I’ve read some great articles about what to wear on planes and in transit. But very few of the articles take petite womens needs into consideration. For instance, all of the articles I read suggest maxi dresses. I LOVE maxi dresses and I wish I could wear them but at almost 5′ tall, I just drown in most of them.

So I decided to write this post for my fellow shorties. And I’ve organized it to cater to different looks and styles ranging from casual to more dressed up. Before I get into the fun stuff I want you to know that I try to recommend outfits that:

• are classic – never go out of style
• not cheap but also not expensive
• comfortable for travel
• practical to pack/travel with
• accessible: not found only at some obscure boutiques
• stylish for petites

{Travel-friendly Heels for Petite Women}

Ever since I started my tech company 4 years ago, I’ve significantly cut down on wearing heels; as in I can count on one hand the number of times I wear heels in a year. On the odd occasion that I do wear heels, you will find me in 3in. pumps which really hurt after a while so I avoid wearing them unless I’m going to a wedding, formal client meeting, or some other formal event. Foregoing heels is a tradeoff I’ve consciously made to prioritize comfort over fashion.

That was until I discovered these. Wedge sneakers are my dream come true! Comfortable, stylish and they give me a little height. Now I wouldn’t wear these to a formal meeting with a client, nor any other formal event but I can wear these pretty much everywhere else.

By the way, I bought these on Amazon. This was my first time buying shoes on Amazon and since they weren’t expensive I didn’t mind trying. They were just $35, so I was skeptical. I read at least 30 of the reviews across the spectrum of how they were rated and recent as well as older reviews.  They arrived late last week and I decided to test them out on Monday and Tuesday as I was out, on my feet – walking – for about 4 hours each day. And they were so comfortable the entire time!

No clunk and chunk: I was a bit worried that they’d look chunky on my tiny feet but they don’t at all. They maintain a dainty look while still being stylish.

Feel substantial: Despite their low price, they don’t feel like they’re going to fall apart any minute.

No odor: I looked up several styles of these or similar shoes across several stores online and some people said styles that were similar had an odor to them when they arrived, but these didn’t. Phew.

{Traveling in Dresses for Petite Women}

fit and flare: above the knee, fit and flare dresses are great for petite women. I prefer loose flowy fabrics for traveling just because they’re more comfortable while sitting on a plane and I try to find fabrics that do’t wrinkle. To dress up, your fit and flare add a waist belt and for warmth a cute moto jacket and maybe even a scarf.

sheath dresses are sexy and look great on petite women but the clinginess is a bit uncomfortable for sitting on a long flight.

{Staying Warm on Airplanes}

I’m going to make a few different suggestions here as sensitivity to heat and cold are so individualistic. I find a lot of my fellow petite pals are like me, super sensitive to cold.

For those people I have a few suggestions:

bundle up via accessories: you wanna look cute but you get really cold on planes? Then bundle up via accessories – gloves, scarf, beanie or ear warmer and socks. It’s amazing how much heat you can retain if you keep your extremities nice and warm.

I prefer an ear warmer over a beanie as I just don’t like the way beanies look on me.  I have yet to find a stylish beanie that a. fits my head and b. doesn’t have Pokemon or Minions on it, as I only fit into the kids ones. #petiteproblems

{Stylish and Comfortable Dressier Travel Outfit}

Wear a pair of skinny jeans or jeggings, with a long sleeve shirt, booties, moto jacket, scarf, gloves and an ear warmer. I recently invested in an ear warmer, to wear when I go for walks, and I find myself wearing it out on cold days. See the progression of this outfit as I added accessories. Note: I like black because it’s better at concealing and stains or spills that can occur on long flights in particular.

{Casual, Stylish Outfit for Flights for Petites}

This is a great outfit for bloated days or when you just wanna wear something loose without looking frumpy. Throw this on with a pair of ballet flats or open toe sandals and you’re set! What I love about this outfit is that a blouse like that can be dressed up or dressed down and the fabrics are all very fluid so you can roll these items up to become very compact in your luggage. The key with wide leg pants for petites is to ensure they’re fitted in the hips so they fall on your leg without making you look like you’re swimming in fabric.

And for a long, knee length sweater like the one below, the way petites can make that work is if it’s tapered/fitted a little in the waist and the sleeves hug your arms without being tight.

ProTip: Pack a pair of socks on your carryon to put on once you get on the plane as air will travel up your wide leg pants. The socks will keep you nice and warm.

{Travel Jackets for Petites}

Moto moto moto! Have I said it enough times? Moto and other short jackets elongate us shorties’ silhouette. Two of my favorite places to shop for moto jackets are Macy’s and White House Black Market. Both stores do a really good job with petites styles. At Macy’s their Bar III brand, in particular. What I love about these pieces is:

1. They’re classic. They’ll never go out of style.
2. They’re vegan. They’re faux leather without looking cheap.

If you’re traveling to a cold weather destination and need an outfit with more coverage, you can never go wrong with a jacket + jeans + boots. Te jacket is long (covers my bum) and has more lining as it’s meant for winter, but still stylish. Knee high boots especially in classic colors such as black, camel, and gray never go out of style. I’ve found great, comfortable, flat boots at Nordstrom’s.

{Summary}

In this article I shared outfit ideas for petite women to travel in style and comfort. A lot of petite women get cold easily, especially on planes and you can find some ideas of how to use cute accessories to keep your hands, head, and feet warm.

You’ll find outfit ideas that range from very casual to dressy. I can’t emphasize enough how great moto jackets are for petite women and I’m a big fan of wedge sneakers as they give petites some height without compromising on comfort and style while you travel.

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{About PassportPages}

I created the PassportPages travel blog, to provide nuanced, detailed travel advice, tips, and hacks for traveling all over the world — from a unique and different perspective than the other popular travel blogs. There aren’t as many travel blogs geared towards:

• nuanced, detailed travel tips and advice
• vegetarians/vegan travelers
• ethnic Americans, Canadians, and others
• women, especially petite women

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{About Samta}

When I’m not traveling and/or adventuring (and even when I am), I operate my tech startup, ShaadiShop. ShaadiShop is a marketplace for Indian-friendly wedding venues in California.

During undergrad I decided to study abroad which triggered my travel passion. I lived in Adelaide, Australia for a year and after that, for the next 10 years I spent 1-2 months each year, traveling to various destinations around the globe, on my own while I managed my direct marketing company.

I think traveling solo, prepared me to become an entrepreneur – journeying into new experiences, figuring it out as I went, self-reliance, facing your fears head on, trying new things, and so much more!

Then I decided to get a Masters in Business Administration in southern California, and I met my husband. Now we travel around the globe together and often. I love backpacks, vegetarian and vegan cooking and of course planning our next trip. I’m also kinda addicted to blueberries. =p

Check in on the blog or better yet follow PassportPages to get travel info from around the world. And definitely post your questions and comments. I love hearing from our readers! Cheers!