Monday, May 24, 2010

The Height of Fashion: Holly Robinson-Peete 5'4"



Petite actress and philanthropist Holly Robinson-Peete competed in the final round of Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice last night.  If you're like me and don't really keep up with so-called "reality" television, then you may have missed the season finale where ailing rocker Bret Michaels narrowly beat Holly in the quest to hear Trump say those long-awaited words, "You're hired!"  A gracious Holly did not go home empty-handed though.  Snapple has agreed to donate $250,000 to the HollyRod Foundation, the organization that Holly and her husband Rodney started to support families that (like their own) have children with serious medical conditions.  So it looks like one of our favorite petite celebs is still a winner after all!
 

Here are a few of my favorite recent looks from Holly ... 

A cinched waist creates the illusion of longer legs on this petite fashionista.

All-black looks fresh and chic when a casual above-the-knee dress is paired with strappy sandals and a wide-brimmed hat!

Holly is ready for cocktails in this simple, but jewel-toned dress.

Holly plays up her flawless skin's warm undertones with gold jewelry in proportions that don't overwhelm her petite frame. 



Monday, May 17, 2010

Hanging On: Petite-Sized Clothes Hangers for Your Closet


 Source: Thelaughingstock.com

Say good-bye forever to stretched, misshapen clothing!  Fellow petite blogger Diary of a Shopper made a SUPER fantastic find this past weekend -- petite clothes hangers!  You'll have to check out her latest blog post to find out where you can purchase beautiful wooden hangers designed with your petite frame in mind.  Now even your closet can look "nothing short of amazing!"  Many thanks to Diary of a Shopper for telling us all about such a great product!

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Sitting Pretty: Office Chairs for the Working Girl



Photo Credit: Rex Features

Are you a petite professional?  If so, then you understand the challenge we sometimes face to be taken seriously in the workplace.  One little fashion faux pas and most of us will easily be mistaken for the college intern or the boss's daughter.  This is why it's so important for petite women to show the world that we "mean business."  Every day we have to look the part of a polished professional from head to toe!  But this doesn't just mean that you have to work overtime to build a professional petites wardrobe (which seems more attainable than ever, by the way, thanks to daily inspirations from fashionistas like Really Petite, Extra Petite, Alterations Needed, Shorty Stories, and 9to5chicOkay, okay, this last blogger isn't petite at all, but her style is just so darn cute that I had to mention her!)  But no matter how much effort you put into your wardrobe, nothing can ruin your look faster than . . . sitting at your desk!  After all, it's hard to look like a professional when (gasp!) -- your feet don't even touch the floor!  But that's exactly what happens when we sit in office chairs that were not designed with our shorter bodies in mind.

It means that our feet dangle.  It means that we can swing our legs while we sit. (Ugh, how "second grade!")  It means that we can even sit cross-legged in our chairs.  Most of all, it means that our posture and alignment are out of whack while we work.

Sitting in a wrong-sized chair isn't just an aesthetics problem; it's actually a health problem.  Think about it.  Some of you are spending 8+ hours a day, week after week, year after year in a chair that (a) prevents your feet from resting flat on the ground, (b) has armrests that are too high, (c) has a lumbar support and/or headrest that is not in the right position, and (d) has a seat that is too deep.  Perhaps you've also experienced the pain or strain that comes along with such a chair.  But did you know that it doesn't have to be this way?  There are specially designed chairs for women who are too short for the average office chair.  Some chairs are custom-built to your own specific measurements, while others are mass market offerings for any woman 5'4" and under.  Not only do these chairs help you look and feel like a real professional, but they can also reduce your risk of headaches, fatigue, and neck, back, or repetitive stress injury.  So take a look at these petites-friendly office chairs  if you want to look "nothing short of amazing" while you work...

The Good News: As Chelsea Alves of www.sitbetter.com explains, "Petite chairs come fully equipped with a seat depth up to 18", a smaller back size, and have a good amount of ergonomic adjustments to ensure proper comfort, no matter your stature. Petite users will be able to sit ergonomically correct and have adjustments tailored to smaller users . . . ."
The Bad News: These petites chairs are not available at your local furniture store chain.  So you'll have to turn to online retailers like the ones below to find the office or drafting chair that was designed with you in mind!  (Don't worry though.  Most of the places below have a money-back guarantee to ensure your complete satisfaction.)


$0-$200 CHAIRS


Staples Casdin Luxura Armless Task Chair


Ofm Lite-use Petite Drafting Task Stool With Arms

  • Great for smaller people
  • Contoured seat and back, 17" seat, lumbar support, pneumatic height adjustment, and five-star base with dual casters
  • See this chair and other regular office chairs at Sitbetter.com



$200-$500 CHAIRS 


Allseating Presto - Petite Small Ergonomic Office Task Chair

  • Eco-friendly, fully customizable ergonomic seating
  • Choose your own control, arms, color, etc.
  • This chair and many others available at Sitbetter.com

JAYMIL: JMP25 PRADA PETITE CHAIR

  • A smaller scaled chair with proportionate seat and back
  • Lifetime warranty on all parts
  • This chair and many others available at Jaymil.com











$500+ CHAIRS



Neutral Posture XSM Series Petite Ergonomic Chair
  • Built to fit an exceptionally petite body (3 feet - 5 feet tall) without compromising support and comfort 
  • Available as a drafting chair with option to add a Nextep
  • This chair and many others available at HumanSolution.com





Bodybilt Petite Small Back Chair
  • Chair is customproportioned according to your body’s measurements
  • Can be adjusted a thousand different ways with unique 10-point posture control system
  • Designed specifically for desktop intensive job performers
  • This chair and many other Bodybilt products available at Google.com





Also, check out this helpful video from the makers of the QT3 Ortheopaedic Petite Posture Chair for an explanation of how these petite office chairs generally work:






    Speak out, ladies! 
    • Is your office chair a comfortable fit for you?
    • If not, would you consider purchasing an office chair designed for petite women?
    • How much would you be willing to pay at most for such a chair?

