Pretty Little Preppy

I’m trying to go without belts, but it’s so difficult!

Maybe I’ll just wear more non-belted outfits but today…belted.

One of my guilty pleasures when it comes to TV shows is Pretty Little Liars. The storyline reminds me of Desperate Housewives but younger. Plus, Aria and Spencer are great style inspirations…a little boho and a little preppy…right up my alley.

So I pulled out this button-down shirt that I never wear and tried to make it look like something I’d actually wear.

I’ve always had trouble with button-down shirts. In petite sizes, the length is usually too short to be tucked into pants. But in regular sizes, it’s too loose to be fitted. Even when I had a shirt tailored to fit me, I couldn’t think of how to wear it.

After a couple of horrible combinations, I pulled out this little number.

Outfit Details: Banana Republic Factory Store shirt – XS, Forever 21 skirt – XS, random skirt, vintage pearl necklace, Payless pumps

What do you think?

What are you favorite ways to style a button-down shirt?

The Winding Road

I always enjoy getting away from the city.

Even if it’s just a scenic drive through the Angeles National Forest, I love sightseeing. The worries of so many yesterdays melt away as I absorb the beauty of my surroundings.

Life is full of twists and turns and the path to achieving your dreams isn’t always straight. Sometimes, you have to take the longer way, a way that seems to veer away from your intended goal. But having a great set of friends makes things so much better.

As for the changing seasons, I’m starting to feel it. The sun goes down earlier, the wind chill is picking up, and people are pulling out sweaters, scarves, and boots.

LA seasons aren’t as dynamic as other places, but it doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy cold weather gear. I can’t wait to bust out the heavier coats and jackets as I fully intend to take advantage of the crisp autumn air.

Right now, I’m obsessed with biker boots.

I got a cheap pair from Forever 21 and I’ve been trying to wear them as much as possible. Some may say it hits at an awkward length and it can make you look shorter, but I don’t care. To me, it’s awesome.

Outfit Details: Express pullover sweater- XS, Madewell jeans – 24, Free People watch pendant, random scarf, Forever 21 boots

Lettin’ Loose

I’m a belter.

When it comes to outfits, it usually involves a belt of some kind. It’s trendy and it’s what everyone is doing, right?

Well, my boyfriend gets tired of this look and he thinks it’s boring and stodgy. Loose blouses should be allowed to billow in the wind, he says. They’re meant to flow, not to be tied down by a belt.

I agree, but a belt makes the outfit look better. It separates the body segments and balances your proportions. Without a belt, you could look shapeless or worse…fat! Not that it’s a bad thing, but who wants to intentionally look bigger than they actually are?

So, I’ve been trying to go belt-less.

Call it a mini-challenge, but I do want to mix up the type of outfits I create since I tend to fall back on the belted look.

Outfit Details: Stella McCartney for GapKids cardigan – M, Martin + Osa tank – 0, Rock & Republic Kiedis jeans – 24, Ross flats

How about you?

Do you belt it up or keep it easy breezy?

Peplum Blazer Revisited

The Urban Outfitters peplum jacket has gotten a lot of press lately from the petite blogging community lately.

Check out their posts: Alterations Needed, ChloeConspiracy, Extra Petite, From Head To Toe , Petite Little Girl , PetiteXXS, Vicky’s Daily Fashion Blog.

Everyone styled the blazer to match their personalities and I enjoyed looking at all the different outfits.

Whenever I come across a clothing item, I try to think of three outfits before purchasing it to make it worth my money. Aside from the casual look, I wanted to glam it up for the office.

Taking some cues from the latest Fall’s trends, I created a look that’s fun but work-appropriate. Recalling the 50’s full skirt look, I pulled out this ochre colored skirt from J.Crew. The peplum blazer and skirt exaggerates the “smallness” of the waist creating a nice hourglass shape. In the photos, I love the side silhouette best!

This is my second outfit with this blazer.

Outfit Details: Urban Outfitters knit peplum jacket – XS, Topshop lace peplum tunic – 0P, J.Crew skirt – 00, Urban Outfitters belt, Express  braided headband, random amber necklace, Aldo pumps

Review: Banana Republic Dresses

I was looking for dresses the other day and I stumbled into Banana Republic.

Though Banana Republic isn’t really my style, I saw a lot of 00P dresses in stock at the store so I wanted to try them out and save the trouble of ordering them online.

I want to find more office dresses but there too many options at other stores given my size so I took my chances with BR.

In 00P, this dress has a lot of movement and it feels as comfortable as wearing a jersey tee. I love the neckline, but it’s a tad loose and shapeless. Plus, I’m not a fan of the smocking.

To make this dress better, a nice chunky belt can give it better definition and shape. If it was one size smaller, it would be more flattering and harder to put it back on the rack.

Would I buy it? Maybe as a casual walking dress.

This dress was already reviewed by PetiteXXS. It’s an interesting print but the dress is too loose and the v-neck is too revealing when I move around. It definitely needs a belt to make it look more put together.

Would I buy it? Not really, unless it was one size smaller.

