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Picking Perfect Clothes For Petite Women

If you’re a shorter woman then you could struggle to find clothes that fit perfectly and suit you. This guide should help you identify what shapes suit shorter women and help you put together a perfectly petite capsule wardrobe.

Trousers

Trousers are known to be one of the trickier fashion issues for petite women, when in fact they can be a problem for women of all heights. Very few of us adhere to a standard leg length, and while some women find it fits them perfectly, many do not.

In terms of choosing the right length trousers it’s important to have at least 2 lengths you go for. One length should fit perfectly with heels and the other with flats. In order to measure your legs perfectly wear the shoes you’re most likely to wear with them and measure from your groin to around an inch off the floor in shoes. This is your ideal inner leg measurement.

You also need to ensure that your trousers fit perfectly everywhere else! Trousers that are too tight or too loose will make you look wider and shorter than you actually are! Low rise trousers and jeans are perfect for shorter women but high waisted ones will cut you in half!

Tops

Tops are a somewhat under discussed part of the petite woman’s wardrobe but everyone’s shape is different. Some petite women may have “standard” length legs but a shorter body and for others it could be the other way around.

Many places now stock shorter length tops made especially for petite women. These can be fantastic as longer tops can drown smaller frames! Like women of any other height you should choose styles that highlight your favourite bits. Go for tops that elongate your frame like V-necks, 3-quarter length sleeves and anything with vertical detailing.

Jackets

If you’re choosing a jacket then there are a couple of lengths that look great on petite women. Cropped jackets that end around your waist will elongate your body and make you appear taller. If you want a more substantial coat then opt for one that ends above the knee. Longer coats and jackets will just make you look shorter.

Again go for vertical detailing for extra length. Long lapels will always appear to add height. If you have a bigger bust then opt for a single-breasted jacket rather than double breasted.

Dresses

When it comes to dresses, length is the most important consideration. Go for dresses that end at or above the knee for a gorgeous, stylish look that makes your legs appear longer and leaner! Stay away from anything that ends at the calf, as this will make you appear much shorter.

Shoes

Most women won’t think of wearing particular shoes to suit your shape but you can enhance your outfit by wearing shoes that suit you. Avoid anything with an ankle strap as it will cut you off. Opt for a heeled shoe (they make you stand straighter as well as adding actual height) that’s open to the ankle or a pair of knee high boots to get maximum height and style!

Colours

Many petite women shy away from bright colours, as they know black makes you look slimmer and taller. However, the same effect can be achieved with just a few subtle changes to alternative colours.

1) Try to continue a theme right through – e.g. Wearing the same accent colour on both your top and bottom half

2) Wearing something in a darker shade and teaming it with a bright feature colour

3) Inject extra colour with funky, bright accessories.

This helpful article was written and distributed by Charlotte Bleasdale on behalf of Marisota – fashionable plus size women’s clothing designed with you in mind.

January 22, 2011Permalink

Searching For the Perfect Petite Women’s Clothing

Are you looking for petite women’s clothing because you have an occasion to attend? Is it a wedding or prom? Or is it a special event that requires a special dress but your being petite hinders you to land that “perfect” dress. If your height is only 5’4″ or below 162cm, finding perfect clothing should never be a problem because there are petite women’s clothing made especially for women of your height!

As the special occasion draws near, one obstacle you have to overcome is to find the ultimate petite women clothing that is suited for the occasion. There are times that the dresses we see in the fashion magazines or at the fashion shows aren’t suited for us. They look so sophisticated because of the person modeling them and we often think that this would not be the same if a petite woman is the one modeling those clothes. No need to feel bad about your height or yourself because there are clothing items that would certainly look good on you and you can find them at petite clothing stores.

People these days only know that petite women have a smaller body frame and are 5’4″ or below; however, what they do not know is that each person has a unique body shape. All of us are different in some kind of way. We have our own shape and distinct style. Thus, finding your exact body shape is not a walk in the park no matter what your size. Actually, there are five different body shapes suited for different types of dresses and petite suits.

The first kind is what we call the Rectangle type which usually has hips that are close to the width of the shoulders, with a small bust and usually no pronounced waistline. This kind of dress emphasizes your waist which creates an optical illusion that would drive the attention to the hips and the shoulders instead of the height of the person wearing it. The next is the diamond body shape. For this shape, the measurement of the waist is more than the shoulders. This kind of dresses usually drapes to the side and are not too wide or too fitted. The third is the Pear shape that displays a wider shoulder and bust. The body shape with shoulders much wider than the hips is called the Triangle shape. Last but not the least is the Hourglass. This shape displays equal size of shoulders and hips and this tends to have a well-defined waist. All these petite body shapes should be matched with the perfect style of clothing so as not to focus more attention on the height.

