petite fashion scene

With the recent release of the Sex and the City movie, we’re going to focus today’s Celebriday on one of the film’s stars, Sarah Jessica Parker. Please tell me I’m not the only one who remembers her from her Square Pegs days! Boy, talk about coming a long way.

Personally, I like the wavy/curly hair look on SJP. I think this is a good length for her, but I also like her hair a little shorter. She’s in amazing shape, which helps to elongate her body. Unless she’s standing next to one of the film’s taller actresses, like Kim Cattrall, you can almost forget Sarah is petite. That’s because Sarah really knows how to dress and accent her best parts while not emphasizing anything negative (though, I have trouble finding any problem areas). Case in point–keeping the jewelry to a minimum with a strapless dress like this.

If you see Sex and the City this weekend, tell me what you think!

Photo: celebrity wonder

Contrary to popular belief in some circles, petite women come in a range of sizes, not just size 2. What’s a plus size lady to do when other people equate the term “petite” with “waif”? Find shops that cater to your particular size, of course.

Avenue, which has long supplied women sized 14-32 with fashionable clothing, offers pants in Tall and Petite categories. Look into their Petite line and you’ll find jeans, trousers, yoga pants and work slacks, all with a shorter inseam to accomodate your frame.

The Meredith Trouser pictured is available in several colors (grey, cement, expresso; latte only in average length) and is a great, basic, no nonsense pair of pants, perfect for the office.

Photo: avenue  

Well, it’s hot enough to feel like summer already, at least where I live, so that means Swimsuit Season is upon us. Even though swimsuits are barely-there items of clothing, petite women can choose swimwear that makes us look taller.

Although I love boy shorts because they’re perfect for hiding not-so-perfect hips and thighs, they’re not the most flattering bathing suit bottom for us. The tried-and-true high cut bottom really is best. Also, the top you pick is important if you want to elongate your frame.

I like the halter top because the V-neck is automatically your friend; plus, if you don’t have a whole lot on top, halters can create the illusion of a fuller bust more than a bandeau top or a triangle.

One piece suits also work, but make sure you choose one with minimal print or vertical stripes. A suit with one solid stripe straight up the middle would work great.

Time to choose your new suits for the season, ladies. What’ll it be for you?    

I have to admit, I’m a bit of a stickler when it comes to undergarments. And when I say undergarments, I mean exactly that. They should remain under your clothes and not be seen (trashy celebrity trends aside). The thing is, with all of our options in fashion, you sometimes need a lot of underwear. Certain bras just aren’t for certain tops.

Wearing a close-fitting tee? Then you need the right bra. A lacy, frilly demi-cup just isn’t going to do. Instead, try the Essential T-shirt bra from Lula Lu lingerie. If you’re not familiar with Lula Lu, this a lingerie company perfect for petites. I know every petite woman isn’t small-busted or tiny, but if you are and you have a difficult time finding bras in a smaller size, you really need to check them out.

This particular bra, which will ensure a smooth line under any tee, comes in a range of sizes starting at 30A (try and find that size in Victoria’s Secret). Look into the other offerings at the site if you want something grown-up and sexy, which you won’t find in the Training Bra section.       

Photo: Lula Lu

Our second Celebriday features Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria, who stands a petite 5′1 or 5′2, depending on which profile you’re reading. Does that one inch matter? Not when you’re this stunning.

This dress really works for Eva and would for any petite women with similar shapes. The deep V-neck is almost universally flattering, the skirt hem hits in the perfect spot and the wide band around the waist accentuates it while not cutting her body in half because it’s the same color as the rest of the dress. Add to that the beautiful flower detail and this is one dress I’d love to own.

The shoes are another perfect pick. They complement the dress, but the light color (almost nude) adds to the lengthening effect. Plus, the toe is more on the pointy side. Either go with the pointy toe shoe for maximum size or something close to it. Great styling job, Eva!

Photo: celebrity wonder

If you want to make sure you get petite clothes that fit you and fit you perfectly, you have to check out Moi-Meme. There aren’t that many designers and collections geared specifically toward the petite woman; anytime I find a new one, I get pretty excited. Imagine having custom-tailored clothes just for you.

The New York City-based company offers clothes for a variety of body types, including tall, full chested or hip and thigh heavy, but it’s the petite collection that interests me most (of course).  

