Top Ten Style Tips for Petites

If you've ever embarked on a shopping spree, only to find yourself overwhelmed with all the cuts, colors and patterns on the racks, you need this handy list of style tips to help you find the best clothes for your petite frame.

1. Dress head-to-toe in one color. While monochromatic may seem boring, mix it up with patterns and shades. If you're going for a slimming effect, try dark colors such as navy, plum, burgundy or emerald.
2. Wear fitted clothing. The tailor is your best friend. Also, look for garments that are semi-fitted rather than tight-fitting to achieve the best possible look!
3. Pick vertical stripes. No, they won't make you look like a referee, unless they are thick and black. You don't even need actual stripes to elongate you--seams will do the trick.
4. Choose V-neck tops over boatneck or crewneck. The latter make you look shorter.
5. Wear high heels. This is a no-brainer, obviously. Make sure to avoid strapped pairs, however.
6. Texture isn't your friend. Unless you want to appear wider, choose thinner knits.
7. Skip the huge bags. Bigger isn't always better, as gigantic handbags can overwhelm you visually.
8. Minis = no-no. If you have short legs, miniskirts don't do any favors for your figure.
9. Narrow belts are your best option to create a waist. If you already have a well-defined one, then avoid the belt completely. Otherwise, make sure they match your outfit.
10. Follow the straight and narrow...when it comes to pants. And bypass cuffs and pleats.

Attention: Sales At Stores NOW!

Like always, the fashion world is one step ahead of the rest of us...especially when it comes to sales!
Long before fall has ended (or even begins, for that matter), stores such as Hollister are already putting their autumn styles on clearance. Despite the weirdness of it, it is very beneficial to you, the consumer, because you get the chance to buy up the warm layers you'll need for the upcoming season at a lower price, than, say, in July, when the fall apparel first arrived (crazy, I know).
So make sure you swing by your local Hollister store or the website for great steals on capris ($9.90), graphic tees ($9.90-$18.90), sweaters ($29.90), tanks & camis ($9.90-$19.90) and dresses ($19.90-$29.90).

Secrets of the Effortlessly Pretty Petites

Most people know Vanessa Hudgens from her High School Musical fame, but she is also a rising star in the recent movie, "Bandslam". But did you know that she (along with her other female HSM co-stars) is considered petite, at about 5'2 (Ashley Tisdale is 5'3 and Monique Coleman is also about 5'2)?

Of course, as all petite women know, petite doesn't mean you have to dress like a little kid. In the October 2009 issue of Seventeen magazine, Vanessa is featured in the "Make Your Body Look Hot" article, showcasing three different celebrities with three different body types.

The three tips from Vanessa's stylist are: 1) Wear your clothes a little loose to fill you out but not too baggy to make you look like you're swimming in them; 2) If you want to wear ballet flats, you can, but make sure you pair them with skinny jeans that hit at the ankle to look taller; 3) Combine short shorts or a mini with tall (but not above the knee) boots to make your legs look longer.

With these tips in mind, go out and have a great day in the petite fashion world!

Don't Forget About Our Little Sister

In case you haven't heard, Apparel Addiction has a "baby sister" blog: Petite A La Mode (http://www.petitealamode.blogspot.com/). It's a blog specifically for women who are under 5'4, who don't fit into the 'normal' sizes at clothing stores. Please check it out if you haven't already--even if you're not petite. The blog offers style tips and petite celebrity fashions, as well as any petite-size-related articles. Enjoy and have a great day!

Mini Models?

Have you ever wanted to be a model? I know I have, but of course, at my size, it's impossible. Maybe you've thought the exact same thing--that if you're petite, you can't possibly model--right?
Some modeling agencies do take smaller women for models, however. It's likely that Chanel won't be calling you any time soon to arrange a shoot, but you can definitely break into the biz. Most petite models do not get to wear all the high-fashion designer pieces and walk down a runway, but instead have pictures taken of just their face, hands or feet, because the modeling industry is so uptight about height.
To get in, you don't have to have a great body--just a cute face; straight, white teeth; and clear, smooth skin. First, you must get a professional evaluation to see if you have what it takes to be successful in a very looks-oriented business. And if you aren't right for a particular agency, don't despair. You may always be able to find a job in a few months, because of the fast-paced changes in the industry. And if you search for months and get nothing? Try to be happy with who you are, because after all, hardly anyone is meant to be a model.

Best-Dressed Petite Celebs

When you hear the words "petite celebrities", what image comes into your head? Tiny women dressed to the nines in perfectly-tailored outfits? Or a teenage girl who only wears baggy clothes that hide her frame? Or maybe adult females who end up looking like little girls because that's all that fits them? Like normal petite women, petite celebrities have just as hard a time finding clothes that look great, so sometimes, the tabloids portray them as "fashion disasters" when they don't look as fabulous as they usually do. Everyone has their 'off' days--when they don't look put-together, but these petite celebrities look amazing in almost anything!

 

Confessions Of A Shopaholic: Fashion Reality Or Sad Hollywood Portrayal?

Even though "Confessions of a Shopaholic" burst onto the big screen in February of this year, fashion-obsessed people all over are still watching it for the first time.
So just a heads-up if you haven't seen it--I wouldn't recommend it. "Oh sure," you say, "It's all about clothes so I just have to watch it!" But a lot of it isn't very realistic.
Rebecca Bloomwood, the warm-hearted main character (played by the lovable-but-often-portrays-crazy-characters Isla Fisher) is literally addicted to shopping. She doesn't just check out the local boutiques once a month...she seems to rack up debt with every passing day. So much so that her new job at a savings magazine (can you say irony?) can't pay for her expenses and a debt collector is constantly following her around. Even though this movie is meant to be a comedy, we as the viewers can still see that 'Becky' needs some professional help.
Here's where the weirdness comes in. Everytime Becky sees something in a store window she loves but is wondering if she should buy, the mannequins become personified and easily convince her that she deserves those Prada pumps. I don't know about you, but this screams "Help this woman!" Sure, it's a movie, but couldn't a grown woman at least defend herself a little better in front of pieces of molded plastic wearing ridiculously expensive clothing?
The thing is, even though we know we should feel sorry for Becky because she is so obsessed with shopping and it practically ruins her life, but the movie is so random that we can't. It doesn't focus enough on the clothes, which is what draws most viewers to the movie, and instead moves quickly from one scene to the next, never allowing us to get to know the main characters and have an opinion about them.
Some of the outfits are a little over the top (exhibit A: a pink bridesmaid dress and a dalmation-style faux fur wrap) but this is New York, of course, the land of unattainable, downright strange fashion.
And that's what makes me glad I live in suburbia, where I can easily find relatively-affordable clothes that I love. Not to mention I don't have to keep a credit card encased in a block of ice...