I was burbling on about how much I love shirt dresses when a Valkyrie 5’8” fellow editor threw down the gauntlet: “But how do you avoid looking like you're a kid playing dress up in their dad's button-up?” Well, tall lady, I have news for you—there are so many great styles of shirt dresses for petites these days, it’s not a question of just fastening a cord around an old castoff Brooks Brothers oxford and calling it a fit. Here’s what I, a 5’3” fashion enthusiast, learned from gravitating toward shirt dresses for the past few years.
How to Wear a Shirt Dress If You’re Petite, According to a 5’3” Dress Lover
Comfort, without looking like you’re wearing Dad’s shirt
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What Exactly Is a Shirt Dress?
The short shirt dress is a button-front, long-sleeve, collared, optional belt tie dress that works on everyone—because it's not too long, tight to the body or hard to match with any shoe. I love it with boots, but in warmer weather you can also pair with loafers, sneakers, what have you. It's cool to wear from church to your kid's softball game, and welcomes being layered under (tissue turtleneck) or over (knit vest or jacket). You’ll most often see the style in cotton blends—much like the men’s shirts that inspired the style—but silks, polys and bamboo blends are all fair game, too.
How Should a Petite Wear a Shirt Dress?
I’ve determined through trial, error and studying other stylish petites that ideally, the shirt dress hems need to hit at or around the knees if the hem is rounded, like a man’s shirt tails. If the dress has a straight horizontal hem, it can be longer. If your shirt dress has an full skirt, it’s best to have some swing to it or a slit in it—just something so that the shape or glimpse of leg under the leg reminds onlookers that there’s a woman under all fabric. Whatever the length, the top part of the dress, the bodice, needs to be just narrow enough over the chest and waist…it it’s too wide a cut you will indeed look like you’re wearing a men’s extra-large shirt.
How I Chose the Best Shirt Dresses for Petites
I studied petite labels I trust for the style, and sought out non-petite label dresses that were the right length. I asked other petites for recommendations, and wore a selection of the dresses myself to determine if I felt swallowed up in the dress. Finally, I read reviews from petite women who advised whether to size up or down depending on desired fit.
The Best Shirt Dresses for Petites
More than 850 five-star reviews on the Tuckernuck site along with a glowing testimony from yours truly attest to this dress’s appeal. A best-selling body from the women who design Tuckernuck, this long-sleeve, half-button front shirt dress measures 34 inches long, so it’s right around the knee-length for most petites. And since it’s a swing-style dress, it fits petites and regular-fit ladies alike, since there are no pockets or waistline to misalign. I like the quality of this dress—the flounce hem has extra fabric so that it hangs correctly, and the button plackets at the wrists and neck are carefully constructed. And in ten colors and patterns, there’s something to flatter everyone.
Fast Facts
- Sizes: XXS to XXXL
- Material: 95 percent polyester, 5 percent Spandex
- Machine Washable? yes
In four colors (black, cocoa, green and navy) this long-sleeve shirt dress has a curved shirt tail hem and doesn’t come in petite sizes, so you’d think it would be too roomy for petites. But it is short enough that it hits petites right at or below the knee when belted with the accompanying tie belt, and the dress is cut narrow, so it looks Euro sophisticated—just add your horse bit pattern scarf at the neck.
Fast Facts
- Sizes: XS to XL
- Material: 90 percent mulberry silk, 10 percent spandex
- Machine Washable? yes
The short, shirred sleeves and stand collar give this dress a bit of distinction, as does the dotted plum rose print. Also, in a dress length that falls 27 inches down from the self-belt waist, the frock is just roomy and long enough for petites.
Fast Facts
- Sizes: 00 to 16, petite
- Material: 100 percent polyester
- Machine washable? yes
Eileen Fisher’s unstructured front-button shirt dress is the smock dress you’ll wonder how you ever survived without. The petite measures 46 inches long unbelted, although I’d wear this with a big croc-stamped belt to accentuate my waist. This is your basic three-season dress that’s going to work layered over leggings and a turtleneck in early spring and fall, or on its own with sandals and a sun hat in summer.
Fast Facts
- Sizes: XS to XL, regular and petite
- Material: 100 percent silk
- Machine Washable? yes
This dress falls 48 inches from the shoulder and has a tailored high waist that fans out to a pleated skirt. Along with side pockets, this is a lot of dress, but in the petite sizing it won’t swallow your body and make you look like you’re swimming in fabric. Plus the green is so rich and flattering.
Fast Facts
- Sizes: XXS petite to XL Petite
- Material: cotton, polyester, elastane
- Machine Washable? no
The contrast top stitching and detachable belt with buckle make this look like a much more expensive designer dress, as does the lined bodice, which makes for a crisp look. Some wearers say it’s a little long, so be prepared to wear with heeled boots or sandals for the best silhouette.
Fast Facts
- Sizes: 0 to 20/22, petite
- Material: 73 percent viscose, 22 percent polyamide, 5 percent elastane; poly-lined bodice
- Machine washable? yes
Leggy and layer-friendly, this dress is light enough to wear on the hottest days but structured enough to layer over leggings or pants in a transitional season. The attached ties can be cinched as loosely or snug as you like, to accentuate your waistline.
Fast Facts
- Sizes: XXS to XL, regular, tall, petite
- Material: cotton-polyester poplin
- Machine Washable? yes
This shirt dress looks great on non-petites unbelted, but for petite wearers, style it open over jeans and a T-shirt as a duster coat or cinched as a dress. Though the rounded shirt tail hems usually rule out wearing this long as a petite, here it’s so long, it looks sweeping and grand.
Fast Facts
- Sizes: XXS to XXL
- Material: 100 percent cotton
- Machine washable? yes
Cuddly and cozy but far from frumpy, this vegan suede shift has the collar and breast pockets of a classic chamois cloth men’s shirt, but shirred bracelet sleeves and an abbreviated hem of a swinging ‘70s hipster dress. This dress, tights and a great pair of boots are all you need for a five-minute outfit that goes from the office to dinner.
Fast Facts
- Sizes: XS to L, petite regular and tall
- Material: 97 percent polyester, 3 percent spandex
- Machine Washable? yes
Long sleeves on this front-button lightweight denim dress stay rolled up with cuff tabs or keep you covered in air conditioning when buttoned at the wrist. And the front patch pockets add a little bit of interest at the bustline.
Fast Facts
- Sizes: petite XS to L
- Material: 98 percent cotton, 2 percent elastane
- Machine Washable? no