Cardigan Empire

Salt Lake City Fashion Stylist

Fitting Room Friday: Petite Lower Figure Body Type

With the recent close of 2011’s New York Fashion Week, fellow stylist Sarah Hosman joined Cardigan Empire to refresh her spring wardrobe with some freshy fresh pretties. 

(More tips and tactics to be revealed on specific Spring 2011 trends next week.)
What Failed:
Lady Hosman knew her body type well and didn’t fuss with many of the trends currently proliferating, knowing they would either draw a box around her top half or swallow her petite (under 5 foot) proportions. 
Below are examples of some of the items she walked promptly past (click the image to view her comments in larger dimensions):
What Sailed:
Pulling It Together Sweater: A pink puffy heart for this cardigan.  The fit closely hugs Sarah’s narrow torso and ends before unnecessarily stretching across her wider bottom half.
Sing Sweetly Party Dress: Flattery from neckline to hem.  The pleated bodice adds volume to her subtle bust, the mint sash highlights her tiny waist, and the a-line skirt skims cleanly over her upper gams.
AG Angelina Petite: AG’s famously soft fabric flexes beautifully into a derriere balancing bootcut.
Primula Corset Top: A proper peplum perfectly flaring from her mini midsection to her fertile southern hemisphere.
Eastpoint Garden Top: A ladylike neck tie and ruffled collar bring attention to her diminutive north.
Washi Wrap Skirt: Normally Sarah would have passed this skirt up because of the bright color, pleating, and pockets.  But the fit turned out to be quite flattering, the pleats pointed in the right direction, and the pockets didn’t poke.  And we agreed color should always be a secondary consideration. (But it does fit small, so size up).
Gathering Blossoms Top: Sarah’s favorite top.  The ruching draws eyes to a visually narrowed center and then flares to the perfect thigh skimming length.  Breaking up her flanks without truncating her already sparse leg inches.

Let Cardigan Empire fashion you for Spring.  Freshen up with a complete Fashion Package: combining a theoretical look book & a practical virtual shopping session

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Dear Empress Giveaway: Can Lower Figures wear Colorful Skirts?

Dear Empress,

“…Can I still wear colorful skirts even though my bust/waist/hip measurements designate me as a lower figure?…”

Perfectly Pear (aka Edith of See the Songers)
———————————–

Response Sponsored by:

Lady Edith,

Even the juiciest of pears can tastefully wear a colorful skirt. Color is but the final consideration in the garment evaluation quartet. Thus, lower figures are certainly not destined to a life of black below the belt. Color can help to compensate for violations of higher rules, but it’s not cardinal cannon unto itself.

Following is the
Garment Evaluation Tetrad
(While our example centers on lower figure and skirts, this same theory may be applied to all body types and garments)

one. Cut
The shape of the garment trumps every other determinant. Does it taper against your flare, ruffle along your round? The shape should highlight your narrowest features and balance your fullest. Imagine the garment as a minimalist ink outline, then evaluate whether the shape complements your own figure.

two. Cloth
For your area of concern, look for flat, structured fabrics that drape rather than cling. While you don’t want bulky wool sweater kilts adding inches to your hipline, you also want to avoid the dimple prone vulnerabilities of a cotton jersey pull-on skirt. Look for fabrics that will hold a clean line without excessive volume or transparencies. And opt for matte over shine, our strongest curves need only to be outlined not amplified.

three. Composition
Properly applied patterns, textures, and prints are camouflage to body insecurities. In fact a bright pattern is often more effective than a neutral solid since it has a little something to offer distraction.

four. Color
Lastly we consider color. Certainly some colors are less flamboyant than others. But if the garment excels in cut, cloth, and composition you don’t have to follow color minimizing rules fanatically.

Take for example the Still Life Skirt from Downeast Baics.

Cut – A-line
Ne’er hugging a single curve of the thigh
Cloth – Cotton broadcloth
Flat smooth, and able to hold its own starch
Composition – Playful
The wood block inspired floral will keep all eyes moving
Color – Light & Bright
While the color isn’t a textbook ideal, it certainly follows enough more important rules to get a complimentary ruling.


Pair it with this equally bright and playful Frosted Flowers Cardigan and you’ll achieve a stunning balance.

Care for your own DownEast Basics Skirt?

Either: Go to DownEast Basics, inspect their skirt offerings, and leave a comment on this post identifying your preferred skirt of choice.

And/Or: Become a Cardigan Empire Follower so you can be privy to future offers and giveaways. Leave a confirming comment on this Cardigan Empire post.


The winner of the Colorful Skirt Giveaway will be selected on Monday, February 22nd.

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