    Friday, May 14, 2010

    The Height of Fashion: Salma Hayek 5'2"


    Salma looks absolutely stunning at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival in 
    this burgundy number by Gucci Premiere.  (Getty Images)

    Salma Valgarma Hayek-Jimenez (or "Salma Hayek" for short) is a petite celeb who originally hails from Coatzacoalcos, Mexico.  The talented actress and producer is one of the hardest working women in Hollywood and one of the most recognizable Latinas in the business.  Yet Salma still manages to maintain some semblance of normalcy in the middle of all the glitz and glamor of the silver screen.  Unlike most A-list celebs, Salma does not always enlist the help of a celebrity stylist.  Instead she has come to rely on her husband--and even on herself--to many most of her clothing selections.  This means that Salma has had her fair share of fashion "don'ts" over the years, but she always redeems herself with A++ ensembles that complement her curvy frame.  Her recent choice at the Cannes Film Festival, for example, is a clear winner!   Salma showcased Gucci's first ever foray into couture fashion when she donned this one-shoulder bordeaux silk gown with crystal embroidery.  This look is a perfect ten for Salma!  The jewel accent at the waist makes her 5'2" frame look long and lean, and the sheer draping across the bust tastefully highlights a fuller decolletage.  (OMG!  I want this dress!  I hope it's reinterpreted and sold at a reasonable price in a store near me very soon!)  Here are a few more fantastic looks from this petite celebrity inspiration . . .

    Salma shows how easy it is to spice up a boring black suit!


    Various shades of gray are anything but drab when worn together like Salma!

    Neutrals are anything but bland in this flowing Dior gown!


    A casual stroll is still a fashionable one.


    Salma's Balenciaga gown is a great choice for her petite figure!


    Fashion words of wisdom from Salma Hayek herself...
    "In my world, you have to be so beautiful, so skinny, so rich, so famous and I don't believe you really have to be any of those things. You simply have to be who you are. I do have thighs and a butt. I have cellulite. Don't be too impressed with me. Don't try to dress like me or wear your hair like mine. Find your own style. Don't spend your savings trying to be someone else. You're not more important, smarter, or prettier because you wear a designer dress. I get them free and I'm too lazy to go out and look for my own. I, a rich girl from Mexico, came here with designer clothes. And one day, when I was starving in an apartment in Los Angeles, I looked at my Chanel blouses and said, 'If only I could pay the rent with one of these.'"

    Saturday, May 8, 2010

    SHOPPORTUNITY: RUCHE


    A "Shopportunity" is petite fashion as it's meant to be.
    Beautifully crafted.  Perfectly proportioned.  Completely fashion-forward.


    A "Shopportunity" is exactly what it sounds like.  It's a shopping opportunity for petite women who want to expand their wardrobes beyond the offerings of traditional retailers.  (God bless Banana Republic and Ann Taylor, but variety is the spice of life, ladies!)  So "Shopportunity" posts will feature great selections from petite designers or petites-friendly selections from mass market retailers.  And so, without further ado, today's "Shopportunity" is...


    RUCHE is a modern women's boutique with a vintage touch. Its entire collection includes items that are new, in-style, and trendy, yet still inspired by a vintage look.  (P.S. I'm totally loving the website's Anthropologie-like vibe!)  This online-only boutique concentrates on selling other small boutique brands, so odds are that you "won't find yourself matching with the girl next door."  You can enhance your own unique style by adding fun, flirty pieces from RUCHE to your casual or weekend wardrobe.  Best of all, every single item is reasonably priced.  That's because it's RUCHE's philosophy that "you don't have to empty out your pocketbooks to look good."  Thanks to RUCHE, you can go ahead and seize the "shopportunity" to look "nothing short of amazing!"  Here are Ms. Shopportunity's "Top 10 Picks" from RUCHE . . .

    Playdate With Polka Dots Dress, $39.99


    Boysenberry Blossoms Dress, $37.99


     Mosaic Festival Ruffle Dress, $48.99


    April Showers Bring May Flowers Dress, $59.99


     Sweet Tulip Dress, $34.99


    C'est Amore Blouse, $42.99


    Baby's Breath Bouquet Tunic, $42.99


    Fluttering Tiered Leaves Top, $39.99



    White Fireworks Skirt, $25.99



     Expressionism Paint Strokes Skirt, $36.99


    Ladies, I think I'm in love.  

    Flirty, whimsical Athropologie-like style without the budget-busting price?!?!?!  I'm going to place my first order with RUCHE . . . as soon as I narrow down my selections!  But I want to hear from YOU:
    • Do you love these beautiful clothes as much as I do?
    • What's your favorite Shopportunity pick above?
    • Have any of you ever shopped at Ruche before?
    Finally, a few words of caution before we whip out the credit card ...
    1) You have to act fast!  RUCHE tend to sell out of its smallest sizes pretty quickly.  But don't worry if your favorite item is out of stock; the store will send you an email alert when it's available again.
    2) More importantly, RUCHE sizing tends to run a bit big, so some of you teeny tiny petites may still have a hard time finding clothes small enough to fit your proportions.  (Those of us who are sizes 2-4 and up may have more luck here!  Yay!)  But for these fashions at these prices, it might just be worth a trip to the tailor!