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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Holiday Camouflage And Discipline

The holiday season is here and with turkey day behind us, we’ve probably got a little additional padding in the trunk or thicker handlebars at the waistline because of all that wonderful food we enjoyed.

Because we’re Petite, extra pounds are noticed easier and they pack on in those places that simply can be unattractive.  There is nothing worse than feeling as if bright red arrows are flashing like blinding beacons straight at our butts, thighs and waistline.

Obviously the best way to avoid the added poundage is watching what you eat, keeping the portions small and if you must indulge then get your butt on that treadmill the very next day and walk it off.  We are human.  The holiday season is a time to celebrate with friends and family and enjoy in the festivities.  Should we abstain?  No.  Eat, drink and be merry … yes but just don’t go to extremes.

If you have added on a few extra pounds make sure you to avoid any prints and patters that will overwhelm your shape.  We are vertically challenged to begin with and large prints will not only make us look shorter, but they will also add more pounds to the inches. 

Tight, clingy fabrics will have you looking as though you’ve grown out of your sister's hand-me-downs.  Be appropriate, conscious and wise as to what you place on your body.  If you have to take it to the next size believe me you’ll look better.  Don’t let your insecurity about wearing a larger size; prove the catalyst to make you look even worse. 

Big accessories and wearing too many colors can overpower those added pounds as well.  Even though you want to wear bright red to your Christmas party, think about going dark.    One of the easiest ways to instantly look thinner is to wear flattering colors. Everyone knows that black is the most flattering color, which is why every woman should have the perfect little black dress. Black never fails to make you look slim and elegant. Darker shades of colors like blue, purple and brown can also help to hide flaws and create a slimming illusion.

But if you’re bored with black and want to wear more exciting colors, just keep this tip in mind: Bright colors draw attention to whichever area they’re worn on, so don’t wear a bright shirt if you’re trying to hide a big belly or large chest, and stay away from bright pants if you have a big bottom and wide hips.

Another rule for wearing flattering colors is to not pair a light top with dark pants if you’re on the shorter side. Doing so will visually cut the body in half, making you appear short and squat. If you want to accentuate your height or add a couple inches to your petite frame, wear monochromatic colors (tones of one color) from top to bottom. This helps to create a visual vertical line that lengthens out the body, as well as hides flaws.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Petite Purple Potatoes

Like we said, this blog is about everything petite imaginable and how awesome to find something that may just tempt your pallet this next upcoming holiday. 

Did you ever see anything so adorable?  Believe it or not, these colorful buds were created in Colorado back in 2006 when a grower decided to practice some cross-germination techniques. These darling little buds with a deep purple skin reveals this gorgeous pop of bold purple as well when you slice into them that will add a distinctive look to any dish.  Imagine the surprise of your guests when you place these in front of them.

Listed below are two great recipes you may want to give a go at:


AuGratin Casserole

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 leek, sliced
  • 8 purple potatoes, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 6 ounces crumbled goat cheese
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  2. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until it starts to brown. Stir in leeks and cook until just tender.
  3. Toss potatoes with flour and stir into leek mixture, coating thoroughly. Pour in milk and stir in goat cheese. Cook until cheese is melted and mixture is bubbly. Pour into a 7x11 inch baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
  4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is golden brown and potatoes are tender. 
Recipe compliments of allrecipes.com


Fork-Crushed Purple Potatoes


1 pound purple potatoes, washed
4 small shallots, minced
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
6 tablespoons good extra-virgin olive oil (we used half, and it was plenty for us)
Fleur de sel to taste
White pepper to taste
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

In a large pot, cook potatoes with skins on in heavily salted boiling water until tender, approximately 15 minutes. Remove potatoes from pot, and peel them while still warm. Place potatoes in a large bowl and, using a fork, gently smash them, maintaining a fairly chunky consistency. Fold in minced shallots, lemon juice, olive oil, fleur de sel, and white pepper. Finish with parsley.

Recipe compliments of New York Magazine

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Are You A Triangle Body Shape - - Oh My !!

When you stand 5'4" tall and you have narrow shoulders, a small bust and wider hips and thighs ... being a TRIANGLE body type can be challenging to say the least. Believe it or not, it is the most common body shape and the most feminine one of all ... so say the experts. With that being said, I guess those who are triangles are in pretty good company.  Celebrities who share the same body type as you are Rachel Ray, Lucy Liu and Kelly Clarkson.

Triangle shaped women have more of a challenge when they are short so it is important to bring together flattering styles that will make you longer and leaner.  Take for example the black cocktail dress worn by Lucy Liu.

* black - a solid dark color.
* a V-neckline.
* cap sleeves, which make shoulders look wider.
* high heels (although it would be better to lose the straps on the shoes).
* soft fabric that drapes softly over her figure.

