Jennifer and I both know from experience the perils of shopping when you are blessed with being petite and curvy.  We both have spent countless hours shopping for the perfect pair of pants or jeans only to find one pair that actually fits well amongst the 60 pairs that we tried on. How do you solve this fashion dilemma?  Here are some of our suggestions for those that are curvy and petite!

Silhouettes: A-Line silhouettes are always best for a curvy frame.  Try to keep a skirt length at knee length or above to visually elongate your legs. Avoid full pleats.  Skirt pleats should start below your hip bone so they work with your curves.  The seams in your jacket sleeve should hit right at the end of your shoulder.  If they fall in your mid forearm then the jacket is too big for your frame.  The cut of your shirts or dresses should highlight your curves not hide them.  Wearing big and loose clothing when you are petite and curvy will only make you look shorter.

Fabrics: Cotton blends work better than Jersey on a curvy frame. Skirts with a lining also help smooth over curves.

Colors: Avoid colorblocks which tends to visually cut the body in half making you look shorter.  A dress or outfit in a single color visually creates an elongated frame.

Accessories:  Make sure your accessories are in proportion with your shape.  Large oversized handbags will just drown and overpower you!

We found some great petite options below: