Dressing the Bride: Going Back in Time, Style Guidelines

Growing up I loved vintage inspired styles. My favorite dress? The one I wore for my 8th graduation luncheon. This is the best photo I have of me in the dress. Please ignore the horrible glasses.

Personal Photo taken by My Mom

It was a 1950s-inspired dress with wiggle skirt made from fabric purchased in the 1950s. (By the way if I had this number in my closet right now I'd probably never take it off.) For this reason I'm favoring a 1950s look for my shower attire and going away outfit.

The tricky part is not coming across frumpy or curvy in the wrong places. Most times I overshoot and end up quietly blending into the background.

To make matters worse, when I had cable, I watched Tim Gunn's Guide to Style religiously. After an episode featuring a petite woman with curves, I ruthlessly tried on every outfit in my closet and culled anything that wasn't flattering. Outfits that I kept adhered to (and that I purchase now must meet) the following guidelines.

Style Guidelines for Curvy Petites

1. Start with properly sized undergarments. If the back of your bra rides up, the band is too big for your frame. The bra band should provide 80 to 90% of your support; straps (shoulders) only carry about 10 to 20%. If you are petite and find a bra that fits the band but you don't quite fill the cup, try a Demi bra. A Demi style bra has less wire (about an inch or more) than a full coverage bra.
2. Wear clothes that are properly proportioned for your body. Drowning in over-sized pieces doesn't make you look smaller; it actually makes you look bigger.
3. Try to avoid styles that are belted at the waist or draw attention to your center. These styles will only accentuate the fact that you are shorter.
4. Elongate yourself by avoiding pieces of clothes such as jackets and belts that cut your body in the wrong proportions. Large belts, if used on top of pants or skirts with blouses of a very different color, should be shunned because it cuts your body into two parts.
5. With regards to proportion, look at yourself as cut in thirds from your shoulders to your toes. You want either one-third on top and two-thirds on bottom (as in a shirt and pants) or two-thirds on top and one-third on bottom (as in a dress). Never divide yourself in half!
6. For a flattering and elongating look, wear Empire-waist dresses. The waistline hits right beneath the breast, making your torso and legs appear longer. Empire-waist dresses create an illusion of height and can hide many lower body flaws. The flowing fabric seen in empire-waist dresses is both figure-flattering and comfortable.
7. Consider sheath and tie-back waist styles, which both work well since they are close fitting to the body and have straighter, cleaner lines. They create a slimming silhouette that will make you appear taller. Sheath and tie-back waist dresses are often made from cotton or silk and fall right above or at the knee. They promote a very feminine look and are flattering on any figure.
8. For definition, look at an A-Line style dress. This cut can add fullness to a slender shape, it skims the hips and widens at the bottom. There is little definition at the waist.
9. Skip thick fabrics; they usually add extra weight.
10. Wear smaller sized prints or solids. Monochromatic looks make you look taller.
11. Choose jewel tone colors.
12. Look for one or two vertical lines to elongate your body; you do not need to choose textiles with multiple vertical lines. Jeans that have a vertical line in the seams create the illusion of a taller person.
13. Choose pants that fall straight from the widest part of your hips; they should not taper or flare.
14. Wear pants at the proper length, brushing the toe of your shoe or covering three-fourths of your heel. When pants are at the correct length, the eye goes down to the shoe and then comes straight back up - there's no break in the line of the body. This small fit rule helps make you look taller and slimmer.
15. Avoid Capri pants. For petites, they make your legs look even shorter.
16. Avoid cuffs. Cuffs will cut your legs off, no matter what the length of the pants.
17. Opt for skirts and dresses with an A-line shape.
18. Try the classic pencil skirt for a long look.
19. Steer clear of long hemlines. Maxi dresses and long bohemian skirts are not your friend; keep hemlines above the knee. Longer hemlines can shorten a petite. There is one exception: If you have a large bust, then you can have the length at or just below the knee. This extra length, proportion wise, helps balance out the weight on top.
20. Look for tops that will minimize the look of your breasts; structured blouses and tops are a good way to balance out a big bust.
21. Purchase structured clothes or clothes with seaming at the waist to emphasize your waist.
22. Never tuck in shirts. Be sure shirts end above your crotch. When a top covers your crotch, you lose the line of the leg and that makes you look shorter.
23. Avoid high waisted pants. This look is only flattering on women who are tall, lithe, and long-waisted.
24. Avoid jackets that make your shoulders look big. Shoulder pads are not your friend!
25. Look for coats that are cropped or hit right above the waist. Medium length coats should be belted or contoured at the waist.
26. Tailor jacket sleeves to the correct length; with your arms at your side, the sleeve hits at the gummy part between your thumb and index finger. Avoid jackets where the sleeve length is at the same level as the bottom edge of the jacket. You do not want to create a horizontal line.
27. When possible wear high heels to elongate your body. Shoes should have at least a 2-inch heel.
28. Avoid chunky or heavy looking shoe styles. Shoes that cover the entire foot shorten your leg because they cut off your foot. Avoid shoes with a squared toe. These make the leg look shorter than pointy-toed shoes.
29. Choose open shoes (such as a ballet) or having a pointy toe to elongate your leg.
30. With boots, select an ankle-height boot worn with a pant that falls straight from the widest part of your hips. The hem of the pant should fall midway down the boot's heel.
31. Steer clear of shoes with ankle straps. Ankle straps can bring attention to your leg and make it look shorter since the strap cuts into the leg.
32. When wearing hose, match to the shade of your shoes and dress. This will create a leaner look and make you look taller.
33. Carry smaller purses. A small clutch often looks best and can complement your petite frame. On a petite woman, a big handbag looks like a small refrigerator.

Do you follow any guidelines when buying clothes?

Ciao Bella!

Eden

 

P.S. While it appears that my graduation dress violates guideline #3, this was done on purpose. My mom dropped the waist slightly below my natural waist to demphasize my narrow waist.

 

Credits: Personal photograph taken by Niki Hensley.