If you are a petite woman with rectangle body type, not only you have a straight up and down shape, but also your legs are shorter. On the other hand, it is totally possible for you to be above the average height but still have shorter legs. In this detailed guide, we’ll first take a deep dive to understand your body traits, and then walk you through the most flattering styles for your shape.
Traits
- Symmetrical shoulders, waist, and hips – This is what makes your frame look rectangular. Unfortunately, due to the evenness in your measurements, you lack the natural appearance of curves.
- Athletic and angular frame – You look straight up and down but you’ve got yourself really well-toned muscles.
- Slender and toned limbs – Your arms and legs barely carry excess weight because you gain your extra weight evenly all throughout your body.
- Longer torso and shorter legs – You lean towards the petite side and the length of your legs may not be proportioned to the length of your torso.
- No waist definition – The width of your waist and hips are nearly similar, so the supposed curved transition line that connects them is not that apparent.
- Your bust size may vary – You’re not necessarily flat-chested, as opposed to common belief. In fact, your bust size may range from small to full.
- Flat and less pronounced buttocks – Since your figure doesn’t possess that much volume in general, this also means that your rear may not be as plump and shapely.
TOPS
Puff Sleeve Crop Tops
Additional volume and elongating length – puff sleeve crop tops got you covered! These crop tops not only enhance your style but also provide a visual trick of longer legs, perfect for achieving that much-desired balance.
Thanks to the voluminous sleeves of these crop tops, the attention is naturally drawn upward to make your legs appear extended and your overall silhouette more harmonious. Since crop tops usually end just right at the waist or even slightly higher, this gives your legs a more elongated look; especially if you pair your puff sleeve crop top with a high-rise bottom!
Tops with Ruffled Straps
Tops featuring ruffled straps are always a delightful choice that beautifully complements rectangle body shapes with shorter legs because of how they visually pull everything together harmoniously. The ruffles play a starring role by directing attention to your shoulders, creating a delicate and well-balanced appearance by giving more shape to your upper half.
Moreover, this charming detail effectively shifts the focus away from leg length, allowing your legs to appear longer (especially if you pair it with the right bottoms). Not only do ruffled straps add a playful and feminine touch to your outfit but they also exude confidence and grace.
Bustier Tops
Bustier tops are another fabulous choice for rectangle body shapes with shorter legs. They provide excellent bust support and create a defined waist, adding sexier curves to your naturally straight figure.
Indeed, bustier tops offer exceptional support for the bust area as it is carefully designed to give a comfortable and flattering fit. By cinching at the waist, bustier tops help achieve that coveted hourglass silhouette, making your body appear more shapely and well-balanced.
JEANS
Retro Flared Jeans
The timeless allure of retro flared jeans is a sartorial solution that works wonders for those with rectangle body shapes who would also want to elongate their short legs. These jeans boast a flared silhouette that brings more shape to your ensemble, imparting more depth and creating the illusion of remarkable leg length.
The magic lies in the wide leg opening, skillfully balancing your upper body while sculpting an hourglass-like allure that’s both charming and confidence-boosting.
Classic Straight-Leg Jeans
Classic straight-leg jeans possess the visually efficient ability to redefine your proportions, effortlessly creating clean, sleek lines that establish perfect visual harmony. It’s quite a minimalist piece and requires no dramatic details to enhance your look.
Due to its neat cut and minimalist-looking leg shape, it will naturally lead the gaze up and down, therefore visually elongating your leg length. When it comes to slimming color options, you have a vast array of choices, from the ever-chic black and timeless navy to the rich, deep indigo shades.
Boyfriend Jeans
Boyfriend jeans are the epitome of effortless style and comfort that nicely flatters rectangle body shapes with slightly shorter legs. With their easygoing and comfortable fit, these jeans guarantee exceptional comfort that lasts all day, as well as the much-needed dimension your angular figure needs.
On top of that, boyfriend jeans create a visual trick as they create the illusion of added height and longer legs. The slightly tapered fit from hip to knee subtly elongates your lower body, enhancing your silhouette.
Additionally, the rolled cuffs add an extra dose of charm and style to your outfit, while also maintaining that essential lengthening effect. They draw attention to your ankles, which help create an eye-catching focal point.
PANTS
High-waisted Palazzo Pants
If you’re looking for a true fashion gem in your wardrobe, you’ll appreciate the benefits of high-waisted palazzo pants! The high waistline of palazzo pants performs an enchanting feat by visually extending your leg line and adding precious inches to your lower body, making you appear taller and more graceful.
The wide-leg design of palazzo pants also brings an elegant fluidity to your stride. With each step, the fabric gracefully flows around you so it creates a sense of movement that further elongates your legs and enhances your lower body’s prominence.
Wide-Leg Trousers
It’s tried and true that wide-leg trousers are your trusted companions for creating an effortlessly graceful and lengthened look. The beauty of wide-leg trousers lies in their flowing, wide legs that sweep down with grace, which visually extend your legs to a more flattering length.
Adding to their allure is the high waistline that cinches and defines your figure with finesse. It creates a beautifully balanced appearance, accentuating your curves and creating an hourglass-like silhouette.
