First things first when it comes to petites–it’s not a “fits all” category. Petite refers to a size, not a shape so you’ll still need to follow the tips for your body type (look for them above in the “Dressing for Your Body” tab) and then follow the petite dressing tips shown below:

1. Make BFFs with a tailor. If you find it difficult to find great pieces off the rack (many of us can’t) a tailor can easily alter those items so that they fit you perfectly.

2. High heels are a good, but not the only way, to add visual height. Platforms are great for those who wobble in heels because they offer more of a flat structure to walk on. If you want to wear a flat, go for something minimal that either matches your skin tone or the color of your bottom (skirt, pants, etc.).

3. Be mindful of how you use color: dressing in one color has a very elongating effect on your body, but isn’t the only way to get visual length. Nude pantyhose and nude shoes also have a similar elongating effect on the legs. The more of your legs you show, the longer your legs look. And the longer your legs look, the taller and slimmer you will appear. Understand that wearing monochromatic colors on your bottom half have a similar effect of “showing more leg”.

4. Vertical lines are slimming as well as elongating. Try to create a vertical line in your dressing wherever possible. Horizontal lines are widening and shortening. Try to avoid them below the waist line (i.e. never tuck your jeans into a pair of tall boots–doing so forms a horizontal line at the knees that cuts your legs off and makes you look shorter and wider). Avoid skirts that are more than about 2″ below the knee (unless they’re floor length) as they shorten the frame. Also avoid wearing capri pants with anything but a strappy sandal. Pair a capri pant with sneakers or worse ankle boots and prepare to lose nearly 4 inches of visual length.

5. Understand scale. Since your features are likely on the smaller side, your accessories should also be on the smaller side so they don’t overpower your frame. An oversized bag may be stylish, but it can swallow a petite. When choosing prints (like polka dots or stripes) go for those on a smaller scale.

6. Look your age. If you’re a petite who often feels like your frame makes you look a lot younger than you actually are, be sure your clothing is always perfectly tailored. The quickest way to look like you’re playing in mommy’s wardrobe is to wear a garment that is too big or too long for you. Also steer clear of wearing too much of soft colors like pink, yellow, and baby blue. Darker clothes exude more sophistication than their lighter counterparts. Play around with accessories like dramatic sunglasses (think Jackie O) and to-scale statement bags. Avoid “kiddie” articles like sneakers (unless you’re at the gym).

Check out some cool looks that come in petite sizes–remember, you still need to follow the rules for your body type.

A coat is definitely the winter item you want to splurge on since you can make quite a fashion statement with one (yet be totally dressed like a bum underneath it). But if you don’t choose the right coat, you’ll be giving off the statement of ‘I don’t care how I look’.

Let’s dig in….

Petite:
Please note that Petite is a special size not a body type so you will still need to pay attention to the other tips for your body type and then scale them down for your frame. The ideal coat length is anything above the knee. You want to show as much “leg” as possible to appear long and lean (you can also achieve this by wearing shoes and pants in the same color). Go for bold colored solids and avoid very large prints that will swallow your frame.

George Simonton Studio Convertible Stand Collar Jacket

Big Breasts:
Wrap coats work best on a large chest. The diagonal line created by the wrap helps to minimize the bust. Avoid jackets with big buttons or prints on the bust line.

Andrew Marc ‘Kelsey’ Double Breasted Cape Coat

Plus-Size:
Always remember plus-size is not a one size fits all category (i.e. you can be plus size and petite, plus size and have a boyish frame, etc). Follow the tips for the other body types, but since you’re plus-size, be sure to go for coats that hug your frame as opposed to trying to hide your body in an oversized coat. Be bold with color and make sure any details are to scale (i.e. small prints on a plus-size frame will make the body seem larger).

Gallery ‘Tapestry’ Walking Coat (Plus)

Long Torso:
If your torso is noticeably longer than your legs, you’ll need a coat with an empire waist to help visually shorten your torso and lengthen your gams. Wearing bottoms and shoes that are the same color will further help to elongate your legs.

Jessica Simpson Double Flap Pocket Coat

Short Torso:
If your torso is noticeably shorter than your legs, grab a coat that has detailing that sits lower on the waist to help balance out your frame.

Calvin Klein Double Breasted Walking Coat

Boyish Frame:
To visually add curves to a boyish frame, go for a form-fitting coat with extra detailing. Excess material and details like pockets on the hip area will help give the appearance of curves.

Mackage Stand Collar Jacquard Walking Coat

Maternity:
A-line and wrap coats are ideal to keep your baby bump warm and chic.

Kristen Blake A-Line Topper

If you want your booty to look great:

Pocket placement and design is key. Look for pockets (or designs) that are large, spaced out, and are placed somewhat on an angle. This will give the appearance of a more shapely booty. Avoid small pockets that are placed too close together.

If you have thick thighs:

Look for boot-cut, flare, or wide leg styles which all help to even out your shape in a dark denim rinse. Avoid jeans with whiskering in the thigh area which will only make thighs appear larger. Skinny jeans, while not impossible, are difficult to help flatter this figure. Unless of course you like to emphasis the size of your thighs.

