There are a million myths and half-truths about color. Like dogs are colorblind, bulls hate the color red, black is slimming, and white adds weight. But like puppies, the truth about color is more complicated, especially for Petites. A few episodes ago, we discussed the styles that flatter each body shape best, which was one of the first things covered because it’s the first step in my S.P.A.R.K. style method and absolutely critical for feeling confident in your clothes.

But what if you got your body shape quiz results back and thought, “I am not a huge fan of blazers or full skirts,” or “Peplum blouses are great, but they’re not popular this season and I can’t find them anywhere,” or “What am I supposed to do with all these clothes in my closet?”. Is there a way to create flattering outfits even if the silhouette is not ideal for your shape?. Is there a workaround? Of course there is. And it’s so incredibly easy. By the end of this episode, you’ll understand exactly how to use color and prints and patterns to create oodles of different outfit options with the clothes that you already have hanging in your closet. Just imagine how much fun getting dressed tomorrow is going to be?

Welcome to Inside Petite Style, the only podcast created exclusively for women 5’3″ and under. If you’re tired of pants that drag on the ground, sleeves that swallow up your hands, and want a wardrobe that actually fits your height, flatters your body shape, and works for your real life, you are in the perfect place. I’m your host, Angela Foster, Petite style coach and creator of the S.P.A.R.K. Style Method. When you’re ready, let’s get this style party started. 

In case you’re new here, first of all, thank you so much for hanging out. And second, we’re going to break down how each of the different body shapes can use color to put together flattering outfits. So, if you haven’t already, you’ll want to take the Petite body shape quiz.

The Petite Body Shape Quiz

Now, in case you’re thinking, “I already know my body shape, I’m an apple or a pear or a banana or whatever,” you may want to reconsider because we look at body shape differently around here. Number one, you are not a fruit salad or anything that goes into a fruit salad. You’re also not a circle or a square or a rectangle because your body is not a geometry problem. Plus, once you take the quiz, this episode and all the other episodes will make a whole lot more sense. Now, the quiz lives at insidepetitest.com. We’ll also add the link to the show notes so you don’t have to hunt it down.

Let’s just do a quick refresh. When you’re short, the easiest way to create a flattering outfit is to create the illusion of a balanced body shape. Some Petites were born with a balanced shape and others weren’t. So for those of us that weren’t, we get to use the right styles and flattering silhouettes and specifically in this episode, color, to create the illusion of balance so that when we do it well, we look longer and thinner versus shorter and wider.

Understanding Color and Print Effects

Visual Impact of Colors and Prints

Let’s chat about colors and prints and the visual effect that they have. Also, if you did the custom color analysis challenge from last week, be sure to put all of the upcoming tips through the filter of your perfect neutrals and your favorite accent colors. Okay, when we think about how to use color to flatter our shape, most of us default right to lighter colors will add visual weight, while darker colors appear to decrease volume. And that’s absolutely right. Another thing that most of us are aware of are horizontal stripes. And the wider and bolder the stripe, the more of an illusion that they’ll help you create.

Now, prints with high contrast, meaning a black floral on a white background or vice versa, add volume. The size of the print also matters. So, small prints are brilliant on Petites and will add a bit of volume to help you create the balance. Larger, busier, louder prints will add a bunch more weight. So, we have to be cautious because while yes, we want to create the illusion of balance, if we’re not careful, that big, bold, loud print will go way too far and end up overwhelming your small frame.

The Nuances of Gingham and Plaid

Let’s talk gingham. We saw a lot of it this summer, and fingers crossed that continues. Now, in most situations, gingham doesn’t add a ton of extra volume, so it’s perfect for those places that just needs a little bit of kick for two reasons. The first one is the low contrast, the cream background with the pastel print. Also, the print is so small that the volume that you get will be minimal. Finally, now that we’re moving into fall, we’ll be seeing a lot more plaid in store. Most plaids will add volume, especially ones that have a high contrast horizontal color bar. So, for those areas that you need a bit more volume, that is a perfect solution.

Applying Color Strategies to Your Signature Body Shape

Now, we’re ready to take all that information and apply it to each of the three signature body shapes. We’ll let signature shape number three kick us off.

Signature Shape #03: Keeping or Adding Volume

Just a refresh, signature shape number threes means that your shoulders and bust measurement is the same or very, very close to your hip and thigh measurement. You have two options. You can either keep the balance or add volume to the top or bottom, but not both in the same outfit. When we add volume to the top and bottom, it’s just too overwhelming for your small height.

