A very nice reader named Rachel emailed me the following comment: “I am barely 5 ft. tall and weigh about 94 lbs. Clothes do not fit right! I cannot find pants or tops that look presentable. On the off chance that I do find something, it can be $100 or more. Can you suggest clothing that fits someone who’s small and is affordable? Thanks, Jewish Lady.”
Rachel, I truly understand your dilemma. I’m also a petite and my sister is around your height but even thinner. Clothes shopping can be extremely frustrating! Because I love fashion, I’ve spent a lot of time browsing at the mall, outlets, boutiques, etc. Finding something that fits off the rack is challenging when most clothing is cut to accommodate larger sizes. Shirts and sweaters have a boxy cut and sleeve/pant length is usually much too long.
First off, if you’re not shopping exclusively in the petite section, you should be. petite clothes not only have a shorter inseam, they fit better overall. Also, look for natural fibers. Synthetic fabrics never seem to fit/feel right.
You don’t mention if you prefer casual or dressy clothing, but most wardrobes need a solid foundation of classic pieces. Petites, in particular, have to avoid dressing too young. Because we’re so small to begin with, a lot of people think we’re kids and you don’t want to dress inappropriately. I know many petites shop in the Juniors department, but that clothing is poor quality and unprofessional.
Once you’ve decided to stick exclusively with petites, do some window shopping in a store that has good options like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Gap, and Old Navy. All of these stores have regular sales and coupons. If that’s still too expensive, try the outlets. I have many pieces from Banana Republic Outlet that I’ve owned, worn, and loved for years!
Other stores that have a wider petite selection: Express, Nordstrom, Target (online), J.Crew, ASOS, Topshop, and Bloomingdales.
Another idea for petites is to try custom options. Do you sew, or know someone that does? A good seamstress can create items that will fit you perfectly. It’s not the cheapest option, but if you truly can’t find anything in stores, it may be worth it. We have to calculate the cost per wear of an item, not just the initial cost. It’s much better to own a single quality piece and wear it often, than tons of cheap junk that hangs in the closet!
Need additional inspiration? Check out some posts from my style series:
The Ideal Wardrobe – Pants
The Ideal Wardobe – Sweaters
The Ideal Wardrobe – Coats
The Ideal Wardrobe – Shorts
The Ideal Wardrobe – Bras
The Ideal Wardrobe – Jeans
Anyone who has additional advice for petites is welcome to comment!
Like this:
Like Loading...
