Here is the outfit that inspired last week’s flared jeans ensemble. I wore it out to dinner a few weeks ago on a dry and sunny Seattle Spring day. The flared jeans have a casual bohemian ‘70s vibe, which is not my usual style preference. So making them work with my style descriptor — modern, crisp, dressy, bold and simple  — is key. 

It’s a very simple outfit. Jeans, untucked pullover, pumps, coat and clutch. No belt, tucked top, layers or jewellery, unless you count my green specs. Not only is the outfit combination simple, but the individual items are simple because the silhouettes lack bells and whistles. The lines on the garments are clean which makes the luxurious fabric and craftsmanship of the pieces stand out even more. This is where I’m at on this leg of my style journey. I’m choosing even simpler designs so that the quality and clean lines of the pieces that I wear make a stronger statement. 

I often suggest adding a wild card to your shopping list, just for fun. An item that is atypical for your style persona but speaks to you in some way. These new J Brand Love Story Jeans are my wild card for the season, and add a new denim silhouette to my jeans capsule. I’m an ‘80s tapered leg jeans gal who favours straight legs and boyfriend jeans over all other styles. Although I love wearing dressy bootcut and wider trousers, I do not like wearing bootcut jeans. I tried the newer baby bootcut styles that were less wide at the hems, but didn’t like the break line over low heels. Then, on an absolute whim, I tried jeans with a more dramatic flare and instantly fell in love. It helps that Greg loves them too. 

I prefer the wide flare on these jeans because they drape so well over low heeled pointy toe pumps. The break line looks polished and the proportions more elegant to my eye. I like to wear flares at floor sweeping lengths, which to some might look too long. As Queen Pedantic About Pant Lengths I am non-negotiable about this length. The hems must almost skim the surface of the ground. To my eye, anything shorter is too short and anything longer is too long. 

I bought the sparkly ink blue Marc Jacobs pullover when we were on holiday in Las Vegas last year. It’s very delicate and sheer so I have to wear a tank underneath. I like the juxtaposition of the dressy sparkle with the faded denim. The fluid fit is on trend, while the welt provides structure. The snug fit on the thighs of the jeans provide further structure and balance out the width of the flare. I left the top untucked because that’s how I like it best. This does shorten my leg line, especially since the top is high contrast against the jeans. Wearing a tucked top with a belt would visually lengthen the leg line. But I’m going with just flattering enough and leaving it at that. 

Spring in Seattle is chilly, so a Spring coat makes sense. My shocking pink man coat works just as well in Spring as it does in Winter, and adds a bright bold touch to the outfit. I found that I like my flared jeans best with a short jacket like a moto, cropped tuxedo jacket and cropped boxy peacoat. Or with a long knee-length coat. The in-between classic blazer lengths don’t work quite as well with the lines of the flares, nor do they feel as modern when paired with this retro style of jean. 

I finished off the look with low-heeled white pumps and a clutch to emphasize the crisp and modern. High heels are not an option for me, so a two inch heel will have to do when wearing flares. Closed pointy toes are hands down the best pairing for flares to my eye because the peek of toe box is just right. It elongates the line of the jeans and looks pretty. The flares cover up most of the shoe so you need to love the pointy part of the shoes. I’m also wearing nude knee-highs to keep my legs warm. Specs, watch and wedding ring are all I need in the accessory department. I accidentally left off my wedding ring for this photo shoot, but of course wore it out to dinner with the outfit. 

The outfit looks nice in motion because the flared hems swing a little as I stride, as do the fronts of the man coat. The flared hems worn at this length have not hindered my ability to walk fast, which is an added bonus. That means I can wear these jeans on shopping days with clients. But they are reserved for dry days because soggy hems are awfully unpleasant.

Fluid fits have become completely mainstream. In fact it’s harder to find a top in a body con or tailored fit at the moment than one that is not defined at the waist. Wow. How fashion has changed. The majority of tops were formfitting as recently as three years ago, which made the cling factor particularly problematic. I’m thrilled that fashion has moved on and provided us with more wearable options. 

