Finding trendy and stylish petite clothing for older women can be tricky, and finding petite plus clothing can be even more so. Today we will take a quick look at how to spot items that flatter your height and figure, but also what to do if the fit is a little off. You can find your body frame size by going
here. This will help you know if you have a small, medium, or large bone structure. This will decide how to dress best for your body type. Smaller boned women will typically want to accentuate different parts of their body than larger boned women. It's good to know what you will be trying to accentuate before you start looking for clothes. When you find the ones you are most confident in, you can start to see how they are accentuating your bone structure. Most larger framed women will need plus sizes, so know that bone structure more than BMI is important for shopping for clothing. The easiest way to shop as a petite is to know what cuts look best on you. If maxi length skirts absorb you, then you know you want to avoid them. Maybe calf length dresses look maxi length on you, so you know when you purchase them they will be the perfect length. Play around in a dressing room or two to find the lengths you like best and feel most confident in. There is no one kind of petite body, so there's no rule book on how to know what will look best on you. Fashion takes a lot of experimentation to find the right look. For now we'll talk about dresses, but pants and coats will be addressed towards the end.
Heels or flats?
Once you know the length you like, the next quick fix for a petite woman is to wear heels with outfits. Not only does this give you more height, but it makes your legs appear longer. This is great if you feel the cut makes your legs look short, or if the skirt is just a bit too long. Know the height of shoe you are comfortable wearing, and go from there. Wardrobe Shop has some
trendy wedges and more
traditional heels, depending what look you are going for. If you have stability issues in heels, go for wedges until you get more comfortable walking, then graduate to
a kitten heel and then
a taller heel.
If you don't like the idea of wearing heels, and want to stick to flats, then you may have to have dresses tailored once you purchase them. This is especially good for petite clothing for older women who may not feel stable in heels any more. When you look for clothes, look for classic petite clothing styles that have clean lines and easy to take in seams. If a piece has large seams that are part of the clothing design, then they will look natural when the waist, shoulders, or hem are taken in. A good example of this style would be dresses by Nataya. Even something as complex as
the Ballerina Tea Party Dress can be easily taken in. The beading has a break toward the bottom, so the ruffles of the over skirt can be easily shifted up by a seamstress without ruining the beautiful design. This is a great petite pin up girl clothing example, because this dress is a bit timeless. With the right adjustments it can look Victorian, Flapper, or even 1950's. Another great example is
the Titanic Dress by Nataya. The under dress can be taken in at the shoulders to make a shorter length dress that retains the unique texture. A good example of nice hems for taking in a waist are shown in
the Enchanting Ivy Dress by Nataya. The bold lines are part of the dress, but also make it easy for a seamstress to cinch in the waist to fit ladies who have more curve to their figure than the model.
How to look for the right proportions
Looking for a jacket that will flatter the shorter physique is hard, especially when you like the longer jacket look.
The Velvet Empire Waist Jacket by Nataya has the perfect cut to both flatter your figure and give you some length. The slanted shape gives the look of a short jacket in the front, and a waistline that can be easily tailored; however the back of the jacket gives the longer length that looks so beautiful with dresses and jeans. The crushed velvet gives nice texture, and the asymmetrical lines throughout the waist area make any waist size look smaller and more defined. Another jacket that would be easy to tailor and will look good on petites is
the Romantic Embroidered Jacket by Nataya. This cut will look amazing on the straight and the curvy body alike. Simply add accessories like a belt to cinch the waist, or go permanent by taking it in. The simplistic design is perfect for layering and not detracting from other pieces. And if you love long jackets, then you're lucky enough wear a mid-length one, that will not only be slightly less expensive, but also look great on you! Pants are tricky for almost everyone, but the petite will have an especially hard time. The best idea for pants is always to find the ones that fit you in the waist and butt, then have them hemmed to the correct length.
Vintage Palazzo Pants by Nataya are perfect for hemming, as they have a large hem to begin with. These are easy to take to a tailor, or even hem yourself since the lines are so clean. They also look excellent with heels if you would rather not alter them, they are basically ideal for the petite woman. Hopefully this got your creativity flowing. Remember that the best trendy fashions are the fashions you feel beautiful in. Pick pieces that you know you'll love wearing, and you'll always look your best.
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