MAKEOVER: Monday Makeover changed my life!

In the first of our Makeover Revisited series we catch up with 24 year old Julie Wainwright who struggled to find the right style for a petite figure. Has she stuck to the style advice we gave her? EMMA HARROWING finds out.

Back in December 2008 five foot tall Julie Wainwright from Sprowston didn't know what clothes or hairstyle suited her petite features. She tended to stick to safe plain styles such as jeans and a top, rather than opt for clothes with a lot of shape such as a ruffled blouse or tulip shaped skirt, both of which suits her slim shape.

We showed her how she can experiment with her look with ruffles, lots of detail and clashing accessories in order to draw attention away from her height and accentuate and flatter her figure.

The dress we chose for Julie was part of the Ruby collection from Warehouse. The dress features a lot of detail such as a ruffle effect on the bust line, which will enhance her breasts. The tulip skirt adds curves to her figure and the nipped in waist highlights her slim waist. Detail at the top of the dress draws the eye upwards to create height. The red colour of the dress suits her complexion.

We teamed the red dress with pink, purple and gold accessories rather than black, which many of us tend to go for when wearing red. Accessories such as the bracelets, earrings and bag were kept small or medium sized to avoid overwhelm her small frame.

At the end of her makeover Julie said that she felt more confident in herself and in choosing styles that suit her figure. So has this new found confidence stood the test of time?

'I had an amazing day and discovered what shapes and colour clothes really suited my body shape,' says Julie. 'I couldn't believe that I could wear clothes with frills and ruffles as I thought that these styles would swamp me, but in fact this style made me look instantly glamorous. It was the confidence boost I needed.

'The styles of clothes recommended for me were so different to the jeans and tops I usually wear so it took me a while to look for these shapes when out shopping. But I soon found that I was taking on board the style advice I was given and I have been having fun gradually buying clothes that are more outrageous than I used to wear.

'I am definitely a lot more confident when it comes to shopping for clothes. Now that I know that what I am wearing suits me I feel stylish and this has made me more confident in myself.'

Julie also suffers from ME an illness that leaves her feeling extremely tired and in pain. She works full time in retail, but has to make sure that she gets lots of rest when she is not working.

Although her new found style has not cured her of this debilitating illness, it has given her the boost she needed to help her feel better on her worse days.

Since her makeover she has taken on more responsibility at work and is considering retraining or taking another career path. This, she says, is down to the makeover giving her more confidence.

Says Julie: 'I know that by wearing the right shapes and experimenting with colour I can instantly feel a lot better.

'The newspaper cutting of me after my makeover is still hanging up on the notice board at work and even when I look at it now my confidence is given a boost.

'I really cannot thank the Evening News enough for giving me a makeover - it has really changed my outlook on life.'

Style tips for a petite figure

Wear jackets and coats that end above the bottom to elongate your legs.

Skirts that end above the knee are the most flattering for shorter women.

If you have a smaller bust look for dresses with detail above the waist such as ruffles and embellishments. The same rule applies for tops.

Bootleg of skinny jeans or trousers worn with heels will instantly make you appear taller.

Wear accessories on your top half such as a necklace, headband or waisted belt as these will draw the eye upwards creating the illusion of height.

Wear a long cardigan but leave it undone as the vertical line it creates will also create the illusion of height.

Go for hairstyles that are shorter as long hair can sometimes drag you down and drown your features.

Do you want a Life Matters makeover?

Do you want a new look for 2010? Perhaps you would like a complete makeover or just a new hair style or some makeup advice. Maybe you want advice on what to wear for a special occasion or you cannot find a particular item of clothing that fits you. Whatever your dilemma is the Life Matters team is here to help.

If you would like one of our makeovers sign up to the makeover section on the Life Matters pages online at www.eveningnews24.co.uk or email emma.harrowing@archant.co.uk explaining why you would like a makeover.