Lost in Translation: Finding Runway Styles in Petite and Plus Sizes

The solution? Wear pants with a slight boot cut instead, or with a straight leg. Most of the skinny look pants are actually made with a tapered bottom. Check fabric content and buy things made with a bit of Spandex to smooth out lines and curves.

Micro-mini dresses: So cute! So girlish! So...wait. This won't look good unless the wearer is still in undergrad classes. The high waists can also make for a pregnant look on women with meat on their bones. The reason that many of these dresses look so cute and tiny on the runway girls is that their legs and arms are longer, rendering different visual proportions than on an average woman.

Try dresses that fall between the mid-thigh and knee to lengthen the body line. If you wish to wear something empire-waisted, buy a garment with a wide, waist-defining belt. Go for something in a heavier fabric that will hang, rather than float. Pin tucks over the stomach are great, because they draw the eye down, rather than across.

Drapes, pleats, and flounces: These special tailor's touches add dimension and class to a garment. Remember, though, that models' bodies are very straight. Fabric drapes differently on an A cup bust than on a D cup. Same goes for differences in hip size. Think of this when purchasing skirts with pleated waistlines.

Go for soft, silky fabrics that move, rather than stiff woven textiles. These design features need flexibility. Pleats open and close, and add additional fabric to the hip or waist, which cause the eye to move along a horizontal line. Try only wearing one draped piece per outfit, combined with defining garments that are more fitted.

Dressing with style shouldn't have to be a zero-sum game. High fashion is something that should work for everyone, no matter how voluptuous our bodies happen to be.

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