I am a very mini person, and need help in dressing myself

[arightoldbag]

I'm only 4 foot 11, and after two babies, I'm a respectable size 14, with largish norks and a round tum and teeny tiny legs. Late 30s...

What on earth do I wear this Autumn? I'm a farmer's wife with not much money. So, cheap clothes are a must. I've lost 2 stone in 6 months (I was basically as wide as I was tall), and I'm still dieting.

I LOVE clothes. But skinny jeans/straight jeans still give me a muffin top and a strangely low bottom, knee boots make my legs cut in half, and knee length skirts go down to my mid calves. I can therefore wear skirts that are minis for everyone else, as they're the only ones that sit on my knee. Once and for all - if you're 5 foot 4 you're not BLOODY PETITE!

I love knitted dresses, smart dark jeans, bright jewel coloured knits. However, I'm still not sure what colours suit me. I've got darkish/mousy hair, pale skin which flushes easily and blue eyes.

Pleeease help. I need clothes that look decent on the school run/countryside/farm office...

It's really difficult when you're tiny - with non petite clothes I have a real problem with v necks as they show more boob that I want, and bottoms on trousers/skirts seem to sag around my crotch. Cheapish petite collections don't have much variety.

How would you dress? Thank you for help!!

Hmm......I can't think of any clothes shops, but I have a few slightly off-the-wall suggestions...

Could you fit into a kids age 12 or 13 maybe?
Or, buy clothes in the 'normal' section of the shop and customize them? (e.g. putting in a panel in the deep v neck of a top, turning things up)
Or, buy some long tops and wear them as dresses with leggings?

the rusty colours that are knocking around will suit you (you sound like meonly 2 inches shorter)

Leggings with very tiny skirts will look fine - they won't show bum and they won't be too long. Look in places like Topshop and Select for some really young clothes.

As for V neck tops, I'd recommend getting a stretchy top, a size smaller than you think you need. That way, you will fill the shoulders properly.

I'm actually Age 11 in length of kids clothes (quite proud of that...) but of course I have a big mummy shaped bottom and hips, so can't get into the whippet lean shape of teen clothing...

Yes, am master of turning stuff up, but then again, the crotch tends to end up half way down my thighs. I have used a dress alterer before but it's expensive.

hmmmmm long tops....good idea. Or mini skirts, which will actually look like a decent knee length on me. Or very short long jumpers (if you see what I mean).

Does A line look good on a pear shape?

I mean 4 foot 11 isn't that short with tops and stuff, its' just the bottom half

weeps and I LOVE clothes....really love them. When I was 18 and a size 8 with big norks, it was no problem - TINY mini skirt, tights, big boots, and tight jumper. Soooperb.

Late 30s is a difficult age. Sometimes I long to be in my 70s and wear beige tapered trousers, and velcro slippers and no longer CARE...

Well, I am a bit taller but a different shape. I have a couple of suggestions...It's worth finding someone your size with a style you admire and looking in detail at what she wears eg Pui of Cbeebies looks like a titch to me but worth looking at what she wears and getting ideas from her (not when she is dressed as a star I hasten to add).

Also Precis sell a shorter leg trouser (all their range is petite) so might be checking their web site out (go to their sale section). It's free delivery (not sure about returns). Try their shorter leg in a regular shop first just to see if they are any good first.
I used to have a friend who was a larger version of you (size 18 -20) and she used to wear long skirts ie down to her ankles with long tops. I liked her style but not sure it's practical for a mother / farmer's wife.

Another 4'11 size 14 here , also with the largish norks and tum but have a shorter body/longer legs.

Can't help really with tops etc as I too have the same problem, I usually layers bits ie a vest in a nice colour with contrasting v neck top over the top. I'm a bit boho in style so wear layers a lot anyway. Agree with the v necks coming too low down though- it's ok with vests as can alter the shoulders .

I'm also a whizz at turning up trousers jeans etc. Although I have found Next Petite jeans/ trousers to be a good length on me (don't have to turn them up) .

Also agree with the leggings/tights over minis, although I love wearing long maxi dresses and skirts too, I usually stick a pair of chunky boots (biker) on under skirts/ dresses, although as a farmers wife may not be practical.

I'm small. I find neat and minimal works best on me. Which is unfortunate, since my personal "taste" runs to bedizened and eccentric.

Trapeze line works very well (ie. things that are cut to hung from the shoulders, with a slight flare outwards), and that end around the knee. Cardis, sweaters that are close-fitting-ish, and end around the waist work well.

Getting things that really do fit on the shoulders is ideal, the problem always being that to fit over the bust often means going a size up - and on the small that can result in the, never-attractive, "rectangle" look.

Kylie. She is small, and you may notice she often does the "neat" thing, and often follows what might be recognised as "50s" and "60s" sort of outlines and outfits.

Hmm not sure how much sense any of that makes - am currently distracted by a fight with ds over bed-time versus control of the TV remote.

Joules skirts won't go below your knees, surely?

And try Gap for trousers. I know people on here rave about Uniqlo for apples but I think they are quite a weird shape, myself.

What about petite ranges like Topshop and Asos? I have a fried who's your height and she lives in (and always looks lovely) Topshop petite jeans and nice little cardis/tops.

Yep I second Topshop and ASOS petite ranges. ASOS quality can be a bit hit and miss but dresses and trousers good.

I generally don't buy petite clothes though, but look for clothes that look like they fit 'petite' from normal ranges... eg shorter and more fitted skirts/dresses from mango or zara - that might be verging on mini on normal height people but ones that I can wear to work

If you find that tops gape at the neckline, why not try some high neck styles - say a crew neck tshirt (long and short sleeves) for basics - try DPs and something like this maybe for a bit of colour

Wallis for petite leggings is good. They do a whole petite range which looks ok but can't speak about quality as is usually too big for me as I'm an 8 and they seem to size quite large.