Dressing the Petite Plus Sized Apple Shape #8...The Dress...

 

Here is the tale of the perfect dress for the Apple shape. If you have a figure like my gorgeous daughter, pictured here ready for her Senior Formal, this is not for you...lol! Isn't she fabulous?

 

It has been years since I wore a dress that was anything but what might be kindly called 'floaty'.

 

I actually prefer the lean look bestowed upon my small, curvy, squishy frame, that wearing slender pants and a shirt gives.

 

Thanks to my French Chic Academy course however, I am learning to reassess my obsession with pants, and re-evaluating my aversion to dresses and skirts. After all, those French ladies know how to rock a flirty skirt and heels!

 

I've been digesting information on how to use stripes and diagonals, to guide the eye away from your least favourite features, and towards those that make the most of your shape, much as an arrow would.

 

The dress in these photographs, purchased to wear to my daughters Senior Formal Parent Meet & Greet, is just about perfect for me, and will be for you too.

 

 Here is why:

 

1.  The black section in the centre, disguises a round tummy

 

2. The three quarter sleeves cover less-than-toned upper arms. I have a real 'thing' about my upper arms. Silliness really. I had a real 'thing' about my upper arms when they were stick thin too!

 

3. The stripes on the sleeve cuffs, attract the eye to slender wrists, and away from the aforementioned upper arms.

 

4. The asymmetrical neckline, draws attention to the face, hair, neck and chest, without being unnecessarily revealing.

 

 

5. The bands of thin black and white diagonal stripes, form a solid V shape or arrow, pointing first to the neckline, then to the waist, then away from the mid-section to the hemline, where another asymmetrical feature, takes the eye to the knees and ankles. Neckline-Waistline-Hemline is a great visual trick for we Apple shapes.

 

6. The paler coloured sections advance, drawing the eye, and the darker colour recedes, making the eye ignore those areas.

 

7. The point of the asymmetrical hemline is black underneath the diagonal band, so attracts the eye, and literally points to the feet to show off ankles and pretty shoes. I don't know about you, but I have another obsession....pretty shoes! So this is a great strategy for me!

 

8. This dress has no excess voluminous fabric, the usual trick for clothing manufactured for we more curvy types. More fabric, just makes us look more curvy. And not in a good way. That's a lesson that's taken me years to learn! This fabric is a thick stretch with a bit of substance, so that it skims the curves, making you look taller and leaner. It doesn't buckle or crinkle, or go out of shape when worn either.

 

9. The length of this dress is perfect for a Petite Apple Shape. The shorter part of the hemline is just on the knee, with the asymmetrical point, taking it to just below.

 

10. The addition of low cut silver pumps with a peeptoe, adds further length to the leg. The nude sandals shown in the top photograph achieve the same effect, but not quite as prettily. On the website from which I purchased the dress, it was styled with similar pumps (court shoes) but in black. I prefer the sleek look that metallic or nude shoes give to the foot. Either way, adding a 'low cut' shoe in a metallic or nude shade, gives the illusion of longer legs and height. If choosing a nude, tan or skin toned shoe, straps across the foot are okay. If choosing a colour, stick with a low cut pump so as not to cut your leg length off, making you look shorter.

 

 

11. A matching bag, means that accessories merge and compliment one another, rather than being an additional feature in themselves, allowing the dress to take centre stage. I chose both shoes and bag in a silver faux snakeskin.

 

 

12. The overall effect of this dress, with it's arrow type asymmetrical details, is to make the wearer look taller and more slender (at least till I stand next to my statuesque daughter!), and it achieves this goal admirably.

 

I bought my dress at Birdsnest here. Note that the model pictured, is certainly taller and more slender than I am by far, but I just knew, thanks to Marie-Anne Lecouer and her Academy, that this dress would work for me. These days I am far more adept, at unseeing the model, and looking more closely at the dress to make those decisions.

 

For my lucky U.S. friends, you could try Dia & Co who offer the most incredible styling service based upon your personal questionnaire. I cannot wait for them to start shipping to Australia!

 

My shoes were purchased at Styletread here.

 

My bag was a lucky find on eBay, with a co-operative local seller who speedily posted it in time for it's arrival for the event, but you can find a similar one here.  That one would not have arrived in time for me, but you might be looking further ahead than I was!

