My personal fashion philosophy is that there is very little a petite woman cannot wear as long as she follows a few simple rules for putting outfits together.  Order a copy of  The Petite Handbook for my Top 10 Petite Tips www.thepetitehandbook.com.   The list is short, but the following looks pretty much NEVER, EVER work on shorter women.

Border Print Skirts

The border pattern edging the hemline paints a horizontal line on the petite figure that is guaranteed to make you look shorter.  Check out the 50% off racks at your favorite petite store to see how many border prints skirts have been marked down.  There is a reason they are still hanging there. 

Color Blocking

This fashion trend is not petite friendly.  Blocks of color on the body chop the petite torso into sections that put visual emphasis on width, not length. 

Thigh-high Boots

Simply stated, you need to be tall and skinny to wear thigh-high boots.  It takes a lot of leg to pull this look off. 

Ankle Strap Shoes

A sure way to make short legs look even shorter is to cut them off at the ankle with a strap. 

1.  PETITE MEANS TINY.  Petite sizing is based on height, not weight.  Actually, only 8% of all petite women weigh 100 pounds or less. 

 2.  PETITE WOMEN CAN EASILY SHOP IN THE CHILDREN’S OR JUNIOR DEPARTMENT.  Wrong.  Children’s clothing and junior styles are not designed for most figure shapes.  Real women have curves.  There aren’t many pear or hourglass shaped kids out there. 

3.   HEMMING A GARMENT PURCHASED IN REGULAR SIZES WILL GIVE A PETITE WOMAN A GOOD FIT.  Since the petite body frame is shorter, petite garments are cut in totally different proportions from regular sizes and are not just shortened versions.

4.   PETITE WOMEN SHOULD WEAR HIGH HEELS AT ALL TIMES.  It is true that heels add height and can make your legs look shapely.  But… teetering on stilettos often throws petite proportion off and can also lead to serious injury.     

 5.  PETITE WOMEN SHOULD ALWAYS TRY TO LOOK TALLER.  Embrace your short stature.  If you are 5’ tall, there is no way to look 5’8” tall.  The key is dressing with confidence and style and avoiding looks that make you appear shorter than you really are.

 If you have flipped through fashion magazines or been out shopping lately, you will find that denim is the hottest thing going for Fall.  This is definitely a “sign of the times” because a denim jean is the most versatile item you can own.  Dress it up.  Dress it down.  I’m especially thrilled to finally find a great selection of denim being offered in petite sizes.  Last week, roughly half of the Petite Department at the local Nordstrom featured denim jeans and updated tops.  Listed below are a few tips to help you shop for jeans that will flatter your petite proportions. 

For the Pear Shaped Petite: 

Boot cut or flared leg jeans in a darker shade of denim will balance fuller hips with narrow shoulders.  “Relaxed Fit” jeans offer a roomier cut in the hips and thighs.

 For the Inverted Pear Shaped Petite:

Skinny or straight leg jeans often flatter petite women who are “busty” on top but slimmer in the hips and rear end. 

 For the Hourglass Shaped Petite:

Jeans that fit the hips are usually huge in the waist.  Styles with a low rise or a curved waistband are more likely to fit both areas.

 For the Circular Shaped Petite:

To flatten and control a fuller middle section, look for jeans that feature a hidden Lycra tummy panel.