I’ve never been a fan of long dresses, nor have I liked flat shoes. As someone who is 5’ 1’’, long dresses tend to be a foot too long, dragging along the floor like a train, and not in the elegant Princess Diana way. And flat shoes? Sure they’re cute, but after 5 minutes I am sorely reminded of how much taller everyone is.
However, I recently tried on a petite size maxi dress (yes, my petite friends, there is such a thing!) and was completely convinced that full-length maxi dresses were made for me! Old Navy maxi, you had me at “petite hemline”. I proceeded to do what any petite girl does when she finds jeans, pants, or dresses that are just the right length – I bought several in many colors and styles.
Now I have a new dilemma – what shoes does a petite girl wear with dresses that touch the floor? Wedges? Flats? Pumps? Sandals? I had definitely seen my share of vertically enabled girls flaunting their flats under their long dresses. But for me, flats with long dresses leave me feeling anchored to the ground and ready to trip at any moment – not exactly the graceful look I was going for.
As I often do in these situations, I began to think – what would a French girl do? How would she decide? After a little Google research, I found my answer.
Flats or Heels? The French Girl Rule of thumb
Long Dress = Heels
Short Dress = Flats
Short girls rejoice! Now, what to wear with ankle-length or skinny capri pants a la beach vacation?