<p>My petite friend in LA has also had great luck with Talbots. They have some great sales as well. Not sure how well they’ll do with a 28DDD, but they would be a good place to try. A friend who was very “chesty” tried using a vest as camoflague. I had no idea that she was so buxom until she complained of it one day.</p>
<p>I do find that jackets and vests can be helpful to add a more professional look. Personally, have never been a fan of sheers, lace, and ruffles. They all seem too “fussy” and often don’t look right in a business setting. I agree that clothing can make a huge difference.</p>
<p>EK, Banana Republic at UVill, Bell Sq & DT have petite departments. The clothes are younger in style than Talbots, and I think there’s a student discount as well. </p>
<p>What I’ve found all along, is that with the exception of trousers, most department store petite lines are styled too old for someone in their 20s. Nordstom’s has some things that might work, and you can get alterations done (a godsend when you are out of proportion), but a lot of what I saw today while shopping was more suitable to someone in their 40s-60’s than 20s. I wanted jeans and all they had in a petite was Not Your Daughter’s Jeans. Neverinamillionyears. And I’m 50.</p>
<p>I had the dubious pleasure of working with a younger woman who wore flip flops, jeans frayed at the hem, and see-through blouses to the office. She was in a job that required meeting with government customers but didn’t see anything wrong with it. It would not have gone over well if I’d said anything, and it took (male) management some time to finally figure out that it was inappropriate and to take action. </p>
<p>Dressing comfortably doesn’t have to mean dressing sloppily. Target has cute cardigans in multiple colors that can take a pair of chinos up a notch. A higher-cut tank (think JJill) or a t underneath works well. Interesting shoes or a funky scarf = casual w/o looking matronly. Like someone else commented, I think the “uniform” (suits/stockings/heels) that I had to wear during <em>my</em> younger years made moving to a more business casual look easier.</p>
<p>Banana Republic and Ann Taylor both have nice petite departments that my niece has been wearing as an attorney since her early 20s. She’s petite but chesty (not quite 28DDD). I don’t think they look “frumpy” and they have a lot of things that I feel are too young for me in my 50s. My college D has found cute, classic things there too. She’s 22 & has bought things there since she was in her teens. She’s also petite but has more of a gymnist’s figure.</p>
<p>Can some one please explain to me the concept behind these cut off shorts (almost daisy dukes) with tights and boots I feel like sending my kids home every time I see them. In the back of my mind I am wondering “how could your mother let you leave the house looking like that.”</p>
<p>It’s really annoying when dress code memos get circulated every month, yet there is one senior staff member that dresses very sloppy, baggy knit pants, shapeless T-shirts, it’s horrifying. And another 55-year-old who wears spandex, yuck, thongs, yuck, and shows lots of wrinkled cleavage. Sorry!!</p>
<p>But everyone else gets reamed about their clothing!!!</p>
<p>Gap has a great selection of dress pants that come in Long, that might suit a tall person. (I’m 5-9 and do just fine in the regular length even w 2" heels).</p>
<p>We have an employee who is Mr. Orange at the office. Everything in his office is Orange and he wears orange clothing. His office gets pointed out on tours to the office.</p>
<p>I’m have worn either a DD or DDD bra since I was 15, even when I weighed as little as 120 pounds (I’m 5 foot 3). When I was young, I always had difficulty dressing appropriately for work. It was a challenge to avoid looking either cheap or matronly and to devise businesslike outfits that avoided either tucked-in blouses or structured jackets. (If you’re large-busted, tucked-in blouses make you look like a prison matron, and structured jackets make you look 20 pounds heavier because of the way they hang.)</p>
<p>But now I’m in my fifties. Matronly is appropriate! And thanks to the wonderful invention of business casual, I have a wider range of styles to choose from, including many that don’t overemphasize my top-heavy figure.</p>
<p>Chicos’ clothes are typically generous in the bust and many styles are not too middle-age. D1 got a nice blouse at the outlet store last summer and loves it.</p>
<p>Thanks for the suggestion of Talbots. I have bought a few things from them in the past, when I lived in the suburbs next to the store, but didn’t think of them for D. ( I also will try Banana Republic & Ann Taylor- maybe I will suggest a trip home to go shopping in the big city once she graduates!- although her city doesn’t have sales tax)</p>
<p>She is in education, so she doesn’t really need suits ( ? ) , but a few jackets & skirts she can play with will help her wardrobe I hope.</p>
<p>I also have a grooming question re: appropriate for work. Not cleanliness wise, but how polished you need to be. D lives in a casual area, and still looks like the college student she is, but I think to transition to the work world she needs to jazz it up a bit.
She doesn’t really wear makeup- do much toward shaping her brows etc.
She wears her hair short & while I think she has such pretty hair it looks better when it was longer, it does look professional & it suits her face.</p>
<p>I don’t want to insult her, but I wanted to gift her with a spa type certificate to get the works done. ( not makeup- just facial, mani/pedi, brows)
Just don’t know if it would be too much, she is the kind of girl who gets her hair cut at a place that takes walk-ins! ( something that I can’t imagine ever doing. )</p>
<p>A while after we started “casual Fridays” I commented to the head of personnel that I didn’t like how many staff members were wearing sweat shirts, jeans and sneakers. She said, “We’ll take sloppy over indecent any day.”</p>
<p>Yes, it is good to have some nice pieces that your D can wear for conferences, Open House, meetings, etc., even in education. There are a lot of folks that get their hair cut at places that take walk-ins (which is why those haircutting places thrive).</p>
<p>Marian, IMO a structured jacket is a must for a curvy figure and can be very slimming - but it has to be the right cut. Nothing double breasted, nothing too short or boxy, with a defined waist and the buttons usually start up higher so there’s no gapping. It should go to the tailor if necessary - you are better off getting a less expensive item that fits well than something more expensive that doesn’t.</p>
<p>emerald, your daughter sounds similar to me. you’ll be amazed how much older she looks in nicer clothes. I look 18 when i wear my jeans and a shirt. put me in my nice work clothes and I could probably pass for 25. I’m close to 30 so I still look younger then I actually am… but much better then 18!!! I have noticed that I tend to get carded when I’m in my non work clothes and not when I’m in my work clothes!</p>
<p>I don’t do much as far as brows but that’s more because I’m blonde and if i play with them too much they look like they are not there!! I have my hair done by a friend who comes to my house… she’s fab. does highlights and the cut. If i just need a quick trim I go to a walk in place. that being said, you can’t go wrong with a good mani/pedi! that’s my personal treat to myself right there!</p>
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