Petite Women Over 60: Which Shirt Dress Would You Wear? Midi or Mini
- Jun 30
- 4 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
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Fit Guide. I am 5', 105 pounds, 34D,-25-33, and usually wear XS -S tops and XS bottoms.
The shirt dress is a classic dress for all women and is especially flattering on petite women when styled appropriately. Discover the charm of a shirt dress along with the components that make a great shirt dress for petite women over 60. This is my honest opinion of two different, but very similar dresses that elongate a petite body. Which shirt dress would you wear? midi or mini?
The Midi Shirt Dress
The midi shirt dress on a petite woman over 60 should be fitted at the waist with a belt or the cut of the dress. The collared v-neck of the shirt dress helps elongate a petite body by exposing the neck and provides a conservative (almost professional) appearance by having a collar.
The midi shirt dress with halter cut sleeves exposes the shoulder which creates even more exposure of the shoulders while still staying on the conservative side. If you want to be even more conservative, you can pair the dress with a cardigan wrapped over your shoulders, tied in the front or let the sleeves hang free in the front. The hem length of the midi shirt dress should end just past the largest part of your calf or above your ankles exposing the ankles to provide more of the elongation of a petite body by providing more skin exposure, especially when paired with sandals.
Many women choose the midi shirt dress for the length if they do not feel comfortable showing their thighs. The midi shirt dress appears more conservative than the mini, especially when sitting, since the midi dress's hem length stays below the knees.
A petite midi dress should not have an overwhelming amount of fabric. Choose a petite midi dress that is fitted and has just enough extra fabric for the dress to move gracefully with your movements. A belted midi dress accentuates the waistline. If the belt is the same fabric as the dress, it contributes to the streamlined, elongating impact because the eye sees the dress as one long elongating item without the break at the waist.
Midi dresses for petite women look great in solids, small prints, thin vertical stripes, or small vertical patterns.
The Mini Shirt Dress
The mini shirt dress is another great dress that looks amazing on petite women over 60. With the v-neckline to expose the neck and the collar and sleeves to still keep the dress in a somewhat professional format, the mini shirt dress may not fit the bill for workwear, but it definitely fits the format for many social occasions and still appears chic and polished.
The mini shirt dress on a petite woman should be between 32" and 34" vs the typical 34" to 36" length on a regular shirt dress. The Rachael Parcell dress shown above is a regular mini shirt dress and hits at the exact length as a mini dress for my 5' frame. Don't be afraid to try regular mini dresses; they often fit petite frames too, especially if you prefer your mini dresses a little longer than 'mini'. The mini shirt dress is very elongating to a petite body due to the exposure of legs (the more exposure, the more elongating impact a mini shirt dress has on the overall outfit). If you are concerned about too much exposure while sitting, simply wear nude-colored shaper shorts underneath your dress.
Like the midi shirt dress, the mini shirt dress also looks great with a belt to accentuate the waistline. Belts with similar fabric or belts with a neutral color or skin color look great and do not take away from the overall elongating impact.
The midi and mini shirt dresses are great choices for petite women over 60. Both dresses enhance confidence in a petite woman. If I was looking for a conservative dress, I would choose the midi shirt dress and add a cardigan over my shoulders. If I wanted to portray youth and vibrancy, I would choose the mini shirt dress.
Tell us in the comments below. Are you a midi or mini kind of woman?
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Please let us know in the comments below:
What are your feelings about these shirt dresses? Petite women over 60: Which shirt dress would you wear? A) midi shirt dress or B) mini shirt dress....and why?
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