Funky Collections

Showing posts with label fashion and style. Show all posts

Fall BCBG Line Not too Petite Friendly

Reported earlier at DelectablyChic!, petite favourite BCBG's Fall 2011 line is disappointingly not petite-friendly with its drop waists, low belts and longish hemlines (hemlines are getting longer, while pants are getting shorter. Fall 2011 is getting to be one of the most petite-unfriendly seasons yet. Oh well, we'll try to make things work)

People at New York Fashion Week on Plus Sized Models

But why won't they post a video about height? Don't you wish that body image discussion could encompass ALL ISSUES? Kind of getting tired of this. What do you think?

My (Mini) H&M Haul!

House of Hsueh Giveaway EXTENDED! Deadline now February 7! ENTER TODAY!

Last week, the H&M store at Toronto's Yonge and Bloor area played host to a fundraiser shopping night for a charity called Windfall, which focuses on new clothing. I was there to cover the event for my lifestyle site, DelectablyChic! and also decided to do some shopping. I purchased three items, a skirt, a cardigan and short trench, all which were 15% for that night only (prices listed below are original list prices, not post-discount).

Skirt with trench:

Floral skirt, size 4 ($49.95 in Canada)

Trench, size 2 ($49.95 in Canada)

Anyi Lu pumps

Here I am with the cardigan (XS):

Skirt and trench (in hand) as above

Cardigan, XS ($39.95 in Canada)

Not too sure about the cardigan, now that I've tried it on. I think it makes me look a little boxy (unless there's some quick fix with a different kind of shell. There's only one button on the sweater - on the top. That could have been the problem. Maybe I should add buttons to the sweater? As for the skirt, it was typical of most higher-waisted skirts, especially those from H&M - I was in between sizes, and therefore had to size up to a 4.

I also paired the skirt with a green cardigan I got from Jacob a few weeks ago and H&M belt I bought before the holidays. Personally, I like this look a bit more than the one above:

It's still much to cold in Toronto to wear this (ok, I can pair the skirt with tall boots (pic to come soon)), but I can't wait for spring to come so I can!

Petite Fashion Challenge #5: Brighten Up Your Work Wardrobe!

For the first Petite Fashion Challenge of 2011, I asked fellow petite bloggers and petite blog readers to put together a work-appropriate outfit that has no more than one dark piece, save for shoes, accessories and hosiery. I actually had trouble deciding which outfit to use, so I'm going to post both:

Outfit #1:

Camisole: Smartset, XS

Skirt: Banana Republic 0P from Fall 2009 - yeah, had to size up

Shoes: Anyi Lu, size 5

Belt: H&M XS

I was actually debating about the above because I saw another blogger post a similar-looking outfit the day I shot this.

Outfit #2:

Cardigan: Banana Republic, XXSP (this colour sold out, still available in grey)

Blouse: Banana Republic Factory Store, XXSP

Pants: Jackson Fit Tuxedo from Fall 2009 (similar here), size 00P

Shoes: Anyi Lu (same as above)

Non Petite Fashion Bloggers:

1. Vicky, 4'11"

No details of these outfits were given.

2. Christina, 5'2"

The Bloggers:

This was a:

And don't forget about the House of Hsueh clutch GIVEAWAY! Ends 1/31

Readers: What Camera Should I Get?

PetiteLittleGirl's post about her new camera has inspired me to write one of my own. I am definitely looking for a new one, but the question is this: which one? Do I want something more compact, or should I go for a full-out DSLR? For the past two years or so, I have been using a bridge camera (e.g. below), but the pictures just aren't "good enough." My quest now is to get something which I can use both for Shorty Stories shoots and to carry to events I'm covering for DelectablyChic!.

Sony Cyber-shot DSCH50 9.1 MP Digital Camera with 15x Optical Zoom with Super Steady Shot

There are two types of cameras I'm looking at. The newest cameras on the market right now are compact interchangeable lens cameras (below) - a small camera (similar in size to most people's point-and-shoots) with the kind of lens you would find on a DSLR.

