Dresses! Part 3: Kate Middleton's Dress

Gorgeous! I am so happy her dress had lace sleeves! (I love lace sleeves on wedding gowns). I was having trouble imagining what it would look like, since I know Kate isn't the frou-frou-poofy type, but I don't think Kate could've made a better choice with this Sarah Burton/Alexander McQueen fashion house gown.

Her dress is reminiscent of Grace Kelly's.

What did you think of her gown?

P.S. Sorry for the lack of posts, I've been super sick with an awful virus (and had to forfeit the Petite Fashion Challenge as well-boo!)

Hope you're feeling better than I am,

*ShortBlonde*

Dresses! Part 2: Dresses for Petites

"It's cute...but will it make me look like I'm 10?"
"Is this worth hemming?"
"Will this still look good even with my small chest?"

These are some of the questions I ask myself while dress-shopping in regards to my size. Unfortunately, many dresses just don't work on petites for a number of reasons that I'll get into shortly, but right now I'll start with a dress that DOES work:

At a polo game- please excuse my awkward divot-stomping posture...
Dress: Urban Outfitters, sz. XS
Sandals: Jack Rogers, sz. 5
Sunglasses: good question!

There are many things that I like about this Urban Outfitters dress. First, it flatters a small bust and a petite waist: the straight-across bandeau-style top hides a lack of cleavage, and the parallel lines underneath not only accentuate a small waist, but are far down enough to suggest that there is more to the bust than there actually is! Even larger-busted, not-so-tiny waisted petites would look good in this dress, since they would be able to fill out the upper part more (and then the blue lines would fall more closely underneath the chest and further from the waist). The lines, the light blue hem, and the patch of blue detail on the top all add structure (and structure gives us shape in a good way). Lastly, the length falls right above the knee, which is ideal for short ladies (as below the knee is not).


Now, let's take a look at a not-so flattering dress...



Forever 21

Okay, this isn't totally fair since I wouldn't be attracted to this dress in the first place. What's wrong with it, you ask? First off- it's a babydoll top. For small ladies trying to not look like a tweenager, babydoll tops are a no-no! It's a youthful look that is very flattering on normal-sized and curvier ladies, since it accentuates the cleavage and hides the inevitable woman-pooch. However, on youthful-looking petites, it makes us look like we belong at a Justin Bieber concert. The loud, colorful and cheap-looking print does not help either. I don't think that loud prints are always a no-go for petites, but I think that sticking to loud prints consisting of only 2 colors  are a better choice.


And now for another petite-friendy dress...



Ann Taylor

Bateau necklines (such as this) and boatnecks are very flattering on petites with narrow shoulders and small chests- they broaden us out. I was originally going to choose a LBD version of this dress, but I chose a print instead...black is flattering on everyone, but not everyone can pull off a fitted printed pattern (but we can!). This is an example of a style that petites can pull off better than most. Of course, if you petites were actually going to buy this dress, you'd probably have to get it shortened (unless you're 5'3"). Ann Taylor sheath dresses are generally worth hemming. They're good quality, and only have 2 layers. But getting a dress hemmed isn't all that cheap, so take that into consideration when buying a less-than-great quality dress that's too long.

A few closing tips for petite dress shopping:
-Fitted is better than flouncy. (I love flouncy dresses, so this is hard!) You can rock fitted dresses better than most, and flouncy dresses will make you look childlike.
-The skirt should fall mid-thigh to just above your knees, or all the way down to your feet. Knee-length and tea-length aren't flattering.

I've learned some of these tips from my own experiences, and some reading petite blogs.
Petites: What are your dress-shopping tips and experiences? Everyone's bodies are different, so I'd love to hear tips from all of you!

*ShortBlonde*

Dresses! Part 1: Wish-List

I love dresses. Maybe its the girly-girl in me, maybe it's because I haven't been able to wear them all winter, but right now finding dresses has been on my mind 24/7! I'm constantly checking the Re-Lilly facebook group trying to find good deals on Lilly Pulitzer dresses, and I've been asking around the petite community trying to find out where I can get petite-friendly casual dresses.

In my ideal world, regardless of size or price, these are the dresses that would be hanging in my closet:

Calvin Klein

American Eagle

 

Lilly Pulitzer 

 

Kate Spade

Alice + Olivia

Modcloth

L.L. Bean Signature (seersucker)

Nine West
 

Elie Tahari

Well...at least one of these dresses is an actual possibility! :)

Stay Pretty,

*ShortBlonde*

Award + Giveaway!

