The 18 Best Maxi Dresses For Petites

I’ve almost always found success at Free People, since a good amount of their clothes run small, so I’ll be adding this maxi dress to my cart next. The lace-detail bodice and subtle ruffle hem give this slip a romantic feel, but the style is totally versatile — it looks equally good with flat loafers, like the model is wearing above, as it does a pair of chunky combat boots or delicate sandals. The adjustable shoulder straps are a thoughtful touch, as you can customize the fit to suit both your bust size and your height.

• Available sizes: X-Small — Large
• Available colors: 5

Getting dressed truly does not get any easier with this maxi dress, thanks to its relaxed fit, cuffed short sleeves, and pockets (yes, it has pockets!). The split-hem detail on both sides gives this some structure, too, so petites won’t feel like they’re drowning in fabric. Also worth mentioning: It’s garnered over 20,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, comes in 41 colors and patterns, and costs just about $30. A fairly foolproof option, all around.

• Available sizes: X-Small — XX-Large
• Available colors/prints: 41

Since wrap dresses are inherently adjustable, this iconic silhouette works well for petites. This wrap-style maxi dress is a popular one on Amazon, where reviewers praise its surprisingly good quality and confirm that the colors are true to the product images. Always appreciated when you’re shopping online. Many petite-sized reviewers are happy with the fit, too: As one 5-foot-3 customer reported, “For once I’m not dragging a maxi dress on the floor!” Wrap dresses are warm-weather staples, of course, but they also work layered over a slim-fit turtleneck with knee-high boots during the colder months. So you’ll certainly get your wear out of this.

• Available sizes: Small — XX-Large
• Available colors/prints: 31

Maxi dresses with asymmetrical hems, like this one, also tend to work well on petite frames. The tie-waist belt here lets you adjust the fit, too. This happens to be another favorite among petite-sized Amazon reviewers, who confirm that the length works on most heights under 5 foot 4. This simple style is so versatile, especially for summer, so you’ll get some good mileage out of this under-$30 steal.

• Available sizes: X-Small — X-Large
• Available colors/prints: 18

On Amazon, this floral wrap dress seems to be the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants of dresses: According to thousands of happy reviewers (and their photographic evidence), it looks gorgeous on so many shapes and sizes, including petites. That’s down to details like its adjustable belt, plunging neckline that highlights your décolletage, and ethereal hemline that shows off some leg. This timeless, versatile style works equally well for running errands as it does special events, depending on how you accessorize.

• Available sizes: Large Plus — 4X-Large Plus
• Available colors: 10

End your search for the perfect not-boring, office-appropriate summer dress with this plaid dress from Vince Camuto. The floaty material and sleeveless cut will keep you cool in soaring temps, and the handkerchief hemline moves beautifully when you walk. Its belted waist offers structure without feeling constrictive, and that tartan print in bold blue is totally eye-catching. You can throw it in the washing machine, ideally on the delicate cycle, so you’ll save on your dry-cleaning bill — though the $30 price tag is already so easy on your wallet.

• Available sizes: 0 — 14
• Available colors: 4

It doesn’t get much more evening-cocktails classic than this split-front, flutter-hem dress (especially when paired with delicate heels, as the model wears here). But the cotton-spandex construction offers a surprisingly casual touch; so you could don this during the day with a pair of flats, perhaps to an upscale brunch, without feeling overdressed.

• Available sizes: 1X — 4X
• Available colors: 5

Consider this tank dress from Daily Ritual, an in-house Amazon brand that makes excellent-quality basics. It’s made of a viscose-elastane blend that subtly clings to your skin, but it’s soft and comfortable enough to wear when you’re lounging around — though with its cute rib detailing and racerback cut, you wouldn’t feel at all underdressed venturing out of the house in it. This lends itself naturally to layering under virtually any outerwear you have on hand; or, try it with a cropped or twist-tied T-shirt over the top.

