I can’t do that. My husband, like many men, can just walk into a store and find his size. I am five feet tall and plus size, making me a plus size petite. Yes, I know, that’s not what petite means. It wasn’t my idea to use that term for people who are a little shorter than normal. Blame the fashion industry, but that’s what we’re called. If you’re fat, you’re plus size. If you’re short and fat, you’re plus size petite.
The simple answer? Necessity and lots of practice. I travel light and my wardrobe is well organised for the simple reason that I find suitcases too large and too heavy to manage. Experience has taught me that you can never know what’s going to happen, but by being as prepared as you can, you’ll enjoy unexpected events and invitations a great deal more. If you travel for business, you’ll also make a better impression on your client, or prospective client.
Plus Size and Petite
Let’s imagine you’re going way on a short trip. It might be a weekend away with the family, it might be romantic, or it might be a short business trip. As a plus size petite you can’t rely on finding clothes that will fit you at your destination. No matter what sort of event you have to attend, you need to be prepared and you need to feel confident, whether you’re making a first impression on strangers or meeting with old friends.
On my very first trip abroad as a consultant I traveled from my home in the UK to the USA to install some software and train the staff who would use it. I expected to stay for 5 days and ended up staying for fourteen. My hosts were delightful, as were the people I worked with. They invited me to their homes, took me to restaurants and museums and even held a barbecue so I could get the genuine American ‘experience’. At the end of my two weeks there was a formal dinner. On other trips, to other countries, that experience was repeated. One time I was visiting a client who invited me to his daughter’s wedding, on another trip I visited friends who then asked my husband and I along to a formal dinner. I learned to be prepared. It gives you the confidence to relax and enjoy unexpected experiences. It lets you be you.
Midnight Garden Merino Shawl Scarf Stole Wrap Throw Mongolian Fur Trim Blue
If you love blue then this would be an excellent choice to wear with a dark blue ensemble. All ladies with blond or grey hair take note. This, or something like it, could be the ideal thing for you!
What to Wear When Traveling
If you’re going away you have to travel. Whether it’s by air, sea, road or rail some clothes are more practical than others. Most packing experts say you should wear your heaviest coat as it will take up too much room in your suitcase. That’s true, but unless you’re walking, you’ll get very hot and bothered. Take a layered approach.
For travel, I always wear a wrap, not a coat. No matter how many layers I wear beneath the wrap, it always fits. It’s also useful as a blanket in the car, train plane or boat. (Yes, airlines supply them, but I like to know where my blanket has been) I’ve wrapped babies in my wrap, used it as a bandage in emergencies and an extra blanket when I reached my destination. You’ll find wool wraps lightweight, comfortable and available in some gorgeous colors. My personal favorite wrap is made from Alpaca, super soft, lightweight and lovely and warm! Some wraps can be very thin, yet still warm. I often throw a couple of smaller ones into the suitcase if I have room, as long as they are in useful colors.
In terms of style, wraps go with everything, you can even wear them with an evening dress. To keep them wrapped, you’ll need a brooch or pin. There’s nothing worse than setting off on a journey to find your wrap constantly falling off. Choose a good quality brooch with a strong pin and check that it’s all secure before setting off. I’m wearing a wrap as I write this. It’s shorter than the more poncho like wrap I’d wear for travel, but it’s trimmed with pompoms. Who said fashion couldn’t be fun?
Comfort is the main requirement when traveling. You will almost certainly expand and it’s not just your feet that will swell. Wear pants with an elasticated waist made from a crease-proof fabric. Add a matching top, and if you expect to be cold, a light matching jacket as well. Throw your wrap over the top, and wear comfortable shoes with cushioned soles. If you are traveling by air there will be a lot of standing about queuing. Never, ever, wear new shoes to travel in. And make sure you practice getting in and out of the shoes if you’re traveling by air.
Don’t Be Afraid to Wear Black
If your wardrobe consists mostly of black, and that’s the case for a lot of us plus size petites, then think of it in a positive way. At least you have a lot of items that match!
Everyone can wear black, and it’s never out of place. Add something, a scarf, a necklace, pretty earrings, a pin, that will make it all your own.
Fabrics for Travel
Lightweight, crease resistant materials are ideal. Most of my travel clothes are made from the fabric described as ‘slinky’ a sort of thin ribbed jersey which doesn’t seem to crease no matter what you do to it. (Ive rolled a jacket in a ball and had my daughter sit on it for a 500 mile journey and it still didn’t crease)
The other major plus to this fabric is that it stretches, so it’s comfortable to wear and when you wash it, it dries very very quickly, another must for a good travel wardrobe.
Never use new clothes in your travel wardrobe. Try them out first. When I first discovered slinky fabric I went a little mad and bought lots, including a set of pants and top in white. I reasoned these would be a great addition to my travel wardrobe. A white top is great for business meetings and white pants go with everything.
Unfortunately, I found the white slinky much thinner and more transparent than the other colors. The top was only useful under a jacket and the pants weren’t terribly useful at all. Sadly I didn’t try them and only found out how revealing these were when I decided to wear them on a business trip. Fortunately, I spotted the problem in the mirror and was able to correct it, but my choice of clothing on that trip was seriously limited. Please learn from my mistake!
I have a number of slinky tops I use when traveling, but I always try to buy a simple T-shirt, preferably a long one with a V-neck, in the same color to increase my options. Cotton T’s are cooler to wear than slinky fabric and are ideal if you overheat easily. All my tops have V-necks or deep scoops. This helps create the visual illusion of length and will make you look both taller and slimmer.
