In the women’s department there are often size specifications that are specialized to people who are either on the short or tall end of the height range. For shorter people, there are “short” and “petite” sizes. For tall people there are “long” and “tall”. These are not always what they seem. 

Short and petite sizes differ in fit. Short sizes tend have the same fit as their regular size counterpart but are shorter in length. Petite sizes tend to fit smaller than their regular counterpart, and are shorter too. For example, if a regular size fits but is too long, you might need to size up in the petite size. If a pair of regular sized pants is too long in the inseam and rise, the short size will provide a shorter inseam length, but not a shorter rise. The petite size, on the other hand will probably offer a shorter rise.

It is similar for tall and long sizes. Long sizes tend to fit the same as their regular size counterpart but are longer in length. Tall sizes tend to fit bigger than regular sizes, and are longer too. For example, if the regular size fits but is too short, you might need a size down in the tall size. If a pair of regular sized pants is too short in the inseam and rise, the long size will provide a longer inseam length, but not a longer rise. The tall size will probably offer a longer rise.

Of course, there are exceptions. Sizing is anything but standardized across brands. Furthermore, you can be regular height and find that a short, petite, long or tall size in an item fits you better because of your body’s specific proportions. Finding the size that ensures the best fit can be tricky and time consuming. But it will be worth the effort.