Too tall for petites? Try'em; they just might work

In the never-ending quest to find clothing that fits and flatters, average and tall women are going to have to explore new territory: the petite department.

No matter what a person's height, we all come in an unpredictable configuration of shapes and proportions. So, what flatters you may not be most obvious. Lesson No. 1 is be flexible, says Seattle-based stylist Ellen York who wrote "Dressing the Petite Woman." At 5 feet 2 inches tall, York is an expert in the petite department and coordinating outfits to make petites look taller.

When we asked her how taller women could accentuate their figure positives in the petite department, she was intrigued.

Dressing the nonpetite woman in petite clothes is "not common, but it's not uncommon either," York said. "Sometimes, a petite skirt or top is perfect for a taller woman."

A recent client who stands just an inch over the petite cutoff of 5 feet 4 inches was the perfect candidate for a few petite items. The woman has a long torso and short legs. So York found a petite blouse that landed above her natural waist and a pair of petite pants with a higher rise to elongate her legs. She said the wardrobe tricks visually reapportioned her body.

The woman in this instance was 5-feet-5 but, depending on body shape, the same could be done for a woman standing 5 feet 7 inches or taller, York said. At that height, the woman would wear a petite blouse, but the pants would have to come from the misses or juniors department.

Many women of average height feel short and dumpy, but it has nothing to do with their stature, York said. It's the fit of their clothes.

"Often, if they will shorten their skirt or jacket, they wouldn't look so frumpy and dumpy," York said.

Petite clothing doesn't always solve the problem, but it doesn't hurt to test out the lengths if you haven't drifted into that department before.

"No matter how tall or how small the woman, there is something that will look good on them," and it might be labeled misses or women's or petite or tall or a combination of those, York said.

Katy Maak, co-owner of Paper dolls on Washington Avenue, said she often stocks her shop with European sizes that typically equate to American petite sizes. Most of her customers don't notice the difference; they just notice the fit.

Maak, a size 6, is about 5 feet 8 inches tall and loves the way petite skirts curve in and conform to her shape. She said the skirts feel better around her hips as well.

And plus sizes can find options in the petite department, too. Most major department stores carry petite-plus items.

By Debra D. Bass

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