The word “petite” in French means “small”. Quite understandably, people therefore assume that petite clothing is for slender and smaller framed women. This is a misconception – petite clothing is for shorter women irrespective of their size. If you are 5’3” or below, chances are high that you should be shopping in the petites department.
However, this is not always the case – especially if you are on the cusp with your height. This is something that surprises me every single time I dress a lady between 5”2 and 5”4. Women may be petites for the top half of their body, but not for the bottom half, and vice versa. Whether you are a petite will depend on:
- The length of your limbs
- The width of your shoulders
- The size of your bust
- How short-waisted you are
Ideally, if your height is around the 5’3” mark it’s best to try on both petite and regular size ranges. As annoying as this might be, the correct fit is crucial. A 5’3” person that I took shopping recently had always assumed that she was a petite because of her height. Clothing for her top half was for most part uncomfortable. We changed her size from a 4P to a size 2R and, hallelujah, the fit was perfect! Her long arms and shapely bust called for another set of proportions despite her height.
The biggest trap that women fall into with petite clothing is with the length of skirts and bottoms. While regular sized clothing will certainly be too long – petite proportions can be too short (see “perfect pant lengths please”). In this case, shop in the regular department and have your bottoms altered. If you buy your bottoms at Nordstrom – they will hem for free!
Pretty petite options at Nordstrom.
