worn by a short and curvy woman if she is to attain elegance, look taller, and stay confident in her figure.

Tops with vertical stripes

BEST TOPS FOR SHORT AND CURVY WOMEN-Tops with vertical stripes

Wearing striped clothes can be very beautiful and flattering enough to make the short and curvy woman look elegant. Though stripes are a great feature, it is best to wear vertically striped tops on a woman who is curvy and short.

Vertically striped tops give the short and curvy woman the illusion of a slimmer and lengthened body as such designs are very flattering and suitable to help balance out the silhouette. As stylish as stripes are on clothes, do not opt for horizontally striped clothes because it makes the figure look wide and in turn makes it less flattering for a short and curvy woman.

The best striped top for a short and curvy woman who intends to create the illusion of an elongated figure is the vertical striped design.

Avoid tunic tops

The tunic top is a long loose garment that extends and covers the lower part of the hips. They are designed to offer coverage to the body and this feature makes them an unwanted design and option for a short and curvy woman.

They make the torso look longer and the woman looks shorter than normal and further conceal her curves to give the impression that her curves are a concerned part of her body and should be hidden. Tunic tops are great silhouette pieces but are not the best style of top to make a short and curvy woman look sleek and sexy.

Choosing the right top for a short and curvy woman simply implies opting for those that make the legs appear longer and the waist highlighted. As such, tunic tops should be kept away if you are a short and curvy woman.

BEST TOPS FOR SHORT AND CURVY WOMEN-Avoid tunic tops

Reasons to avoid Tunic Tops

They make the torso look longer and the woman looks shorter than normal and further conceal her curves to give the impression that her curves are a concerned part of her body and should be hidden.

Tunic tops are great silhouette pieces but are not the best style of top to make a short and curvy woman look sleek and sexy.

Avoid large patterns and prints

The fastest and easiest way to create a visual imbalance on silhouette pieces is by simply wearing tops with large patterns and prints. Though beautiful could be a turn-off on the body of a short and curvy woman.

These sort of statement tops would make you look wider and also give the impression of a smaller body because it becomes easy for the eyes to be drawn to the concerned area.

Patterns and prints though necessary on clothes to add beauty to them should be of minimal size because the smaller the pattern, the smaller you will look. Hence, smaller patterns on clothes are an exquisite way to attain the desired effect on the figure of a short and curvy woman.

Stay away from baggy tops

Baggy clothes seem to be a trending design of clothes for women but they are not a preferred choice of top for a short and curvy woman because they are not fitting and less flattering for her figure.

It is best to opt for those that are fitted to your size and avoid those that are large and look voluminous on the body of a short and curvy woman.

BEST TOPS FOR SHORT AND CURVY WOMEN-Stay away from baggy tops

Why should you avoid baggy clothes?

Oversized tops could make the woman look enveloped in her style and look smaller and shorter.

They are not a classy style of top necessary to help the woman appreciate her figure and add poise to her look.

Avoid balloon sleeve tops

The balloon sleeves can be very flattering and stylish but not the best choice of sleeves for the top of a short and curvy woman. You should not wear tops with voluminous sleeves because they would only make you look wider and become less flattering on you.

Sleeves on the tops of a short and curvy girl are very necessary but choosing a voluminous design like the balloon sleeve tops should not be an option. It is preferable to opt for sleeves of tops that are a lot fitted on the body of a short and curvy woman as they would give her the elegance her body desires.

Posted In: Apple, Hourglass, Look slimmer, Look taller, Pear, Tops

Hello there! My name is Chi Li, 5'2", founder of PETITE DRESSING, the clothing line for women 5'4" & under. Are you petite and have you been frustrated with what to wear?
This is an issue few truly understand and even fewer brands truly address.
Being petite myself, I have been writing about fashion for short women since 2016 and my brand petitedressing.com has touched the lives of millions.
My styling concepts for petite women not only focus on the perfect fit but also on flattering & elongating the petite frame for a lean silhouette, optimizing the proportions.
Shop my clothing line here.

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