 

I have to say that this is not a style of dress I ever would have chosen left to my own devices. I would have gravitated towards the floaty look dished up to we Apple shaped folk since time immemorial. I would have shopped at the last minute, got frustrated and tearful, and ended up feeling that I had presented myself in a less than favourable light, through sheer lack of choices.

 

But given a bit of education thanks to the French Chic Academy, a bit more choice thanks to the world wide web, and the luxury of time on my side (except for the little clutch bag!), I was able to research an appropriate style for my shape, source it and get it posted, in plenty of time for my event.

 

What about you my fellow Petite Plus Apple friend. Would this dress work for you too?

 

....Mimi....

 

 

A New You...Dressing the Petite Plus Sized Apple Shape #6....Long and Lean...

I'm half way through my New Year, New You Challenge. That's the one where I decided to educate myself more adequately on what suits someone who is 57 and fat....hahaha!

 

I'm what is known in figure-analysis circles as an Apple. I thought for the longest time I was an Hourglass. Ha! Fool me!

 

This misconception led to all kinds of fashion failures. I mean really, we're not even talking 'fashion'. We're just talking 'not looking like a dogs breakfast'.

 

Anyways, I finally got my act together on this Apple shape bizo, and started re-assessing clothing I had, and making some (very) well chosen purchases.

 

First on the Wish List was to look more like Caroline Herrera, the Venezualan born designer, seen above left. Yes. Well, I don't have her figure, but armed with the right information, I set about finding something similar in her look, that would suit me.

 

The skirt on the right, was my solution. It was neutral, had a print that was not floral, and had this lovely piping that tricked the eye into looking at the vertical, thus making me look taller and leaner. BUT...it was too long, and left at that length, could still make me look frumpy.

 

I was also, at this stage, still acclimatising to the idea that short, fat people like me (sorry, Petite Plus Size Apples), should, nay... NEED... to create the illusion of height. See, Caroline does this admirably with her schnazzy heels, and her foofy hair.

 

So the first item on the list was a pair of nude heels, and a pair of black peeptoe heels. Done. These needed low top of foot cleavage to give the illusion of length of leg, and a wearable height as far as heels go. Hobbling is not a good look, short and fat, or not. 

 

I shortened the skirt. That was not a task for the faint hearted. This is a semi-circular, gored skirt, and it was a job I dreaded, but once done, I could immediately see an improvement.

 

I paired it here, with a blush pink cardi and scarf, took this selfie, and realised that this scarf (which I previously loved), was adding bulk to my frame in the same way waterfall cardi's had previously.

 

I exchanged it for this long vintage blush pink glass bead necklace, and look! Doesn't that make me look taller and slimmer already? Who knew, right? Long and lean accessories make YOU look long and lean. Fluffy, fat ones, well, you know...make you look fluffy and fat. Not desirable for most of us.

 

I popped this Citrus Green jacket on that day too. But it's boxy, cropped style, just makes me look boxy and cropped. Sigh. I used to love that jacket, but it's Sayonara Citrus for now. I've kept it exclusively for wear with dark denim jeans and a jaunty scarf. That's a better look.

 Finally I got the DETAILS right, and paired my altered and thrifted $10 skirt, with a $20 button down shirt in black (black minimises faults remember, white accentuates them...great for Caroline, not so much for me). I added my black slingback peeptoe heels ($150 and many hours on the net searching), and my longed for Baroque pearls.

 

I think whilst I'll never be Caroline, I'm happy enough with my interpretation on her look, to know that I REALLY CAN DO THIS!

 

In the picture above right, I look taller, more slender, youthful, but not ridiculous, and more stylish than I did six months ago by far.

 

I think I'll call that a win!

 

My Baroque pearls remain my best investment, like, ever. I wear them several times a week, and they elevate everything I wear to 'special'.

 

Here below, was the inspiration, and under that, the realisation.

 

I never dreamed I'd own something so lovely, but discipline and 'thinking like a French woman', have seen me change my approach to dressing, forever.

 

 

 

Now when I shop, I shop with a specific item in mind. It must be the right colour, the right shape, the right fit (or be able to be altered for fit...we Apples are hard to fit sometimes), the right length, and so on. If I do NOT find that item, exactly as I've listed, I don't buy anything. Another valuable lesson. The right 'thing' seems to find it's way to me eventually.

