Flower | Long | XS | $63

Boys have their boardshorts. And us gals? Well, boardshorts are simply not in our fashion lexicon. But boardskirts are. And what better way to hit the, ahem, Venice boardwalk than in a Cubapink boardskirt to dazzle the men of Muscle Beach?

Wave | Short | XS | $55

That’s right, ladies, the Australian beachwear company, Cubapink, has the answer to hang-ten surf-style shorts. Created just 16 months ago, Jody Smail’s line offers a stylish and feminine alternative to the frumpy boardshort. Cubapink’s fast-drying, non-crease, drip-dry velvet microfibre wrap beach skirts are feminine and practical.

Rip | Short | XS | $55

Available in two lengths and four sizes, the collection combines practicality with feminine style and flair — and a touch of that oh-so-smokin’-hot surfer style. Designed to compliment bikinis and swimsuits, the bold designs and hip colors are the big kahuna for all West Coast beach fashionistas.

Beetle | Long | XS | $63

Check out their online sizing chart for specifics. The XS would fit a size XXS with ease. (Jody was quick to point out that Australian sizing runs a bit smaller than U.S. sizing — perfect for all petite beach bunnies.)

Besides, beach season is all about looking perfect: at the beach and en route to the bar.

Cubapink is sold exclusively online (complete with a currency converter), and they ship worldwide.

Just when you forget what winter feels like, you take off for the island of Manhattan. During one of its coldest days in years, we braved the boardwalks and managed to stay toasty with extended stays in some of SoHo’s finest boutiques — all in the name of research, of course.

SoHo is without a doubt one of my favorite neighborhoods to shop. With its cast-iron architecture, cobblestone streets, and super-fashionistias, SoHo has a look and feel unlike any other Manhattan neighborhood. And it comes with the added bonus of shops that cater to the petite shopper.

Tibi
Extraordinary design, rich materials, and a bright, colorful palette — the contemporary line of Tibi is perfect for the petite gal who’s looking to add a bit of flare to her wardrobe.

The Tibi SoHo location opened last September, and is the first retail store for the line. Size 4 is the standard-bearer here, though Tibi generally carries one or two size zeros per top, dress, skirt, coat, or pant. And the best part? Tibi’s designs are cut for girls with smaller bust sizes — an A-plus for my A-sized chest.

My favorite piece? The Oriental garden long-sleeve dress (style #8342039). Absolutely stunning.

Tibi Boutique
120 Wooster Street
NY, NY 10012
(212) 226-5852

Nave
Leave it to SoHo to house my new favorite shop: Nave. Its flagship boutique on Mercer is an absolute must-shop-here kinda place. And it has an interesting set-up — the hipster-house label is collaboration among an eclectic group of designers across the fashion globe. Feminine, modern and sophisticated, the designs beg to be tried on — every last one of them. And, whatever you’re looking for — from winter coats to cocktail dresses — they have it.

Traditional fashion elements are the inspiration: western and eastern, modern and classic, clean and dirty, bright and dark, black and white, and glossy and matte. The designers collections remain fresh and, most importantly, affordable. The collection ranges from $50-$500.

As usual, the small sizes are snatched up quickly, so, like their designs, time is of the essence.

Nave
159 Mercer St.
NY, NY 10012
(212) 274-1255

m0851
Once upon a time, you’d have to hop, skip, and jump across the Canadian border to enjoy full access to exquisite soft leather purses and bags. But, no more, the Montreal-based company m0851 is situated amid the cobbled streets of SoHo.

Of course, there’s more than leather in their line. Their clothing is of the classic-comfort variety, with a unique range of sweaters, wool pants, and rainwear in cashmere, wool, and Egyptian cotton fabrics imported from Belgium, Italy, and Paris.

m0851 offers small sizes starting at XXXS. Look for the attractive taupe wool jacket blousen– in XXS — it’s on sale for $118.

m0851
106 Wooster St.
NY, NY 10012
(212) 431-3069
nyc@m0851.com

Bloomie’s
The quintessential purse shop — Bloomie’s in SoHo. Honestly, the buyer here is the best in the business. (Really.) To treat your fetish, simply ride that escalator up to the second floor, and take in the beauty.

Designers include Chloe, Lauren Merkin, Marc Jacobs– to name a few.

Bloomie’s SoHo
504 Broadway
NY, NY 10012
(212) 729-5900

Olive & Bette’s
This boutique is always a hit with the little gals. I stopped in and a gaggle of helpful, style-conscious salesgirls filled my dressing room with racks of clothing just to see how it would look on my small frame.

They carry many of my favorite petite-minded lines, including Nanette Lapore, Paige Denim, AG Jeans, Theory, and Autumn Cashmere.

Olive & Bette’s
158 Spring Street
NY, NY 10012
(646) 613-8772

It’s inevitable. Spend a weekend shopping in Manhattan, and your closet enjoys a healthy upgrade.

For me, no trip to New York is complete without a stop at any of the Sacco locations. I returned to LA with their skirt-length, knee-high boot in brown (style #S730-0ILSZ37), complete with a one-inch heel. Of course, it looks fantastic with my collection of cropped pants and skirts. I found them at the 26th E. Street location, but you can also find them at the E. 14th Street store. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your location), the boots are only carried at Sacco locations. To secure your own fabulous pair, you’ll have to contact Sacco directly at (212) 243-2070.

It should go without saying that any new pair of boots requires a matching purse to tie it all together. Hence my foray into the purse department at Bloomie’s in SoHo.

Any gal with a purse fetish is well aware of Bloomie’s selection. But I’ll let my purchases speak for themselves. I chose two clutches: Lauren Merkin’s Louise clutch in metallic and the Hobo clutch in brown (aka, mogano). True to form, the hobo clutch in mogano is an excellent match with my new boots. And the Louise clutch is ultra soft and elegant — we can all use a Lauren Merkin in our selection of evening bags.

You can find the Louise clutch by Lauren Merkin at her website and at JC Madison.

The Hobo clutch can be found here at Bloomie’s SoHo.

Sacco Shoes
6 E. 26th Street
NY, NY
(212) 777-3514

Bloomie’s (SoHo)
504 Broadway
NY, NY 10012
(212) 729-5900

Be his. Be hers. Be mine. Bring sexy back this Valentine’s Day with Passion Bait’s smokin’ hot low-rise hipster panty with embroidered behind.

Available online at passionbait.com.

Barney’s Beverly Hills
9570 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 276–4400
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Your valentine will flip for the tiny red heart-decorated nightdress by Only Hearts. Made with super-fine, super-soft fabric, it’s something you can’t wait to slip in — and out of. Pair it with the super fine heart print bikini panty for a heart-felt romantic duo.

Only Hearts Nightie | $80

Only Hearts
1407 Montana Avenue
Santa Monica, CA
(310) 393-3088
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The Little Bra Company | Ethel Push Up Bra | $52

Just because you’re on the “A-Team” doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun with cleavage! The Ethel Push-up Bra, exclusively carried by Lula Lu, was created by The Little Bra Company and it’s designed to push you in and up, giving you additional curves.

Wear it with your favourite low cut top, sexy black dress or whenever you’re craving some cleavage. Our store testers loved the pretty lace on Ethel as well as the push-up effect it gave them.

There are a lot of great lingerie options this Valentine’s Day that require immediate consideration for all petite chicas. This coming week I will be featuring daily ideas for your delight.

I own my own little collection of Honeydew’s ruffle boy shorts; not only are they oo-la-la, they’re va-va-voom. Low-rise, bum-baring, festive unmentionables perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Honeydew | Ruffle Boyshort | $12-ish

Nordstrom
189 The Grove Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90036
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