Women's Petite Plus Size Evening Wear

Petite Plus Size Tips

When choosing evening wear, what should the petite full figured woman focus on?

• Find an outfit that fits: Evening wear is no longer relegated to only dresses. You’ll find some beautiful slacks outfits that can be just as dressy for many occasions. Whatever you wear, make sure it fits. This means no tent-like shirts or dresses. If you can buy from the petite department, you have a better chance of your clothes fitting properly because they’ll be proportioned for your shorter frame. Otherwise, you may need to get alterations to ensure a perfect fit.
• Most flattering dress styles: While wide, sweeping Cinderella-type skirts are gorgeous, they can swallow a petite frame. Better dress shapes are:
  • A-line skirt styles
  • Empire waist dresses that flow into form-fitting skirts
  • Two piece separates
• The right shoes: Evening wear and fancy shoes go hand-in-hand, so pull out all the stops and buy shoes that dressy occasions call for. Shoes with baubles and made in metallic fabrics are just the footwear that formal clothing needs to pull together an entire look. If you’re wearing a floor-length gown, your shoes don’t have to be ultra-fancy, but if your dress is tea length or you’re wearing dressy slacks, make sure your shoes stand out. Moderate to high heels are your best option, but even if you can’t tolerate heels, flats that will complement your evening wear are available.
• The right accessories: Petite women tend to look better with petite accessories. This isn’t to say that your handbag should be so tiny that no one can see it, but your purse shouldn’t overwhelm your outfit. You can find accessories in every price range. Some of the ones you’ll want on your big night include:
  • Earrings: This is the perfect time to pull out your favorite chandelier or shiny diamond earrings.
  • Handbags: From a simple satin purse to one that’s more embellished, find a style you love and that makes the most of your outfit.
  • Other jewelry: As a rule, if you sport one large piece of jewelry, everything else should be more subdued. So if you’re wearing a necklace that’s dripping with large gems, your earrings shouldn’t be as big. Also, your jewelry shouldn’t compete with your dress, so if your dress style is simple, it’s fine to go with bolder jewelry pieces, but if your evening wear is studded with sequins, that should be the shiniest part of your ensemble.

Buying Women's Petite Plus Size Evening Wear

Finding plus size evening wear is becoming easier and easier, but retailers often forget that women of size sometimes come in petite heights, too. Finding occasion wear that’s made for petites is possible, however, if you know where to look. The following retailers offer a wide variety of women’s petite plus size evening wear for all of your dressier nights:

• The Dress Directory
• JCPenney
• Catherines

In addition, you can always go custom with a designer like Darius Cordell. Don’t forget to look into local consignment or vintage shops. Even if you find an outfit that’s not specifically made for petite women, a little inexpensive alteration can make it just your size.

Enjoy the Evening

Many of us don’t get to play “dress up” as often as we’d like, so if you receive an invitation for a dressy event, go all out. It could be a long time before you get the chance to wear such fancy clothes again, so pick out a dress or elegant suit and wear it with style.