Most of the things I like to post on Instagram or blog about relate to fitness, however, on occasion, I do fashion posts. Read more below to find out why.
[line]Petite Version of this Post
I’m actually wearing an athletic top underneath my leather jacket here because I love the way the top hugs me. Photo credit: Frances VonWong
When posting anything fashion related, please note that I do not intend on confusing the fitness community.
As much as I love living a healthy lifestyle, I am just like most girls who enjoy fashion as a way to express one’s self. I work in the tech industry and love my casual days, but I am also a girly girl and love to dress up!
Most of us workout to fit our clothes, and perhaps to treat ourselves with new additions to our wardrobe. However, I find that being petite (and toned), not everything fits properly me on me. So when I find an outfit I look bangin’ in (and a photographer), I love capturing it in photos!
[line]Full Post
I do believe that most of us into fitness work out for the following reasons:
This pink coat grazes me just where I like – just below the hips, which helps elongate my legs. Photo credit: Frances VonWong
- We want to live a healthy lifestyle.
- We want to feel good about ourselves.
- We want to look good in the clothes we wear (or new clothes we buy because items in our wardrobe no longer fit!).
Being petite, clothes do not always fit me properly. Standing proud at 4’11”, I obviously need to get my pants hemmed, even if they are already sized for petites. My inseam is around 27″, which is surprisingly the same as some of my friends who are a bit taller than me. I guess I have either a short torso and/or long legs for my height.
Because I am slightly toned or muscular, again, clothes do not always fit me properly. My rib cage isn’t as dainty as you might assume. My body type is mesomorph, so for someone of my height, think of a gymnast. To better explain… I have a bridesmaid dress where I sized up so that the dress can zip up my back. However, I need a seamstress to take the dress in at the waist because not all parts of my body are proportional to that bigger size.
In the future, I would love to potentially blog about how I take off-the-rack clothes and make them work for someone of my height and/or build. And this is where I plan to bridge the gap between fitness and (petite) fashion!
I admire a lot of bloggers or personalities from both the fitness and the fashion communities. But posting only fitness will limit my wardrobe and I will get tired of seeing myself in only spandex (or the same active wear) on my Instagram account. And as much as I respect a lot of the fashion bloggers out there, I’m slightly jealous that a good number of them are naturally skinny. Even if they work out as much as I do, I’m convinced that they can (and perhaps do) eat what what they want, when they want it. Super lucky! I, on the other hand, have to be on top of my nutrition. I know my body well and can’t let cravings get out of control. I know when it’s worth it to have a cheat meal, or when I have to limit myself to only a bite, or none at all. Perhaps one day, I’ll talk more about my transformation.
And so this is how I came up with “Petite And Toned”.
This dress is by Sue Wong and is actually from a few birthdays ago. If I rewear this again, I plan to take the dress up at the shoulders since it kept slipping off during the photo shoot. Photo credit: Stephanie Marilee Tucker
“Toned” is for my love of fitness, and it is specifically inspired by the Tone It Up community.
“Petite” is for my ladies who are 5’4″ and under. I chose to take the lifestyle approach because I am more than just fitness and clothes, and in recent years, a lot of fashion bloggers have shifted over to this arena as well. My take on lifestyle relates to design, the joys of organizing, and perhaps even being a working woman. I’m curious to see where it goes.
I never chose to split up my fitness account because fitness IS a big part of my lifestyle.
[line]Conclusion
With the advent of fitness meeting fashion in recent years, I think now is a great time for a new blogger like me to explore and share both worlds!
In good health,
Berniedette
Sometimes, dresses do not fit me. A good alternative is two create a dress out of a top and a skirt, such as I have done here. Photo credit: Frances VonWong
I love the structure of this dress. However, it is a few years old and perhaps I’ve toned up a bit as I feel the dress is slightly too big now! Photo credit: Stephanie Marilee Tucker
One of my faves… I purchased this dress from the now-defunct Piperlime. It was slightly too tight back then. Perhaps still a snug fit today, but I am now able to zip it up! I actually had to chop off a foot or so in order to get the ballerina fairy look I wanted. Photo credit: Frances VonWong
