We all know that cut, color, and proportion are important considerations for us petite women when we're choosing clothing, but did you also know that the fashion fabrics of your clothing can make a big difference in your appearance?
Flattering Fabric Characteristics
Flattering fabric characteristics include:
- lightweight
- thin
- smooth
- matte finish
- drapey
These fashion fabric characteristics are good for petite women because they don't add the illusion of extra pounds and thus help petite women
look thinner.
Fabric Characteristics to Avoid
Fashion fabric characteristics that petite women should avoid or take care when wearing include:
- heavy
- stiff
- textured
- bulky
- shiny
These are general guidelines based on the fact that these fashion fabric characteristics to avoid tend to make the wearer look bigger, emphasizing short stature. Still there will be times when petite women will want to wear such fabrics, so the caveat is "wear with care." A glitzy sequined top for the holidays will work better for a petite woman than a sequined dress, for example.
Examples of Fashion Fabric Substitutions
- For work, substitute a wool gabardine suit for a wool bouclé suit.
- For casual wear, substitute a fine-gauge cotton cardigan for a bulky wool cable-knit cardigan.
- For a wedding, substitute a de-lustered satin gown for a shiny satin wedding gown.