Your biggest challenge is balancing your figure because your bottom half is generally wider and you don't want to have it look heavier.  You have to try and create the illusion of an hour glass shape by drawing attention above the waist.  Avoid anything that overly emphasizes your hips and thighs like a gathered skirt, ruffles and pleats.

Play up your face, bust, neckline, and shoulders, and create some waist definition by calling attention to your slimmest areas from under the bust to your waistline. Wearing a sleeve that makes the shoulders appear broader also is a good technique and will make your figure look more like an hourglass shape.


Strategy Strive for balance so that your figure appears more like the ideal hourglass figure. Look for tops that will make you appear bigger on top while maintaining the look of a defined waistline. At the same time, look for style details that will help you look taller.

Necklines Many neckline styles will work well for petites who have triangle shaped figures. V-necklines and U-necklines are good because they add height. Also, try branching out with a scooped neckline or a sweetheart neckline, both of which will help made your shoulders appear broader.

Waistline Make sure that any top you select gives you the appearance of a defined waistline. This may either be at your natural waistline or under the bust with an empire style top.

Sleeves Short cap sleeves, flutter sleeves, or puff sleeves also widen your shoulder line to balance your hips.

Lines Surplice styles, princess seams, and vertical or chevron stripes all add to the illusion of height, so they are also desirable.

What to Avoid Avoid tops that are too long and end of the widest part of your hips. Also avoid shapeless styles with no waistline and tight sleeveless tops that emphasize a small bust. As a petite woman, be a bit careful with fussy details. Although one ruffle along a seam line will help balance your top with your hips, numerous ruffles or too dainty details may give you the appearance of a little girl. If you're a petite plus size, such frilly details will also seem out of proportion to your size.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Are You A Rectangle Body Shape?

What's a rectangle body shape?  Quite frankly, you're one of the lucky ones to have such a balanced figure type. And, you can be any size because it's the shape that determines the rectangle figure type. Women who have rectangle shaped figures don't have a defined waistline, but they do have an equally balanced top and bottom.

Petites have more of a challenge, however, in dressing because they are short. So, you'll want to combine flattering styles that will make you look longer and leaner.

In this photo, Kristi Yamaguchi wears a long pink gown with a diagonal stripe that helps create the illusion of more shape and maintains her already balanced shape without over-emphasizing either bust or hips.

Trapeze Dress
When dressing to flatter your rectangle shaped figure, your main challenges will be to maintain the figure balance that you already have and create the illusion of a defined waistline so that you look like you have more of an hourglass figure. Avoid styles, such as shifts or what is known as a trapeze dress that will hide your shape.


 BUT, if you wear extra-small sizes, such as 00P or 0P, you  can get away with these styles because of your tiny size. If you're a size 6 or above, you're better off sticking with the strategy of creating that hourglass illusion though.

Avoid styles that will over-emphasize your bust or hips. For example, if you wear a gathered skirt, your hips will look bigger and make you look bottom-heavy. If you wear a style such as an off-the-shoulder top, you may find that you appear top-heavy.  Your other big challenge will be to create the illusion of a defined waistline. Placing emphasis on the waist or midriff area in such a way that you appear to have a defined waistline will make your figure look more shapely.

Look for tops that create the illusion of a defined waistline. That may mean either an empire waistline that has a band under the bust or a top that has a band at the natural waistline. Tops with self-belts or other belted tops can work well too as long as the belt does not fall below the natural waistline.  Although styling of the top is key, you can also use color contrast to bring out the waistline definition. When the waistline band is a darker color, the definition created is more pronounced and desirable. Dark colors recede, which makes the area covered by the dark color look smaller. Tops with curved-seamline, side panels in dark colors that contrast against the color of the front can also create the illusion of a waistline. These types of tops can be difficult to find, but if you sew, you should be able to find or design a workable pattern for such a top.

Avoid tops that have too much sleeve or detail unless you balance your look with details that add hip interest too. Otherwise, your naturally balanced figure can appear unbalanced.

 If you have a rectangle shaped figure, pick jackets that define the waistline and don't upset your already balanced shape with too much detail. Belted jackets, which can be cinched at the waist, work well whether they're self-belts or separate belts. Another feature to look for in a jacket is a focal point at the waistline, such as a noticeable belt buckle. This draws the eye inward toward the focal point, making your waistline seem smaller.  Contoured seamlines that curve inward at the waistline can also help make a waistline that really isn't there. Like-wise, a chevron pattern draws the eye inward and helps give shape to the figure.

Avoid jackets that are longer than top-of-the-hip length. Also stay away from boxy shapes, such as Chanel-type cardigan styles, because they simply repeat the rectangle shape that you want to look curvier.
Anything that has a flattering V-neckline, which makes petites look taller, a self-belt to define the waistline, and a belt buckle that draws the eye inward to further define the waist. Pockets should be balanced above and below the waistline, so they make the figure appear neither top-heavy nor bottom-heavy.