Why Petite Clothing Matters: It’s About More Than Just Length

First, Why Buy Petite?

Welcome petite women! We have so much to offer the world. Unfortunately, the world isn’t offering us much in terms of clothing. There aren’t many brick and mortar shops offering all petite options.  Some stores have a petite section, but it is usually 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 that the lengths of sleeves, pants, dresses, and skirts are too long. Details like placement of where the armholes, knees, and crotch should be 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 being 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 that! Wear what you are comfortable in. Wear clothes that boost your confidence.  Enjoy discovering what you love.

Luckily, 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 lean towards having a round/apple body type – I have no hopes of ever having 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.  These will help you determine what size of clothes to buy, especially when ordering petite clothing online.

Bust – To measure your bust, wrap a soft tape measure around your back and across the fullest part of your chest.  Keep your bra on and wear a bra that provides good shape and support (and preferably is not padded).

Waist – To measure your waist, wrap a soft tape measure around the narrowest part of your waist.

Hips – To measure your hips, measure around the fullest part of your hips and buttocks.  Stand with your feet together and toes pointing forward.

Rise & Inseam – One way to measure inseam length is to take an existing pair of pants that fit well and take the measurement.  The measurement from the crotch to the hem is the inseam length.