Jacket update

Keeping one's style current can be as simple as changing how we wear what we already have. Update your look with these little tricks this spring.

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Mix it up by wearing a dressy jacket in a casual way.  Denim shirts are very trendy this season and layering a denim shirt under a jacket as in the picture above is very "Spring 2010". The look is all about the bottom layer being longer than the jacket and scrunching the sleeves so the under layer peaks out. Petites will need to keep their denim shirts cut close to the body to avoid unnecessary bulk.  The open, unbuttoned look adds visual length to Petites and being perfect opposites on the colour wheel the blue and coral tones offset one another so well and is particularly flattering on this model's warm skin tone.

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This fun nautical look is a classic and chances are you already have a black or navy jacket in your closet. Here the look is updated by scrunching the jacket sleeves up and exposing the sleeve underneath to its fullest. This look is particularly good for Petites in that the jacket length is at high hip level thereby creating the visual illusion of longer legs. Black and white or navy and white looks amazing on those with cool (pink) skin tones. If you are unsure of your skin tone compare the colour of the inside of your wrist against the wrists of a couple of friends next time you are in a group. Look for predominant yellow undertones versus predominant pink undertones in the skin. Yellow = warm and pink = cool.

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Here again, playing with proportions as in short over long is a very current way of wearing jackets.  This black jacket with the waterfall frill detail and scrunched sleeves would look equally gorgeous  over a sparkly mini dress for evenings. See my Trend Watch post for an example of Jennifer Aniston's interpretation.

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Military jackets are big news this season and always stylish Kate Moss does it so well here with denim skinny's. Showcasing the tips we've already discussed, Kate wears 3/4 jacket sleeves revealing long sleeves underneath and mixes proportions by wearing the jacket shorter than the top underneath. This look, as you can see, works equally well with a trendy military style jacket or a classic style jacket which you may have lurking at the back of your closet.

Jacket tips for Petites

• Wear short jackets over long tops. Play with proportions
• Scrunch sleeves up and leave sleeves underneath long or rolled over jacket sleeve
• Wear jacket and under layer open - this creates the visual illusion of being taller
• Fabrics must be light weight with limited texture or your Petite frame will be overwhelmed
• Keep under layers close to the body - avoid bulk

Now its time to go shopping in your closet for suits which haven't seen daylight for a while.  Bring out the jackets you thought you could only wear with  matching bottoms and wear them. Have fun!