For Petite Sake » Shopping

JACKET REQUIRED

Kim — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:15:05 +0000

A well-chosen jacket could be the cornerstone of your fall petite wardrobe. Stretch your clothing budget this fall by investing in a versatile jacket that looks just as good with jeans or dressy wool gabardine trousers. Draw attention upward for added height in a classic camel peacoat, a timeless trench, or a ruffled leather jacket. This season, go for a jacket that showcases your fashion personality. Try something wild in an animal print, a sophisticated tuxedo style, a casual boyfriend jacket in sweatshirt fabric, or a “borrowed from the boys” tailored menswear pattern.

INC Ruffled Jacket $59 on sale at http://www,macys.com

A PETITE PANT FOR ALL SEASONS

Kim — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 18:16:46 +0000

A basic black pant is one of the best wardrobe investments a petite woman can make. It flatters all petite shapes and works with bright, neutral, or pastel tops. Gap’s new premium pant line brings good news to all petite women. Gap’s “Black Magic” pant collection was just launched for Fall with a national ad campaign and the slogan “fits like a dream, works like a charm.” There are seven different fits offered by Gap priced from $49.50 to $59.50. Unbelievably, ALL of the seven fits come in petite sizes 00 – 16!

THE BOY FIT ($59.50) – Inspired by vintage menswear styling with a tapered leg and slouchy fit.

THE PERFECT TROUSER ($59.50) - Tailored with slightly flared leg.

THE TRUE STRAIGHT ($49.50) - Cut straight through the hip and leg.

THE REALLY SKINNY ($59.50) – Sleek, sexy, and ultra-trendy

THE CURVY ($59.50) – Slim in hips and rear, compliments curves.

THE MODERN BOOT ($59.50) – Flattering silhouette that contours to your body.

THE SLIM CROP ($49.50) - Structured crop pant.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOPPING FOR PETITE FASHIONISTAS

Kim — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:00:14 +0000

As crazy as it may seem, I still get excited about back-to-school fashion. Believe me, I am way past back-to-school age. Even my kids are full-fledged adults now. Yet I still look forward to the weeks right before school starts because retail clothing stores are merchandised at their absolute best. Inventory levels are high and hard-to-find sizes plentiful. You will find lots of great sales. In fact, discount coupons appear daily in the mailbox and online encouraging you to shop at national chains that actually have some appeal to grown-ups like Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Limited Express.

This is also the time of year when new designers introduce their collections. The hottest thing going for Fall 2010 is Madonna’s ”Material Girl” line of clothing launching exclusively at Macy’s nationwide on August 3. Although “Material Girl” targets primarily the tween and teen markets, there could be something for everyone since the collection includes shoes, handbags, and accessories. The prices can’t be beat with most items ranging from $12 to $40 at retail.

If you run your own business (like me) and have a fetish for office supplies (like me), now is the time to stock up. As office supply stores try to snag back-to-school revenue, they are loaded with all sorts of fun notebooks, spirals, folders, and desk supplies at amazing discounts. You can update your desktop and your wardrobe at the same time.

THE PERFECT PETITE SHOE

Kim — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:42:58 +0000

For those of us who are a danger to ourselves when wearing stilettos, the kitten heel makes the perfect petite shoe. The mini stiletto heel stands 1.5 to 2 inches high with a skinny curved spine that sets the heel in from the edge of the shoe. Kitten heels originally debuted in the Fifties on teenage girls and were sometimes referred to as a “trainer heels” for their use in training young girls to wear high heels. The shoe was made famous in the Sixties by fashion icons Jackie Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn. This perfectly petite shoe has made a comeback recently. Even high-end shoe designers like Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik have added kitten heels to their collections. Check out www.zappos.com for over 300 pumps and sandals with the popular kitten heel.

