How To Style A Fashionable Car Coat If You're Petite

 In 1900 the automobile made an impressive entrance into the world. Back in the day, driving a car was a luxury for the upper class who could afford it, and was considered to be an outdoor sport. Open-roof cars required special clothing to keep the driver and passenger warm. Enter the design of practical (yet coveted) car coats: the roomy jacket (to accommodate for comfortable driving) that buttons all the way up (to keep the driver warm). 

Fast forward to today, and yesteryear's signature coat transcends the fashion scenes and stands tall as one of the most favorite, versatile, and stylish outerwear pieces of the cold months. Today, the classic car coat has evolved to meet diverse personal preferences, offering a range of styles, textures, and colors. While still preserving its timeless appeal, the classic car coat manages to find its way into the fashion-forward scene, from gimmicky silhouettes to elegant options.

However, given its A-line, almost squared shape, the car coat may pose a challenge to incorporate into your winter ensembles if you are petite. Despite the challenge, there are ways to style a fashionable car coat and embrace its enduring allure, and with the right pairings, it can become one of the key winter coat styles to try without overpowering your petite frame. From styling it with leggings that elongate your legs to teaming it up with a matching co-ord mini skirt that gives the illusion of one piece, these are some of our favorite ideas.

By opting for clever pairings, like combining the coat with leggings, you can give the illusion of elongated legs, thus complementing your petite frame instead of overpowering it. Opting for black leggings can make your legs look slimmer, too. Bonus point? Pick from several of the absolute best black leggings to choose from that will perfectly complement your style while hugging your natural body contours.

For those on the shorter side, one of the biggest nos when it comes to styling your winter outfits is wearing a skirt that's longer than your coat. The reason for this is that a skirt sticking outside of the coat hem creates an additional horizontal line that divides up your body. As a result, you break the continuity of your frame not only once (coat hem) but twice (skirt hem)! This overpowers your petite frame and makes you look shorter. Instead, style your favorite car coat with a miniskirt, maintaining a harmonious, uninterrupted line.

Pairing your car coat with a co-ord mini skirt or slim-fitting trousers is a fashion-forward strategy that will accentuate your frame instead of overpowering it. This combination creates the illusion of a single, continuous garment, eliminating the unflattering visual lines that break up your frame and make you look shorter. Plus, compact co-ords are on trend for spring 2024, so style your favorite lightweight car coat with a matching bottom and segue into the early (chilly) days of spring in style.

A bodycon dress is one of the types of dresses that everyone should own. It's also a great way to complement your figure and accentuate your natural body contours without "burying" you or overpowering your frame. The beauty of this dress is that it can be used to style any length of car coat. From vogue-styled coats that sit right at your hips to more elegant versions that fall right above the knee or dramatic mid-calf stylings, the bodycon dress will be the perfect pairing to create a fashion-forward look.

Ditch the wide-leg pants and the relaxed-fit ones, and invest in a slim-fitting pair of high-rise denim that sits right above the belly button — making the waist look slimmer and the legs look longer. Petite frames should especially look for high-rise jeans with a longer inseam length. The slim-cut, high-waisted denim look can easily become a staple of your capsule wardrobe – but what's more, is that these jeans are the perfect go-to when styling your fashionable car coat, no matter its length.