Wide-leg trousers are everywhere — and petite women are told to avoid them, that all that fabric will swallow a smaller frame. But styled right, wide-legs can actually elongate a petite silhouette dramatically. The petite edit: the volume problem, how to wear wide-legs, and the tricks that make them work.

The Volume Problem for Petites

Why wide-legs challenge petite frames: the the-volume-can-overwhelm (the wide-leg volume overwhelming a-petite-frame from the petite-oversized-trend chapter — the the-volume; the can-overwhelm), the the-wrong-proportions-shorten (the wrong-proportions shortening the-leg from the petite-proportion-styling-tricks chapter — the the-proportions; the wrong-proportions-shorten), the but-they-can-elongate (the wide-legs elongating when-styled-right from the petite-styling-tricks chapter — the the-elongate; the can-elongate), the the-proportion-is-everything (the proportion being the-key for petites from the petite-proportion-styling-tricks chapter — the the-key; the proportion-key), and the reframe (the petite-wide-legs as elongating-when-proportioned-right, not automatically-overwhelming).

How to Wear Them

Styling wide-legs on a petite frame: the the-high-waist (the a-high-waist elongating the-leg from the petite-proportion-styling-tricks chapter — the the-high-waist; the high-waist), the the-right-length (the the-right hem-length (grazing the floor) from the petite-dress-length-map chapter’s length-logic — the the-length; the right-length), the the-heels-for-length (the heels hidden-underneath for length from the petite-styling-tricks chapter — the the-heels; the heels-underneath), the the-tucked-or-fitted-top (the a-fitted or tucked top (balance) from the petite-proportion-styling-tricks chapter — the the-top; the fitted-top), the the-monochrome-for-line (the tonal top-and-trouser for an-unbroken-line from the petite-styling-tricks chapter — the the-monochrome; the tonal-line), the the-not-too-wide (the a-moderate (not extreme) width from the petite-oversized-trend chapter — the the-width; the moderate-width), the the-vertical-emphasis (the vertical-lines and emphasis from the petite-proportion-styling-tricks chapter — the the-vertical; the vertical), and the the-tailored-to-fit (the tailoring the trousers-to-fit from the petite-styling-tricks chapter — the the-tailoring; the tailor-it).

The Tricks That Make Them Work

The petite wide-leg tricks: the the-high-waist-and-tuck (the a-high-waist and tuck for leg-length from the petite-proportion-styling-tricks chapter — the the-high-and-tuck; the high-and-tuck), the the-heels-underneath (the heels creating hidden-height from the petite-styling-tricks chapter — the the-heels; the heels), the the-right-length-hem (the the-perfect hem-length from the petite-dress-length-map chapter — the the-length; the hem-length), the the-monochrome-column (the a-tonal column elongating from the petite-styling-tricks chapter — the the-monochrome; the column), the the-fitted-on-top (the a-fitted top balancing the-volume from the petite-proportion-styling-tricks chapter — the the-balance; the fitted-top), the the-tailoring (the tailoring for the-perfect-proportion from the petite-styling-tricks chapter — the the-tailoring; the tailor), the the-moderate-width (the a-moderate wide-leg from the petite-oversized-trend chapter — the the-width; the moderate), and the frame (petite-wide-legs as high-waisted-heels-underneath-right-length-and-tonal styled-fitted-on-top — without being swallowed. Wear wide-legs on a petite frame — a high waist, the right hem length (grazing the floor over heels hidden underneath), a fitted or tucked top, tonal for an unbroken line, and a moderate (not extreme) width — tailored to fit: how to wear the voluminous trend without being swallowed.

Wide-leg trousers are everywhere — and petite women are told to avoid them, that all that fabric will swallow a smaller frame. But styled right, wide-legs can elongate a petite silhouette dramatically. Wear them — with a high waist, the right hem length (grazing the floor), heels hidden underneath, a fitted or tucked top, tonal for an unbroken line, and a moderate (not extreme) width, tailored to fit. The tricks that make them work — a high waist and tuck, heels underneath, the perfect hem length, a tonal column, a fitted top to balance the volume, and tailoring. How to wear the voluminous trend without being swallowed.