I haven't had issues with losing weight, so I can't really comment on that (but I'm sure another lady on here can).

You can definitely be petite on top, but not bottom, or vice versa. Petite isn't only about height, it's about proportion. A lot of women believe petite means "short and thin," and this just isn't the case. My friend Margaret is 5'10" and we've found that petite sized tops fit her best a lot of times. "Regular" sized tops are often too long for her from bust to shoulder, so it looks as if someone just needs to pull the shirt up higher to get the armholes to fit under the arms right and around the chest, but then there's all this extra room in the shoulders. All her height is in her legs. She also wears a misses size 12-14 on top, so again, petite is not about size. If I were you, I'd go to a store that has the same item available in both petite and regular (Nordstrom, Ann Taylor and Talbot's usually do), and try both of them on for comparison. This might help you decide if petite really is a better fit for you, because you would have a direct comparison of the same item. Also, if you have a friend that has a good eye for fit, you could take them along for opinions. Does this make sense?

It's too bad Shiny just went on vacation, she's the resident "petite" sizing expert around here. :)

Thank you Ana - I will try this - go to a store that carries both and try on the petite and regular in the same item. Excellent suggestion - a direct comparison would help a lot.

What you're describing with your friend is the exact same thing that happens to me - things are 'too big' under the arms, not to mention sleeves being too long and the bust area also being too big/bunchy as well. Meanwhile, trying to get the PPL (still on a big learning curve here) - even a 32" inseam appears a bit too short on me for that 'perfect pants length'.

I'm glad you chimed in on this one - hearing about your friend who is quite a bit taller than I am being able to find decently fitting tops in the petites dept. is very helpful to me - thanks again :)

I think you just have to go with what works for your body regardless of the size or tall/petite/missy/women's/plus/boys/grils, etc. I say that because I'm 5'5" tall & not what you would consider petite either. However, I find that when I shop for skirts many time's I'll want a petite if it's a skirt with "no waist". The reason I think it works for me is because I want it to sit lower on the waist an inch or so below my navel & I want the skirts to hit just above the knee. So, I'd say go with what works for you. Just make sure you know where things should hit & have a discerning eye! :)

Yes, I think that's entirely possible. So wear whatever fits best!

I am a petite in tops, but in bottoms I am not. Like Ana's friend, I carry my height (what there is of it at 5'3") in my legs, and my inseam is 30 1/2". Usually petite pants have an inseam of about 29", so they don't work.

I've also found that since the rises on pants have been lowered in general as that became trendy, it's helped me a huge amount, in that I can easily fit a regular pant or jean, the rise is just slightly higher on me than it would be on someone else, which is fine with me!

Yay! Glad I could help. :)

Yes you can be petite on top but not on the bottom. My sister, who at 5'6" is 2 inches taller than I am, needs a petite on top for narrow shoulders and short arms.
Since losing weight, I especially have the problems of too much fabric on top and not enough bust to take it up. I'm also short from neck to bust. However, petite tops will probably be too short in the sleeves and too short for wearing with pants for me. Looking for regular tops with spandex helps.

I believe you can be both. I am 5'4..on the cusp so to speak, however I am all arms and legs, so petite pants are always way too short...but the skirts are perfect.. and so are the tops because I have a short body..

Petite sizing is about specific proportions. Petite tops are sized by the "waist" measurement, which is the distance between the natural waist and the base of the neck. Garment makers assume that women with shorter torsos also have shorter arms and smaller chests than women with longer torsos, so they size accordingly.

Petite bottoms are sized by the inseam, which is the distance between the crotch and the ankle. Again, the assumption is that if the leg is shorter, the waist, hip, and thigh circumferences are proportionally small.

Of course, real human beings have all kinds of measurements that don't fit into the standard sizing scheme, so the only way to know if something will fit is to try it on and see where it falls on your body. Numbers help--you can now find waist and arm measurements in online sizing charts--but the real test is "in person."

I frequently buy petite short sleeved tops to wear with skirts i'm 5ft 7 and an english 10-12 so by no means a classic petite x

There you go! Perfectly answered by our forum members :0)

I'm "petite but not," but in the opposite way you think you are. I can't wear petites most of the time even though I am 5'2. I have borderline regular length arms, a long rise, and regular inseam. The only place where I am petite is in the torso, so I do sometimes get petite dresses, but they often end up being short on me. Now, I do not mind wearing short dresses and skirts so this isn't always a problem, but it can be annoying if I'm looking for a regular knee-length skirt or dress.

Unfortunately the way most brands make an item petite is by making it small all over. Great for someone who IS small all over (like Shiny), but not so great for all of us!