what to wear: business casual attire – petite
June 25, 2008 
5 Comments
For those of you that are 5’4″ or under, you may have discovered that you don’t always fit into regular sizes. If you’ve ever had trouble finding a pair of pants that aren’t twice the length of your legs or had sleeves that fall way past your fingertips, you probably fall into the petite category. You’ll want to choose items that are sized petite in the area where you have the most fit issues (tops or bottoms.) Along with the stores we mentioned yesterday, French and Italian designers also have lots of options to choose from since they cut smaller in general.
If you’re petite and looking to spice up your business casual attire and still look appropriate for the workplace, here’s a fun outfit for inspiration.
These wide leg trousers from J Crew are great – they can worn all year round and come in petite. When shopping for work slacks or pants, make sure that they are 1″ from the ground in your shoes so that you lengthen your leg as much as possible. Stick to a neutral shade and play up the outfit with an interesting colored top like this one which also comes in petite.
The key is not to overwhelm your petite frame with anything oversized. Pull it together with a regular-sized cropped cardigan like this one by Theory. Accessorize with a funky necklace with character and a versatile work tote. Throw on your favorite pointy toed pumps to add length to your bottom half.
About the Author
I also recommend wearing any of the items listed here for when business casual is appropriate:
http://thebizcazblues.wordpress.com/2008/06/19/list-of-biz-caz-items-for-those-who-hate-themselves/
Great outfit! Thank you for the idea.
Great outfit! Thank you for the idea.
okay diddy — i almost deleted your comment but your blog has potential as being something snarky and funny. keep it up. there are tons of faux pas that men make in business casual dress so you have lots of blog fodder.
Love it!! Great outfit!!!