If you’re petite:

Keep in mind that while this is a special size, you still need to pay attention to your overall shape (i.e. petite with a boyish frame, petite with thick thighs, petite and plus-size). Look for jeans with a shorter inseam.

If you’re plus size:

Like petite, while this is a special size, you still need to pay attention to your overall body type. Not all plus-sizes are the same shape. Follow the advise for the other shapes throughout this guide, but look for jeans that come in your size.

If you’re pregnant:

Just because you’re with child, doesn’t mean style goes out the window. Gone are the days where sweats seemed like the only option for expecting mothers. Just remember to keep in mind that you’re overall shape still factors in with maternity jeans.

If you have a boyish shape:

Look for skinny and straight leg styles which will hug the body and create curves. Also look for whiserking, pronounced leg seems, and detailed pockets which will all help to create curves for your frame.

If you’re tall:

Look for tips on your overall shape in this guide and then look for jeans that have 34? inseam or longer. Lucky for us tall drinks of water, many designer jeans come with long inseams by default.

Rock & Republic jeans normally have inseams of 34? and up, perfect for long-legged vixens. Old Navy also carries many of their regular jeans line in tall sizes. Online retailer Alloy has jeans in inseams up to 37″!

Not just for keeping your pants from falling off your waist, belts are multi-function, coveted fashion accessories. However, when done wrong a belt can make even those with good intentions look like a squeezed tube of Pillsbury biscuits (yikes!). So how do you wear a belt without looking like the Michelin Tire Man? I’ve compiled some style tips on how to wear a belt the right way. Read on!

1. Scale. First things first, scale is SUPER important to understand when it comes to wearing a belt. Generally, the larger your frame, the larger the belt. A super big and too-wide belt will drown a petite frame while a very thin skinny belt can add unnecessary visual poundage to a plus-size frame.

2. Positioning. Where you place your belt is also very important or you can risk looking a lot larger than you intended. Avoid placing a belt on the widest part of your body. The horizontal line belts form make anything placed on it appear bigger and wider.

To balance out a body with a short torso, place your belt lower on the body to give some visual balance. For a long torso, place the belt higher on the body to give the appearance of a balanced frame. The “ideal” shape to go for is the hourglass shape (shoulders and hips in proportion to a defined waist).

Also ladies, please, if you have ample sized breasts, avoid putting a wide belt directly underneath them.

3. Styling. There are times when adding a belt to an outfit is overkill. The idea is to keep your look balanced so the eye grazes over it easy as opposed to having too many things for the eye to focus on. For instance, if you’re wearing long, detailed earrings, it’s safe to say to nix the belt or vice versa. Also avoid being too matchy-matchy: red earrings with a red belt and red bracelets is overkill! Your belt also need not match your shoes, they just need to agree (i.e. complementary colors)

I’ve been like the girl who hesitates to jump in the double dutch rope when it came to writing this post. The crazy weather we’ve been having (70 degrees one day, 30 degrees the next) made it difficult to decipher whether or not we were having an early winter or a late summer! I finally jumped in the rope (20 points to whoever can name some of the different “jumps” involved in double dutch) and here I am breaking down winter coats to check out for your body type. A coat is definitely the winter item you want to splurge on since you can make quite a fashion statement with one (yet be totally dressed like a bum underneath it). But if you don’t choose the right coat, you’ll be giving off the statement of ‘I don’t care how I look’.

Let’s dig in….

Petite:
Please note that Petite is a special size not a body type so you will still need to pay attention to the other tips for your body type and then scale them down for your frame. The ideal coat length is anything above the knee. You want to show as much “leg” as possible to appear long and lean (you can also achieve this by wearing shoes and pants in the same color). Go for bold colored solids and avoid very large prints that will swallow your frame.

George Simonton Studio Convertible Stand Collar Jacket

Big Breasts:
Wrap coats work best on a large chest. The diagonal line created by the wrap helps to minimize the bust. Avoid jackets with big buttons or prints on the bust line.

Andrew Marc ‘Kelsey’ Double Breasted Cape Coat

Plus-Size:
Always remember plus-size is not a one size fits all category (i.e. you can be plus size and petite, plus size and have a boyish frame, etc). Follow the tips for the other body types, but since you’re plus-size, be sure to go for coats that hug your frame as opposed to trying to hide your body in an oversized coat. Be bold with color and make sure any details are to scale (i.e. small prints on a plus-size frame will make the body seem larger).

Gallery ‘Tapestry’ Walking Coat (Plus)

Long Torso:
If your torso is noticeably longer than your legs, you’ll need a coat with an empire waist to help visually shorten your torso and lengthen your gams. Wearing bottoms and shoes that are the same color will further help to elongate your legs.

Jessica Simpson Double Flap Pocket Coat

Short Torso:
If your torso is noticeably shorter than your legs, grab a coat that has detailing that sits lower on the waist to help balance out your frame.

Calvin Klein Double Breasted Walking Coat

Boyish Frame:
To visually add curves to a boyish frame, go for a form-fitting coat with extra detailing. Excess material and details like pockets on the hip area will help give the appearance of curves.

Mackage Stand Collar Jacquard Walking Coat

Maternity:
A-line and wrap coats are ideal to keep your baby bump warm and chic.

Kristen Blake A-Line Topper