I have always been short and petite. Ann Taylor's petites is my favorite place to shop. They always have clothes that are sheik, trendy, sophisticated, and stylish. Other good places to shop are Petite Sophisticate, New York Company, Liz Claiborne, and Talbots. Some people like to use a tailor to take the ends off your clothes, but that can get pricey. If you are on a tight budget, many stores have factory outlets. Try to wait for those end of the season clearance sales when prices are at there lowest.

If you like to do your shopping online, places like e-Bay and Overstock.com are a lot cheaper than department stores. It is important to avoid stripes, pokadots, and other crazy designs which will make you look shorter. Also avoid overalls turtlenecks and since they will draw attention to your petiteness. Unless you are pregnant, you should avoid wearing lose or bulky clothing since they will make you look dumpy. If you have some nice curves, you also want to show them off a little bit. Solids are your safest bet and are always in fashion. If you are truly petite, you should stick to small jewelry since the bigger stuff will only look out of place on you. As far as shoes go, it is always a good idea to a wear some heels to make you look a little taller.

It's also a good idea to stay away from lace and ruffles. A little fringe is okay, but too much lace and ruffle is only going to make you look like a little girl. Too much lace is also unflattering, and take the attention away from the places where you really want it. If you want to look good, it's also a good idea to stay away from novelty tees unless you're going out to a concert or music festival.

The truth is that fashion is more than what you're wearing on your body. The first thing a person is going to notice about you is your face. In reality, you really aren't finished dressing unless you're wearing a smile. A smile can go a long way, and make a great first impression. When you're smiling from ear to ear, no one is going to be paying attention to your height or lack of height, and if they are they'll be too busy smiling back to care.

Learn more about this author, Christina A. Armani.
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