Yay! A big thanks to Preppy Lane for giving me this award :) Visit her adorable blog if you haven't already!
According to the award rules, I shall post 7 things about myself that I haven't already told you, and I'll pass on the award to several other great blogs.

1.) My middle name is Jayne.

 An old English surname on my mother's side that has been passed down the last few generations as a female middle name.

2.) My favorite perfume is Ralph Lauren Romance.

3.) I wear a claddaugh ring that I never take off.
It's a size 3.5...aka toddler size. It's gold with a teeny little diamond chip in the middle.

4.) I'm a Big Sister in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.
My Little's name is Makayla, and she's a girly girl just like me.

5.) I took piano lessons for 9 years and still teach myself a tune every now and then.
Right now I'm teaching myself  "Traumerei" by Schumann. It's a pretty little piece.

6.) When I was a kid, I wanted to be a horticulturist when I grew up.
I liked flowers, and my Aunt told me that a scientist who works with flowers is called a horticulturist. My mind quickly changed when I took my first biology class.

7.) I followed figure skating religiously when I was little.
Michelle Kwan was my hero. I was upset when I realized ice skating isn't as easy as it looks!

And now for the new recipients:
1.) BKR Fashion
2.) Always Pink and Preppy
3.) spark.
4.) The Petite Fitting Room
5.) i am Khatu

Feel free to participate if you choose, new recipients! :)

Also, the Re-Lilly blog is teaming up with My Pink and Green Garden to host a great giveaway: $150 towards buying beautiful and bright Lilly Pulitzer-themed decor.
Click here to check it out!

Until next time,
*ShortBlonde*

Shopping hits and misses (+ pretty fabric and ribbons)

All of my housemates decided to go home for Passover weekend (most of them are Jewish), so I decided to go home too, since I get spooked when I'm at our college house alone (every noise is a burglar, obviously). I decided to take advantage of being home by going to our nearby mall, hoping to get some good finds. Here's what I found:

Hit: Striped shirt from J.Crew, XXS

[high-waist shorts- Zara (0), skinny belt, J.Crew (xs)]
I love stripes! And I was super excited to find an XXS in-store! I asked one of the sales associates about it, and he said they've been gradually getting more and more XXS sizes shipped to the store. Has your local J.Crew been stocking XXS in-store?
I love the flattering sleeve-length of this shirt, and its long length will prevent inevitable dryer shrinkage from shrinking the shirt to belly-bearing status. It does look a bit strange with jeans pre-dryer, however, so I will most likely wear this shirt tucked in to skirts and shorts.

Hit: Tank top from LOFT, XS

 
I have a tank-top buying problem. However, I only have one other tank like this one, which has bra-hiding straps, a flattering neckline, and a long length. Plus, I love the color. And I got it for 8 bucks with LOFT's awesome 40% off entire purchase promotion. Finally, a successful LOFT purchase! However..

Miss: Dress from LOFT, XSP

Tank tops aside, I am definitely not an XSP in LOFT. I love the color of this simple, casual dress (I am desperately trying to find casual dresses that fit), but it hangs on me like a potato sack. I tried to find an XXSP online only to find out this color was sold out. Boo.

Kinda-Miss: Striped shirt from Ann Taylor, XSP

 
I actually really liked this shirt (stripes, again). But...I don't need a long-sleeved tee. Plus it was too long, which isn't good for long-sleeved shirts since I normally wear them with jeans and a belt ("belt bumps" are not attractive), and the shirt over jeans makes my bottom half look unproportionally wide. I love how the sleeves fit, though, but otherwise I just didn't love it enough.

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I also took a trip to Fabric Tree with my mom, who was looking to get fabric for a cushion. I had a grand ol' time wandering around the store and taking pictures of pretty and interesting fabrics. I always have a soft spot for blue toile:
 

And I also loved this delicate pink design:
 


I also found some cute nautical ribbons...

Whales! ...and dolphins!


This has Cape Cod written all over it.

Can't stop thinking about the summertime, so lately my eyes have been drawn to everything bright and beachy.


P.S. Happy Palm Sunday to all of those who celebrate! Got my palm in church today, and have NO idea what to do with it...
*ShortBlonde*

2 Polyvore Outfits

I created two outfits on Polyvore, both featuring my very-loved J.Crew flutter tank (I actually bought it based on a review by Jean over at Extra Petite!). The weather has been very fickle here in NY, so I made outfits for cold and warm weather.

For Colder Weather:

This layered look is versatile and cute while still being warm!

For Warmer Weather:

 (I feel like a margarita went well with this summery outfit!) I wouldn't be wearing the over-sized Gucci sunglasses on my round face, but I imagine they'd look great with this outfit on someone with the right face shape.