If you’re a professional, finding clothes for the office that aren’t drop dead dull or too cute for words can be difficult, but Moi-Meme is trying to change that. Check out the Cape Town Pant or the Singapore Shift Dress. You can accessorize these outfits in any number of ways. Wear the slacks with a fitted shirt and blazer for the office and slip the jacket off for after-work Happy Hours. The shift dress can also go underneath a sharp jacket; you have a lot of jewelry options with it. You can go with pearls or something bold and chunky if you want to give your look a little edgy appeal.

If you live in the New York area (or travel there), you can make an appointment for a custom fitting. As with all custom-tailored clothes, the prices are on the higher side, but really not much more (sometimes less) than what you’ll find in a high-end department store like Saks. Plus, these clothes are made specifically for you, so that definitely makes it worth it.    

I don’t know about you, but I have the hardest time finding jeans that I (a) love and (b) really fit me. I think part of my problem is, when I say “really fit me,” I mean “make me look taller and slimmer, sort of like Gisele Bundchen.” Okay, those jeans do not exist, but you get my drift, right?

At this point, I’m happy if I can find jeans that aren’t so lowcut that even my lowest lowcut underwear still show if I’m not careful about bending over. Plus, the higher waist just helps us petites look taller, so here are Not Your Daughter’s Jeans, made to flatter the petite frame.

I like the color and the very slight flare at the bottom. Very dramatic boot cuts don’t work for us, but this flare is subtle, so it’s not going to look ridiculous. When wearing pants that flare at the bottom, make sure to wear heels. They don’t have to be incredibly high, but they do a much better job of balancing your look. When you wear flats with the flared pants, you can look pretty short. And if you’re interested in dressing “taller,” you don’t want that.

Photo and jeans via Zappos

I spotted these Christin Michaels Abrienda earrings today and fell in love. Petite women often hear that our jewelry should be small and dainty, yadda yadda yadda, but I like it when we can mix it up a little and sport something bigger for a change. Even so, these earrings aren’t huge and the dangle style helps with the whole enlongation issue.

Plus, they’re just different. Amethyst and Carnelian combine in a funky color duo that’s beyond ordinary. I can see wearing these with denim or with a summer dress that has orange accents in it that pull out the color in the earrings. The sterling silver keeps it classic and doesn’t overpower as well.

Delicate jewelry is nice, but for something with a bit more wow to it, these earrings can certainly fit the bill.  

In a word, no. I think that petite women read and hear so much fashion advice that always says, “wear this to look taller” and “don’t wear this–it’ll only make you look short.” It’s almost like we have to carry around a Fashion Rule Book and adhere to it, lest we appear petite!

Face it, we are petite. And for every short woman out there wishing she had five more inches on her height, there’s a 6′0 beauty wanting to give her 5″ away. That’s the beauty of the world–we’re all different.

You can either come to accept that you’re just not going to grow any more or pout about it the rest of your life. I’ve had to accept it and to that end, I don’t wear high heels every day, I don’t always dress monochromatically and I sometimes even (gasp) wear horizontal stripes!

Don’t feel you have to succumb to the “rules” all the time. While the rules are nice to know and often very helpful, don’t forego a favorite outfit because a magazine tells you it’s not your best look. If you love it, if you’re comfortable in it and if people tell you that you look darling in it, then by all means wear it.

I’m launching a new category here at Petite Fashion Scene called Celebriday. I’m trying to keep it upbeat and lively and thought a Friday focus on petite celebrities would be a good way to close out my week and kick off the weekend.

I’ve been surprised to find out that some celebs were petite since they portray such a larger-than-life onscreen image. It’s nice to find out that some women I thought were Amazons are actually just a few inches taller than I am.

Our first Celebriday focuses on actress Natalie Portman.

 I love how Natalie is young, but also seems to have her head on perfectly straight. You don’t see her plastered all over headlines with embarrassing stories attached. Plus, the girl can dress.

She really seems to know what works for her body type. She’s got a perfectly petite frame, so she wears form-fitting clothes that veer toward classic in style and shape. Plus, she pulls it off in a non-pretentious way.

While I know that a gamine hair cut like the one she’s sporting in this photo is practically written in the Petite Book of Rules, I prefer her with a longer ‘do. I’ve seen her in a multitude of hairstyles and this super short one seems to age her, while on Halle Berry, the pixie cut brings out her spectacular face in the best way. 

Still, Natalie is one of my favorites. She’s a stellar actress and a class act. 

Photo: celebrity wonder