Now, in previous episodes, we talked about the actual styles and how to use texture and that type of thing. So, for the rest of this episode, we’re going to focus strictly on color. 

For signature shape number threes, if you want to keep the balance, monochromatic and tonal outfits are absolutely your sweet spot. So, never hesitate to pair a similar colored top and bottom to create that column of color. 

Here’s another great opportunity to play around because so many times when we think monochromatic, we think using one of our neutrals while actually it’s such a great opportunity to play with something bold and bright. In fact, 

I have a Reese Witherspoon Pinterest board and there is an amazing picture of her in this Kelly green suit and she looks terrific. You know, Natalie Portman also plays around with monochromatic quite a bit. She does a lot of red. Um, but one of my favorites is she has this mustard yellow short suit on. It is so much fun and incredibly, incredibly flattering.  I’ll make sure that the links to both of those boards are in the show notes. 

Something else for signature shape number threes is to match a low contrast print with a solid top or bottom. That’s also going to help keep the balance.

Now, in case signature shape number threes are thinking, “I’m going to skip ahead or hit fast forward,” you’re going to want to keep listening because you can also use the outfit ideas that we’re going to talk about with the next two body shapes when you want to add volume to only the top or the bottom.

Signature Shape #04: Volume from the Waist Down

We are ready for signature shape number four, meaning your hip and thigh measurement is smaller than your shoulder and bust measurement. Women with this shape get to add volume from the waist down while avoiding volume above the waist. So, your ideal outfit formula is a darker colored solid top paired with a lighter colored print or solid on the bottom. If you’re more adventurous, signature shape number four, you can play around with a small print on top like a baby polka dot with low contrast or even a tiny floral paired with a bolder, brighter print on the bottom.

Signature Shape #06: Volume from the Waist Up

Now, we’re ready for signature shape number six, meaning your shoulder and bust measurement is smaller than your hip and thigh measurement. Women with this shape get to add volume from the waist up while avoiding adding volume below the waist. So, your ideal outfit color uniform is going to be a lighter colored solid or print on top paired with a darker colored skirt or pant. More daring signature shape number sixes can play around with a bigger, bolder, brighter print on top paired with a smaller or more subtle low contrast print on the bottom. It’s perfect for pinstripe pants and trousers.

The Critical Role of Proportion for Petites

Maximizing Length with Shoe and Top Proportions

Although this episode isn’t about shoes, to make the most of your limited vertical real estate, match your shoes to your pants. Or if you’re wearing a skirt, choose shoes that match your skin tone or your tights or hose color. The same shoe tip applies to really maximize the illusion of length: match your shoes to your bottoms. So, either your pant color or when you’re wearing a skirt to your tights or skin tone.

In the last two examples, by combining contrasting tops and bottoms, we are essentially color blocking, which is an incredibly effective technique when it comes to pairing separates for your body shape. For Petites, there’s also a potential sinkhole, and that’s proportion. While proportion in your garments is incredibly important for all women, it’s especially critical for Petites because again of our lack of vertical real estate, so we need to get that spot on. Proportion is a whole other episode. But for our purposes here, just keep in mind that the hem of your blouse or top, blazer, or sweater or whatever should hit at your waist and absolutely no longer than the top of your hipbones. Because as Petites, our goal is to create the illusion of length. When our tops are too long, for example, bottom of your hipbone to mid-thigh, and we color block, we cut our vertical line off prematurely, making us look shorter and wider, which most of us can agree that’s not the goal.

All right, are you up for a style challenge?

Tomorrow, keeping in mind your signature body shape and where you want to add volume and minimize volume. Pick one or two of the pattern or color tips that we talked about and apply it to your outfit. Then take note of how that simple change helped create a much more flattering outfit. When you have a chance, pop over to insidepetitestyle.com and leave me a message or even better send me a picture of your outfit and we will celebrate your savvy use of color. So whether you’re adding or minimizing, just remember the right color in the right spots are the easiest way to flatter your Petite height. That, my friend, is a wrap. Thank you so much for hanging out and I will see you next week. 

Thanks for tuning in to Inside Petite Style.

When you’re ready to create a wardrobe that fits your height, flatters your body shape, and makes getting dressed fun and easy, head over to insidepetitestyle.com and take my free Petite style quiz. You’ll get personalized tips and strategies made just for your proportion and your height. And hey, you know that girlfriend who’s always rolling up her sleeves and hemming her pants?. Share this episode with her. She needs to know she’s not alone and that there are real solutions. See you next week. Until then, have fun and stay stylish.