In my 20’s I always gravitated toward very fitted pieces with waist definition, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that more relaxed cuts and longer lengths can actually look more timeless. Being petite, the difference between something looking deliberately relaxed versus ill-fitting can be in the details. For instance, for a coat like this I want to make sure the shoulders fit as well as the sleeve length, and usually find it worth it to get coat sleeves hemmed if needed (less concerned with sweaters, since I usually push the sleeves up). And if I’m wearing a looser or longer piece, I try to balance it out by keeping the rest of my outfit sleek.
I know it’s hard to see these Stuart Weitzman boots (several color options) clearly in my photos, but this style is very petite friendly and at a great sale price. I love that they go just a bit over my knees instead of almost mid thigh height like many other OTK boots, and with nice and narrow-fitting calves that stretch. The rounded square toe shape is timeless and the lower block heel is easy for me to walk in around the city.
Cashmere Turtleneck Dress
I’ve shared this cashmere dress a few times before in a different color (oatmeal is a versatile taupe – see it on me). As mentioned before, it’s a lightweight sweater dress with a straight cut fit. An XS skims my figure with no defined waist, and the length when unbelted hits me at the knee. For a thicker weight option I’d recommend this Banana Republic dress (see it on me) in a cotton blend. To wear any sweater dress with tights, I add a slip to prevent the knits from clinging against the tights. I just saw BR came out with an adjustable strap slip in petite, regular & tall sizing in tons of colors and am excited to try it!
Wool Blend Coat
As many of my coats are above the knee, I was looking for longer options and this wool-blend coat (with free shipping & returns!) has been on my radar. I uploaded a video of the fit into the LTK app but the video can only be played within the app, so you can follow me there to view it. The sleeve length of a regular xs surprisingly works on me, but note that coat length & sleeve length may increase as sizes go up. It feels true to size, so if you typically wear xxs then this would be a looser fit.