 

The little details make all the difference to whether your look works or not. Who could have imagined that shortening a skirt, wearing (non-crippling) heels, and investing in a fitted button down shirt and a strand of pearls, could make such a difference.

 

Remember...

 

1. Think long and lean, like my glass bead necklace.

 

2. Vertical stripes (like the piping on my skirt) or features are your friend.

 

3. Adding height by wearing heels and an up do, like Caroline Hererra or my peeptoe heels,  is another great strategy.

 

4. Be choosy when you shop and always shop with a list...just like for groceries. I measured where I wanted my pearls to finish on my torso, and sent the lady who was making them, 10 photos of what I didn't want, as well as 3 of what I did. I was very specific.

 

5. Shoes need toe cleavage to add length to your leg. Nude heels are great, as are peeptoe heels.

 

6. Knee length hemlines are perfect for Apples. They add length to your leg and make you appear taller.

 

7. Fitted button down shirts, with a wee bit of stretch are better than boxy t-shirts and jackets. Anything loose or boxy, just makes you look fatter.

 

8. If you wear scarves, be sure they're not adding bulk to your frame. Silk scarves are better than knit.

 

Are you getting there? I hope you're finding this as fun as I am!

 

...Mimi...

 

 

 

A New You...Dressing the Petite Plus Size Apple Shape #4...The Finer Details...

 

 

Dressing the petite plus sized Apple shape is challenging.

 

The 'fashion' industry do not cater for us. We simply get sizes 2-12, upsized for our body shape, leaving all sorts of inadequacies, from waistlines that do not accommodate little tums, to darts appearing in the wrong places, bodices that are too long or too short, skirts that make us look like a cake topper...the list goes on.

 

One alternative is to do what I have done for so long, and simply wear flowing shapeless garments, which mind you, do have their charm in the right context, and give up trying to look sleek and lean, at all. Because for many of us (most of us?), 'sleek and lean' is the goal. Not necessarily thin, but just taller and with a lithe silhouette. And guess what? You don't need to be a skinny Minnie to achieve it.

 

Which brings me to another alternative. You might remember that I've invested some time in educating myself on the topic of how to dress my short, cuddly self. I've not regretted this for a moment, and I've learned so much from Marie-Anne Lecouer and her French Chic Academy, since I joined in December last year. The first thing she taught me through her Apple Shape e-course, was that the details matter. A simple idea like keeping our hemlines at, or just below our knee to lengthen the leg, or the tip that low cut shoes that show a little 'toe cleavage', and shoes in a nude shade, make ones legs appear longer, and thus we appear taller, makes the world of difference.

 

I've also learned that wearing navy blue as seen above, is softer and more flattering than black (my perennial favourite), and long necklaces like my new strand of Baroque pearls custom made by Laura at JaguarJems on Etsy, also seem to lengthen the torso, drawing the eye to the vertical, a slimming illusion.

 

Two years ago, I attended my brothers wedding. It was a casual affair, in one of our lovely parks where I live. Aiming for the look on the left, I misguidedly wore my interpretation...a light floral cotton shift (aforementioned shapeless garment to the rescue), and my much loved Lanvin ballet flats.

 

I was happy enough when I looked in the mirror at home, but in all of the photographs, I look short and dumpy...lol!

 

 

Here is where I made my mistakes:

 

The dress was light and comfortable for a steamy hot day, but pink all over, is not flattering on me, and the light colour actually adds bulk to my frame, as do the gathered sleeves and neckline. I'm not usually a fan of prints, but this one seemed appropriate. Now I see that it's just Granny-ish...definitely NOT a look I am trying to cultivate.

 

The dress on the left, has waistline detail, giving at least the illusion of a waistline, whereas my pink dress did not. The model on the left, wore high heels with low toe cleavage to make her legs look longer and to give her height. I wore ballet flats with top of foot detail, shortening my leg, and making me look even more height challenged than I already am at 5'3" tall. The hemline of the models dress just hits the knee lending length to her leg, mine is below the knee, cutting me off along my shin. She wears her hair up, to lengthen her neck and lend a sense of occasion and again, height. I wore mine down, making me look a bit half-hearted, and short. I wore no jewellery, believing the floral pattern to be 'busy' enough, so at least I was on the mark there.