• Elie Tahari Kennedy Stretch Silk Top: A chic and subtle snake print. Gorgeous over a pencil skirt or pair of trousers for work. Or fun with jeans and a pair of heels. 
• Maje Egoiste Crop Sweater: I have my eye on this cropped sweater. Although it’s grey, which is not my best colour, it’s marbled with white which livens up the shade against my skin tone. Fab layered over a white button-down shirt. Pair with roomy trousers or jeans, or a skirt. Impeccable quality and runs small. 
• Halogen Short Sleeve Sweatshirt: The new shape short sleeve is coming through. This ‘80s flashback looked better on my clients than on the model. Casual and quite refreshing. It also looked good dressed up with a statement bib necklace, pencil skirt and heels. 
• Michael Kors Modern Eyelet Tunic (Plus): Causally chic and pretty with straight leg or bootcut jeans. Needs a cami. Read the rave reviews.
• Club Monaco Celeste Foil Print Sweater: It’s much shinier in person. Excellent over a white column of colour, and breezy in hot weather. 
• Club Monaco Evangeline Sweater: The fit and drape of this pullover is sublime. It’s quite tailored, yet very forgiving. The photo does not do it justice, but the hemline is asymmetric, curved and interesting. The neckline works well on a short and long neck because boat necks are magical that way. Beautiful quality and runs small.
• AllSaints Trente Shirt: For Team Buttoned Up. Excellent on a straighter body type. It’s one of the few tops at AllSaints that I would wear myself. Gorgeous quality and sleeve detail. Perfect over sleek black trousers.
• AllSaints Amarilli Flora Top: Beautiful paired over black or white bottoms. Modern and breezy. 
• AllSaints Flora Mortis T-Shirt: Here’s a similar concept in a jersey knit which is cheaper and easier to launder than silk. 
• AllSaints Decadence Top: The roomier diagonal sleeve is more conventionally flattering than a tight cap sleeve. Fun on its own or layered with a moto. 
• AllSaints Emi Fressia Dress: A short mixed media dress that works really well as a tunic. The V-neck is great on a  larger bust, short neck and broader shoulder. Luxurious fabric. Fun layered over a button-down shirt too. 
• Loft Stripe Tuxedo Softened Shirt: Extremely lightweight and soft. The tuxedo detailing provides added interest. 
• Loft Big Dot Softened Shirt: Also lightweight and soft. Feels like linen but is cotton-rich. 
• J.Crew Lace Sleeve Sweatshirt: Pretty, textured, and I’m loving the short sleeves on upscale sweatshirts. The lace parts are hard but not scratchy. 
• Zara Sweater with Printed Front: A Spring floral to wear with black trousers or a pencil skirt. 
• Zara Combined T-Shirt With Fine Pleats: A different silhouette that poufs out a lot from the side view, so consider yourself warned. Still, it’s a fun voluminous look to wear over faded jeans or shorts.
• Tibi Sierra Scoop Neck Top: Fluid, pretty and abstract. Wear over roomy bottoms, bootcut trousers, a pencil skirt or trumpet skirt. 

Although there is ample colour in stores for Spring, there is also an abundance of neutrals. Personally, I love seeing shop floors full of ink blue, taupe and shades of white at this time of year, which is a palette going down particularly well with my clients.

Chicago-based Christine Petric (27) is a Senior Analyst at Groupon. She is a petite who has fully embraced her small frame, and uses her blog, The View From 5 ft. 2, as a creative outlet where she can share her fabulous fashion finds with the world. She is a trendy, polished and glamorous casual gal who loves skinny jeans, statement necklaces, high heels and smiling as much as possible.

“My style has changed a lot — I think I experiment more than I used to, but I also have found a better balance in investing in pieces and styles that are more timeless and I know I’ll love and wear long term. I think I would define my style as downtown casual with a little bit of edge.”

