I'll be honest. I never gave much thought to the plight of the petite until I started my second career as a fashion writer. With my ears now open to the shopping needs of women beyond my own circle of friends, I hear the trials of the petite loud and clear... sometimes when I least expect it.
Most recently, as I was examining my "rear view" in the three-way mirror at one of my fave local boutiques, the salesgirl clued me into her petite plight. While my most pressing issue was whether the Taverniti So or True Religion jeans looked best, glammy petite salesgirl mused about how lucky I am that I can wear TRs off the rack-- no tailoring of the 34" inseam needed. It hit me: being a petite fashionista is tough!
Determined to learn more about finding clothes that are perfect for petites, I invited my favorite petite fashionista on a virtual online shopping date.
Christa Jean of the fabulous fashion blog Petite Fashionista is an expert in all things petite. Standing a mere 5'2", Christa packs a whole lot of style into her tiny little frame. Christa's blog focuses on fashions for fun femmes 5'4" and under, but Christa doesn't stop there. She's also a personal stylist specializing in petite women and even has her own petites clothing line in the works. She's a petites expert if I ever met one! I invited Christa to go virtual shopping in the petites section at Banana Republic and she emerged triumphantly with three fabulous dresses that will see you through the holidays in style. Here's what she found:
Petite Knit Pleatneck Dress
Available at: BananaRepublic.com
"Banana Republic has a wide selection of dresses for the Fall/Winter in petite sizes. I chose three dresses that would cover all of my holiday functions over the next couple months. My first choice is the Cap-Sleeve Knit Pleatneck Dress. The cap sleeves are are flattering because of the angled sleeve. They make your upper arm look slimmer and more toned. I also love this dress for its soft pleats that draw the attention up toward your face, as well as create an elongating effect. The last reason I recommend this dress for petites is the seaming at the natural waist. It creates the illusion of ultra long legs. This is great for work, especially when there's an impromptu invitation for drinks after."
Petite Merino Cable Knit Dress
Available at: BananaRepublic.com
"My second choice is the Merino Wool Cable Knit Dress. This is what you throw on with tights for those cozy family gatherings where there's a lot of eating, playing cards and sitting on the couch. You're still supposed to look festive and pulled together and this will provide the comfort and flexibility of your sweats (well ok, almost). Pair this with any color of opaque tights-- even red would be fun-- and wear it with tall boots or ballet flats."
Petite Puff Sleeve Dress
Available at: BananaRepublic.com
"My third choice is the Silk Puff-Sleeve Dress. You'll need this for the slightly more dressy occasions, like your office party, a special dinner or a cocktail party. The puff sleeves are fun and flirty and the a-line cut leaves a little room for the post family dinner pound(s). This is easy to wear and you'll feel elegant and dressed up with no discomfort."
Click on any photo to link directly to where you can purchase that item, picked by Christa of the fashion blog Petite Fashionista, online. Don't miss any SJ Shops features. Subscribe to Stiletto Jungle and get free updates by e-mail or RSS. Take Stiletto Jungle with you wherever you surf with the Stiletto Jungle Connect Toolbar featuring Google search.
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