Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Shaping Up: Workout Clothes for the Fit and Fab



Do you have a passion for health and fitness?
Do you enjoy working out and staying active?
Do you do yoga, pilates, or zumba?
Do you run, spin, or bike?

If so, then you know that petite women of every size and shape want properly fitting workout clothes.  Many of us know the frustration of sports bras that sit too low (hello, TJ Maxx clearance bras -- I'm talking to you!) or track pants that are waaaaaaay too long.  But you may not know that there are activewear styles designed with your petite frame in mind!

Now, I realize that most of us do not absolutely need petites activewear.  We can always get away with wearing shorts and a tee on the days that we plan to break a sweat.  But just because we can doesn't mean that we must!  I don't know about you, but I'm much more motivated to exercise or go to the gym if I feel good about the way I look in the process.  So that's why I suggest that we upgrade our workout wardrobes, ladies!  We petites now have more options than ever before to get fit and look fab at the same time!  So no more tripping over our pants legs.  No more rolling up the sleeves to our hoodies.  And no more shopping in the children's section for workout gear!   Here are some of the best-kept secrets for looking "nothing short of amazing" at the gym, the track, the yoga studio, and while lounging around the house...


Sweet Petites promises "the perfect petite fit" in a cute, colorful line of coordinating separates.  Bra tops, workout tanks, and jackets are available in sizes XS - L.  Matching pants are available in the sizes XS - L with  28.5" and 29.5" inseams.  The entire Sweets Petites line was designed to accommodate the unique needs of a petite wearer (e.g. shorter inseasms, shorter rises, a comfortable scaled-down waistband) who wants sexy, stylish, and flattering activewear.



Athleta is a one-stop shop for the petite sports or fitness enthusiast!  Pick your own adventure -- running, walking, hiking, exploring, tennis, golf, cycling, yoga, and more -- and you're bound to find the clothing that you need.  Whether you are looking for reflective tights for an evening run (in sizes as small as petites XXS, no less!), workout pants with a shorter inseam, or tanks and tees that come in very small sizes -- you'll find it here.  Best of all, you get free exchanges on any item at any time and for any reason! 


Lucy offers a great selection of high-performance workout pants in four different styles -- the perfect core, the hatha, the vital, and the everyday.  These pants are for the serious athlete -- offering patented moisture-wicking technology, compression, odor-control, and more!  You can order "short" pants in any style (with inseams ranging from 29.5" to 30.5" depending on the style) in sizes XS - XL.  Buyer reviews and ratings of each piece can help you determine exactly which pair is right for you.  Then you can be sure to get the perfect fit by taking advantage of the site's free shipping and free returns and exchanges on all pants!


Land's End has a great selection of high performance, *budget-friendly* petites activewear.  With sale prices beginning as low as $9.99, you can afford to stock up on a brand new workout wardrobe.  Best of all, Land's End carries specific articles of clothing -- like workout shorts, capris, skirts, and pullovers -- that I haven't found in petites lengths anywhere else.  A lot of other retailers focus only on shortening pants lengths; they don't move on to shortening skirts and shorts and all the rest.   But Land's End has gone the extra mile to make sure that every other item fits you just as well!



Finally, don't forget to check out other petite options available at:
  • Old Navy (including this sports bra that seems to run quite small),
  • Victoria's Secret (with lots of yoga and loungewear with shorter inseams), 
  • REI (with petite pants for your next big adventure),  
  • Herroom.com (with pics/suggestions of undergarments to wear while workout out), and
  • Title Nine (which is "evangelical about women's participation in sports and fitness activities"). 

Still need some inspiration to get up and get moving?
  • Check out an inspiring blog -- the petitEAThlete -- for a fun, motivating look at fitness, nutrition, and health from one petite gal to another! 

Weigh in, ladies!  What sports or fitness activities do you enjoy the most?  

    Thursday, April 15, 2010

    Maximizing My Style - Maxi Dresses for Mini Me

     

    The weather in Boston has been fantastic lately!  It's been warm, sunny, and beautiful for about a week!  The cold of winter seems like a distant memory as the city welcomes spring with open arms.  And what better way to usher in a new season than with a cute maxi dress?  The only problem is -- I don't have such a dress.  Never have!  I've always been wary of the style.  I thought maxis were a big no-no for someone like me.  Too long.  Too unstructured.  Too bold.  Too bad.  And just too unflattering for me to pull off (or should I say, to put on).  But that was before I started this blog.  And it was before I realized that (hallelujah!) there are indeed petite maxi dresses for women like us!   Inspired by the likes of Nicole Richie, Eva Longoria, Jessica Simpson, and other petite celebrity fashionistas who manage to look chic and fabulous in floor-grazing duds, I am determined to find a maxi that works for me!  So here are a few petite-friendly maxi dresses I've found for women who want to look "nothing short of amazing"as they welcome the warm weather ...




