I’m 5’2″ and Never Thought I Could Wear Maxi Dresses Until I Tried This Brand

As someone who’s barely 5’2″, I long ago accepted that not every trend or style is going to fit my body, at least not without some serious alternations. Crop tops? They work, but only when they’re meant to be way shorter than they appear when I put them on. Non-skinny jeans? Forget about it—the bottoms will drag so low on the floor that they’ll be dirty in seconds. Sure, shopping in stores’ petite sections and spending money on hemming has helped, but there are some types of clothing I just don’t even bother trying as I know they’re not gonna work, such as maxi dresses.

In theory, I like maxi dresses—the always look so pretty and flowy, perfect for outdoor gatherings and summer fun. In reality, though, they absolutely dwarf me, going so far past my ankles that unless I’m wearing crazy-tall heels (which, 99.9% of the time, I’m not), the material tucks under my shoes. As such, I’ve never owned a maxi dress until recently, when the women’s brand Bobeau sent me a few styles that it swore would fit my super-short self.

I admit, I was hesitant when I tried the first one on. The dress was gorgeous, a flowy green number that was practically begging to be worn to a cocktail party, but even in a size small, I highly doubted it’d actually work on my height. Yet when I put it on, I was shocked to see that not only did it fit me, it fit me perfectly, with the bottom grazing my ankles and the ruching on the back landing right over my butt. There’d be no alterations needed with this dress; for once, a maxi dress had been made with someone of my height in mind.

What was even more astounding was that it wasn’t the only one. Bobeau sent me a few other size-small maxi dresses, including a black jersey style featuring a fun slit, a mostly-open back, and the softest material known to man, and a pretty gingham-patterned option that belted in the front. Each dress was the ideal length, just long enough to feel like a full maxi but short enough that I wouldn’t trip over myself when walking.

Venice V-Neck Maxi Dress

$$72

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Carla Strappy Maxi Dress

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Due to the world being what it is right now, I haven’t found an opportunity just yet to wear the dresses in public, but I can’t wait until the moment comes. For now, I’m just happy to see them in my closet, waiting for their time to shine.