No white after labor day. You can’t mix your metals. Don’t wear black with brown or blue with black. As women especially we’ve grown up believing that fashion has rules and you need to follow these very limiting guides to be on-trend or fashionable.
As a petite woman, I feel like I’ve been told you can’t wear this trend because I’m not tall enough or I can’t wear that because I have narrow shoulders and this style would look boxy. Tall, plus, athletic, and everything in between women is constantly told they can’t wear certain things yet we’re given pages and pages and pages of trendy outfits on beautiful models and stylish celebrities and told we need to buy all these clothes to be like them and perceived as cool. So why does the fashion industry constantly give us such conflicting messages all the time? I’m sure I can’t be the only one that’s over the BS! Is there really room for trends like this in fashion?
Who says these are set in stone and things every person needs to believe? We are all different shapes and sizes with unique interests and, tastes. My best friend is so incredibly gifted in creating beautiful and simple capsule looks, while my style is all over the place and I love trying my hand in all different trends and styles. As I’ve mentioned many times I think fashion is the best way to express your personality and creativity, I’ve always expressed that rules in fashion are meant to be broken and that archaic beliefs about what’s fashionable can’t possibly exist in the 21st century.
We live in such a unique time with the growth of technology and the evolution of trend cycles. With the rise of influencers and social media, we as a species are churning through trends at an alarming rate. Big fast fashion companies are churning out masses of products so quickly and once a trend hits TikTok a week later it already feels like it’s on its way out.
I love that runway shows are more accessible, are shared live on social media and we’re even seeing more shows hosted outside the typical bi-annual fashion months but this also allows trends and trend forecasting to happen even faster. We are no longer married to old schools of thought when it comes to fashion and that’s exciting. I think we should be thinking of ways to push the envelope and above all be our most authentic selves. But if you’re still trying to find your way in fashion these are some tried and true guidelines I love.
Petite Fashion “Guidelines”
Co-ords are perfect to create an easy and effortless look
After spending an entire year working from my bedroom “office” I’ve really liked not having to think too hard about an outfit. Even when I worked in an office I had a 35-minute commute by train to get to work so I had to get up a bit earlier to get ready, but those precious minutes under the sheets are so valuable and when you don’t have to think too much about your outfit it makes wasting time in bed scrolling TikTok that much easier.
That’s where co-ords and rompers come into play, I love a cute top and bottom set with sneakers and a spring jacket, or a summery romper with heels is a great option for a light office-friendly look.
Know Your Measurements
I love online shopping, it’s a guilty pleasure, but being petite can make it very difficult to find the right size, and I know that’s often why many people avoid doing it. But I find if you know your measurements that can be a game-changer! knowing your hips, inseam, and bust measurements at the very least can help you navigate size charts and make the best-educated decision for your size.
Find tailored and Timeless Pieces to Keep as Staples in Your Closet
As I said I love options and I love playing with trends and different styles. One day you’ll find me dressed in a suit or slacks, and the next I’ll be wearing a 50s style vintage-inspired dress with a red lip and pearls. I’ll take my outfits from one extreme to the next but I’m able to do that because I also really focus on having a quality capsule wardrobe in my closet to build off of. Again being petite I always have little things I need to get done to my clothes to make them fit me and I also find that if I just take the time to get them tailored I end up wearing them so much. If you have a closet full of staples that fit you like a glove buying you can get more out of your rental items if you’re like me and love services like Rent the Runway or (use my code to try RTR for 2 months) or if you want to buy some new trendy pieces.
Lipstick can change an outfit
Finally, if all else fails…lipstick. I am known to have some bad body days and spent hours changing outfits and feeling like I have nothing to wear. More often than not if I’m going out to a bar or a show this is how I get ready. But I’ve learned I can always rely on a simple “uniform” and just adding a cool lip color to create the perfect effortless look. Try a universal red with any outfit to level up You can do a pretty nude with gloss, or try something daring like a deep berry, or bright pink. There are so many options with lip colors!
So instead of relying on limiting and outdated “rules” let’s collectively agree to lay them to rest and focus more on creating our playbook catered to our fashion goals.