 

Since taking some advice from Marie-Anne Lecouer though, my favourite Special Occasion dress is the black wrap dress you see above here on the right. I'd heard how wrap dresses were flattering for the Apple shape, and I had this one. But I couldn't make it work for me. Again, the devil was in the detail. Instead of tying the wrap ties around my waist, I tied them under my bustline. This gives a curvy silhouette, rather than just a rectangular one. Instead of filling the V neckline with a necklace, I added dangling Baroque pearl earrings, adding length to my torso and neck. I stopped trying to wear Ballerina Flats with everything, and found some heels that I could tolerate, and abandoned the idea of ankle straps in all forms, as they just make my legs look shorter. If I wear this dress now, I also usually wear my hair up in a French Chignon, to give the illusion of a long neck and cleavage, and to draw the eye upwards.

 

 

 

Think 'heels, hats, and hair in an up-do, to add height' for we Petite Plus Sized Apple shapes.

 

I think these strategies make a huge difference. I have to add that I wouldn't wear the pink floral fascinator just anywhere. It was an addition for a Raceday event. I would however, entertain other hair accessories and styles, to continue that illusion of length and height.

 

As for the crime of covering all ills in flowing fabric, yes, guilty. What about you my Apple shaped compatriot? It seems such an obvious solution really, until you look back and digest how you really looked.

 

I cultivated a sort of grey, vaguely arty look for quite some time during my Mummy years. The short bob haircut was part of that too. This look below wasn't all bad, but my hair is not at it's most flattering at this length, I see that I badly needed a bra fitting (high chest is a youthful chest!), and that even my bag, wasn't doing me any favours. You see, it isn't just about scale with bags as many fashion advisors would have us believe. It's also about not adding bulk to our silhouette, for we Apple shaped ladies. A slim envelope clutch has remedied this dilemma nowadays. Round hoop earrings add a 'round' illusion to the figure, whereas a long dangling earring add length to the neck, so now I prefer a longer earring, like my baroque pearls, to hoops.

 

 

The wrist cuff, similarly does me no favours, cutting the length of my arm, and yelling 'shortie'! too. So much again, for the idea of 'scale'. Bracelets for us, should be statement, yes. But not necessarily cuffs that shorten the arm. Softer chain and link style adornments, that sit down low on the hand when you hang your arm down, is another body lengthening trick of the eye.



 

As for my hair, well I've found over the years, that length is good for me. Shoulder length or longer is the most flattering and slims my face. Above, I look quite round in the face, and heavy in the body, thanks to the Empire line shroud type garment that I previously believed was flattering, the shorter hair, and the accessories as detailed.

 

Below, I look more slender, taller, and the navy blue flatters my fair complexion and silver hair, as opposed to the grey clothing and artificially dyed hair, seen above. Pearls are known to add a glow to anyones complexion, and the bootcut jeans, slim fitting shirt, and elbow length cardi, are just right for every day wear.

 

 

One last before and after look. I've shown you the photo on the left here before. This was my favourite every day Mummy look just five short months ago. The shirt is silk, and I quite loved my ripped 3/4 jeans, I am ashamed to say. Now my favourite every day Mummy look, is more like the one above, or this one here on the right. Black slim cut, full length pants, a black fitted button down shirt with a bit of stretch, a simple black bolero with a small frill around the edges, and black patent leather ballet flats. The only jewellery here is pearl studs and a pearl bracelet (thankyou A for that gift). No arm shortening cuffs, no necklace here, as the frill adds interest, and an up-do to add a bit of a dressy note.


I feel all grown up these days. Now if I shop for clothes, I have a detailed list, or I don't bother shopping. I've given away all of my 3/4 pants and ripped jeans. Again, this is advice I'd seen before, but not really taken much notice of, until starting my French Chic journey. I've added comfortable heels and wedges to my wardrobe of shoes, and as much as I love scarves with a passion, I've come to accept that wearing them up around my neck, is not flattering either. Long scarves with tails, or Infinity scarves are key for Apple Shapes. Again, remember you're looking for looooong and lean.

So here I am, a third of the way through my New Year, New You learning. I am really proud of how far I've come, and I hope so very much, that I've encouraged you to reassess the way you present yourself. I can tell you that I have found a whole new self-confidence at the age of 57, and I am starting to see that my days of looking my best, are ahead of me, not behind me.

What about you? Tell me everything....


...Mimi...