There are multiple ways and options that are available for petite women. Know your body shape and start your search from there. You can search the Internet or fashion magazines for great styles. Your height and body frame should not stop you from projecting your fashion style and uniqueness because there are petite women’s clothing items that will surely look good on you!

Gavin Cruise was born in New York, his mother encouraged him to write and read and his father was a wealthy business man in real estate. Gavin had the privilege of traveling extensively with his father learning about a wide variety of subjects. He attended Harvard where he majored in English and from the age of 26 Gavin supported himself by freelance writing through all the knowledge gained from traveling. If you would like to read more articles about Gavin Cruise, please visit http://www.women-petite-clothing.com/

January 22, 2011Permalink

Dressing For Your Body Shape – Petite

If you want to always look your best then being aware of your body shape and the types of clothes that suit you is absolutely essential. One of the most common reasons for making clothing mistakes stems from not being aware of what suits your figure or taking advice from someone who doesn’t have your best interests at heart, for example, shop assistants.

No matter what your shape, there are some fundamental guidelines for enhancing and flattering your figure.

Petite women are a special category, and being classed as petite is more than simply being very short. As a petite you are most likely to have a balanced vertical body type, which means that at the hip line, you are almost perfectly divided in half. However, you are also a combination of the following features:

You are under 164cm (5’5″) in height
You are short in the mid-body (from the fullest part of the bust to the waist, and waist to hip)
You are under size 16
You have a small to medium bone structure

Petite women therefore have special requirements when it comes to fashion.

As a true petite, you will look your best in wear specialist petite clothing because these garments have been designed with your particular needs in mind. Petite clothing is cut narrower in the shoulders and shorter in the mid-section. The sleeves, pant legs and skirts are also shorter. This means that they will suit your proportions perfectly and are less likely to need expensive alterations.

As well, petite clothing includes smaller details to suit your smaller height and bone structure. This includes lapel widths, buttons and belts, as well as small scale patterns and jewellery. Anything large or chunky will overwhelm a petite woman.

You can also use vertical design lines to make you appear taller and slimmer. The most powerful vertical line runs down the centre of the body, effectively dividing it in half. Vertical lines like stripes have the most impact on height when they are narrow and placed close together. The wider the stripe and the further apart they are spaced, the less impact they have.

Some petite woman end up choosing clothing from the children’s section. While in terms of size these clothes may fit, it is important for all women that we also choose clothing that suits us as individuals. Petite women want be able to wear feminine, flattering clothing that suits their age, career and lifestyle. It is unlikely that children’s wear will be appropriate.

Simply choosing the smallest size in general women’s fashion and having the lengths altered may work sometimes but not always. The cuts, patterns and details may be too large on a petite woman, and attempting to alter these elements will be expensive, if not impossible.

Good department stores will have a specialist petite section. If you’ve never ventured in before you will be pleasantly surprised at the range and quality of petite clothing available.

Knowing your body shape is crucial. These simple guidelines will help the petite woman to always look and feel her best.

Susan Lockhart is a qualified Image Consultant in Brisbane, Australia and owner of Synergy Image Consulting. Learn how to make the most of your appearance and dress for success, no matter what size, age or shape you are. Discover the most comprehensive personal styling program available online! You could have your own personal style portfolio in just minutes by visiting http://www.synergy.your-estyle.com/

January 22, 2011Permalink

Suits and Work Wear For Small Framed and Petite Women

The biggest (no pun intended) challenge for many petite women is finding business suits and work wear. casual clothing can be a little easier due to the fact that they have the option of going to the j.r. ms. section or in some cases even the children’s section. Professional wear for the petite woman on the other hand can be a little tougher as there aren’t very many designers or brands that create high quality suits in small sizes. “Every thing is just cut way too big” is the most common complaint heard, and any amount of baggy or sloppiness in the fit can be really pronounced on a petite frame.

The petite woman and her tailor

The most important thing for a petite woman to find is a great tailor. It must be accepted that alterations need to be made in order for the clothing to fit just right, so finding a tailor you can communicate well with can make a big difference. think about it most women will go out of their way to find a hair stylist they trust, some one they can build a long term relationship with. The same should be done for the petite woman and her tailor.

To start off it is recommended that you start by looking towards brands that specialize in petites. Banana Republic, Emporio Armani, and Ted Baker for instance all carry a petite section and have some pretty fashion forward yet professional designs. If you are under 5’0″ it can be tougher as you will be limited to strictly petite sizes as no amount of alterations can over come the cut being just too long. If you are 5’1″ and up you have a little more options as most of the “regular” sizes can still be re-cut to a petite. Before you go shopping make sure you talk to your tailor as to the best type of alterations they can make with out compromising the integrity of the design. If all else fails, finding a Tailor the specializes in petite women’s custom suits, is a great way to put together a solid business wardrobe with less hassle.

