Style for Petites & the 5'4" & Under Set, Part 2

We're back with more on how to dress if you're petite or short (under 5'4")! Last time we talked about how to wear skinny jeans, boots, and ballet flats, based on some questions that Brittany emailed me. There were a few other things she'd asked about as well:

Wearing Stripes: Brittany wrote, "Shirts with horizontal stripes just feel like they cut my size even more."

(via Pinterest)

• Horizontal stripes can be generally hard to wear as a petite, but a good rule of thumb is to match the width of the stripe with your body size/height. So if you're a taller or medium build, you can get away with medium-width stripes. If you're short or petite, stick to thin, small stripes that are closer together.
• Try wearing stripes in monochromatic colors (like a gray/black, or two varying shades of the same color), to minimize the "cut off" effect (you want to keep your look as streamlined as possible, and not chop yourself into shirt, pants, & shoes chunks). 
• Wearing vertical stripes instead of horizontal is another chic option, and will elongate your torso.

Wearing Layers: Brittany asked, "How do you layer without looking bulky? Especially since I'm not a stick thin petite."

(via French Voguettes)

• Work with light and/or close-fitting layers: Don't stack chunky fabrics on chunky fabrics. Go for light knits, jersey, canvas, linen, etc. If you want to wear something like a cable-knit sweater, keep your outfit simple and don't feel the need to layer it. Pair chunkier textured tops with skinny pants.
• Avoid the bulk created by over-sized clothes. Keep the pieces you want to layer as close-fitting and sleek as is becoming to your shape. Clothes that are baggy, slouchy, or use a lot of fabric aren't best for layering when you're shorter, or for petites in general, since they can tend to drown you and overwhelm your size (maxi dresses can be the exception! See below!).

From Mindy: Layering gives more shape, dimension (height/depth) to a petite frame that may not normally be there. For example, when I asked Casey about keeping a jean jacket a few months ago, one suggestion she made was to pair it with a maxi-dress. I've never been the biggest fan of maxi dresses because I drown in them. But, I thought, what the heck, I'll try it. Because my jean jacket was cropped (which is actually not so cropped on me with my short waist), it really worked well together. The jacket framed my body better, so it wasn't so obvious that dress was boxy. So, something like a maxi-dress that normally wouldn't be the first choice for a petite frame can work by incorporating it with a layer, jacket, or another style.

From Jenevieve: I think the biggest thing for me when layering is to try and keep the longest layer shorter than or right at the bottom of my hip joint, where it meets the top of my thigh. Unless I am wearing leggings with a tunic style top, shorter is better because it elongates my legs. Layers also add more visual interest and details, so I try to do a good bit of that (blouses and sweaters, casual tees and blazers, etc.). I mean, us petite girls need to be seen, right? ;)

We've got a just a bit more to cover... Part 3 is coming soon!