The eternal quest to look chic, high-end but effortless and on a bit of budget has always been my (never-ending) mission. However, now at the ripe age of 30 years young I can confidently say I’ve gathered a few tips and tricks here and there.
With the rise of luxury brands but the lack of a rise in our annual salaries, it can be tough navigating where to start with cultivating petite outfit ideas for a premium-looking wardrobe. By the end of this article you’ll be in a great place to start. Now let’s commence the chic!
The statement silhouette
I’ve always adored playing around with different silhouettes and COS is like the founding father when it comes to this. However, it looks like Zara has been chasing its title with the oversized, padded shoulder designs it’s been releasing.
I had to pick up this black bomber jacket as I knew instantly this would be the perfect piece for demonstrating this tip – and a very good excuse for me to invest myself…
A skilled luxury fashion designer will always play with proportions and garment silhouettes, so take this as luxe inspiration for your next buy. I tend to go for an oversized torso for petite outfit ideas as to not give emphasis to a short frame, and I balance this out with a small heel for harmony across the look.
The tweed classic
When we think designer tweed, we immediately think Chanel or old Celine but let me tell you this, you don’t need to have a huge budget to ensure this vibe. Once you recognise the pattern of a design, you can spot these in stores across the high street. ‘Old money style’ is slowly coming back and I truly believe nothing says ‘old money’ like a tweed jacket.
It’s good news for us petite girlies as this crop jacket really helps lengthen our legs and gives us the illusion of appearing taller.
The investment sunglasses
Now if you must splurge, and believe me I do love lusting after a good designer item, I would always suggest investing in accessories. Luxury accessories are a great entry point into designer buys, but they also have incredible cost-per-wear.
There’s nothing wrong with owning a piece of luxury and having it elevate your simple everyday basics like a blazer, T-shirt and jeans or latest H&M trench purchase. I recommend going for a style that’s timeless and in a neutral colour palette: think oversized tortoise frames.
The oversized blazer
How could I not mention the hardest-working staple in my wardrobe: the blazer. Specifically oversized for me, but equally a tailored one works just as well for petite outfit ideas, a blazer will automatically smarten up any outfit underneath. In fact, one of my favourite ways of wearing a blazer is with a T-shirt and jeans or a maxi dress.
The shape automatically gives a more high-end feel and the juxtaposition between casual and smart has always been the go-to card at luxury label, The Row, the masters of high low styling.
The crisp white shirt
The basic principle to looking expensive is having a great fit, confidence and zero creases, which is where the classic crisp white shirt comes in handy.
Throughout the decades, a woman in a shirt has always been the height of elegance and everyone will look fantastic in this fit regardless of age, shape or personal style.
Be sure to invest in a good steamer to ensure that one single crease won’t ruin the look. Or like me, find those ‘non-iron’ fabrics which really help a lazy gal out. As this can be a more androgynous style I love to pair this garment with a skirt or more slim fitting trousers/jeans to help balance out proportions.
The all-black tonal look
This is a power card I personally play all the time. It’s perfect on a petite frame as a full tonal look works wonders in creating the illusion of a taller and leaner silhouette. It’s always the number one trick to looking luxurious, and works with all-camel tones, cream or sleek black. Just pick a colour and stick to it. Kim Kardashian, although not always a style icon, knows that when dressing a petite frame, tonal-matching is the key ingredient.
The investment shoes
The most important, eye-catching, and potentially outfit-ruining piece, is always the shoes. The shoes have the potential to make or break an outfit so it’s best to make sure these pieces are classic, high quality and impress every time.
For this it’s best to look at quality hard-wearing fabrics, i.e. leathers. This doesn’t need to mean eye-watering price tags, this means finding the best fabrics for you and your budget.
I personally love Coach – it’s a mid-luxury label but the engineering of the designs and leathers used are always high grade. I like a classic slim style so loafers, pumps or boat shoes go well with smaller-framed feet.
The minimal belt
Another high end tip: less is more. Repeat after me, less is more. This also goes for logos. If you have your heart set on something with logos by all means be my guest and let your spirit soar, but as a principle rule, quiet luxury speaks volumes.
It’s so easy to pick up a good quality belt these days, and I love a simple leather or faux croc look that will literally work hard for you and your wardrobe for years to come. I get a size larger so I can wear them over blazers and pick up a belt hole punch if needed. Hardware will totally depend on what you wear most, but a classic yellow gold look will always feel timeless.
The key takeaway throughout? Dressing high-end doesn’t actually mean you have to buy high-end.
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