As You Like It
Proponent of Plaid
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2004
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Well, I am going to reference my old boss's wardrobe for you because she had a similar figure to yours and always dressed absolutely stylishly and flatteringly.
As regards the trousers--no cuffs. Cuffs visually shorten the legs. Cuffed jeans can look cute, though juvenile, for casual wear, but cuffed dress slacks frequently make the wearer look stumpy and dumpy. Slim-ish fitting straight-leg trousers will probably be your best bet, though if you have the right type of top or jacket, wider legged trousers can be very cute and comfortable. If you go for wide legged trousers, make sure they break over the top of your shoe, even if it means you have to grade the back hem so you don't step on it. This also visually lengthens the legs.
With the jackets, be sure to shop in the petite deepartment. I know this is kind of a "no duh" piece of advice, but some stores are laid out weirdly and you don't know for sure which area is which. A jacket from the petite department will be proportioned to a shorter figure and won't hit your thigh as you had mentioned and the waist curve will hit where your waist is. I'd suggest waist-length or cropped jackets, which can look very cute on a curvy figure, with a slim-fitting top underneath.
For skirt length, the ankle-length can look way cute. For shorter skirts, usually 1-2" above the knee is a good length. Depending on the cut of the skirt, however, tea-length can be pretty cute, too.
For the businessy suit, black is good, but if you do want to go for a color, navy or grey would be fine, just see which looks best on you. I look sickening in navy, so I would opt for the grey myself, but if you look good in cool colors, then the navy may be your best choice ever!
Definitely check out the petite departments of your favorite shops, and there are some shops geared toward shorter women. Most of the stuff in Petite Sophisticate is awfully middle-aged, but you will find some good basics there which you can dress up or down.
Don't worry about looking like a grown-up. It isn't the end of the world, and there are actually some really sharp suits out there once you get a chance to look and decide what your style is. Also, once you settle into a job, you may find the dress code is fairly flexible. Best of luck to you!
As regards the trousers--no cuffs. Cuffs visually shorten the legs. Cuffed jeans can look cute, though juvenile, for casual wear, but cuffed dress slacks frequently make the wearer look stumpy and dumpy. Slim-ish fitting straight-leg trousers will probably be your best bet, though if you have the right type of top or jacket, wider legged trousers can be very cute and comfortable. If you go for wide legged trousers, make sure they break over the top of your shoe, even if it means you have to grade the back hem so you don't step on it. This also visually lengthens the legs.
With the jackets, be sure to shop in the petite deepartment. I know this is kind of a "no duh" piece of advice, but some stores are laid out weirdly and you don't know for sure which area is which. A jacket from the petite department will be proportioned to a shorter figure and won't hit your thigh as you had mentioned and the waist curve will hit where your waist is. I'd suggest waist-length or cropped jackets, which can look very cute on a curvy figure, with a slim-fitting top underneath.
For skirt length, the ankle-length can look way cute. For shorter skirts, usually 1-2" above the knee is a good length. Depending on the cut of the skirt, however, tea-length can be pretty cute, too.
For the businessy suit, black is good, but if you do want to go for a color, navy or grey would be fine, just see which looks best on you. I look sickening in navy, so I would opt for the grey myself, but if you look good in cool colors, then the navy may be your best choice ever!
Definitely check out the petite departments of your favorite shops, and there are some shops geared toward shorter women. Most of the stuff in Petite Sophisticate is awfully middle-aged, but you will find some good basics there which you can dress up or down.
Don't worry about looking like a grown-up. It isn't the end of the world, and there are actually some really sharp suits out there once you get a chance to look and decide what your style is. Also, once you settle into a job, you may find the dress code is fairly flexible. Best of luck to you!
. I hear the term 'smart casual' all the time though. And some people at my work have been asked to wear a more 'formal' suit to go and meet clients. It's all too confusing!
