A few fashion questions! Options

[megnast]

Okay, so I'm really into fashion but I find it easier dressing other people than dressing myself! I need a few questions answered, if possible.

1. How do you pair a belt with a dress or oversized shirt? I always have problems with it... I don't know where to put the belt and I don't know what kind of shirt it would look good with without the material bunching.
2. What do you think of ankle straps on shoes for short legs? I think they make my legs look stubby.
3. What type of dress do you suggest for a short person (I'm 5'2). I think ones that hit just about my knee look best.

[Gigi]

1. A belt would look really good just under the bust or at your natural waistline. That way, it either accentuates the thinnest part of your torso (under your bust), or gives the illusion of a thinner waist.

2. Ankle straps (especially ones on dark shoes)...basically not a great idea if you have short legs. They'll cut off your leg line and make them look shorter. You want the least amount of obstructions on your leg as possible to make them look their longest.

3. Knee-length, absolutely. Or a little above. I think the worst length possible is mid-calf, it's absolutely unflattering on just about everyone.

Case in point:

'kay, so I don't know how tall Hayden Panettiere is (she MUST be taller than I am), but she looks so short in the first pic! Her whole body looks like it should be longer than that...but just got cut off. This dress looks horrible on her.

That said, I don't think that full-length gowns necessarily look bad on shorter people, but do try them on and get a true opinion to make sure you don't look like a garden gnome.

The second one...ahh, much better.