Fashion Tips and Style If You are a Petite Woman
We all know there are certain things that simply can’t be changed – as much as you might want to. Your body figure for example, if you are 5′ 4″ (162 cm) tall which by the fashion industry’s guidelines you are considered petite, sometimes being petite feels like a serious impediment to your style – especially for the vertically-challenged, who often complain that a certain street style star’s look would “only look good on someone tall”. But is it really necessary for petite women to create the illusion of a tall person?
As fashion changes, so do plenty of old-fashion rules, we broke the rules on appropriate dressing decades ago. Today, one most important thing in fashion is to dress with confidence and elegance – in whatever body shape you have and with any personal style you love to wear. Just make sure you don’t dress to be someone you’re not. Dressing as a petite woman, for example, doesn’t have to be difficult as long as you don’t feel like you need to be tall when you aren’t. The goal of dressing as a petite is all about finding clothes that work well with your natural figure.
If you look through the internet, you see there are many simple guidelines you can follow to accentuate your rocking body. Your best bet is to rely on a few clever fashion tips to flatter your figure, which at the same time can make shopping a whole lot easier so you can get out there and feel sexy and confident in your petiteness using nothing but what you’ve got in your closet.
Petite Fashion Collection by ASOS
Petite Fashion Collection by Banana Republic
Petite Fashion Collection by Talbots
FIND BEST PLACES TO SHOP
Although not all places do this – some brands don’t even have a petite line – start making list of boutiques and retail stores that provide pieces for your figure. Here are 10 retailers that carry a petite line:
1. The Petite Shop
2. The 16th Bar (specializes in petite styles)
3. Talbots
4. Eddie Bauer
5. Banana Republic
6. White House Black Market
7. J. Crew
8. Gap
9. Old Navy
10. ASOS
Although not all places do this – some brands don’t even have a petite line – start making list of boutiques and retail stores that provide pieces for your figure. Here are 10 retailers that carry a petite line:
1. The Petite Shop
2. The 16th Bar (specializes in petite styles)
3. Talbots
4. Eddie Bauer
5. Banana Republic
6. White House Black Market
7. J. Crew
8. Gap
9. Old Navy
10. ASOS
GET THE PERFECT FIT
As with any wardrobe for all body shape, it is important to have clothes that fit you right. Especially for petite figure, fitted or semi-fitted clothing looks better than loose-fitting apparel or anything that is too tight.
As with any wardrobe for all body shape, it is important to have clothes that fit you right. Especially for petite figure, fitted or semi-fitted clothing looks better than loose-fitting apparel or anything that is too tight.
1. If you love a looser fit, define your waist and add some shape with a belt.
2. Opt for clothes that flatter your body type, enhance your assets, and probably – if it’s really necessary – find clothes that give you the illusion of height (vertical stripes or monochrome outfits).
Whether you want to go with ruffles or fringes, make sure everything well fit. Preferably to choose mini outfits to emphasize your figure and with a skinny belt or waistline to define your natural waist
Make a good balance with your outfits. If you go with pleats – or other detailing – at the top of your outfits then go simple and light at the bottom part of your body.
3. Do not hesitate to get your clothes refitted if they don’t fit you well. Try to choose garments with less detailing since extra fabric adds bulk and can make you look heavier than you really are.
4. If you insist on dressing with ruffles, pleats or layering, go easy on them yet don’t go too plain. Make a good balance and try busy detailing with one-tone color, or colorful details with smaller size and simpler outfit – less accessories and classic cutting. And this also goes for prints and patterns.
Everything is all about balance. If you go with bolder prints opt for a simple outfit, on the contrary, if you choose outfits with more layers and details then choose smaller prints in natural or pastel colors
BE MINDFUL OF PROPORTION
I truly believe you can wear almost anything, as long as it’s the right proportion to your petite frame. Follow a two-thirds-one-third rule. Meaning, wear pants that cover two thirds of your body (high waists) and shirts that cover one-third.
I truly believe you can wear almost anything, as long as it’s the right proportion to your petite frame. Follow a two-thirds-one-third rule. Meaning, wear pants that cover two thirds of your body (high waists) and shirts that cover one-third.
In order to achieve best proportioned clothing to your figure, you have to pay particular attention to where things fall on your body, and this goes for the hem, the waistline, and the sleeves of your outfits.
Cropped pants or trousers can cut short legs in half making the legs look even shorter. Opt for heels to balance the look if you do crop pants and tuck in your tops to give slim-fitting silhouette.
1. When wearing crop pants, for example, to get your best look make sure your pants are not too cropped and that the hem hits the ankle or slightly above ankle area – depending on each personal preference, sometimes anything resembling Capri pants cut short legs awkwardly.
2. Make sure the outfit lengths don’t fall on in the mid-calf region, you should either go super-long (ankle-height or below the ankle), or super-short (knee height or above the knee).
3. Look for skirts or pants that sit higher at your natural waist, or try tucking in your tops and cardigans then adding a belt to emphasize your waist.
4. Two-thirds-one-third rule means you need to define your waistline two-thirds for the lower body part and one-third for the upper part. If you have to split up your body at the center line, opt for belt with a skinny version and wear heels to add height to your lower body part.
On the contrary, if you want to opt for flats or shorter length, choose outfits that sit higher at your natural waist (just below your bust line)
Opt for nowaday’s hottest trend of long skirt. Boho skirts usually finish at the ankle – light and flowy – which are ideal for petite women because they create the illusion of being slender and taller.
5. The tops of sleeves should sit on your shoulder and that the sleeves aren’t too long. When choosing a blazer and jacket, always make sure the seams sit perfectly at the bony tops of your shoulders and that the sleeves hit exactly at your wrist – delicate wrists and soft forearms with three-quarter length sleeves are such a good idea.