Petite Dressing Tips That Make Your Outfit Look Custom-Made

 

Why Buy Petite?

If you are reading this article, congratulations.  Welcome to the world of being petite! We have so much to offer the world. However, you may have noticed the world isn’t offering petites much in terms of clothing. There aren’t many brick and mortar shops offering all petite options.  Some stores have a petite section, but you may have noticed it is very limited and in many cases, picked over.  If you feel like going to the mall to shop for petite clothes is a waste of time, you’re likely right.

In the clothing world, manufacturers have designed the vast majority of clothing for women who are 5’4” in height and above.  For someone shorter than 5’4”, this fact presents many challenges.  Petite women typically have shorter legs, arms, and torsos.  Many have narrower shoulders.  Therefore, when wearing regularly sized clothing, petite women notice the sleeves, pants, dresses, and skirts are too long. Details like placement of where the armholes, knees, and crotch should belong are off.  It’s not just about lengths!  If the waist and crotch are too low on a jumpsuit for example, hemming the piece will not solve the problem.

It’s about proportions.

Petite clothing is designed to take into account a smaller proportion to accommodate a smaller frame. Well-designed petite pieces will scale properly the shoulders, torso, and limbs.  In pants, the rise and inseam will be adjusted to accommodate for a smaller torso and leg length.  I’m always amazed that petite sweaters end at my wrists. In fact I’m always amazed when anything I try on that is sized for a petite frame works better.  Thankfully, we do have options – we just have to dig deeper to find them.

That said, not all petites are created equal.  You may be under 5’4” and have longer legs and a shorter torso.  You may have shorter legs and a longer torso.  You may find that some things work for you in regularly sized clothes, and that’s great!  Don’t give that up – keep your options open.

However, you may find it worth your time and energy to be selective about what you buy, as well with where and how you shop for clothes.  Having a fantastic tailor is indispensable – but the costs quickly add up.  Why not buy something that is scaled for you in the first place?

A Word About Body Types

In the realm of fashion, there are no rules.  You are entitled to your personal style, and you should enjoy it! Wear what you are comfortable in. Wear clothes that boost your confidence.  Enjoy discovering what you love.

That being said, there are tips available to help your clothes help you. There are benefits to dressing for your body type in terms of comfort as well as presenting yourself in the best possible light.  I recommend taking some time to assess your body type and learn which clothing styles, cuts, prints, and even which types of fabric work best for you.   I also recommend color draping and discovering which color season you reside in to help you learn what colors work best for you to wear.  We are all unique – you may find that you have multiple categories that describe you.  I, for example, am a 5’2” petite woman weighing in at 110 lbs. with half of that weight in my bra (not really, but some days it feels like it).  Even when I am in peak physical shape, I tend toward the round/apple body type – I lack a defined waist (I never have had, or will have, a snatched waist).  On top of that, I am in the light spring color palette.  A fashion challenge trifecta if there ever was one. For me, I have found it extremely helpful to research what works best for someone who is petite with an apple body type and large bust.

Here are some general body types that women fall into:

• Rectangle/straight
• Round/apple
• Large Bust
• Hourglass
• Pear/Triangle
• Inverted Triangle

As this is a website designed for petites, most advice offered will be for the petite category.  There are many resources available online in terms of the color seasons.  Happy learning!

Another good use of time is to know your body measurements.  This will help you determine what size of clothes to buy, especially when ordering petite clothing online.