Apple shaped women can be any height, and it is quite common for you to be short and have the apple shape at the same time. Like all body shapes, the short legged apple come with its own set of challenges, which is why finding the right style of clothing is critical to flatter your shape. In this detailed guide, we’ll help you develop a thorough understanding of your unique body traits, and then walk you through the clothing styles most suitable for your unique shape.
Traits
- Beautifully sloped shoulder edges – One of your most graceful assets is your round and balanced shoulder line.
- Symmetrical shoulders and hips – Your shoulders are also pleasingly balanced with the width of your hips.
- Fuller bust size – You’ve got yourself the highly-coveted voluptuous bust size that’s also very round in shape.
- Petite height and short legs – You may be short-waisted as well, which further constitutes your shorter overall look.
- Lean and shapely legs – Another strong point of yours is that you don’t gain weight in your limbs so they always look so slender, especially your legs!
- Undefined waist – Because of the fact that you’re short-waisted and that you carry weight in your midsection, your waist curve tends to get blurred out.
- Midsection is prone to a belly bulge – When you gain excess weight, you carry it in your stomach area so you’re very prone to a muffin top.
- Less pronounced bottom – You most likely have a flat rear.
TOPS
Basic V-Neck Shirts
I swear every apple-shaped girl should have a vast array of basic V-neck shirts in their closet because this is your super versatile and flattering fashion solution for creating a slimmer appearance for your body. The open neckline of V-neck shirts can give you the illusion of a longer neck while also showcasing your beautiful decolletage.
As an apple shape, you most likely struggle with a heavier midsection so you can find the slimming effect of V-neck shirts very helpful. The V shape of this neckline style visually narrows down your figure as it makes the shoulder line and chest area appear more proportional and streamlined.
Neutral-colored Wrap Tops
Wrap tops feature a flattering silhouette that can help bring definition and symmetry to your apple-shaped body, while the slimming effect of neat, neutral colors can be very efficient in terms of making you worry less about your heavier midsection.
Wrap tops usually have a self-tie belt that typically fastens to one side and this effectively cinches your waist, giving you a more defined waistline and a more elongated frame. The flare that the self-tie belt creates gives a roomier fit that skims over your midsection, seamlessly camouflaging the extra weight you carry in your belly.
Off-the-shoulder Tops
As an apple-shaped girl, one of your strong points is your round, balanced shoulders, and shapely bust line – all of which are showcased and enhanced by wearing off-the-shoulder tops. This brings emphasis to the best features of your upper body in order to detract attention from your belly bulge.
When paired with flattering high-rise bottoms or when tucked in, you can give yourself a taller stature as this style combination can visually lengthen your short legs.
JEANS
Dark-washed Jeans
The goal for apple shapes with short legs is to achieve a slimmer and more elongated look, both of which can be achieved by wearing dark-washed jeans. Dark colors have the ability to absorb light so it visually diminishes the weight you have in your stomach to give you a flat-looking tummy.
Also, because of how it slims down your legs, it also naturally gives them a more elongated look. This results in a taller appearance that’s also pleasingly balanced from top to bottom.
High-rise Straight-leg Jeans
Waist emphasis is essential for apple-shaped women with short legs so going for waistbands that sit at or slightly higher than the natural waistline can be a total style plus! This is what makes high-rise straight-leg jeans an ideal choice for those who are looking into having a taller and leaner figure,
Higher waistbands allow focal emphasis to your waistline by giving it more definition, something that apple shapes don’t naturally possess. Meanwhile, the straight-cut shape of this type of jeans provides a minimalistic and streamlined appearance that can flawlessly draw the eyes up and down in a continuous line for a slimming and lengthening effect on your lower body.
Jeans with Tummy Control
One of the most common struggles of apple shapes is the excess weight they carry in their midsection. This, along with the fact that you also have short legs, can be tricky to work around, but this can be easily resolved if you go for a pair of jeans that feature a proper tummy control feature.
Jeans with a tummy control feature usually have panels, built-in shaping technology, or seams that are strategically placed to provide gentle compression on the midsection to help smooth out any bulges in the stomach. This defines the waist and also gives you the appearance of naturally slimmer and longer legs.
PANTS
Retro Flared Pants
The wide flare at the hem of retro-flared pants is quite an efficient way to balance out the proportions of your apple-shaped figure. This particular flare adds volume and width at the lower part of the leg, which can make the legs appear longer and more balanced in relation to the length of your torso.
Most retro-style pants have high waistbands and this can also be very helpful in terms of providing tummy coverage. It subtly conceals your belly bulge while also giving your waist a better definition.