This work sheath has a great neckline again and it minimizes my bust so it doesn’t look too revealing despite the v-neck, which is something I want. But the rest of the garment doesn’t fit at all. It’s too long and too loose.

If I could alter it, I’d take in the waist by 2+ inches, shorten the sleeves, shorten the hem to be above the knee, and make the waistband thinner. Cher from a.fashion.deliberation also reviewed this dress.

Would I buy it? Maybe, if it’s on sale and a trip to the tailors.

I thought this dress would make a good layering piece since it has a tank already attached to a tweed skirt. However, instead of a stretch tee, this top has no stretch and comes with a size zip. The top fits pretty well, but the skirt over-accentuates the hip area with an awkward shape that makes me look really bottom heavy.

Would I buy it? Not likely since the skirt looks so unfortunate.

Overall, the dresses at Banana Republic in 00P are too loose and ill-fitting on me. Either they size inflated or I lost weight (which I doubt) but the dresses don’t fit right from the bust down.

Compared to the average BR shopper, I guess I have smaller waist(by 2+ inches) and smaller hip girth(by .5 -1 inch). If they start making XXXS/000P dresses, I’d probably shop there, but as of now, I don’t think I need to go back this season.

How about you readers?

Where do find work-appropriate dresses that can do well for casual and more formal occasions?

Review: Shabby Apple Dresses

Lately, it seems like Shabby Apple is everywhere but I’m not sure how it fits a petite.

Previously, I tried the Rendezvous dress in XXS with disastrous results that I could have avoided if I read the reviews. The lining was too small for the dress and I did zip it up, but I had the hardest time getting it off. The proportions were all wrong for a petite, but perfect for someone whose 5’7″ and above.

Still one experience is not enough to deter me since I might have picked the wrong dress to try. I think the knit dresses are more flexible with fit, but I wasn’t drawn to the styles. So I took a risk and went for the fitted dresses, specifically Cider and Mt. Greylock.

First, Cider. I got it in XS and it’s made of 100% cotton.

Looks pretty good on the model.

And on me?

From the first photo, it doesn’t look so bad, it’s just a little long.

The fabric feels thick and stiff, almost like crepe paper, but it’s definitely fabric. The construction on the garment is pretty decent though I wish the zipper was invisible instead of being purple. And the detail around the neckline is pretty reminiscent of things I’ve seen from Ann Taylor.

The other photos show that the dress is not flattering and it’s way too big. The shoulder area is too wide. At the waist, I can pull away 4 inches of fabric. And the flare at the bottom is overwhelming on my frame. Even if I got the XXS, it’d still be loose and the proportions would still be off.

Keep or Return? Return.

The next dress is Mt. Greylock in XS. It’s a herringbone knit print made from 100% Wool.

Trendy and sophisticated. It’s also spot on with the fall trend with herringbone and the lady-like silhouettte.

And on me?

The style is super cute and an XXS would probably looked better since the fabric stretches. But the proportions are off once again and the detail at the waist makes it look like I have a pooch. I could put on this dress without unzipping the zipper…that’s how loose it is and how much it can stretch.

If I altered the dress in XXS, I’d have to adjust the dart and seam positions, raise the waistline, and shorten the hem. And maybe shrink the size of the sleeves by an inch or two.

Keep or Return? Return.

Shabby Apple  has several cute styles of dresses, but it’s just not made for a petite in mind. I’ve seen some bloggers wear Shabby Apple dresses but they either altered it in some way, kept it long, or they’re just the perfect proportion for those dresses.

Maybe I  chose the wrong styles for my body type, but it just didn’t work out for me.

What do you think? Have you tried Shabby Apple and what were your results?

Petite Fashion Challenge #1 – Do a Petite Don’t

For the first Petite Fashion Challenge, I decided to do capris. After all, capri pants are notorious for being unfriendly to petites since they chop off the leg line and could make the legs look shorter.

When I wear capris, I usually pair them with sandals to go the beach. The shorter length of the pant is perfect for tiptoeing in the water without getting your pants wet.

For this specific cut and style of capri pant, there are a couple of plus and minuses to it.

Pros

• The relatively dark wash streamlines the look of the capri pant
• The small flare at the bottom balances out the hips

Cons

• The low rise shortens the leg line
• The cropped length also shortens the leg line

To combat the negative elements of my capri pants, I wear open toed sandals or shoes to elongate the leg line. However, wearing flats can only add so much to the leg line and the proportions are not quite right.

(If I had a more fitted shirt..it might help as long as I don’t fully cover the waistband.)

But what about a weekend brunch outfit with capri pants?

I don’t really dress up for brunch, so I kept the same outfit but changed the shoes. More specifically, I put on a pair of nude wedges. The nude color combined with the additional height of the wedge extends the leg line so that the legs look longer.

If I still want to wear capris, in the future, I’d look for the following elements to get the “best” looking capri pant for my petite stature and body shape:

• A high or mid rise pant
• A small flare at the bottom
• A dark or uniform wash
• A style that cuts close to the body

How about you readers?

Do you wear capris and what elements do you look for?