Sex & The City Flash Backs

Since Carrie & Charlotte are true "Petites" themselves, I thought you Sex & The City Fans out there would love to see an exclusive slide show of all of the characters since the beginning of the show.

The stylists who created a fashion statement for each of these divas did such a fabulous job.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/37235094/from/ET/?beginTab=1&beginSlide=1

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.

The 4 Body Shapes of Petite Women

Short ... petite ... vertically challenged ... doesn't matter what they call us because it all plays out the same.  If you stand 5'4" or shorter, knowing what your "body shape" is will truly help you when selecting clothing that will accentuate your very best features and minimize those areas you would rather not have noticed.

We will touch on the 4 individual body types and articles to follow will zone on each individual type and those clothes and fashion tips to address each one ... so ladies ... stay tuned over the next four weeks.

HOURGLASS

If this is you, you are equally balanced on top and bottom; meaning your bust measurement and hip measurement are about the same. Another characteristic of this figure type is a defined waistline. When a women has an hourglass figure, the difference between the bust and/or hip measurement and the waist measurement is usually ten inches or more.  If you've been blessed with this one, it's considered the ideal body type.   Film star Salma Hayek is your perfect example.

TRIANGLE

Women with proportionally smaller busts and/or narrow shoulders and large hips or thighs will fall under this category.  Also known as a pear shape, the triangle figure is the most common known in the world.  Dressing for a triangle-shaped figure means selecting clothing that draws attention to the bust, creates a defined waistline, and minimizes hips and thighs.  Rachel Ray is a noted triangle.

INVERTED TRIANGLE

A woman who has an inverted triangle-shaped figure has proportionally smaller hips and/or thighs and larger bust and/or wider shoulders when compared to a woman who has an hourglass figure. The inverted triangle is not a common figure type; however, with the popularity of bust enhancement by plastic surgery, it's becoming more common.  Dolly Parton has been this body type all of her life.

Dressing for an inverted triangle-shaped figure means selecting clothing that minimizes the bust and creates a defined waistline. Otherwise, a woman who has this figure type may look too top-heavy.

RECTANGLE 

Marissa Jaret Winokur resembles this body type.  Women who have rectangle figures have relatively equal bust and hip measurements, just as a woman who has an hourglass shape does. However, a woman with a rectangle-shaped figure doesn't have a defined waistline. There's little difference in waist measurement when compared to bust and/or hip measurements, so the rectangle shape is more or less straight up and down. A variation of this shape is sometimes called an apple when the waist measurement is larger than the bust and/or hip measurement.

The major challenge for women who have a rectangle shape is to create the illusion of a defined waistline, which will make them look more like they have an hourglass shape.

Check in next week when we address the Rectangle Body Type.