For work on Monday, I wore this Elie Tahari Alexandria dress (purchased on HauteLook) with a navy cardigan from Crewcuts and a red studded belt from The Gap. I wore the belt because the dress is a tad big, and I wanted to give it some shape (a must for a petite gal). As you can see from the closeup, it has beautiful detailing along the collar. If I were to wear it with no sweater, I would probably choose a different belt (maybe a blue one?) so it wouldn't look too Christmas-y! The nude pumps from Shoemint are the perfect finishing touch; as I've said before, nude shoes create an illusion of height.

To finish the look, I wore this amazing Amrita Singh Deauville ring (from Ideeli) and these Kate Spade Pop Rocks drop earrings. The nail polish is Essie's Berry Naughty. 

For Thanksgiving dinner in Brooklyn, I wore this Greylin blouse from Bluefly with my black J. Crew Pixie pants and Via Spiga riding boots. The blouse's subtle ruffle detailing and necktie add the perfect amount of structure. 

As always, the Pixie pant flatters and looks great with the brown boots. The boots hit below the knee and are therefore the right height for a short girl like me! 

To accessorize, I wore these great earrings I just bought from a street vendor in the Flatiron District, along with my favorite beaded bracelet from Coup de Coeur and a couple of slender bangles. 

 

For work today, I paired a navy Magaschoni wrap blouse with J. Crew's No. 2 pencil skirt. The skirt is a petite size and hits right above the knee, making it perfect for work. Because it's a vibrant color, I thought I'd block it with a darker blue and a nude pump. As a finishing touch, I wore a pair of bright yellow earrings from Coup de Coeur. I love the fact that they're asymmetrical and have an earthy feel to them! 

Fab footnotes:

* When ordering a skirt online, always check the listed length. If it's around two feet, see if a petite version is available. 

* Magaschoni is a great clothing brand with a focus on cashmere. They pop up on Gilt a lot, so be on the lookout! 

Here I'm wearing a black and gray top by Pippa, with J. Crew's Pixie pant and nude heels from H&M. Each component of this outfit flatters in a different way. The blouse has a relatively conservative pattern and falls nicely. The black pants are slimming, with the bottoms folded under to prevent any bunching (see my first post, where I did the same thing with my AG jeans). Nude pumps are great for petite women, because they create an illusion of height. 

For accessories, I chose this tassel necklace from Coup de Coeur and my monogrammed bangle by Danielle Stevens (featured in my last post). The red-orange nail polish ("Clambake" by Essie) is my final touch!

For work and a nice dinner, I wore this Wyatt leopard print blouse, Aqua skirt and gold Tory Burch flats. As I've mentioned before, structured clothes are perfect for petite women because they highlight the frame, rather than cover it. With prints in particular, it's important to pick something tailored so that the pattern doesn't overpower you. This top has ruched sleeves with pronounced shoulders, while the skirt has a tie at the waist. All in all, the outfit has a very flattering, "together" feel.

I kept it simple with the accessories. The bracelets are from (left to right) Danielle Stevens, Pookie & Sebastian and Lee Angel. To add a final touch of color, I went with my magenta Kate Spade Lady Marmalade earrings .

Fab footnotes:

* The Danielle Stevens monogrammed bangle is normally about eighty dollars, but I purchased this one on HauteLook for fourteen! Definitely be patient, as Danielle Stevens jewelry appears on these discount sites fairly regularly. Or search online and see if you can find a good deal at an online jewelry store!

* The black Aqua skirt is actually a girls' skirt, purchased at Bloomingdale's. Never hesitate to browse kids clothes...you'd be surprised at what fits you! They're cheaper than adult sizes, almost always the right length, and, especially at a store like Bloomingdale's, surprisingly chic.

In this picture I'm wearing an XCVI blouse with a J. Crew crepe skirt, Anna Sui tights and cap toe pumps (see my "Fab finds" tab). I thought this was just the right amount of detail and color for a work outfit. It's best for small women to stick with two or three colors, so I thought the black and white shoes would blend nicely with the black top and bright pink skirt.  As you can see, the blouse has studded fringe. Similar to the BCBG flats in my previous post, it's a solid black staple with something extra. I didn't want to go crazy with accessories, so I wore my everyday watch and Kate Spade shell stud earrings.

Fab footnotes:

* Anna Sui makes amazing tights...check out this pair on ModCloth!

Here I'm wearing French Connection's Cara Block dress, purchased on HauteLook for $45! I thought this dress would be perfect for a small frame because it's not too busy and has a fairly neutral palette. The small shoulder pads give the dress great structure, another plus for a petite woman. The keyhole in the back is the cherry on top -  it's a little detail that makes the dress look more feminine and expensive.

To liven up the outfit, I chose this amazing Leslie Danzis statement necklace. I decided to wear the dress with BCBG black flats and a nude tight. Dark black tights with black heels would work as well, provided you can match the black as closely as possible. 

Fab footnotes:

* The Leslie Danzis necklace (known as "The Morgan") has a matching bracelet and earrings. It comes in gold or silver, with various gem colors. I purchased it several years ago at Coup de Coeur (see my "Stores I like" tab for the store's link), but I have seen it (and the matching jewelry) on Gilt and Ebay, and in several jewelry boutiques. 

* The BCBG flats are great because they're solid black, but have a lot of detail. I think it's great to have a staple pair of flats that goes with everything, but has embellishments.

Before I get to the fun stuff, I just want to send my love to all those affected by Hurricane Sandy. I'm happy to report that my friends and family are safe. My biggest complaint is that I lost power, so I consider myself incredibly lucky. My thoughts and prayers go out to those less fortunate. 

Here I'm wearing a Necessary Objects striped shirt, purchased at Dor L'Dor. A black and white striped shirt is a great staple piece. The ruching on the sides gives it a little detail, which I love. Ruching can create the illusion of curves, but also flatten any problem areas. The vest is actually a Bebe leather jacket with detachable sleeves.

As you can see from the side view, the jacket is cropped. Cropped jackets are great for petite women, because the short length creates an illusion of height. The jeans are Joe's, purchased several years ago at Loehmann's. Stores like Loehmann's and Filene's Basement are great for browsing discount designer jeans. The boots are Pour La Victoire (sold out). I purchased the snake bracelet at a discount jewelry store in Manhattan, similar to So Good Jewelry. Check out their (very similar) version in my "Fab finds" section. Be sure to browse their other pieces as well!

Fabulous footnotes:

* Dor L'Dor is an amazing chain with locations in New York and New Jersey. Their clothes are very current and their prices are phenomenal. Whenever I want to try something trendy without spending a lot of money, I head there. Check out their home page in my "Stores I like" section!

* I purchased the leather jacket several years ago. However, Bebe always has great leather jackets in stock.

* Pour La Victoire is an amazing brand. Though not cheap, the shoes are frequently featured on discount fashion sites like RueLaLa, Bluefly and 6pm. And don't hesitate to look on Ebay or Amazon!