I agree with the saying that good things come in small packages. Not that I'm biased or anything, but barely reaching the humble height of 5' myself, I've come to appreciate the perks of being petite. Given my height, I've discovered some hacks for short girls. From things like not being able to see at shows to being people's personal arm rests, shortness has certainly become a fun little social novelty that's not always so fun from down here. Sure, I love myself the way I am and wouldn't change much, but sometimes it's just plain annoying not to be able to reach a shelf or cabinet.
It can be especially frustrating being a short adult in a world where it seems like everyone is taller than you. Nope sir, that is just not a fake ID. I am an adult too, please serve me alcohol immediately. And beyond the awkward moments, there are everyday things that can be an inconvenience, things most people don't even have to think about. That's not to say there isn't any way around some of these issues, though. Here are six hacks for some of the most common short girl problems us petite princesses face.
1. When You Don't Want To Cuff Your Pants
As hip as cuffed pants can be, it'd be nice to have our jeans actually fit nicely above our feet, ya know? And sometimes I don't have the time or the money to visit the tailor and having them altered. This is where I employ my lovely hack of buying cropped pants that are meant to be worn capri-style and wearing them like I would any normal pair of pants. This trick works best with skinny or fitted capris. Having said that, it's good to know your measurements and also consider factors such as rise and color, as pointed out in these tips on wearing jeans for short women.
2. When You Want To Wear Maxi Skirts/Dresses Without Tripping
Because short girls also have a right to glide around in bohemian queen fashion, too. Well, for starters, the obvious — but necessary — tip that has to be thrown out there is to look for stores that carry petite sizes. There are quite a few stores that have it down. It does take some extra sleuthing, though. Most department stores or places like LOFT or New York & Company carry some great petite fits.
You can also use the above-mentioned pants trick and look for skirts/dresses tailored for medium length that could work just as well in maxi style. You can even wear some skirts as dresses and hike them up to your waist until they fit. Just make sure the cuts don't look too weird. If you're just totally in love with a particular dress you come across, Deal Divas Arts and Entertainment editor Stephanie Hayes recommended throwing a belt on the maxi garment and blousing it up on the top. When all else fails, just throw on a pair of wedges and call it a day.
3. For Those High Shelves
I can't help but laugh whenever I'm apartment hunting and one of the advertised perks is the ample amount of cabinet space, because I can probably comfortably only use about a third of said space. So I surrender to the idea that the rest is going to have to be used as long-term storage. This is where step stools, ladders, and long reacher/grabber tools become our new best friends. Especially those extended arm tools.
When I was recovering from a serious injury, since I couldn't make any major movements, I was given a nifty set of tools for picking things up and reaching for higher places. Though I'm all healed now and can twist, jump, and bend over as I please, I still use them for those tricky-to-reach items on the shelves. Definitely stock up these kinds of items and make sure they're easily accessible.
4. For Driving
I'll often be asked questions like whether or not I can see past the steering wheel or if I can reach the pedals. And in all honesty, it is trickier in some cars. My go-to solution? Cushions and pillows, baby! It's best to use something like a wedge cushion that will fit more comfortably and won't slide as much.
Of course, beforehand, you should have adjusted your seat and steering wheel as best you can to accommodate both viewing capability and safety. It's best to make your seat go higher rather than closer to the steering wheel. Since sitting too close to the air bag increases chance of injury during an accident, according to The National Highway Traffic Safety administration. Though I've never tried them, some say pedal extenders are something worth investing in as well.
5. When The Store Has Limited Small Options
Sometimes you're sifting through clothing racks and met with increasing frustration as everything you come across is either way too big or just looks awkward. Well, I'm about to divulge one of my longest-kept secrets. If the store has it — hit up the kids' section! I mean, this obviously doesn't work for all clothing. But I've stumbled across some great gems of sweaters in the H&M girls' winter collection for sure. And it's way cheaper! The Huffington Post's Michelle Persad offers some great places you can start shopping in the kids' section. No shame in it, my petite friends.
6. Keeping Up With Your Tall Friends
You're having yourself a nice casual little stroll with your friends, chatting and laughing away like a Dawson's Creek montage, when — before you know it — you've been teleported to the back. You quicken your pace, panting as you fall back into stride with them, and then it just happens all over again.
While there really is not much you can do here that doesn't involve adjusting your walk in some way, or telling your friends to just walk slower, you can try one little tweak. Lengthen your strides. Apart from increasing your overall flexibility, this is a great habit to establish that will make walking easier and takes less effort. And I mean, if that fails, then yeah — just tell your friends to slow the heck down.
Short girl problems: Conquered.
Images: Giphy (6)
