Sweater: Amazon
Headband: Target
Jeans: LOFT
Bag: Madewell
Boots: similar here
I have to say, I love being short. Even when people make comments about my height or rest their arms on my head. And yes, even when they pick me up. (Please stop doing any of these things to a short person. It’s rude, and offensive and we will hate you forever.) Despite all that, I fully embrace my 4’11 frame. I don’t feel obligated to constantly wear high heels, and never restrict myself on what fashion says I “should” wear. Safe to say I do what I want, just the way it should be.
I talk a lot about how to style certain pieces when you’re petite here on Poor Little It Girl. I did a blog post on Hunter Boots sizing, creating a spring capsule wardrobe, and even shared my new favorite place to shop for jeans – all with a focus on my short-in-stature ladies. But even if you’re not petite, I hope you can still find inspiration based on my looks and advice. Fashion is fun and I love that we can take inspiration from people all around us, not just ones that have the same body type.
As the title of today’s blog post says, today it’s all about ankle boots. I’m breaking down everything from the best styles to how to wear them and everything in between when you’re petite. I love breaking them out from fall through the spring and there are so many ways to style this wardrobe staple. So let’s dive in, shall we?
Know Your Most Flattering Ankle Boot Styles
There are a million different styles of ankle boots out there. So before going into some tips on how to style them, let’s first go into all the options you have out there because there is a lot. Most of the time, you’ll hear ankle boots called booties. They will hit right below, at, or right above the ankle. Here are a few styles of ankle boots that we all know and love:
CHELSEA BOOT: The Chelsea Boot is your more traditional style boot that you see the most out there. I even wear them in this popular post on how to style an oversized sweater for fall. They’re an easy classic that I love paired with jeans. SHOP THEM HERE:
BLOCK HEEL: Block heel ankle boots are the best because even though they give you height, the thicker heel makes wearing them for long periods of time so much easier on your feet. Stability is king! Ha! SHOP THEM HERE:
WESTERN INSPIRED: When people think of western boots, they usually go straight to cowboy boots. But that’s not the case! Western-inspired have little hints of western-ish detailing (be it a tassel or perforation/seaming or the cut at the top) that make them so fun for spring. These are so cute with sundresses or even shorts! SHOP THEM HERE:
TRADITIONAL BOOTIE: I love a traditional/classic ankle bootie. These are the ones that sit right below, just at or right above the ankle. They’re so versatile and can be worn with just about any outfit. The heel is usually minimal as well. SHOP THEM HERE:
Ankle Boots & Dresses
I love love LOVE the look of ankle boots with dresses. Almost as much as I do sneakers and dresses. It’s such a fun and fresh look and feels unexpected, don’t you think? For me, I prefer the look of heeled ankle boots with dresses, as opposed to flat ones. But really, it’s whatever you like. If it’s chilly out, I’m obsessed with black booties and black tights together, which makes those shorter legs appear longer. Here’s a little inspiration on ways to style ankle boots and dresses no matter the season.
Ankle Boots & Jeans
Probably the most worn pairing is ankle boots and jeans. We wear them together in fall, winter, and spring and it’s always a classic go-to. Wearing them with dark denim or skinny jeans can help elongate your legs (a major petite tip!). If you’re not into jeans, you can totally also pair these ankle boots with faux leather leggings. That look is so fun too! Here’s a little inspiration on ways to style ankle boots and jeans together no matter the season.
The Don’ts For Petites Wearing Ankle Boots
The biggest advice I can give you for the don’ts when it comes to wearing ankle boots is to really take into consideration your proportions. For example, don’t wear chunky ankle boots with a shorter hemline. It can make your petite legs appear shorter than they are. Here’s a terrible example of an old Poor Little It Girl look where I didn’t realize that well, this looked awful.
Also, if you want to do an ankle boot with jeans, either keep them to skinny jeans or cropped denim. I won’t say to not wear them with wide-leg jeans, but I haven’t found a way to make that trend look good on my short frame. Again, if you love the look – go for it!
Brands That Make The Best Ankle Boots For Petites
There are literally a million brands that make awesome ankle boots. Some of my favorite brands are Marc Fisher and Madewell. But if you want to explore even more options for ankle boots for petites, I’d recommend starting at Nordstrom. I mean, we all LOVE Nordstrom, but their shoe selection is my favorite part of their website. There are a ton of brands that make options at everyone’s price point.
Sweater: Amazon
Headband: Target
Jeans: LOFT
Bag: Madewell
Boots: similar here