My posts over the next week or two will probably be somewhat brief, since the end-of-the-semester crackdown is in full swing.

Looking forward to summer,
*ShortBlonde*

My 5 Fashion "Rules"

Sorry for the delay in posting, but I was having too much fun enjoying yesterday's 80-degree weather! Us New Yorkers & New Englanders have been subject to unusually cruel weather conditions for the past 6 months, so a bit of sunshine was much-needed.

Today was not as warm and pretty dreary, and I've spent most of the day in class. Looking around, I noticed a good majority of the girls were wearing sweatshirts, sweatpants with flip-flops or tucked into Uggs, and their hair in a messy bun. 

 

This seems like the college uniform, doesn't it? Dressing nicely for class is a risk for being told, "wow, you look dressed up!" or "why are you dressed up? It's just class." Well I spend a good amount of time in class, why look like a slob? I feel good when I dress presentably. And dressing presentably doesn't mean dressing "fancy." For me, it means following a few simple rules:

1.) The only places for sweatshirts and sweatpants are at home and the gym.

Yes, these are comfy clothes, but wearing sweats is like telling the world: "I'm lazy, unmotivated, and don't care." If I'm feeling lazy and want to be comfortable, I'll wear a nice tee/camisole with a cozy cardigan, paired with jeans and either boots or sandals. Barely any effort involved, but still looks presentable. I'll keep my sweats for when I'm lounging at home on the couch or walking to the gym in cold weather.

2.) Don't wear white shoes after Labor Day.

The whole "don't wear white after Labor Day" thing is pretty outdated, and doesn't make much sense. Why would they make white sweaters and jackets if you shouldn't wear them in cold weather? However, I do believe this rule should apply to shoes. Generally, once Fall hits I switch to blacks and browns.

3.) Wear at least one structured item with most outfits.

This is a petite rule: structured items give us shape, and make us look older (for those of us that could pass for 15-yr-olds). Blazers are great for this, and often I'll wear a blazer as a jacket over a casual outfit. Belts are another structure-adding item of mine, and I belt almost everything I can- skirts, pants, shorts, skinny ones over long cardigans, etc.

4.) Match gold with gold and silver with silver.
Simple: either wear gold jewelry, or silver. Gold looks good with warm-toned clothes, and silver looks good with cool-toned clothes (I wear lots of silver, since I have a lot of blue in my wardrobe!).

5.) Dress well, feel great.

What I wear tends to affect my mood. I have been guilty of breaking the no-sweats rule, but whenever I do, I feel frumpy and don't want anyone to look at me. When I'm wearing a nice outfit, I feel confident and ready to take on the day! 

Do you follow any of these? What are your "fashion rules"?

*ShortBlonde*

Friday Favorite: Eat This, Not That! + 5 great tips from the book

I LOVE food. However, I also like staying fit (extra weight looks super awkward on my tiny frame...ever hear the term "food baby?") and maintaining my weight. Looking great goes hand-in-hand with staying healthy, and that's why I love this book:

Eat This Not That: Supermarket Survival Guide

This book helps me make good choices while grocery shopping, without having to avoid my favorite foods! I would've never known that so many calories can be saved just by switching brands. Here are some of my favorite tips I've learned from the book:

1.) When buying jams & jellies, the Polaner brand is the way to go.
 

I have a jar of Polaner blueberry jam in my fridge right now, and it's delicious. (Have I mentioned my obsession with blueberries?) And at 40 calories per tbsp, a healthy dose of fiber and no high fructose corn syrup, it's a better choice than Smucker's super-processed jams.

2.) Whipped butter > Olivio, Country Crock & I Can't Believe it's Not Butter
Nutritionists tend to agree that butter in small amounts is better for you than the chemical concoctions that comprise margarine. That's fine by me, because a teeny bit of butter is all it takes to make a slice of toast taste yummy, and I've always thought that butter tastes loads better than the fake stuff.

3.) Oatmeal is AWESOME.
Oatmeal is extremely low in calories, extremely filling, full of good nutrients AND delicious when a bit of sugar and fruit's introduced! I like it because I can eat a bowl and not have cravings for more food- normal cereal leaves me feeling hungry afterward. Just be sure to stay away from Quaker's Cinnamon & Spice flavor (waaay too much sugar- 1 serving has more than 3 Oreos) and stick to these two instead:

4.) Orville Redenbacher's Mini-bag Kettle Korn is a guilt-free, scrumptious snack.
I love snacking to a fault. This kettle korn variety is sweet, salty, and filling....at only 100 calories per bag! Sure beats only being able to eat 1 cookie or eat only 1 small handful of chips (the calorie equivalent).

