It is important for petite women to choose accessories that flatter rather than overpower their petite frame.  The wrong accessories can throw an entire look off balance.  That said, two current fashion trends are driving me crazy.  Everywhere I go, I see petite “fashion victims.”

“IS THAT A CHANDELIER HANGING FROM YOUR EARLOBE?”

Petite women simply must keep proportion and scale in mind at all times.  Without exception, earrings that graze your shoulder overwhelm you.  Go for the same look on a smaller scale.   

“YOUR HANDBAG IS BIGGER THAN YOU ARE.”

Avoid a handbag as big as your body.  Nobody has that much to carry, unless you are going away.  In that case, you will need a suitcase and not a giant handbag.

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.