Model Offers Tips For Petites

Petite isn’t just a size for Marsha Holt. It has become a cause and a career as well.

For 15 years, the 5-foot-1 Media, Pa., resident has been a petite model, and more recently, a commentator for fashion events spotlighting women who are 5-feet-4 or under - the industry cutoff for petites.

Before the early 1980s, Holt probably would have had to find different work, because it wasn’t until then that the fashion industry acknowledged that shorter women existed. Back then, she recalls, petites had to rely on a good tailor or dressmaker to do alterations if they wanted to wear off-the-rack clothing. Or shop in the children’s department.

“It’s been wonderful since about 1981,” says Holt. “I don’t know why they thought before then that we didn’t exist.

“Liz Claiborne was one of the earliest to recognize the need, and since then, everyone has gotten on the bandwagon, even Dana Buchman and DKNY. They know now that there are a lot of small women out there, and they want to look put-together.”

That means clothing that fits.

Petite clothes aren’t just smaller, the proportions are different: Petites are cut narrower across the hips and shoulders, darts can be shorter and positioned differently, jacket lapels are smaller, sleeves and skirts shorter, inseams smaller. Even the detailing is different.

Those may sound like little things, but they make all the difference in the world to how a garment looks on a woman. Put a petite into a jacket cut for missy proportions, and you see it immediately - the cut is bigger, the shoulder and bustline are lower, giving her figure a droopy look.

It even goes to patterns in fabrics, Holt says. “Designs in fabrics have to be much smaller, compared with what bigger women can wear.”

Even in petites, sizing isn’t consistent, she notes. “You still have to try on different labels to get the size you want, because sizes can vary greatly from label to label - usually by one size up or down.”

Some accessories, especially sunglasses, hats and belts, are not really made for petites, Holt says.

“Sunglasses are huge. Hats swamp your face and are overwhelming. (With) small belts, I usually have to take in one more notch, except those on petite pants.”

And, if you are a large-size petite, you may have even more problems.

“There is clothing out there for women who are short but bigger sizes - up to sizes 14 or 16,” says Holt. “At that point, it still becomes a problem, and they have to shop specialty shops.” But foundation garments that fit well can make a huge difference, she adds, “even if you have bumps.”

All petites, Holt suggests, should start with good basics.

“Get a good pair of jeans that fit, a white silk or linen shirt, a nice pair of black pants, and a good black skirt, either long or short,” she says. “With those four pieces, you can put anything together. You can throw a jacket on over these and go anywhere.”

Among her other tips for petites:

Monochromatic looks make you appear taller. If you want, wear contrasting accessories.

Keep your hose the same color as your shoes and skirt to elongate your look.

Higher heels make your legs look longer.

For balance, wear a long jacket with a short skirt, or a short bolero-style jacket with a long skirt.

Don’t wear anything overwhelming. Keep purses in proportion to your size, and if you wear a hat, don’t go for huge brims.

Keep it simple. Don’t wear too much jewelry.

Big plaids and big flowers don’t look great on a petite person. You can still wear them, but look for smaller versions.

Wide belts cut you in half; so do belts that are a different color from your outfit. Keep the focus elsewhere, such as on a piece of jewelry or a hat.

In brief:

If you suddenly had enough money to live comfortably for the rest of your life, would you continue to work? “I’m outta there,” was the typical response in a recent survey, the Wall Street Journal reports. Nearly 40 percent of 900 managers sampled said they would quit work altogether. Only 26 percent said they would stay in their present jobs. In 1955, a similar survey found that only 14 percent would quit work altogether. As recently as the early ‘80s, a study found that the number had risen, but only to 23 percent. - Marc Schogol/Philadelphia Inquirer