Color Choice — Remember the Objective!
It’s important to plan your travel wardrobe so that the colors you take will work well together. Two individual ‘sets’ or capsules make a surprising number of outfits, and if you add in a couple of print tops that match both, you’ll have no problem with choice.
Neutral colors are ideal. Black, brown, navy, gray, dark green and taupe should be in every wardrobe. Some make excellent combinations – black and brown can go together, as can black and gray. Gray and taupe can make an interesting combination and almost everything goes with deep dark green, just look at flowers! Navy blue is a classic which is never out of place. Don’t pair navy with black, people think you made a mistake. If you wear dark green and beige you may look like you’re wearing camouflage.
When you’re short, wearing one color from top to toe makes you look taller. When you’re fat, wearing darker colors makes you look slimmer, hence dark colors from top to toe are a safe bet for the plus sized petite.
Does that sound boring to you? — It’s not.
Listen to what people say to you.
If it’s ‘what a lovely dress’ they are admiring your clothes. That’s not my objective when I dress. I prefer ‘Wow, you look great, or ‘hey, you’re looking well.’ it means they’re looking at me, and the clothes have done their job of making me look good, not the other way round. Let the clothes gloss over your less perfect features and emphasize the best ones. Then add the accessories, the jewelry, scarves, the hair style and makeup which express the real you.
Don’t be afraid to wear black. It’s only boring if you let it be boring. Wear black and you can go anywhere, from the office to a grand ball, even to a funeral. When you wear black you have choices. It’s not perfect, it’s not the way I want the world to be, but it is the way it is.
If this sounds as though I’m saying short fat people should only wear dark colors, let me make it clear that I’m not. I spend a lot of my life in bright colors, quite often bright red. This is about a travel wardrobe. There are more options for combination when you use neutral colors. For client meetings, neutral colors help you look like you mean business.
What’s Your Favorite ‘Neutral’
What’s your favorite neutral color?
Navy Blue
Black
Taupe
Beige
Gray
Dark Green
Dark Red
Deep Teal
Dark Brown
Greige
See results
Items You’ll Need
The Importance of a Good Bra
If you only have time to buy one new thing before you go, buy a new bra. A bra that fits and supports where it should will always make you look slimmer. Most of us don’t replace our bras often enough.
If you don’t have time to get a new one, give your bras a ‘tune up’ Tighten the straps and check how they look below the items you plan to take.
This picture, from astartewoman.com, shows how business like a one color outfit can be. | Source
Clothing
A/B/Z Colors:
A travel wardrobe should be carefully capsuld and as you know the ideal color scheme comes from three colors rather than two. Two look good, three look amazing, as long as they are the right three! Hence, a collection of clothes in one color and another collection in another (A and B) with accessories in a third color (Z). I chose Z instead of C because the best choice is often a print, and to show that you don’t need a full capsule in the third color.
For example: on my recent holiday I had a capsule in jade green and another in navy blue, my ‘Z’ was a multi-colored wrap in yellow, navy and jade (sounds awful, but it worked). You could do the same black and beige capsules and a red wrap, or red scarf, or maybe fuschia, or a brilliant turquoise.
One top — color A
One pair pants — color A
One long skirt — color A
One sparkle top — color A
One big shirt — color A
One light jacket — color A
One top/shirt — color A and B print
One pair pants — color B
One top — color B
One long skirt — color B
One light jacket — color B
One wrap — color Z
Shoes that are comfortable and neutral
Business heels that are neutral
Also, a versatile bag. I have a medium sized bag which can be used as a clutch, but also has a chain handle and that’s the one I used most when traveling.
If you can’t find a bag like that, choose one shoulder bag and one clutch bag.
Jewelry
Earrings:
Match the metal in the earrings to your watch, or buy some with mixed metals like those shown in the picture. Make sure these are in scale with your face, tiny studs can look silly. Knot earrings are a good bet for business wear.
Earring converters can turn clips into earrings for pierced ears and vice versa. Clip on earrings make interesting shoe decorations
Sparkling earrings help transform your outfit from day to evening. Long earrings are good for very formal occasions. Stick to short earrings if in doubt. Never wear anything sparkling for business except your smile.
Necklace:
Make sure the size is right. Nothing makes you look fat faster than a tight necklace. ‘Normal’ size seems to be around 16 inches. That’s OK for a slim teenager, but most women need something larger. Check out item 7 on the right. A very, very pretty necklace which would look great, but what about the size. 15 inches! Be careful when you buy. It’s easy to be fooled about length even in a store. When you shop on line, read the description carefully and know what you need.
A chain extender can be a quick, easy way to fix the problem. Measure your neck, find out what fits and stick to it. If you need more than two chain extenders, that is not the necklace for you, no matter how good it looks.
Personally, I like 20. If you can only take one necklace with you, take a single or double strand of pearls.
Others to include:
One metal necklace to match watch and earrings.
One long chain necklace or pendant.
One pin for your jacket. Useful in meetings, this can express your interests and help to start a conversation. Show your individuality.
One large brooch for your wrap.
Add to this your normal makeup kit, including a darker eye shadow and brighter lipstick for the evening. Hair kit, underwear, and sleepwear. Be sure to pack a relatively new, effective bra. A good bra can make you look two sizes thinner.
Plus Size Womens Clothing 