Photo credit: Zappos.com

THE 9 LIVES OF KHAKI PANTS

Kim — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:27:47 +0000

A basic khaki pant is a “must have” for every petite wardrobe. Dress it up or dress it down. You can wear khaki with virtually any color – neutral, pastel, or bright. This spring’s “Military Chic” trend gives petite women more options than ever before for finding a great fitting khaki pant. Wear this versatile item with:

1. A ruffled lace top in a soft, sheer fabric

2. A chic black top with cutouts or keyholes

3. A ladylike lace blouse and strands of pearls

4. Something wild – an animal print top or jacket

5. A lingerie inspired tank top

6. A pretty pastel fitted jacket

7. A tribal print top and wooden beads

8. Nautical stripes

9. A camouflage tank or camp shirt

VESTED INTEREST

Kim — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:26:21 +0000

Vests should be a part of every petite woman’s wardrobe. Why? This petite-friendly garment often features a flattering V-neckline that will make a short body frame automatically look longer. As an added bonus, a button or zip-front vest paints lengthening vertical lines on the petite figure. The vest offers a stylish solution to a jacket or classic cardigan. A hot item is the new long draped vest, a perfect petite look when proportioned in petite sizes. A quilted puffer vest can keep you warm and cozy the rest of the winter. The good news for petite women is that there are lots of cute vests in stores now, many of them at ridiculously low prices.

NEW BASICS FOR PETITE WOMEN

Kim — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:14:13 +0000

Basics have never been so fashionable. Investing in classic items feels very right in a shaky economy. Denim and khaki have become staples for every petite wardrobe and nobody does these basics better than Gap. Visit http://www.gap.com/ for a great selection of basic styles in sizes 00P – 16P specially fit for a smaller frame. Gap’s petite pants feature a shorter length, higher waistline, narrower hips, shorter rise, shorter inseam, and higher knee positioning.

Gap’s selection of petite jeans is unbelievable – over 30 styles are offered online in petite sizes. Get the perfect petite fit in denim basics including the Perfect Boot Cut, Sexy Boot Cut, Real Straight, Long and Lean, Curvy, Always Skinny, and Boyfriend styles.

SHOPPING SMART WHEN YOU ARE PETITE: IS IT WORTH THE MONEY?

Kim — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:05:35 +0000

Budgets are tighter than ever this season, so here are 4 quick questions to ask yourself before making new purchases for your petite wardrobe:

1. Is it versatile?

Will this piece work with at least 3 items that I already own? Can it go from desk to dinner? A career look like a classic white shirt and black slim skirt can be instantly dressed up with a dramatic necklace and stiletto heels.

2. Is it good quality?

Buy the best quality you can afford. Look at fabric, construction, and detail. Check for loose threads, buttons, and beads. Make sure that the fabric matches at the seams. The best quality isn’t always the most expensive, and the most expensive isn’t always the best quality.

3. Is it seasonless?

Can you layer it up or down depending on the weather? The most important all-season factor is fabric. Choose seasonless fabrics like rayon, wool gab, wool crepe, and matte jersey.

4. Is it a timeless classic?

Trench coats, cardigans, pearls, and Chanel inspired handbags are worth the money because they simply never go out of style.

The Shrinking State of Petite Clothing

Kim — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:56:00 +0000

I’ve been in the petite business for over 20 years and a petite customer my entire adult life. I can honestly say that I have never been more concerned about the shrinking state of shopping options for petite women. It is true that the current economy is adversely affecting retail at every level, but the toll seems especially high for those of us who stand 5′4″ or under. We have officially taken the place of our “big beautiful” counterparts as the forgotten woman.

Petite specialty stores are closing on a daily basis and the selection of petite merchandise in department stores and national chains has been drastically reduced. The latest casualties: the closing of Giordano’s – a New York City shoe store that catered to women wearing small hard-to-find sizes and Saks Fifth Avenue’s decision to once again eliminate their Petite department.

Here is what I really don’t get. How can you ignore a segment of the consumer market that is 20 million strong and reported to spend billions on clothing annually? The retailer rationale seems to be that petite women can just alter regular sized clothing or go shop in the Junior department. Anyone who has been to the tailor recently knows how expensive alterations have become. Not the best option in today’s economy. I refer to Junior departments and Junior specialty stores as “outlets for disposable clothing.” The quality is generally pretty poor and the styles purchased are good for a maximum of 3-5 wears with normal laundering. Also not a good option when clothing budgets are limited.

So what is a petite shopper to do? I am sending out a call to action to anyone reading this post who feels the same frustration over the sad state of shopping for petite women. Pick up the phone. Write a letter. Complain to the Store Manager or President of your favorite store about the shrinking state of the Petite department. Be proactive before petite sizes become as extinct as the dinosaur. We simply cannot afford to see our shopping options get any smaller.