That doesn’t mean that a petite woman should never, ever wear horizontal stripes.  Although horizontal lines do create width, they can be a very effective way to balance areas of the body that are smaller.  For example, if you are a pear shaped petite who wears one size on top and a larger size on the bottom, wearing a horizontal pattern on the top will balance narrow shoulders with broad hips. 

One of my favorite looks for summer is the pairing of crisp, clean white with colorful bold stripes. That is why I love this cute striped dress from Inc. Petites available at Macy’s.  It is a perfect petite silhouette with flattering diagonal stripes and  an elongating ruffled V-neckline.   

Inc. Petites Striped Dress $69.50

www.macys.com

PETITES BEWARE!!!  These hot spring 2011 trends spell trouble for petite women.  It is extremely difficult for any short women to pull off color blocking, mixing prints, or wearing gladiator sandals.  Here is why…

COLOR BLOCKING – As pictured above, color blocking divides the body into sections of color.  This look will make a petite woman appear shorter.

MIXING PRINTS -     Just like color blocking, mixing different prints chops a shorter body frame up too much. Instead,go for an all-over printed pattern smaller than the size of your fist.

GLADIATOR SANDALS – Any shoe style that cuts you off at the ankle with a strap will make short legs look even shorter.

J is for Jellies.  K is for Khaki.  L is for Lace.  M is for Menswear.  N is for Neon.  O is for Orange.  P is for Platform Sandals.  Q is for Quirky 70’s Inspired Accessories.  R is for Rose Patterns. 

S is for Shimmery Knits.  T is for Tribal Prints.  U is for Unadorned Simple Silhouettes.  V is for Vibrant Colors.  W is for White.  X is for Xotic Skins.  Y is for Yellow.  Z is for Zesty Lime.

Look for… dresses, sporty separates, shoes, handbags, sunglasses, even Nike sneakers in orange hues ranging from tangerine to marigold to melon.   Pictured above:  Calvin Klein sheath $98 available at www.nordstrom.com in Petite sizes 4P – 12P

Michael Kors dress available at www.macys.com

Congratulations to the very petite, very pregnant, and very talented NATALIE PORTMAN for her Best Actress Oscar win last night.  Her performance as a ballerina driven to madness in ”Black Swan” is truly one of the best I have ever seen.  Natalie positively glowed in a deep purple silk chiffon gown by Rodarte.  The off-the-shoulder beaded V-neckline and flowing fabric made the dress a glamorous and flattering choice for the 5′3″ Academy Award winning actress. 

   NATALIE PORTMAN IN RODARTE

Natalie’s “Black Swan” co-star MILA KUNIS also looked absolutely fabulous on the red carpet in lavender and lace.  Mila’s lingerie-inspired gown by Elie Saab featured draping, tiered lace , and a vertical chiffon panel down the front to elongate her sexy petite figure.  Kudos to Mila and her style team for pulling off winning red carpet looks throughout the 2011 awards season.  Mila gets my vote for Oscar night’s “Best Dressed Petite.”

 MILA KUNIS IN ELIE SAAB

AND NOW – THE PETITE FASHION MISSES

I wasn’t a big fan of fair skinned, platinum blonde MICHELLE WILLIAMS choice of pale colors again.  HELENA BONHAM CARTER was back to playing the “Red Carpet Fashion Rebel” in her strappy,corseted black dress designed by costume designer Colleen Atwood.  However, the biggest petite fashion disappointment of the night for me was SCARLET JOHANSSON.  I kind of liked her edgy new hairdo, but her amethyst lace dress by Dolce and Gabbana had a definite “bordello” look to it and the color clashed with the red carpet.   

SCARLET JOHANSSON IN DOLCE AND GABBANA 

Pink looks good on virtually everybody because some shade of the color works with any skin tone.  Choose from petal, peony, geranium, salmon, rose, fuschia, blush, bubble gum, and cherry.  Nothing says “I am a girly girl” better than feminine pink ruffles, pink lace, or pink petal trims.

If pink from head-to-toe is too much for you, pair pink dangling earrings or a pink chiffon scarf with white, neutrals, or denim.  A pink belt or handbag will add a burst of color to any spring ensemble.  Petite women should remember that the brighter the shade of pink you are wearing, the more basic the rest of your outfit should be.  A pop of pink on top will always draw attention upward for added height.

It is true that skinny jeans look best on a slender petite frame.  However, a skinny jean in a dark denim finish works for petite women with heavier thighs.  The straight leg of a skinny jean forms a vertical line that visually elongates the leg. 

So what is the difference between a skinny jean and a straight leg jean?  The difference is the leg opening.  A skinny jean has an 11″ opening while the leg opening on a straight leg jean is around 14″.  The hottest new version of a skinny jean is called a jegging, the combination of a skinny jean and a legging, perfect for tucking into your boots.  The beauty of a skinny jean is that you can also wear it with ballet flats or heels. 

My favorite skinny jeans for petites are Gap’s Always Skinny Jeans $59.50 and Real Straight Jeans $69.50, available in petite sizes at www.gap.com.  I also love  Not Your Daughter’s Jeans Slim Leg Jean $98 and Jeggings $88.  I just did fashion shows for a chain of Florida specialty stores called Anthony’s last week, and Not Your Daughter’s Jeans were the hottest selling item after the shows.  They feature a tummy control panel designed to make you instantly look 10 pounds slimmer.  Check out where to buy NYDJ using their store locator at www.nydj.com. 

NYDJ Slim Leg $98