Jen Wooster-McBride is owner and CEO of J.Lauren Events in Columbus, Ohio.  You may remember her from our featured planner of the week spot last week.  If not, please check out her style profile now and get to know her a little better.  Jen will be a regular contributor on The Stylish Planner on the topic of Petite fashion, we are so excited to have her on board!

I am so excited to start talking fashion!

They say wedding planners fill many roles, accountant, designer, advisor and mediator just to name a few. And when it comes to my life I am also many things; wife, dog mom, small business owner, avid hiker, wanna-be foodie, gardener. So why is it that when it comes to being short we just say ‘oh if you are less than 5’3” you’re petite’. I am 4’10” and let me assure you, I am many things other than petite. You know us shorties, we come in all sorts of shapes and sizes too.

While I love fashion magazines, I have noticed they all say if you are petite you should dress a certain way. Dressing for your stature is only half of it. What about your body features? Um hello! I am petite and, well something else. Curvy, maybe? OK my little petite bombshells, we are going to figure out our exact body types. Get out your measuring tape and calculators we are getting scientific.

1. Measure the narrowest part of your waist, which is your zero point.

2. Then the largest part of your chest, take the +/- difference between your waist and chest.

3. Last the largest part of your hips, again take the +/- difference between your waist and hips. Then the difference between your chest and hips.

The figures above are adjusted for petite women. The same rules do not apply for us. We are lovely little scaled down versions so 4 inches on 5’11“supermodel is like 6 or 8 inches on us. Don’t worry if you don’t fall exactly into a category, it is just a guide.

You need to factor in things such as body frame and weight, or a longer or shorter torso or legs. In future posts, we will talk about how to scout for fabulous fashions that combine the petite “rules” with the body shape “rules”. Because we are so much more than our height.

So ladies tell me. You are petite and…what?