How to Wear Flats When You're Petite

last updated 14 August 2019

When you are on the shorter side, flats can be extremely intimidating. Personally, even though I am confident and comfortable with my 5'3" height, I will consistently choose to wear something with heels over a pair of flats because a few extra inches couldn't hurt me. However, over the years, I have learned that when you do choose to wear flats, there are ways to appear taller than you actually are (trust me on this one).

Being aware of little details like color, cut, strap placement, and hemlines makes all the difference on a shorter frame, allowing you to look and walk taller. The hope is that by relaying these tips to you, you will be able to feel just as confident wearing a pair of flats as you do in a pair of heels.

Keep reading for our must-know tips on how to wear flats when you're on the shorter side!

Wear Them With Cropped Pants

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Wearing flats with long pants does nothing but drown a shorter frame. Cropped pants will create more space between your shoes and the bottom of your hem, making legs appear longer than they actually are.

Shop our pick:

Cole Haan

Pinch Lobster Loafer

Opt for a Nude Color

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Nude-colored flats create a seamless transition from your leg to your foot, which, in a way, masks the real length of your leg. Think of it as an optical illusion of sorts.

Shop our pick:

Zara

Leather Ballerinas With Bow Detail

Pair Them With Shorter Hemlines

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A miniskirt or minidress is a great counterpart to flats for anyone, but especially shorter girls. Since the main complaint with flats is that they don't elongate your legs, when choosing to wear them, it's smart to pick shorter hemlines to show off the leg length you do have as much as possible.

Shop our pick:

Topshop

Pointed Mules

Choose a Pointed Toe

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Flats with a pointed toe, even in darker colors, also create a streamlined silhouette for your legs, instantly lengthening them.

Shop our pick:

Aeyde

x Lucy Williams Moa Ballerina Shoes

Avoid Thick Straps Around Your Ankles

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Thick straps around your ankles cut off the line of your legs, making them appear much shorter. This doesn't mean you can't wear flats with straps, though; just make sure that when you do, they are dainty and flattering, as opposed to bulky.

Shop our pick:

Aquazzura

Leopard Print Ballerina Flats

Next up, shop the summer 2018 bikini trend we can't get enough of.

This post was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

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Lauren Eggertsen is currently the editorial director of Who What Wear and has worked at the company for over eight years, where she started as an associate editor and has since worked her way up. Lauren has over 10 years of experience in the fashion editorial space, starting her career with internships at Marc Jacobs, Marie Claire, and The Zoe Report, where she was later hired as their editorial assistant. Lauren has worked in the Los Angeles and New York Who What Wear offices but currently calls L.A. home. It is here where she leads and manages Who What Wear's fashion team and oversees all day-to-day editorial content and large tentpole moments. This includes all of the runway, trend, and shopping-driven content that ultimately helps to build a strong brand reputation within the industry. Lauren's role also includes helping to set the fashion direction for all original photo shoots and often styles many of the celebrity cover shoots, including big names like Kaia Gerber, Normani, and Kristen Stewart.

She has also attended multiple fashion weeks, including New York, London, Milan, and Paris, where her personal style has been featured on sites such as Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, and Elle. She prides herself on discovering and supporting small brands and on her knack for a good vintage shopping find. When she isn't working, she enjoys researching and dining at reputable restaurants around both her neighborhood and the globe.