Skinny jeans in every colour are an integral part of Christine’s casual wear uniform. They’re easily tuckable, so perfect for the rainiest and snowiest day. Here she’s paired them with very cute white Burberry wellies. In fact, the whites in this outfit make this look for me because it feels so fresh for Spring. The light colour and short sleeves on the sweater provide a girly contrast against the untucked boyish plaid shirt, which in itself has a softer visual effect because of the ivory tartan pattern. The playful pom beanie and semi-chunky knit sweater add plenty of textural interest. While the red label on the boots, echoing the red in the shirt, shows that our blogger has a good eye for details. 

Now this is proper 1940s movie star elegance! And proof once again that petites can wear wide-legged trousers with the best of them. So chic and my personal favourite. The monochrome head-to-toe black with lots of outfit depth (I initially thought it was ink blue) further amps up the sophisticated air. Voluminous trousers like these usually do look better with a heel — Christine is sporting 4 inch heel pointy toe pumps, but a 2 inch heel will work too — because it creates a flattering break line on the front of the trousers. Also note that the trousers don’t have visible cuffs, which helps to elongate the leg line as well. The beautiful quilted peplum top has an almost architectural feel to it. It defines the waist and adds structure on top. The necklace with art deco vibe is a statement piece for sure, and looks as if it was made for this elegantly sculpted outfit.

This colour combination makes me smile. I wouldn’t immediately think of pairing olive green with fun bright purple, but I really like how the light blue chambray ties it all together. The quilted Barbour-style jacket and buttoned-up-all-the-way shirt give this casual Winter look a polished preppy feel. The jacket hits Christine at the hip, which is a flattering length for a petite frame. The contrast colour zipper also creates a vertical line, plus I love how the cognac accents mirror the cognac of the cosy Sorel snow boots. The colours in the eye-catching glass necklace complement the outfit. The nonchalant side braid and oversized sunnies finish off the look.

It will come as no surprise that Christine had me with the stripes. The crispness of the bold black and white appeals to my love of all things graphic. This is a fab example of Angie’s cropped sweater over longer shirt formula. Our blogger didn’t own a cropped pullover, so the clever lass folded up a regular sweater to recreate the look. The shirt colours are high contrast, but the black is fairly low contrast against the army green skinnies, and the rounded hem creates a more gentle horizontally cutting line than a straight hem. The fine gauge knit also helps to keep the silhouette sleek. The round-toe moto booties are a good length, and tomboyishly Robin Hood-esque. The textured leather satchel with gold studs — the shape is repeated in her shark tooth necklace — adds a bit of urban toughness. It adds textural interest, together with the oversized collar on the shearling coat and Christine’s lovely dark locks.

Can you believe Christine snapped up her cheeky peds in the children’s section at Zara. Shopping for a smaller frame and size 5 feet isn’t always easy, so Christine was kind enough to share some of her go-to stores:

“I love Nordstrom for shoes. They carry more smaller sizes than any other retailer I’ve found. I also love that Anthropologie, ASOS, J.Crew, Ann Taylor and LOFT, and Gap carry petite lines. There are other brands such as Madewell, Free People and Dolce Vita that fit smaller body types as well. I tend to look at other petite framed women whose style I particularly like and see what they are able to pull off for inspiration!”

Stripes, gingham, bright colours and over-the-knee boots, there’s a lot going on in this happy, maximal Fall outfit, and Christine pulls it off with pizzazz. I love the equestrian, slightly edgy vibe of the high-heeled boots. Notice how they are fitted throughout and come up about 2 inches over the kneecap, a length that can work well for petites. The tonal effect with the light brown corduroy skinnies also helps to elongate the leg line, as do the fairly short sweater and rounded hem shirt. There’s a colour and pattern mixing party going on up top, and I adore it. The cool-toned green, blue and hot pink work great with the warmer-toned browns, and the whimsical squirrel pattern suits our blogger’s outgoing personality. The mini crossbody is such a fun touch too, but in my book Christine’s beautiful smile is the best accessory that amps up her already high style quotient even more.

