Fashion Fix

What suits a petite lady?

I am petite and I tend to get it wrong when it comes to clothes. What should I be wearing as I am unsure when it comes to stripes and accessories? Thanks Maeve.

Hi Maeve,

When you are petite you can wear pinstripes and verticals as they give the illusion of height and also remember that wearing the same colour bottoms and shoes will help to lengthen your legs. Empire-line dresses are a good choice as they give the illusion of a longer body.

When it comes to accessories choice small delicate accessories and wear the highest shoes you can walk in and feel confident wearing. Also check out the petit ranges available on the High Street - Wallis, Principles, Dorothy Perkins and Minuet Petit in Goods all have a great range of fashionable stock for the petit lady. Happy shopping.

Tops for flat chest

I have a very flat chest. I was wondering what shape tops I could wear to make me look a little bigger? Thanks, Anna.

Hi Anna,

Well you could try a ruched style top as these are gathered across the bust area. Another good shape on you would be an empire-line style which is very popular at the moment. This style is good as the fabric falls under the bust.

High neck tops are more flattering on your shape so try a high neck vest style top with cut away sleeves. And don't forget a good padded bra can work miracles - try one that has the gel filled cushions that will give you a great bust especially when worn underneath t-shirts and v-neck tops. And do take note that most clothes look better worn by flat chested women as they tend to hang better so try on lots of different styles and you have a great choice to choose from. Good
luck!

Hats for petite figures

I am attending a wedding in a few weeks time. I have my outfit and would like to wear a hat but I am small and very slim. Do you think I would look swamped? Thanks for your help. Caroline

Hi Caroline

Yes you could wear a hat but keep it quite simple and delicate and go for a lighter colour as this will help to make you look taller. You could try a feather head piece as an alternative to a hat - they are light and easy to wear. Enjoy the wedding.

Petite Clothing

I find it difficult to find clothes in my size. I am 5ft 2 inches and always end up getting everything altered to fit me correctly, which adds to the expense. The leg length and arms are always too long. Any ideas for me? Marie.

Hi Marie,

The situation with petite clothing is improving and quite a few brands are starting to do separate petite ranges. I had a quick look around Kilkenny and here’s what I found.

Wallis in Market Cross shopping centre has a great selection of day and eveningwear. Their range is aimed at ladies 5ft 2 inches and under and they cater for size 8 up to 18.  I noticed they had a lovely military style jacket in the petite range, just one of the many up to the minute styles they have in stock.

My next visit was to Goods on High Street, and there I checked out Principles on the Ground floor. Their petite range is aimed at ladies 5ft 3 inches and under and comes in sizes 6-16. They have a good selection of separates, great little belted jackets, and skirts you can mix and match.

I didn't have too go far for my next stop. Just across from Principles is Dorothy Perkins and their petite range is for ladies up to 5ft 3 inches and from size 6 to 18. They stock a good selection of trousers which is great because of the problem petites have with leg length.

Directly upstairs on the first floor is Minuet petite range, they cater for ladies up to 5ft 4 inches and again from sizes 8-16.  Definitely worth a look with some lovely suits and eveningwear in stock in great colours.

A lot of ladies may not be familiar with petite clothing or aware of shops that stock the range.  Hope this information is of some help to you. Let me know how you get on and if you find another petite range please let me know.