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

Best Tips on Suits and Work Wear For Petite and Curvy Women

Its a hard road ahead for women who are both petite AND curvy. To start with most manufacturers do not cater to petites, let alone curvy and plus size versions of it, making this one of the tougher body types to find clothing for. The challenge lies as much on finding sizes as it does finding the right cut to compliment the body type.

Here are some basic ground rules the things we suggest for this frame:

keep puffy details to a bare minimum
Look for clean straight lines
Find clothes with a lot of seaming details
Do not be afraid to alter clothing, a great tailor or seamstress will be your best friend.

So now lets move on to the specifics of finding a great looking pant suit or skirt suit for your work wear wardrobe if you are a petite and curvy woman.

Look for a subtle and closely set pinstripe fabric: pin stripes have an elongating effect, and the subtle ones wont remind any body of a gangster suit.
Darker and stiffer fabric works better for this body type. This has a very flattering effect.
Find a great tailor or seamstress and speak your mind. The goal with alterations is to have the end result look as close to a custom women’s suit as possible, so finding a tailor first and asking questions as to their ability and what they can and can not alter, before you go shopping can make a big difference.
Proportion is key: Look for a padded jacket in the shoulders, this will give you a balanced silhouette. Do not go over board as the goal of padding for you is to even out the width of you shoulders with your hips.
Look for seaming to give you a slimming effect: clean seaming gives the jacket a structured look and de- emphasizes your natural curves which creates the slimming effect.
Look for a jacket that goes about half way down your hips. This will make your legs look longer with out making your hips look big.
Pencil skirts work best: A-line skirts would add bulk while a straight cut skirt would give a stream lined silhouette.
Pants should be a straight cut leg matched with a pointy toe heel. Again the goal is to have a straight and stream lined look. This cut for petite and curvy women will create an illusion of longer legs.

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 13, 2011Permalink

Formal Dress Suits For Women – Now a Necessity

The variation of the formal dress suits for women is actually patterned from the men’s suits. During the 19th century, women only wore a jacket and a tie over a skirt that was made of uncomfortable and sturdy kind of fabric than everyday dresses. Though it changed, the general style of formal dress suits for women still combines the style of the men’s tailoring simplicity with a more feminine look and taste.

The simplicity in women’s dress during the 19th century made the formal dress suits for women a very popular choice and every woman got one whether she is working or not. This was a very classic choice by that time and was always on sale. This type of suit was also commonly used during traveling or during an afternoon event or even in brisk walking.

This suit was stapled inside a woman wardrobe and during 1900’s, this type of attire came on its own. Even during the constraints happening during the 1930’s, the war made women work more but curtailed dressing events during the evening. Most of the people had no money to buy gowns or had any time to look into specialty stores like petite clothing stores. Even actresses wear formal dresses in the Oscars. After the war was over, the suit still continued to be the attire for women when going to towns and as the clothes we wear became less and less formal, the suits women wore have changed and have become rather uncommon nowadays.

However, a good formal suit is something a woman should have even in these times. These kinds of dresses are commonly seen during weddings, afternoon teas, religious services, or during luncheons. Gloves are worn and even those not blessed with height can be seen wearing hats and petite suits. Some women even wear handbag and shoes, corsage and jewelry to be formal. Others match their hat with a flower to add more style to their attire. Though not that necessary, it looks more appealing – like a Sunday’s formal dress. A formal dress suit is generally not considered appropriate for interview or office wear. Although these suits are distinct from evening dress suits, which may include sequins or rhinestones, they tend to have longer skirts and more detail in the jacket that render them separate from business wear. However, if your office is holding a function in a restaurant or hotel, that might be the perfect occasion for a formal dress suit.

A visit to a quality boutique is sometimes necessary to browse some of the best collections of formal dress suits for women, though you might need some shopping help. You may go to a preferred quality department store for different options because most stores that sell cocktail dresses for women or business suits also offer formal suit dresses for women. Preferably, you should cooperate with a knowledgeable person to help you find the perfect fit and style you need. Of course, don’t forget to try it on and see how you look on these dress suits!

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

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January 13, 2011Permalink