The wise Nicole Richie once said “It’s not easy being 5′ 1, there’s an entire world up there that I don’t even know about.” Petites everywhere struggle with problems daily. I used to get so worked up when people called me Tinker Bell, patted me on the head, and reminded me how short I am when I need a chair to reach something. It wasn’t until I saw a pic with all of my friends that I realized “damn girl you really are built smaller than most”. This got me thinking, what does petite really mean? Leave it to Google to have the most vague definition ever.
pe·tite
/pəˈtēt/ adjective
attractively small and dainty (used of a woman).
So I will help break it down for you all in fashion terms. People equate petite with skinny when in reality, petite sizing has nothing to do with weight and has all to do with height. So all of us petites come in many shapes and sizes, hey girl hey!
The fashion and clothing industry services the majority of average sizes (5 ft 4 in) due to cost of production. Because the petite and plus size markets are smaller and more costly, it never made sense to produce plus size or petite size clothing if there wasn’t a critical mass of people to support its sales. Not until recently were there lines made for plus size and petites…and you’re in luck because we’ve already covered our fav curvy brands and petite brands.
Outside of shopping lines specifically made for our body types, there are other ways us petites can style to make the most of our smaller figures. I compiled my top five cost-free petite styling tips to use no matter what size you are.
Tip #1: Aim for high-waisted pants, skirts or jeans
The trick is here we are giving the illusion that your waist is higher than it actually is. By elongating your bottom half, it makes your legs look longer, instantly creating the illusion of height.
Tip #2 : Rock long jackets or coats
Long jackets create a vertical line in any desired color giving a column type of lengthening effect. Long coats work best with heels at least 3 inches high and high-waisted bottoms for that extra elongation.
Tip #3: Try getting comfortable with low neckline tops
Sweetheart, low, off the shoulder, and square necklines change your proportions, creating space above the chest and elongating your neck.
Tip #4: Avoid horizontal stripes, booties, loose fitting clothes, and knee length dresses
It’s not to say these styles or pieces are always unflattering but it’s going to take some extra styling to get these pieces to best flatter our bodies. Horizontal stripes will create an illusion of added wide space which can weigh down our height. Opt for vertical stripes instead. Booties that cut right at your ankle can shorten the look of your legs, especially when paired with knee length dresses (avoid this combo!). Choose knee-high boots or thigh-high boots instead.
DO DON’T
Tip #5: Match your pants and shoes to form a vertical line
Wearing chromatic colors from the waist down creates a column of the same color, forming a longer vertical line. Plus, this is a style hack that just saves styling time and will make you look put together.
How easy were those tips? You don’t need to spend the big bucks to nail a stylish proportion that will flatter your petite frame! These simple hacks can be incorporated in every outfit and you can be sure to look for (or steer clear) of certain silhouettes that won’t be as flattering. Let us know if these tips were helpful in the comment section below!
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