• Available sizes: X-Small — XX-Large
• Available colors: 5

The bold palm print bedecking this maxi dress is basically made for a tropical vacation. Style-wise, this boasts so many trappings of an ideal petite-friendly dress: A wrap closure, a side slit, and that cold shoulder sleeve that shows off a hint of skin. It’s ankle-skimming on this 5-foot-9 model, so it’ll just graze the floor on petites.

• Available sizes: Large Plus — 3X Large Plus
• Available prints: 11

This Amazon Essentials maxi dress is no less simple (or comfortable) than throwing on your favorite T-shirt, but the elasticated empire waist and V-neck offer a bit more style and shape. The breathable, mid-weight fabric keeps you cool during heat waves, but it’s appropriate for milder temps when paired with a denim jacket and booties. This is $30 very well spent.

• Available sizes: 1X — 6X
• Available colors: 4

You can certainly fulfill your closet’s herringbone quota with a nubbly blazer or chunky scarf, but this Norma Kamali dress is an unexpected (and completely chic) way to wear the classic print. The slinky, stretch-knit material is another surprising, welcome touch: Feels so smooth, drapes so elegantly. The slim silhouette won’t overwhelm petite frames, too.

• Available sizes: 32 — 42

The bold, black-and-yellow floral print on this dress tempers the sweetness of that ruffled neck and tiered skirt, so it wouldn’t look at all out of place paired with tougher accessories, like chunky platform loafers or a leather jacket. It’s also the rare piece that comes in petite sizing, and fits true to size. Although it’s sold as a midi dress, the length will fit more like a maxi on shorter frames.

• Available sizes: 2 Petite — 14 Petite

This maxi dress is technically a beach coverup; but with its selection of 12, on-trend tie-dye prints, side slit, and open back, it’s polished enough to wear when you step off the beach, too. (Just swap your flip flops for a pair of more elevated sandals.) You can tie up the hem in a knot if it’s dragging on the ground, or to bring more structure into this loose fit.

• Available sizes: Small — 3X
• Available colors: 12

Here’s another easy-to-wear maxi dress, and an ideal addition to your warm-weather wardrobe. It’s made of soft, breathable cotton, and the raw hem and slouchy fit are effortlessly cool. This looks great both belted and unbelted, and it hits right around your mid-calf, depending on your height, so it won’t drag on the ground (while still reading as a maxi dress). This also comes highly recommended by my 5-foot-3 sister, who owns it in two colors (and counting).

• Available sizes: X-Small — X-Large

Is there anything chicer than this fitted, turtleneck sweater dress? The rib knit material makes this a little cooler than your typical bodycon dress, as does that sneaky, mid-thigh side slit. There’s virtually no wrong way to style this, whether casual with sneakers or upscale with a pair of strappy sandals. You can’t go wrong with either the black or the creamy caramel shades it comes in.

• Available sizes: XX-Small — X-Large
• Available colors: 2

If you prefer a wrap dress with more structure, consider this button-up wrap dress. The off-centered buttons and asymmetrical hem look so editorial, and the cuffed sleeves are a subtle nod to menswear. This saffron hue is anything but boring, though the shade is surprisingly neutral — it pairs equally well with black, leopard, cobalt, or primary red accessories, depending on how bold you’re feeling today.

• Available sizes: 1X — 3X

Every element in this elegant maxi dress is intended to make its wearer feel like living art: The fitted bodice and waist-cinching belt; the face-framing halter neck; that joyful, Monet-meets-Kandinsky watercolor print. It’s available in an incredibly generous size range that includes straight, petite, and plus sizes, which gives so many shoppers the opportunity to feel beautiful in this showstopper.

• Available sizes: 2 Petite — 22 Plus

It’s no surprise that this tiered maxi dress hails from The Drop, an in-house Amazon brand that partners with influencers to develop limited-edition pieces — it’s the ideal mix of cool, sophisticated, and playful, and equally appropriate for scorching-hot New York summers as a Palm Desert vacation. Petites may initially shy away from the billowing fit, but the tiered construction and square neckline keep this far from “shapeless tent” territory. (And one Amazon reviewer confirms that the length is just right for their 5-foot-2 frame.)

• Available sizes: XX-Small — 3X
• Available colors: 3