The best ways to flatter a small frame.

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Your Best Pieces

Time and again you've had the same problem: you find the perfect piece of clothing, but it was built for a 6-foot Amazon model. Ripples of fabric pool on the floor when you try on pants, skirts never hit your leg at quite the right place, and you have to continually fold up the arms of sweaters so you can see your hands. The obvious solution: start shopping in the petite section. All major department stores have sections full of clothes specifically designed to fit your proportions. At the very least, pick up a few petite-sized basics there: black pants, a tailored jacket, a coat that won't swallow you whole.

Overall, your shopping strategy is to look for pieces that elongate your whole frame. Monochromatic tones can help here: rather than breaking up your body into small pieces (short-waisted torso, short legs), a head-to-toe look in shades of dark brown or camel makes you look longer and leaner.

Can't Miss Pieces:

Long pants with heels You should have one pair of perfectly fitted pants with a hem that almost touches the ground when you wear heels. That way, no one can tell where your legs end and your shoes begin -- creating the illusion that you've got fabulous long legs.

Calf-length skirt and high boots Works on the same principle as the long pants. If the skirt and boot are the same color (black, brown, whatever), your lower body will appear taller.

Vertical lines You want the eye to be drawn upward when someone looks at you. So choose tops that have a vertical element. Subtle stripes, a zip-front jacket, even a long silk scarf that hangs along a jacket's lapels create this effect.

A shorter coat Stumble around in a long overcoat, and you'll look completely out of proportion. Instead, try coats that hit just below the hips. It'll show your legs and make your look more balanced.