Bright-colored Pants
Since your figure lacks depth and dimension, bright-colored pants can be bold and fun choices that can instantly inject life into your wardrobe. The vivid hues of bright-colored pants have a magical quality – they naturally draw the spotlight toward your legs, ensuring that they take center stage in your ensemble.
The attention-grabbing effect that these pants have is a fantastic way to add an exciting dimension to your overall look. Beyond their vibrant appearance, they serve as a creative tool to enhance the illusion of leg length.
SKIRTS
Mini Skirts with Flounce Hem
If you have a lovely rectangle body shape with shorter legs, these mini skirts with flounce hems are your secret weapon for achieving a curvier and taller silhouette. The flounce hem promotes the perception of the right amount of volume and ideal curves for your lower half.
Furthermore, flounce hems work their magic by infusing volume and smooth movement into the lower part of your silhouette. This unique feature orchestrates a harmonious and eye-pleasing balance, making it particularly beneficial for individuals with shorter legs.
The way flounce or ruffled hems effortlessly command attention towards the hemline and set up an enthralling sense of motion has the remarkable effect of guiding the gaze downward. This perceptual trick makes your short legs appear much longer and sexier.
Skirts with Asymmetrical Hemline
The distinctive hemline of skirts with asymmetrical hemlines injects your outfit with an avant-garde charm, capturing attention and lending depth to your ensemble as a gorgeous rectangle-shaped woman with short legs. This unique design not only adds a trendy twist but skillfully directs the eye away from your leg length as well.
For an added dose of the leg-lengthening trick, you can choose to wear skirts with a higher front hemline. This strategic detail emphasizes your legs, crafting the semblance of elongated pins.
Flared Skater Skirts
The enchantment of flared skater skirts lies in their silhouette as the flared design introduces a dazzling sense of movement and volume to the lower body, completely transforming the way you feel about your legs. They have the remarkable ability to establish an optical illusion of lengthier, more refined legs, an effect that’s bound to leave you feeling like a real fashion icon.
However, that’s not where the benefit ends – the fitted waistline of these skirts is a game-changer. It artfully defines your figure, sculpting those elegant curves and delivering an alluring sense of balance that’s often sought after.
DRESSES
Ruched Waist Dresses
The intricate ruching detail at the waistline serves as a game-changing detail, delightfully fabricating the vision of appealing curves and adding a splendid touch of femininity to your look. With the ruched waist, these dresses give your body a much-desired hourglass-like shape, effortlessly drawing attention away from shorter legs.
For the ultimate leg-lengthening effect, you can choose ruched waist dresses where the ruching extends below the waist, beautifully creating the visual illusion of a longer torso. The strategic ruching can also minimize any concerns you may have about your shorter legs by diverting the focus to your gorgeously cinched waist.
Mini Dresses
Mini dresses beautifully showcase your legs and, more importantly, develop the vision of added length. With shorter hemlines that gracefully direct attention to the lower body, they’re the ideal choice for those looking to elongate their legs and achieve a stylish appearance that’s both fun and flattering.
For a truly balanced and figure-enhancing effect, consider A-line or fit-and-flare mini dresses. These designs work wonders in accentuating your waist and adding pleasing curves to your silhouette, making them the go-to choice for rectangle body shapes with short legs.
A-Line Maxi Dresses
A-line maxi dresses are designed to not only elevate your fashion game but also enhance your natural beauty as a woman with a rectangle-shaped body. The star of the show here is the A-line silhouette, which is a masterful creation that effortlessly conjures a flowing and elongating effect, working its way to make your legs appear strikingly longer.
Even so, A-line maxi dresses are not just all about lengthening the appearance of your legs but also providing a flattering and well-proportioned appearance. The flowing, comfortable design of A-line maxi dresses also ensures freedom of movement.
To spice things up, you may consider adding a statement belt to cinch the waist. This clever addition not only defines your figure but also enhances the hourglass-like silhouette created by the A-line dress.
OUTERWEAR
Structured Wrap Coats
Structured wrap coats are the ultimate style companion for rectangle body shapes with shorter legs due to their ability to create attractive curves by snugly cinching at the waist. They don’t just provide warmth; they provide a boost of confidence, thanks to the instant enhancement of your figure.
By emphasizing the waist and creating curves, structured wrap coats help balance out the overall proportions of the body, while the vertical lines created by the wrap design and the coat’s length have an elongating effect on the body. This can effectively contribute to an overall taller appearance, which is advantageous for rectangle-shaped women with shorter legs.
Blazers with Wide Lapels
Wide lapels are like a fashion magician’s trick on blazers, conjuring attention upwards and away from shorter legs. This clever sleight of style diverts focus, adding the perfect balance to your proportions.
Aside from that, these wide lapels are also like your personal figure enhancer, highlighting the shoulders and bust area. This dose of definition incredibly transforms your silhouette into an hourglass dream, emphasizing those natural curves.
The vertical lines crafted by these wide lapels also create an illusion of added length to your upper body, making you look balanced and taller.