This Zara skort was a big hit in the blogosphere, and I have to admit I got a bit tired of seeing it after a while. However, I applaud Christine for making it her own here. And petite women sure do rock a shorter hemline like nobody’s business. It feels fresh again with the sporty high-top wedge sneakers and utility style vest. This is partly due to the colour combo too. The olive-brown, khakis and matte gold accessories look great with the crisp white. The beautiful striped sweater is actually a cardigan worn backwards. To conceal the pockets, Christine popped over the vest that adds effortless casual edge. It’s about the same length as the skort, which makes for a flattering silhouette. The delicate necklace adds a splash of Summery turquoise and contrasts cleverly with the tougher looking Alexander Wang bag

Visit The View From 5 ft. 2 to browse the rest of Christine’s outfits, or check out her pinboards to find out what inspires our fab petite blogger. But first let us know in the comments section what you think of her impactful polished casual style.

Over the years I have come across many products that add an element of convenience, practicality, or just plain fun to our pursuit of personal style. Here are twelve such products, each of them road-tested by myself or my clients. 

1. Tele Bag: This bag with built-in screen is great for Mums on the go. Keep the kids amused while you’re in the dressing room trying on clothes. It’s a practical size to hang off the handles of a stroller, plus it doubles up as a fashionable diaper bag. 
2. Picnic Pants: Slouchy harem pants are trendy, forgiving and comfortable. And here’s a practical twist on the trend. I recommended these picnic pants to a client last week because they’re denim and therefore a little more structured than jersey knit styles. The colour blocked effect is particularly fun. She loves their weight and length, and the fact she can sit down cross-legged at the park with her kids and have a snack or play cards on the built-in tray. She is duplicating the style for Summer. 
3. Sushi Slippers: One of my clients tried these on when we were shopping recently, just for fun. She fully expected them to be hard to walk in and look ridiculous. Actually, they’re really comfortable and look super cute. A stylish option for your feet when you’re hosting a dinner party and have a no-shoes policy at home. Read the rave reviews. 
4. Team Jacob Hat: Wrap up with this cozy and cuddly canine for the next polar vortex. Runs small.
5. Auto Falsies: Our cars are as much part of our style as clothes, footwear and accessories, which is why they deserve a little extra polish. I found these car lashes a fun way to give my own VW Golf a style refresher this Spring. They run true to size and are easy to launder. Weatherproof. 
6. Lazy Lounging Specs: If you wear specs daily, they need to be the very best that you can afford because they are your most important accessory. You might also want more than one pair. I find these innovative frames incredibly practical for nighttime reading. It doesn’t hurt that the style quotient is high: geometric, refined and comfortable. 
7. Sock Sandals: Although Birkenstocks are all the rage this season, they don’t work for my fussy feet. My arches don’t fancy accentuated arch support, plus Birkies run too wide for my low volume feet. But I found a way to wear the trend when Inge sent me a link to these sock sandals. They look great with white boyfriend jeans, a black top, and brown belt. Thank you Inge, and cheers to happy feet. 
8. Handerpants: Fingerless gloves keep your hands toasty as you browse your phone or computer. They also provide textural interest to your outfit. These particular examples are excellent when layered under regular gloves, or to use at the gym when lifting weights. They run large, so do not purchase these if you have low volume hands. 
9. Brain Food: Forget the pretty Easter bonnet and sport an edgy food hat or fascinator instead. Chic, modern and maximal. Look through all the colour options. I vote fried egg sunny side up, or berry pie. 
10. Plow Shoes: Footwear with detachable components are a fringe trend for Fall. These examples are a great, practical way to wear pumps in the snow. 
11. Brekkie Neckie: I recently wrote about dainty jewellery making a comeback, but here’s another great trend: jewellery that looks and smells like food. The scents are more office-friendly than overpowering perfume smells, and the pieces are one way to add a whimsical touch to your style. 
12. Poopin’ with Pinterest: Perhaps the best productivity tip all year was this one I received from a client. We often talk about style “on the go”, but never “while we go”. For the latter there’s this iPad stand with integrated toilet roll holder. And if you want to give your little ones good poopin’ productivity habits from an early age, consider this iPotty with Activity Seat. 

Please tell us in the comments about any items you think we should add to this list. And remember, practicality and fun are always in style.