    RUNNING AROUND TOWN...

    $118 at Athleta
    sizes xxs - lrg


    $19.99 at Belk
    sizes sml - lrg


    $49.50 at Gap
    sizes xs -xl


    $69.99 at Athleta
    sizes xxs -xs


    A NIGHT ON THE TOWN...


    $254.99  $216.74 at Lord & Taylor
    sizes xs - lrg


     $468 at Nordstrom
    sizes 0P - 12P



    £75 at AdditionsDirect
    sizes UK6 - UK20


    Fellow petites, do you own maxi dresses?  If so, where did you buy them?  Which of the styles above could you see yourself wearing?  Let us know!

    Monday, April 12, 2010

    Feeling The Love: My Very First Blog Award


     

    Many thanks to one of my favorite petite fashionistas -- Really Petite -- for giving me my very first blog award.  I was so touched to be honored with this award and to know that my blog is gaining traction on the web.  I really hope that SHORTcuts becomes a site that inspires petite women to look (and feel) incredibly beautiful each and every day.  So thank you all for coming along on this journey with me!

    Relatedly, I am excited there are SO many petite bloggers cropping up around the web.  If your blog appears in the "Short List" on my page, I check your page daily!  Sometimes I even check it multiple times a day just to re-read interesting posts or search your archives.  Believe me when I say that each and every one of you deserves this award too!  But just to keep things interesting (and to help us all get even more great fashion ideas and tips), I've decided to award the Purple Fairy to some of my favorite non-petite bloggers out there.  The following 12 bloggers have such an incredible sense of style that I am always inspired to adapt their outfits to fit my smaller frame.

    (drum roll please)
    I award the "Purple Fairy" Award to....



    The Rules
    1. Post the logo on your blog or post.
    2. Pass the award to 12 fellow bloggers.
    3. Link the nominees within your post.
    4. Let the nominees know that they have received an award by commenting on their blog.
    5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

    Friday, April 9, 2010

    Making a Splash: Swimwear for Petites



    Shopping for swimwear can be a challenge for anyone!  Petite women in particular often have trouble finding a one-piece swimsuit that fits them well.  But now that the dog days of summer are right around the corner, it's time to start shopping for the perfect little number for some fun in the sun!  And you'll never guess some petite women's secret to looking "nothing short of amazing" at the pool and beach...

    SHORT-TORSO SWIMWEAR!!!

    There may be no petites-only swimwear lines (yet :-b).  But many of us can get a better fit by choosing swimwear designed for women who have relatively short torsos.  (Even petites with a different body shape may still find that the cut of these short-torso suits fit you better than traditional one-pieces.)  Land's End offers a complete collection of short-torso swimsuits in petites sizes 2-16 and plus petites sizes 16W-26W.    Here's a sample of some of the cutest styles (available in a wide variety of colors) from this year's short-torso/petites line:

    BONUS: Now through April 12, all Land's End swimwear is 25% off 
    with promo code: SAVEONSWIM and pin 7155.

    What do you think, ladies?  Have you had much luck with finding swimwear to fit your petite frame?  Would you consider purchasing a short-torso swimsuit?  Share your thoughts with your fellow petites!

    Thursday, April 1, 2010

    Miley Cyrus worried about Hannah Montana


    Miley Cyrus has confessed she is worried about how she will cope when her Disney show ends.


    The 17-year-old singer said Hannah Montana was her “security blanket” and admitted she treats it like a bit of a holiday.


    “It’s so comfortable because after I go off and do 80 shows on tour, I go back to Hannah Montana,” she told US chat show host Ellen DeGeneres.


    “It’s easy for me – it’s like a rhythm I know really well. I’m not going to have that easy thing to go back to.


    “It’s easy – it’s almost like a vacation sometimes because I go there and I know it so well. Not having that makes me a little worried.”


    Cyrus said she was currently filming the final season of Hannah Montana – about a girl who leads a secret life as a famous pop singer.


    But she assured fans that the hit show would remain on screens for another year.


    “This is our last season we’re filming right now. We’ve got seven more episodes, but we’ve done it in a way where it’ll go on at least another year all over the world,” she explained.


    Hannah Montana will still be on the air. We just did the finale of season three and now we’re finishing season four. It’s not completely over yet.”


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