Petite Summer Fashions For Women Over 60: Cool, Comfortable & Stylish
- May 7
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 17
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Fit Guide: I am 5' and 105 pounds. I usually wear XS-S tops and XS bottoms.
Explore petite summer outfit ideas for women over 60. Find cool, comfortable, and stylish looks that flatter your petite frame in warm weather and retirement life.
Summer is here and these are some of my favorite summer petite fashions for women over 60, clothes that are cool, comfortable, and stylish. Dressing proportionately for a petite body creates a polished appearance. Wearing high-waisted pants/shorts and wearing crop length tops helps to accentuate your waist much like wearing a belt. Wear tops that are 1/3 of body length leaving 2/3 of body length left to elongate the body. Wearing shoes and accessories that are also proportionate to a small petite frame also helps to elevate summer petite fashions by elongating the body by drawing the eye to the uncovered portions of the body (neck, ankles, arms, feet, etc). Wear your accessories instead of allowing your accessories to wear you! Let's explore some summer fashion with these styling tips!
Linen Is Elegant
Nothing says elevated like linen. It does require ironing, but I love the look of a freshly pressed linen top and pants. It's always a bonus if I can find a matching set. Linen is a great way to incorporate color into my wardrobe. A solid color in a linen top and bottom is a great way to brighten a boring wardrobe!
Full Length Lightweight Pants Are A Great Elevated Piece
I choose petite full length or regular ankle length pants for my petite body in a lightweight fabric. A great pair of white lightweight jeans paired with a crop linen blouse is one of my favorite summer outfits! I also enjoy linen pants and cargo pants for days that I don't want to wear shorts.
Travel Pants
Summer is the time to travel and great lightweight cargo pants are comfortable and chic when paired with a crop top that ends at the waist or a fitted shirt tucked inside to accentuate your waistline
Summer Shorts
Petite Women Look Great in Shorts With Inseams Less Than 6"
The inseam of shorts is a personal preference. I want the look of longer legs and usually choose 3"-4" inseams for shorts. Occasionally, I choose 5" inseams for certain social situations, but I know my 5' body looks a little taller and more proportionate in 4" or 5" inseams than it does in 6" inseams.
Choose Above The Knee or Midi Dresses
I prefer dresses that hit 2-4 inches above the knee to lengthen the appearance of my legs and to have a proportionate fit. I have learned to avoid knee length dresses. See the difference that hemlines make in the images below.
Hemlines that hit 2"-4" above the knee are flattering on petite women. I love this great two piece skirt set for wearing to the beach, a pool party, or anywhere around the water when I prefer to wear something other than a swimsuit (LaRobe Boutiques).
This dress by Tommy Hilfiger is one of my favorites for summer! It comes in numerous different colors and patterns . Unfortuately, it does not come in petite sizes, but it is one of those amazing afforable dresses that is worth putting forth 30 minutes to easily hem it by hand with these simple step by step instructions: How To Hem A Petite Dress.
Midi Length Dress
Another flattering hemline and a hemline that is more appropriate for some social settings is the midi hemline. A midi hemline looks best on petite women if it covers the largest part of your calf; showing your ankles and wearing nude/tan shoes helps to elongate a petite body. I prefer midi length dresses that accentuate my waist so there is not too much overflowing fabric that overwhelms my petite frame.
For a more conservative and coastal vibe, this Petite shirt dress fits the bill for an elegant, chic look!
For an evening out, you will enjoy this black midi shirtdress that is an affordable option on Amazon.
Choose a Flattering One-Piece Swimsuit That Accentuates Your Body
Since petite women look best in v-neck shirts and blouses, I always choose a v-neck one-piece swimsuit. I have enjoyed the zip swimsuits on Amazon that allow me to zip all the way up while swimming and adjust the zipper to reveal more neck and chest exposure without feeling like I am revealing too much. Also, a great cover up will always increase my confidence while wearing a swimsuit for meals by the pool or going to a restaurant right off the boat!
Accessories Should Be Proportionate to Your Petite Body
I enjoy wearing accessories and I don't let the accessories wear me! I choose sunglasses that fit my face. Small crossover body bags and small purses always look better on a petite body than a large handbag. I sometimes have the large handbag in your vehicle for extra items when needed. I like to do my shoulder and back a favor by choosing the smaller bag over the larger bag.
Petite Women = Petite Jewelry
Jewelry is another accessory that should be proportionate for petite women. I choose small hoops over large hoops and posts over large dangle earrings. Necklaces look nice on petite women around 16” in length. I have found it is stylish to stack 2-3 necklaces within an inch of each other. I only use small stones, small pendants, or small chain links.
Shoes To Elongate Your Legs
I love slender sneakers with a slight heel lift over wedge sneakers for my petite body. Nude or tan shoes are elevating! I also enjoy thong sandals with a 1”-3” heel are great for elongating legs and giving me a little lift. These are my favorite summer shoes!
Shop my Amazon Storefront for many of these summer favorites!
Start today learning tips to get ready for those chic summer fashions: How Petite Women Can Look Younger Over 60 and Petite Fashions Over 60
Follow along at www.lovingpetite.com for more petite fashion, healthy & comforting recipes, and vacation rentals.
I hope you have enjoyed these styling tips I utilize to enjoy a great summer of feeling good in my petite body as I enjoy this amazing season of life after the age of 60!
Please leave your comments below: We would love to hear your comments!
What is your favorite summer outfit?
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