5 Bike Shorts Styling Ideas for Petite Women to Look Taller & Slimmer
Can petite women wear bike shorts?
Absolutely! Styled right, I think biker shorts can be flattering on all body types. So for my fellow petite women who may have shied away from this trend, let this be the green light you needed to embrace it with confidence.
Keep in mind, there are certain things for petite women to be mindful of when styling bike shorts so keep reading for my top pointers.
Are bike shorts still in style?
Love them or hate them, bike shorts continue to be trending season after season and S/S 2022 is no exception. While they were last in fashion back in the ’80s and ’90s (thanks in large part to Princess Diana) we’re still seeing them at the latest fashion shows, worn by street style influencers, and throughout our Instagram feeds.
Why not let this season, with the help of the inspirational looks below, be the time you give cycling shorts a chance. You might be surprised how versatile, chic, and comfortable they can be.
5 Ways for Petite Women to Style Biker Shorts to Appear Thinner & Taller
1. Go oversized on the top | Pair with an oversized blazer
The first tip is to balance the tight fit of cycling shorts with an oversized blazer. (If you’re equally afraid of wearing an oversized blazer, be sure to check out all my tricks for petites in my oversized blazer post.)
This might seem counterintuitive but the bagginess of the blazer actually helps your legs to appear thinner in comparison and as such, longer.
This works best with shorter styles of bike shorts as they maximize the amount of skin exposure.
Also, feel free to play around with prints and patterns and remember that black and white patterns (such as houndstooth) easily match with all other prints.
Pair houndstooth with camouflage for an ultramodern and feminine take on military grunge.
Inject some pops of flamingo pink and lavender for playfulness and style with chunky-soled ankle boots to give the illusion of a little extra height.
The strategic placement of the black stripe down the front of these vegan ankle boots also helps to trick the eye into believing your legs are longer than they are in reality.
– OUTFIT DETAILS –
WHITE BOOTS | Venus is Vegan use code HARMFREEFASHION20 for 20% off
PURSE | Sans Beast (current styles by Sans Beast)
HOODIE | Pangaia (current styles by Pangaia)
2. Play with layers | Wear under short shorts
Another trick to make your legs appear longer is to mix layers with different lengths. Achieve this with shorter-length black biker shorts worn under a pair of super-short running or jogging shorts.
The slimming nature of the black shorts combined with the strong contrast they create against the brightly colored mini shorts makes the eye think you have legs for days.
And pairing these casual pieces with a dressy blouse keeps the outfit looking sophisticated. Select a button-down blouse with a deep v-neck or style one partially unbuttoned to keep the focus on your face.
– OUTFIT DETAILS –
TREKKING SANDALS | Teva (current styles by Teva)
ORGANIC COTTON SOCKS | Pact
PURSE | Peta + Jain (current styles by Peta + Jain)
3. Wear discreetly under a blazer dress
We, petite women, can get away with wearing a blazer as if it’s really a blazer dress much easier than our taller counterparts. Even so, to add an extra level of comfort, style said blazer over cycling shorts and release any fears of showing people more of yourself than you intended.
Shorter styles of shorts work best here because the idea is for the blazer/blazer dress to be longer than the bike shorts. It’s a way for you to embrace the trend without people really knowing you’re rocking biker shorts.
– OUTFIT DETAILS –
HEELED SANDALS | Bershka (similar by Cult of Coquette)
NEON SANDALS | Melissa Shoes (current styles by Melissa Shoes)
PURSE | Sans Beast (current styles by Sans Beast)
SUNGLASSES | Oakley (current styles by Oakley)
4. Go all black for a chic rocker look
A black tuxedo blazer, my favorite combat boots, and an oversized silver chained necklace are all this look needs to exude effortless confidence.
Select a shorter style of bike shorts for this look so more of your legs are exposed (adding length) and so that the focus is kept on the tuxedo blazer. The vibe here is ’90s chic with modern elements.
– OUTFIT DETAILS –
COMBAT BOOTS | Virón
PURSE | Peta + Jain (current styles by Peta + Jain)
SUNGLASSES | Emporio Armani (current styles by Emporio Armani)
5. Opt for a sporty look | Style with an oversized slogan tee & dad sneakers
This sporty-trendy look works because of the neutral color palette, short jean jacket, and waist-cinching effect of the hip bag and fitted denim jacket. The color blocking technique of the jacket, shirt, socks, and shoes also break up the body making it look taller.
The style is playful and sporty yet edgy. Casual enough to wear anywhere but still with ample style to wear to a concert.
– OUTFIT DETAILS –
WHITE DAD SNEAKERS | Rombaut
ORGANIC COTTON SOCKS | Pact
BELT BAG | Sans Beast (current styles by Sans Beast)
SUNGLASSES | Oakley
Bike shorts are here to stay
Whether your personal style is casual, chic, trendy, sporty, or feminine there’s a way for you to incorporate bike shorts into your looks.
Regardless of your style, my top tips for petite women are to select shorter styles of cycling shorts, use various layers of clothing with different lengths, and use the slimming nature of black to your advantage.
This trend doesn’t seem to be fading anytime soon so now that you’re armed with inspiration, get styling!
For more styling hacks for petites, check out my other posts for short girls on:
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As always, happy thrifting and styling.
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Michelle Rothenburger
Michelle Rothenburger is a vegan fashion blogger whose work has been featured in such publications as Marie Claire, InStyle, Woman & Home, and Vilda. Find out more by reading Michelle’s full story (from bullied to fashion influencer) and feel free to send her a personal message.
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