For Petite Sake » Fashion Tips

HOW TO WEAR STRIPES IF YOU ARE PETITE

Kim — Tue, 24 May 2011 23:37:43 +0000

Stripes dominate the fashion scene for Summer 2011. Petite women… embrace this trend!!! Vertical or diagonal stripes are every petite woman’s best friend. Vertical and diagonal lines will always make you look taller and slimmer because they draw the eye in an upward and downward motion.

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

SPRING PETITE TRENDS TO AVOID

Kim — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 15:33:05 +0000

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.

HATS OFF TO PETITE HATS FOR WINTER

Kim — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 16:14:52 +0000

With heavy snowstorms and cold weather blanketing much of the country this winter, a hat has become an essential item for every petite woman’s wardrobe. It is important to cover your head in the winter because studies show that roughly 40% of your body heat escapes through your head. The big plus for petite women is that a hat can also instantly add inches to your height. Here are a few quick tips for choosing a hat that is both functional and fashionable.

If you have short hair, any style goes. The most popular styles for petites include beanies, berets, cloches, newsboy hats, and fedoras. If you have longer hair and are worried about “hat hair,” choose a looser fitting hat like a cloche or fedora. I have shoulder length hair with bangs and my personal favorite is the newsboy hat. (pictured below)

Petite women should choose a hat in the same color or family of color as their coat or outerwear for an elongating effect. Cover your ears for added warmth, and always try the hat on before you buy.

FIGHT THE BIG CHILL IN THE PERFECT PETITE COAT

Kim — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 15:16:25 +0000

Whether you live in New York or Florida, you have already experienced the “Big Chill” this winter. Brave rainy days and snowy blizzards in a warm, cozy, perfectly proportioned petite coat. Here are a few tips for looking chic and fashionable even when you are bundled up for cold weather.

It’s hard to beat the look of a classic camel coat or a timeless peacoat. These cold weather wardrobe staples will simply never go out of style. Narrower lapels, smaller buttons, and elongating vertical seams will ensure that your coat won’t overpower your petite frame.

Faux fur is everywhere this season. A cashmere, wool, or leather coat with a faux fur collar makes the perfect petite coat because the collar draws attention upward for added height. Go for a monochromatic look like a dark overcoat with matching fur trim. This long unbroken line of color always makes a short woman look taller.

Image Courtesy of Nordstrom

THE LITTLE BLACK SUIT

Kim — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 21:09:58 +0000

This holiday season, the Little Black Suit presents a chic and frugal fashion alternative to a holiday classic, the Little Black Dress. A Little Black Suit can go from desk to dinner or a holiday party with just a simple change of shoes and accessories. Switch out your black power pumps for a pair of sexy, strappy black sandals. Swap out conservative accessories for sparkling earrings that dangle from your earlobes. Finish off your chic look with the number one fashion handbag for the holiday season, a clutch purse in a silver, gold, or metallic finish.

The beauty of investing in a Little Black Suit is that you can wear both the jacket and skirt or pant with other pieces in your wardrobe. In this tough economy, taking outfits apart is just as important as putting them together. Layer the black suit jacket over an animal print dress. Pair the jacket with petite wardrobe “must haves”, a crisp white cotton shirt and great fitting pair of jeans. Wear a less structured piece like a brightly colored or print cardigan with the basic black bottom for a more modern approach to career dressing. Update a classic black skirt or pant with one of holiday’s hottest items, a peek-a-boo lace top or a sequined tank.

SEASONLESS PETITE CLOTHING

Kim — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 19:56:24 +0000

I am a big fan of seasonless petite clothing – clothing that you won’t put away all year. These are the priceless pieces that you can layer up or down, depending on the weather. Fabric is the key. The best seasonless fabrics are rayon, poly-rayon, wool gab, wool crepe, jersey, denim, and silk. Here are five seasonless pieces that could be the foundation of a year-round petite wardrobe:

1. A cardigan

2. A black pencil skirt

3. A great-fitting pair of denim jeans

4. A silk blazer

5. A Little Black Dress in matte jersey

COOL TIPS FOR PETITE FASHION

Kim — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:27:05 +0000

Let’s face it. July means that it is HOT everywhere. The Northeast is wilting under a heat wave. Here in suburban Orlando, you can’t even walk to your mailbox without sweating. So how can a petite woman keep cool in July and August and still look stylish?

