Flattering Swimsuits for Petite Shapes
Cute petite women need a cute petite swimsuit to have a cute petite summer! Luckily, there are plenty of styles that let you rock a smaller body. You may want to keep the attention on your upper body, like the chest and the face, which helps draw the eye up. Or maybe you want to create lengthening effect from your swimsuit, both for your legs and torso - we have suggestions for that! You should also take your body type into account. All these ideas can be mixed in different combinations depending on your body type and what you feel looks good on you - the goal is confident and comfortable!
Underbust Lines
If you're looking for a great way to make your legs look longer, you can try creating your visual waist to be higher. This is similar to an empire waist on a shirt or a dress. When you have a belt or a change of fabric under your bust, or even just at a point higher than your natural waist, it makes it look like your legs start higher on your body, giving the impression that they are longer. One-piece swimsuits can make this easy with a belt or a color change in fabric. Many tummy control one-piece swimsuits and wrap swimsuits have this effect built-in so you can have both good proportions and a little help with camouflage.
High-waisted bikini bottoms can also create the long-leg impression if they go up high enough. It does depend a bit on your body type, though. As we all know, petite means short. We still come in all kinds of body shapes. If you have a triangle shape, keep the bottoms subtle and dark to help you create a more balanced silhouette.
Lighter on Top
Speaking of going darker on the bottom, another useful element petite women can take advantage of is color. Lighter colors draw the eye, while darker colors disguise what they cover. If you want attention to be on the top, choose lighter, brighter, and patterned for your bikini top with a darker complementing color for your bottoms. Or find a one-piece that has a color fade from light on top to dark. A blue or purple ombre would be beautiful for a one-piece swimsuit. A cute bikini idea would be a yellow floral pattern on a white base with darker mustard bottoms.
If you happen to be top-heavy, like an inverted triangle shape, no big deal! Just reverse the colors or pattern combo and work more with the cut to alter your visual proportions.
Off-the-Shoulder
This is a great style for petite women. When you expose your neck and shoulders, the eye is drawn there. Plus, it makes your neck look nice and long. An off-the-shoulder sleeve with an all-around ruffle or a strapless top will do the trick. These can be either bikini tops, tankini tops, or simply the cut of a one-piece swimsuit. If you are a bit more bottom-heavy, the horizontal line across your shoulders widens them, making you look more balanced. If you feel you have a small chest, the ruffle style, in particular, can give you a bit of visual volume along with better proportions.
High-Cut Legs
The best high-cut legs come on one-pieces since they have the entire suit to help them maintain their positions. It also doesn't have to be dramatic if you want to have a more modest swimsuit. Just a little extra can make a visual difference. A one-piece with high-cut legs comes with other benefits, such as providing coverage for your tummy and an unbroken line of fabric to lengthen your torso. This design is an easy one to combine with other lengthening fashion strategies. They do make high-cut bikini bottoms. Although, if you go for this option, tie them tightly to keep them in their proper place!
Vertical Patterns and Prints
A vertical pattern is where the designs appear to go up and down on the swimsuit. The most common example of this is vertical stripes, though you can have vertically aligned florals, dots, diamonds, or other patterns. Since the eye has to move up and down to follow the pattern or print, it makes the mind think your body is longer than it is. When matched with a high waist or high-cut legs, you get an overall taller image—which is great for the shorter girls who want to achieve that.
Deep V Neckline
Many women's bikini tops and one-piece swimsuits have this V-neck design, the "V" shape moves the eye vertically up and down, similar to the vertical patterns, which causes, you guessed it, a lengthening effect. It makes your top seem longer, but it also makes your neck seem longer. If you have a bit of a rounder face, this pointed shape can help balance you out there as well. Combine it with some strappy or lace detailing to keep visual interest high, and you have an excellent styling option that makes a petite woman look lovely.
Petite ladies—you have so many options! Mix and match the styles you like, and have a blast this summer!