5.) And my favorite discovery....Stonyfield After-Dark Chocolate frozen yogurt!!

I love chocolate, and I especially love chocolate ice cream. This stuff tastes like chocolate ice cream, but is made from non-fat yogurt. The entire pint has 400 calories, which is about the # of calories that one little bowl of regular chocolate ice cream has....a.k.a. indulgence that you won't regret. Yay!

Do you have any healthy eating tips to share?
 
*ShortBlonde*

2 Shoe Disappointments + New Vineyard Vines Skirt

I spoke too soon! I got my Sperry rain boots in the mail today...

Lookin' good....but then....

Aargh! Huge calf space!

The boots are ridiculously comfy and the foot-part fits SO WELL...but the calves are enormous! What person with size 5 feet has calves/ankles that wide? So disappointing.The comfort and good foot-fit though are too good to beat, however, so I've decided to keep them.

I also got my neutral Fitzwell pumps in the mail a week ago (sorry for the delay), and took a less-than-great mirror shot:

So cute, right? Unfortunately these are a return ...not because I don't like the way they look or fit, but because the heel height is too high. Lesson learned: I cannot walk in 4-inch heels. I look ridiculous when I do. :)

If only these heels were an inch shorter! At least they're not a total disappointment.

*   *   *

There is good news, though. I had to drive my boyfriend an hour south to pick up his car from a repair shop, and decided to make a stop at the Vineyard Vines outlet at Woodbury Common, which was on the way. Most of the stock hadn't changed since my last visit, but I did manage to snag this adorable white skirt (in a girl's 14, no less!) for the bargain price of $12.99 (as opposed to the original $59.50):

hmm...why does my hair look so dark?
Shirt: Ann Taylor, sz. XS

Skirt: Vineyard Vines, girls sz. 14

Belt: J.Crew, sz. S

Shoes: Rockport, sz. 5

The skirt's a tad on the short side, but the thick material and fitted style will keep it from exposing too much. I also tried on a sz. 0 dress, but with less luck:

Nothing tragic, but just a bit too wide and long. I guess their dresses don't fit as well as their bottoms! However, most companies' shift/sheath style dresses tend to be on the larger side, so I'm not too discouraged.

Spring is finally starting to peak through here in NY!

Hoping there's sunny, warm days ahead,

*ShortBlonde*

Sperry to the rain boot rescue! & a Lilly Pulitzer lament

Finally, I found a pair of size 5 rain boots! My mom found these Sperry Top-Sider lovelies online for me:
 

They may not be covered in little whales like I wanted, but these boots will go with everything I wear!

If you didn't see my previous post about rain boots, I've been having an extremely hard time finding size 5 rain boots for less than 100 bucks. This pair was originally 68, but I got them on sale for 46. Yay! I never thought of Sperry for rain boots...but hey, now I know. And unlike other trusty outdoor shoe companies (ahem, L.L.Bean) they carry size 5! Well done, Sperry, and shame on you, L.L. Bean.

Another company that I'm unhappy with is Lilly. Lilly Pulitzer, unfortunately, is not petite friendly. For those of you unfamiliar with Lilly's adorably bright styles, here's a few:

Lilly's prints make me feel all warm and sunny when I look at them, but not when I wear them. I own one Lilly dress (I'll get a picture soon!), the only one that's ever decently fit when I've tried it on due to its simply (though abnormally for Lilly) stretchy cotton fit. I've lusted over adorable print after adorable print, yet haven't found a petite-friendly style yet. Many other petite women also have complained of a dishonest size 0, as I've found while perusing the Re-Lilly group on facebook. The Re-Lilly group allows Lilly lovers to buy and sell their secondhand and new items to each other, often for a great price. Those who are selling their sz. 0 clothing more often than not will say they're selling it because it's too large. So sad! I'm always on the lookout, though, hoping that I'll magically come across a Lilly item that happens to fit.

Are there any companies out there that you're unhappy with sizing-wise?
 I know all too well that many women have issues with store sizing, whether its a lack of petite-friendly items, too-short skirts and shirts, or too-skinny jeans.

Stay optimistic,
*ShortBlonde*

The Friday Favorite: Tom Palumbo's beautiful classic fashion photography

I stumbled upon a Flickr today filled with some of the most wonderful vintage, classic styles from old issues of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Junior's Bazaar. The photos were taken by photographer Tom Palumbo, and you can see his entire Flickr collection here. Below are some of my favorites: 

Can we still dress like this please? :)
*ShortBlonde*