Notes from
the studio.

Essays on petite proportion, fit, and the craft of designing for women 5'4" and under.

Short torso vs. short legs: why it matters for petite fit.

Two women can both be 5'2" and need completely different dresses. Here's how to tell which proportion is yours — and what to look for on the hanger.

Why eyelet remains one of the most flattering fabrics for petite frames — and how to style it so it reads elegant, not girlish.

Fabric weight, print scale, lace placement, sleeve volume, trim width, and skirt fullness all shape how a dress reads on a petite frame.

A petite-friendly guide to bust, waist, hip, HPS-to-hem, sleeve length, and waist-to-hem — and how to use them to choose your size.

True petite design adjusts shoulder width, torso length, waist placement, sleeve length, and hem proportion — not just the bottom of the garment.

Petite doesn't mean short. A look at proportion, torso length, and why grading down isn't the same as designing for a 5'2" frame.