{"id":105185,"date":"2026-01-28T09:09:57","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T09:09:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/28\/a-petite-week-of-outfits-caitlin-abber\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T09:09:57","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T09:09:57","slug":"a-petite-week-of-outfits-caitlin-abber","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/28\/a-petite-week-of-outfits-caitlin-abber\/","title":{"rendered":"A (Petite) Week of Outfits: Caitlin Abber"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Writer Caitlin Abber<\/a> lives with her husband, Geoffrey, and their five-year-old daughter, Simone, in Queens, New York. \u201cStyle has always been part of my identity,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen I was little, I\u2019d dress up like a grunge kid or the orphans in Oliver<\/em>. Now, as a 42-year-old mom, I want to express vitality and an excitement to be alive.\u201d Here, she shares five favorite outfits\u2026<\/p>\n

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Top: Sea NY x Rent the Runway<\/a>. Jeans: Levi\u2019s<\/a>. Belt: Madewell, similar<\/a>. Boots:\u00a0Madewell, similar<\/a>. Lipstick: VioletteFR Bisou Balm in Amour Fou<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re short \u2014\u00a0I\u2019m 5\u20191\u201d \u2014 it\u2019s hard to find full-length pants that don\u2019t drag on the ground. I wear Levi\u2019s 501s<\/a>, because they have the right inseam for my height. I also love a cropped pant, although it\u2019s one of those things petite people aren\u2019t \u2018supposed\u2019 to wear, because it can make you look shorter. I\u2019m like, I\u2019m short! There\u2019s no hiding it! It\u2019s okay, it\u2019s great! Everything is for you if you want it to be for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Sweater: S\u00e9zane, similar<\/a>. Pants: Banana Republic<\/a>. Shoes: Madewell<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIn our apartment, my clothes closet is in the home office. My husband is a therapist, and he does Zoom sessions in there all day. So, in the morning, I have to grab all the clothes I might want \u2014 underwear, coats, shoes, everything. The other day, we had a super busy morning, and I didn\u2019t get a chance to grab an outfit in time. I wound up going to a coffee shop wearing my husband\u2019s jeans and old T-shirt with a picture of Barack Obama playing basketball. That\u2019s life sometimes! I find that with age comes the ability to say, \u2018I\u2019m going to put on something that makes me feel hot\u2019 or say, \u2018I\u2019m going wear this outfit that makes me look like Adam Sandler.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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Bracelet: Mejuri<\/a>. Ring: Catbird, similar<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cTen years ago, my husband and I walked past a tattoo shop and decided to hop in. I randomly picked a bunny for my ribcage. Flash forward a decade, and we now have a daughter who is completely obsessed with bunnies \u2014 everything is bunny, bunny, bunny. She always tells me, \u2018Mommy, you knew<\/em> I was coming.’\u201d<\/p>\n

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Jacket: ba&sh<\/a> (via Rent the Runway<\/a>). Jeans: Levi\u2019s<\/a>. Belt: Madewell<\/a>. Slippers: H&M<\/a>. Lipstick: Violette FR Bisou Balm in Mon Ch\u00e9ri<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI wear makeup every day, even if I\u2019m working from home. I turn on music, and the process puts me in a good mood. I love red lipstick \u2014 VioletteFR<\/a> is my go-to. Their lipsticks are so good, often on sale, and never get on your teeth.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cMy body has changed a lot over the past few years, but I have so much gratitude for these legs that get me places, for this body that birthed and fed my child. I like showing skin, and being a little fun and provocative, because I\u2019m not dead yet, you know? I look at this photo and think, \u2018Hang this at my funeral. This is who I was.\u2019 I also walk around in my underwear, because I want my daughter to see me relaxed and confident in my body.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Shirt: H&M<\/a>. Skort: Uniqlo<\/a>. Tie: \u201cMy husband\u2019s, and\u00a0he tied it for me.\u201d Tights: Natori<\/a>. Sunglasses: COS, similar<\/a>. Lipstick: Gen See Matte Lipstick in Naomi<\/a>. Shoes: Nine West, similar<\/a>. Purse: Zara, similar<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMy hair is naturally brown, but I always felt like I had a blonde woman inside me. Then one day, in my thirties, I decided to just go for it. Full blonde, no subtlety. And suddenly, it was like, \u2018Oh. There<\/em> I am.\u2019 I think a lot of people have a moment like that, where it feels like they\u2019ve become who they\u2019re meant to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Trench coat: Vintage. Turtleneck: Uniqlo<\/a>. Skirt: Jason Wu<\/a>. Boots: Zara, similar<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOne tricky thing about being petite is that coats are impossible to find. I\u2019ve been wearing the same winter jacket for a decade, since all other coats swallow me. I\u2019d also wanted a trench forever, but even the petite sizes never looked right. Then one day I walked into a vintage store<\/a> in my neighborhood, pulled this off the rack, and it FIT. The sleeves, the shoulders, it was perfect\u2026and it was $30.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cI like this outfit\u2019s Gloria Steinem vibes \u2014 I feel very \u2018in charge.\u2019 Funny story: When we were taking photos, just as I was putting it on, I got a call from the school nurse saying that my daughter had thrown up. So, I jumped into my shoes and we took these last pictures while speed-walking to pick up my sick kid. Classic parenthood moment: You\u2019re in the middle of something important, and then all of a sudden, plans change!\u201d<\/p>\n

Thank you so much, Caitlin<\/a>. Readers, please share your own petite style recommendations, if you have them, and let us know who else you\u2019d like us to feature! xoxo<\/strong><\/p>\n

P.S. More women share their weeks of outfits<\/a>, including a criminal defense attorney with great suits<\/a>, an author with great 90s style<\/a>, and a beauty editor who loves flowy things<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(Photos by Yumi Matsuo<\/a> for Cup of Jo.)<\/p>\n

Note: If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission or have a sponsored relationship with the brand, at no cost to you. We recommend only products we genuinely like. Thank you so much.<\/em><\/p>\n

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