Samsung NX100 - Digital camera - mirrorless system - 14.6 Mpix - Samsung NX 20-50mm lens - optical zoom: 2.5 x - supported memory: SD, SDHC - black

The advantage of a small camera like this is that I won't have to haul heavier equipment with me every time I go to an event (especially for Fashion Week, when I also take my netbook). The disadvantages are that because the camera is much smaller, the pictures aren't going to be as good due to stability (at least according to this post). The lenses used in these cameras are just as big as those for true DSLRs, and can tilt the camera downwards if you're using longer, heavier lenses. And of course, these compact cameras don't look as "professional" and cost a bit more than many introductory level DSLRs.

Sony Alpha SLTA33 DSLR with Translucent Mirror Technology (Camera Body only) (Black)

As for the DSLR? If I go for one, it would be one of the less expensive cameras, ones many consider "introductory" or "hobbyist" level. One that is on the smaller side, similar in size to my current bridge camera like the Sony Alpha SLTA33 above However, unless I actually get a camera like the one above, I would still need a separate camera for video capture as most DSLRs do not have a video mode (the above camera is also pretty expensive - $750 Canadian. This means that if I get a DSLR, I will also need to get a separate video camera, which cost around $150 (unless I use the video mode on my phone, which probably isn't as good), bringing the total to be just a little less than $750.

So readers, what camera should I get?

Do you know of any petite designers? Are YOU a petite designer?

As Shorty STories is constantly looking to profile new designers, we'd love to hear from you! If you are or know of a petite sizes designer (Shorty Stories is open to both exclusively petite and those with off shoot petite lines) please send an email with a link to your website. If you do not have a website, please send a couple of images. You can contact this site at shortystoriesblog(at)gmail(dot)com.

Thanks!!

C

NOTE: Any designer profile article posted here will likely also be posted on DelectablyChic!, my other site.

Topshop on Oxford Street

I was excited to go to Topshop. I went there a few times when I was in the UK in 2001 while studying abroad, and was excited when they opened one in New York and when Toronto's Jonathan+Olivia started carrying Topshop. However, the prices in these stores are a bit higher than in London (and knowing London's prices for their non-British brands...Topshop was definitely worth checking out). I had looked at the website before, and had a rough idea of what I was planning to buy.

On my first full day in London, I checked out the flagship on Oxford Street. I knew the store had a petite section and was excited to see what it had to offer. Sadly, the selection was very small for the size of the store (it was not much bigger than the petite corner at Next, and this Topshop was probably twice its size. It was a FLAGSHIP for goodness sakes! And the one jacket which caught my eye was only available in one size. Seriously....every single jacket (and there were at least 15 of them) was in a UK size 12 (US 8). The standard size was fine, though.

I don't know if it's just me or not, but I didn't find TopShop as appealing this time around. Though there are pieces which I'd purchase and some of the things do look good online, I think I'm getting a little too old for the place. I know that there are plenty of girls my age (31) who are still into funkier looking clothes, but that's just not me. I'm for things that are just a little more lady-like and sophisticated (which sadly, many women don't seem to care that much about anymore). I don't want to look like I'm about to hit a club that plays nothing but music that would give me a headache.

Of course, this isn't to say that the Topshop flagship was BAD. It's an affordable brand in a place where almost everything else is very expensive, compared with even New York. And if you're interested in funkier clothes, then this is definitely the place to go. If you're more conservative, like me, then you'll need to look very carefully for pieces that spice up the classics just ENOUGH. :)

Marc Jacobs Plus-Size Line Debated By Robert Duffy On Twitter

And they should also make petite sizes - sizes which are proportionate for women 5'4" or shorter. No one ever talks about THIS (I also write a piece about this very issue in my shorty-stories.com blog), now, do they??
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

ETA: Yes, I will continue to ask them about petite sizes....

Henrietta Pertuz Profile Coming Later This Week!

Meanwhile, check out this

Me in a Henrietta Pertuz Molly dress