The best suits for petite women

A suit, whether it be a pant suit or skirt suit, is always a better look for a petite woman then separates. It gives more authority, and since most petite women come across younger than they are a little more air of authority in the work place cant hurt. Its best too look for lighter colors to create a bigger presence, black and other darker colors can be slimming but a little more bulk is something a small framed woman should  welcome. Look for shirred or cap sleeves on blouses and jackets to give the appearance of broader shoulders. This is best only for a small framed petite, avid this if you have a curvier frame or larger arms. Look for jackets that are cropped right at our hip. this gives the illusion of longer legs and height. In the skirt department , straight skirts and pencil skirts will give create more curves. have them altered to the knee to add a little more “height”. Do not go with heels that are too high as it can be some what of an after hours look and better outside of the work place. Opt instead for a mid height heel, which works well with the proportions of a petite women’s suit.

Chris Vance is the senior trends and fashion spotter for Requisite clothing, a custom clothing design house specializing in custom suits, custom shirts, custom tuxedos and sports wear for both men and women.

http://www.requisiteclothing.com

January 21, 2011Permalink

Petite Suits – Check Out Some of the Places You Can Find Petite Women’s Suits This Fall and Winter

The summer just seems to keep hanging around this year, but Fall and Winter are right upon us. The mornings and evenings are starting to get much cooler and the petite women’s closet is going to need a bit of sprucing up as the colder days set in.

Shopping for Petite Suits is not easy, heck; it’s not that straightforward trying to finding women’s business attire period! Here are some resources and a few fashion tips to help you find Petite Women’s Suits that will give you a polished and professional look.

Since many stores are taking on board that they need to cater more to the petite market, some of the guess work is alleviated for you, but just because it’s on the racks doesn’t mean it is going to suit your particular body style.

Petite Business Suit Tips

Most business suits and outfits are going to look sharp and professional, and the stores listed below are going to give you a business savvy image. Just bear in mind that Petite Suits and business attire should not reveal too much skin. Some outfits that you will come across will typically be more suited to taller woman. Don’t go for scoop neck lines, but pick a dress shirt and jacket that buttons up enough to not show too much skin around the neck line. A skirts length should be around knee height, and dress pants should be form fitting and pin-striped for that taller more slender look.

Try to avoid patterned jackets and skirts, and go with solid colors. According to the fashion world camel and gray are the colors for this season which can be paired nicely with copper, golden brown, mahogany, and denim. Wear a nice pair of heeled similar colored shoes to help elongate your appearance, and make sure your jacket falls at or below your hips. Buttoned jacket dresses for petites create an appealing vertical line and professional look.

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Some retails stores and websites to find Petite Business Suits

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Banana Republic

This store has always been good at catering towards petite framed ladies, and business suits are no exception. They have a nice range of lightweight wool suits in charcoal gray navy, and black. They have jackets, blazers, pencil skirts, and straight-legged pant combinations for the modern and stylish look.

Liz Claiborne

The good thing about shopping for Liz Claiborne clothes is that you can not only visit their own branded stores, you can find them in other department stores such as JC Penney and Macy’s. They carry shawl collared suits, which are basically jackets and matching pant combinations. They have two piece twill pant suits, plaid and solid color jackets, and two, three, and four buttoned jackets in various different styles. Selection seems to be the main advantage with Liz Claiborne, with most items being very competitively priced. You can pick up a nice skirt for under $30 at JC Penney!

Appleseed’s

If you prefer to do your shopping online then Appleseed’s has a good selection of petite clothing including business dresses and suits. Prices are going to bit a little higher than some other stores in the mall, but you can find a few more unique items for the mature business woman. They have machine washable jacket dresses in several colors, with the dress portion being short-sleeved which is ideal if you work in a warm office. To accompany your business suit, they sell a wrinkle-free long sleeve dress shirt that comes in your choice of over 20 different colors.

Norm Thompson

They have a fairly wide selection of petite clothing, but not a great selection of business suits. If you are looking for dress pants, you can find plenty of them, and also the occasional blazer, but don’t look to Norm Thompson for a complete selection of business attire. Most of their petite clothing line is more casual, but you can find some nice pants and even smart sweaters to go over an existing business outfit.

For more information on Petite Suits and other unique clothing needs, check out our extensive website. Whether you are shopping for yourself, mom, sister, daughter or anyone else who is looking for Petite Womens Suits, your search is over.

January 21, 2011Permalink