The obvious answer is to wear the least amount of clothing possible. Bare arms, bare shoulders, bare legs, exposed toes. Wear sundresses, strapless or one-shoulder tops and dresses, halters, tanks, shorts, minis, flip-flops, and sandals wherever, whenever you can.

Another simple petite fashion solution is to stay cooler by wearing fabrics that breathe. Exactly what does that mean? How can a fabric breathe?

To explain, let’s take a look at the two types of fibers used to make petite clothing, natural fibers and synthetic fibers. Think of a fiber as a piece of thread that is woven together to create fabric. Natural fibers originate from plants or animals. Synthetic fibers are created from man-made chemicals. Natural fibers breathe due to a looser weave. Synthetic fibers don’t. Synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon, and rayon don’t absorb moisture. It gets trapped between the fibers causing your body temperature to rise. On the other hand, natural fibers like cotton, linen, and silk make the best choices for a summer wardrobe because they absorb moisture, offering you a natural source of air conditioning.

Featured: Banana Republic blue silk dress $110.00

DRESS LIKE A PETITE GODDESS IN A ONE-SHOULDER LOOK

Kim — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:49:57 +0000

The trendy one-shoulder tops and dresses that are all the rage this season make great additions to any petite wardrobe. Originally inspired by the Greek goddesses in ancient mythology, one-shouldered silhouettes paint a diagonal line on the petite figure that draws the eye upward. It is a great look for summer because you can show a little skin and still be more covered up than in a strapless dress or top. Sexy one-shoulder gowns have been a major hit on the red carpet recently, including Sarah Jessica Parker’s asymetrical cut yellow Valentino worn to the Sex and the City 2 movie premiere. (featured below)

DIFFERENCES IN REGULAR AND PETITE SIZES

Kim — Tue, 04 May 2010 19:33:08 +0000

I was asked in an interview recently “What is the biggest mistake most petites make?” I would have to say that it is thinking you are going to get a good fit in regular sized clothing. When you are petite, fit is everything. And when clothing budgets are tight, who wants to spend a fortune on alterations? If you are 5′4″ or shorter, you will usually get a better fit in petite sizes simply because they are designed for a shorter body frame. Petite garments are cut smaller in key areas, and the rest of the garment is proportioned to match. The differences in petite and regular sized clothing include:

Shorter hemlines (the obvious)
Shorter sleeves
Shorter lines neck-to-waist
Shorter lines waist-to-hip
Narrower shoulders
Higher armholes
Shorter rise and inseam
Raised pockets
Shortened zippers
Buttons sewn closer together
Less volume in skirts and dresses
Details scaled down including pockets, collars, lapels, belts, belt loops, and embellishments

CAN PETITE WOMEN WEAR CAPRI PANTS?

Kim — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 21:11:49 +0000

The “Capri Fashion Controversy” wages on for petite women. Shorter women truly have a love/hate relationship with capri pants. Some petite women love them, others wouldn’t be caught dead in a pair of capris. Capri pants prove to be tricky when you are short but can be flattering on the right petite figure shape. Women who are 5′4″ or under need to follow a few simple fashion rules when wearing capris. Always, always, always wear shoes in the same color of family of color as your capri pant. This pairing visually lengthens short legs. Good choice: Black shoes with black capris. Bad choice: Red shoes with black capris.

If you are really short, have heavy calves or thick ankles, capri pants may not be your best look. For those of you in the 5′2″ to 5′4″ height range with shapely legs, matching your shoes with your hemline will help you pull off the look with confidence and style.

Gap cropped denim capri pant $54.50 www.gap.com