confession #000029

...or, petite pleasures

being short has its advantages.  i'm not sure how many they are, but they are there, i promise.  

fair enough, the fact that people pick on you because of height, any extra kilogram - nay, milligram - shows up immediately as it doesn't have anywhere to spread, and the fact that practically all clothes need to be hemmed, may not make life as rosy as one would like. but still. 

after years of being the shortest in the group (whichever group i was in, i was always the shortest), i've finally learnt how to accept my lack of height and look at the positives as much as i can.  i've learnt to take note more of those who find my lack of height endearing (in maltese we use the word jiggustawni) rather than those who make fun of it.  and besides - no offense to the tall girls out there: you are the ones who can walk down a catwalk, not me - i'd much rather be my height than towering over everyone else, including my better half! maybe i'm a hopeless romantic, but i love the fact that i'm small enough to be enveloped in his hug rather than have it the other way round.  

as i mentioned earlier, clothing when you're blessed with my height, does come with a few challenges.  and i like nothing better than a challenge.  if you're in my below 5' height range, allow me to let you in on a few secrets to make the clothing issue a thing of the past: 

• shop: yes, shopping petite can be a struggle and i know that in malta there are very few shops which stock petite sizes, and most times these are limited in range.  but girl, there's online stores as well! asos usually has a good range and luckily they stock some items in both regular and petite ranges.  topshop also stock a good petite range and i'm sure there are other sites.  be wary though: check before or do a test buy to see if the online store you're shopping at understands petite in the same way as you do.  some stores may stock only sizes 4 and 6 as petite and not regular 8, 10, etc but with shorter proportions.

• cheat: regular calf-length or ankle-length trousers make for perfect full-length trousers for us shorties. and you don't have to worry about hems either, or losing out on the intended trouser leg shape.  another option is actually to look at youth and children's clothes - but steer clear of anything which is too obviously 'young'.  you do want to look youthful, but not in a 'mutton dressed as lamb' kind of way.  when taking this approach, you also have to be wary of logos or brand names which would give away the fact you're wearing kids' clothes.  scotch r'belle make some fantastic kids clothes that i sometimes like more than the maison scotch range (evidenced by this morning's online purchase). 
• trick: the french have that gorgeous sounding expression trompe l'oeil (trick of the eye) which is something that every petite lass or lad should know about and should learn how to master.  one of the main trends this season is stripes, preferably vertical.  use them to your advantage! vertical stripes create the illusion of length.  i'm not advocating head-to-toe stripes but find that area of your body which you want to 'lengthen' and wear them there.  avoid colour blocking as that will cut up your already small figure into smaller bits but opt for ton-sur-ton (oh, i love the french for these expressions) to make the silhouette appear leaner and longer.  use shoes that are of the same colour as the trousers or hosiery you are wearing and if you're going bare legged, stick to nude coloured shoes or at least to colours that do not jar with your complexion.  

• props: and by that i mean accessories. these should become your bff's, no questions asked.  keep away from ruffles, frills, peplums as these will only add bulk - and we don't want bulk on our petite shapes.  on the contrary look out for simpler cuts in dresses and tops and accessorize these with statement necklaces or earrings.  hair pulled back or in a top-knot adds the illusion of height, as does a trusty trilby hat.  go crazy with oversized bags as these will (a) help you conceal any bits you don't like in the tum-thigh-butt region and (b) allow you to create an interplay between your tiny shape and the bag's corpulence. 

and finally ...

• strut: who says that because you're short, you can't walk as though you own the runway, or the corridor at least.  square your shoulders and tilt them backwards, lift your chin and keep your back straight (gosh, i sound like my mom) and walk the walk, baby.  whether you're in flats or heels, keeping a straight posture while walking or sitting will immediately make you look taller - and, will straighten out any tummy-tires which would become so evident when you're slouching.