Fashion Lesson #4 Petite Proportion

By special request, I will be discussing the Petite woman today.  I started this post with the intention of covering both Petite and Hourglass shapes, but I would be doing both of these figure variations a disservice by cramming them into one post.  Therefore, I will be discussing Hourglass next week.  (Sorry IndianRose.)

So who is the Petite woman?  To be in this club, you must be under 5’4.  Some of her fashion wishes may be finding clothes that fit, looking taller and finding apparel that is age appropriate (no one wants to dress from the girls section).

Let’s start with the Do’s:

• When wearing a print, DO go for one from smaller variety. Smaller prints lend better proportion.
• To aid in the illusion of making yourself look taller, DO choose a pinstripe suit. 
• DO buy a skirt that hits no lower than above the knee.  Anything longer will make you look shorter.
• DO look for tops that are no longer than your hip. 
• DO choose shoes with a pointed toe to lengthen the look of your legs.
• If you wear a floor length dress, DO pick one with an Empire waist (a high waist line that sets just below the bust and has a straight line to the hem).

Universal tip:  You want to create visual proportion where you break your body up into two or three segments depending on what style of clothes you are wearing.

For example, if you are wearing a top and jeans, these two segments should be in proportion to one another.  For the Petite woman, a long top and short pants will make the two segments disproportionate.  Where as if she wore a top that hit above her hip as I mentioned previously, and long pants, the two segments are in proportion.  Our goal of making her look taller is achieved.

With the three segment example, you have a top, skirt and your legs.  You want to follow the same rule for the top, the skirt should be above the knee and that leaves your legs along with a pair of pointed pumps to balance out your body line.

Now here is what you shouldn’t do:

• Don’t wear cropped pants. The same goes for pants with a cuff. This will make our lower half look shorter.  The key is adding length.
• Don’t wear shirts that go longer than your tush. Above or at the hip will suit you best.
• Don’t wear large prints, they will overwhelm your size.
• Don’t wear ankle strap shoes. It will cut off the length of your leg.
• Don’t wear clothes that are too big or long for you. A good tailor is a must!

Before I provide my showcase choices for this figure, I found a good illustration of my Do vs. Don’t when it comes to pattern.

Look at this dress, the pattern is overwhelming her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now look at this smaller print, they are the same length, but the print is more in proportion to her size.

*By the way, I found both of these dresses in the Petite section at the Nordstrom site.

 

 

 

 

Here are some choices that would be well suited for a petite woman.

Click on the image to purchase the items.

  

 

Next week I will go over the Hourglass shape.  If there are any figure variations (I never call them flaws, ), let me know and I will be glad to include them in a post.  Please let me know what you think, leave a comment!