Dark-colored Pleated Pants
Dark colors in general, like black, navy, or deep gray have a slimming effect, which can be quite helpful in camouflaging the tummy bulge most apple-shaped girls have. In addition to their slimming effect, they also create a continuous, uninterrupted line from your waist down to your ankles to visually elongate the length of your short legs.
Now, let’s talk pleats – the super subtle clothing detail that can make a whole world of a difference in terms of flattering your apple figure and your short legs as they can add texture and volume to the pants. As a result, you’ll achieve better balance in your proportions while also giving some extra room for your curvy hips and thighs without the tight fit.
Structured Suit Pants with Pinstripes
Pinstripes may not seem to be a very dramatic style detail, but for our apple-shaped ladies with shorter legs out there, structured suit pants with pinstripes are a total game-changer! These subtle, vertical lines are sometimes even barely visible on the pants but they can still lead the gaze up and down in an uninterrupted flow to create the illusion of height.
Meanwhile, the structured cut of these pants is also a blessing for apple-shaped figures because of the fact that they offer a visually streamlined, tailored look that defines your waist without clinging and conceals your heavier midsection. The balance that structured suit pants give promotes comfort without compromising style, providing a sleek, professional aesthetic that’s perfect for both the office and evenings out!
SKIRTS
High-low Midi Skirts
High-low skirts feature an asymmetrical hemline that is higher in the front and dips lower at the back. If you’ve got short legs and a midsection-heavy figure, this can be a very stylish and flattering option for you because its asymmetrical effect gives you a taller frame by counteracting the imbalance between the length of your torso and legs.
The gradual drop in the back also creates a graceful, cascading effect that adds an element of drama and movement to your apple silhouette. Its midi length, which usually hits just right after the knees or slightly lower, also exposes a flattering portion of your slender legs to make you look leaner and taller overall.
Above-the-knee A-Line Skirts
Above-the-knee skirts feature just the proper length cut as they expose more of the leg to give you the illusion of longer legs. This length, combined with the universally flattering A-Line silhouette can give you a flattering balance while also elevating your height naturally.
A-Line skirts flare out from the waist and gradually widen to the hem, and this shape helps add volume to the lower half of the body to cover up the midsection and lead the gaze towards the slimmest part of your legs. This draws attention away from the bulk of the midsection and instead, creates a more elongated frame.
DRESSES
Casual Sheath Dresses
Sheath dresses are quite minimal and simple, but with strategically placed seams and darts, you can achieve a curvier silhouette and a taller frame especially if you’re an apple-shaped girl with short legs. Its fitted and tailored silhouette is designed to follow the natural contours of the body, with minimal flare or excess fabric for you to achieve better proportions.
Sheath dresses have a straight and narrow cut that skims the body and gently nips in the waist, resulting in a streamlined silhouette that doesn’t add extra volume. This is very helpful for apple-shaped figures who carry weight around the midsection because a sheath dress won’t cling too tightly but can still showcase your figure’s best assets.
Mini Dresses with Flounce Hem
The mini length of this particular dress style exposes more of the legs, which creates the illusion of longer legs. For apple body shapes with short legs, mini dresses can be a better option as longer dresses may overwhelm shorter frames.
Moreover, the flounce hem detail of this dress draws the eye downwards to effectively emphasize your gorgeously slender legs and divert attention away from the midsection. This creates a more balanced and more flawless silhouette overall from top to bottom.
OUTERWEAR
Long Wrap Coats
Long wrap coats create seamless vertical lines that draw the eyes up and down, resulting in an illusion of lengthier legs and an overall frame. This helps to elongate the body and make you appear taller, despite having naturally short legs.
Also, wrap coats are known for their self-tie belt detail which cinches at the waist so this can visually give you a curvier and more balanced hourglass-like shape. Because of the overlapping wrap, it also provides ample coverage to help those who are conscious of the bulk in their midsection.
Black Single-Breasted Blazers
There’s always a safe haven with minimalist wardrobe pieces such as black single-breasted blazers that have less visual clutter or detailing. It features two very classic fashion ingredients – the sophisticated black color and the streamlined silhouette of a single-breasted blazer.
Black is very versatile and it’s also quite well-known for its efficient slimming effect that can also give you a more elongated frame. Combine this with a single-breasted blazer design, you’ll have a neat, continuous vertical line down the center of your frame to give you the illusion of a taller appearance.
Peplum Blazers
Peplum blazers, especially when layered over a tailored ensemble, can absolutely reshape your figure to achieve a more flattering fit while also making sure that your slender legs are elongated and showcased! The way this silhouette works is that the flare of the peplum gracefully drapes over your heavy midsection to effectively provide a bit of coverage for the bulk you most likely want to downplay.
They also offer a cinched waistline so you can easily achieve a more curved waist. Additionally, peplum styles have a feminine and elegant look, something that’s deemed to be a nice contrast to more structured blazers.