Now, if you’re going to ask me if something was a Marc Jacobs, a Fendi, or a Coach handbag… well, forget it. My only way of knowing is if I actually recognise the logo (if you can see it on the bag prominently). But, even then, I won’t be able to tell you much more than just the name.

You see, when shopping for handbags, I generally just look at a bag and figure out if it can carry my “bare essentials” or not. Yes, admittedly, I tend to go big (not the best look for a petite girl like moi!). Although lately, I’ve been trying to carry a smaller or medium-sized handbag (a satchel, I believe!)… then, just adding on other smaller bags, when necessary.

In any case, I’m not really much of a handbag expert. Sure, I can appreciate a nice handbag. But, only from personal taste rather than what’s “in fashion” or “what’s popular” at the moment. In fact, I’m the sort of girl who can even appreciate using a freebie tote handbag from L’Oreal (after buying some mineral make-up!) — or even making my own bags.

That’s why when a spokesperson from Trendy Purse emailed me to ask if I can post a “favourite handbag” from their online shop on my blog for their $500 handbag giveaway, I wasn’t quite sure about it. But, I decided to take a peek at their site anyway, and was surprised to see the amount of stuff they’ve got available there. If I didn’t see anything I liked after a few minutes, I thought I’d give it a miss. I didn’t want to post a “favourite” just for the sake of posting one, you know?

Whilst browsing for bags, I can see how certain styles attract me more than others. Anyway, after just a few minutes, I found this hobo handbag from Gucci – and was instantly in-lust:

Ah. The evils of online window shopping.

What about you? Are you up for sharing your own favourite handbags?

Here’s a summary of the tips on choosing the best bathing suits for petites from the video:

1. Wear swimsuits that have a high-cut bottom. This is a good way to elongate your legs.

2. Choose casual footwear with height. Forget flat flip-flops. The stylist suggests to wear wedge espadrilles to add extra inches. It’s a good idea, but I will probably suggest a more neutral-coloured pair of shoes than the one featured on the video.

3. Wear a string halter top or a french top with padding. It’s meant to be a good, feminine look for petites.

4. Use short cover-up clothes. Again, this helps to show elongated legs.

5. Choose simple bandana or triangle tops. Avoid heavy straps and/or too much detail on your swimsuits.

As always, these are just guidelines or ideas for you to consider. Hope you find them useful!

Image source: Gabriella Fabri (duchessa at sxc.hu)

Well, okay. It’s not really named after me per se. But, these babies share my name and I’m just so stoked about it. Yes, they’re called Shai ankle boots from Hot Kiss -

How eerie is it that I get to share a name with a pair of boots? With 3.5-inch heels (great for us petites!). And a Victorian-style one at that! Available in black and brown.

You see, everyone who knows me knows that I have a bit of a boot-fetish. I love ‘em and collect as many of them as I’m able to. So, it won’t be a surprise if I’ll keep sharing a lot of boot-loving in this blogzine.

And yes, the Victorian style just appeals to my love of all things Jane Austen and the old British era.   

Now I want a pair of them pronto! So please, pleeeaaaasee tell me I can get them here in Australia.

Hat Tip: Thanks for sharing the link with me, Stef!

So, here’s my best attempt at explaining what we intend to cover here at Petite Stylista -

What… or who… is considered to be Petite?

Petite is a word that was derived from the French word petit, meaning “small”. It has come to mean “of small stature or being trim in figure.” Usually, in reference to a woman. It may be used either as a noun or adjective. And, it is often referred to as a way to determine garment size.

In fashion, there has been some confusion and debate on what is considered petite. Some fashion manufacturers claim their clothes to be in the ‘petite’ range, however, they may just simply be for ‘thin’ or ‘slender’ figures but still would be too long or big for the shorter women. Or, they may not even fit certain body types of some petite women.

So, in general, we consider someone to be petite if she is 5 feet and 4 inches tall or smaller. She may have different body types or sizes.

Now, what’s this Style thing?

Style is defined in a few different ways, such as: “a form of appearance”, “the way in which something is done”, “elegance or refinement of manners and dress”, and “popular fashion in dress or looks” (see these style definitions). In this site, I refer to it as an overall look or manner, which may relate to clothing, accessories, manners, skin care, hair care, and more.

Since — for better or for worse — we often look to celebrities and entertainment for popular styles and trends, they will be referenced a lot on this site too.

Some petite style celebrity icons that you may recognise include: Kylie Minogue, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Eva Longoria Parker, and Lucy Liu.

Sillhouette Image source: katagaci (via SXC.hu)
Olsen Twins Image source: PicApp