More petite, more problems... - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Shopping

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

More petite, more problems...

shoppingisfun

(website)

Veteran

Or, why I hate oversized trends!

When tailored or skinny fits are "in," I can get away with shopping in normal clothing stores. When the oversized look comes back, well....just see the pics below. All are sized XS. I hate looking like I'm playing dress up. Guess it is going to be back to the petite departments for me. Too bad most petite sizing does not go small enough. Wah, wah, wah.

This post has 3 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Shopping

20 replies

Latest reply was from chadya

Gigi

Veteran

I know, it's so annoying. I can't even get away with shopping in the regular dept. when skinny fits are in! All petites', all the time. It takes a darn long time to build a decent wardrobe!

Sunee

(website)

Have you considered shopping junior's instead? Kids dress like mini adults these days so it's not like you would be limited to children's gear. AND you are probably the perfect size for vintage clothes that even someone like me at a size 4 can't squeeze into.

Dee

Veteran

Lately I've been overwhelmed in XS in some places and I'm not a size 0, so I can't imagine how much trouble you're having! I still end up shopping petites when I can but their selection is always so limited. Anyway, no advice, but I sympathize.

shoppingisfun

(website)

Veteran

@Sunee yeah, if I'm not at LOFT or Banana Republic I am usually in the juniors department. Or H&M. Those pics were taken at Old Navy. Sometimes their petites fit me but they are only online and selection is limited! I have tried Gap petites but even the smallest sizes are huge on me unfortunately (at least in tops, have not tried their pants).

Gigi

Veteran

PA, I have the same problem with Gap petites'. I ordered a bunch of stuff from them and couldn't believe how big the clothes were, even at the smallest size. I had a little bit better luck with pants, but not much--I found one pair of shorts that fit. I've just marked them off my list.

I get really frustrated at all the Eileen Fischer stuff too...I see all these cute tunics on the Nordstrom website and know that I'll absolutely swim in them. I think that the Nordie's site says that the XSP for EF is a 2-4. Ummm...not gonna work.

leopardluxe

Veteran

I feel your pain. I was amazed by how huge the Gap petite pants in the smallest sizes were on me as well (and it's often the case, depending on the model of pant, except with certain brands). THat's usually why I end up in jeans. Because they aren't really a tailored look I have an easier time finding ones that work for me from certain brands.

I don't mind a few "oversized style" items but my hope is the trend doesn't stick around too long (it usually doesn't because, quite frankly, it's not terribly flattering on most people, imho, unless they are really tall and skinny) so I see a lot of it end up on end of season clearance racks whenever the trend cycles back in.

kkards

Veteran

hmmm, i find even when the trend isn't oversized that the gap and old navy run big….try more european and asian brands, they tend to run smaller. karen millen, and uniqlio are 2 that i find work. karen millen in particular runs very small. also try vince and theory (more expensive, but you can get pretty good details if you are willing to wait unit the end of the season).

shoppingisfun

(website)

Veteran

@kkards where do you find Karen Millen? I know theory is usually carried at Nordstrom but even at The Rack it is generally way too pricey for me! (My workplace is generally pretty casual and I just can't justify paying $100-plus for one item, unless it is something very classic and timeless that will last a a loooong time!) Plus I hate The Rack. I have never managed to find petite sizes, but to be fair I hardly ever go there.

Right now my whole closet is 99% LOFT and Banana Republic with some H&M and Target juniors department sprinkled about. I do have a few items fro Old Navy as well (mostly petites, plus a couple of regular tees/tanks).

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I am not truly petite but I'm also sized out in some American sizes (I really need regulars and sometimes -- depending -- the 0 regular is too big and a petite won't work in a higher size, e.g. pants...) So...my lower cost solution is Zara. Fits a smaller frame much better.

AviaMariah

Veteran

I feel your pain. I've been searching for some flowey layering tops and most are way too long on me. I want them long enough to cover the rear but not down to my knees!

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I agree with trying Zara and H&M. Karen Millen is a UK brand http://us.karenmillen.com/. You can find her stuff all over eBay for a better bargain.

April

Veteran

Another vote for H&M. The last jacket I bought there, I needed a 4, and I'm typically a 0 on top, 00 on bottom.

kkards

Veteran

sorry if i had been thinking this morning i would have added link for karen millen and uniqlio. get on karen millen email list, they are always running promo's.
i would have also added jcrew, on line most styles go to 00 or XXS. order some and get a feel for size, then get on the email list as they do 40% clearance often, but many times its final sale. (but i find them very consistant with sizing). i find that jcrew runs smaller and straighter than BR and loft.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

Another idea is ordering things off eBay in Asian sizes. I wear an S here, sometimes even an XS, but in Asian sizes I wear an L.

Gigi

Veteran

I just tried out H&M and was pleasantly surprised with the fit. All the bottoms I bought fit me, even in the waist, which NEVER happens. Even the tops fit well in the shoulders, though they were too long. But the two tops I bought were not shown on models, so they might have meant to be oversized. I am definitely going to try H&M again in the future. Didn't see anything I wanted at Zara at the moment, but they're also on my list to check out.

I am also trying Asos petite. I ordered some stuff from them that should come tomorrow. Judging from their online size charts, they run extremely small. But we shall see!

Avia Mariah, I too have been trying to find a flowy top. Impossible! All there seems to be for people my size is fitted stuff, or else you drown in the regular-size. There's nothing in between.

PetitesAnonymous, are you short waisted, if you don't mind my asking? I see you get some stuff in Target juniors'. I haven't tried Target juniors', but the juniors' stuff I have tried elsewhere is always too long and too big in the shoulders, because I'm short waisted. I'm wondering if I should give them a look.

I hate the Rack for petites' too. I've gone there twice now and don't plan on going back. It's exhausting...after an hour, I can maybe find one or two pieces to try on, neither of which is really that exciting. I asked one of the workers about skirts, and she told me that the shorter ones are generally all sold out before they even get to the Rack! I do think that the smaller sizes go very fast at Nordie's.

shoppingisfun

(website)

Veteran

@Gigi and others, I love H&M! I actually just got a kinda flowy top there. I will post about it later. Their clothes are still usually too long, but they work for some things. I went to Zara once and was not that impressed. I'm pretty sure the closest Zara to me is in San Francisco (2 hours away and a hassle to drive to), so I have not been back. Maybe I should try again.

I'm not sure if I am short waisted or not. I am short all over. I think my inseam is like 28" or something (I am 5' tall and 1/4") but I could be wrong. A lot of Target juniors items don't fit right, but many do! I've had luck with their basics like jeans (I wear a 1S; they're just right with high heels!), tees, and sweaters.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

You can order online from Zara - it is super easy, super fast delivery (most of the time) and free returns. The quality varies from bad to surprisingly good. Same with the fabrications -- some are really quite exceptional for the price point and others are not so fab. I find the online Zara experience much better than the in-store experience. I also have to go 3 hours to the nearest store and it is often a mess, super busy, badly stocked. Online stuff comes in a couple of days, beautifully packaged and easy to deal with.

shiny

Veteran

Hey -- you are a 1/4 inch taller than me! But also a lot trimmer, so I totally understand how your frustration could be greater than my own. I take a 2p-4p in BR & AT... if you are in 0p's or 00p's the challenge is even more difficult.

I shop regularly at all the same places as you do. I can add a few places you might want to check out. I am going down the directory listing of my local mall here... thinking about the places my daughters (before they grew) and I had luck at...

Forever 21 -- kind of like an H&M (fits are similar), but cheaper (comparable in price & quality to Target), and more junior styles (like LOFT vs AT). You have to dig and be choosy, but I have had some surprising success here.

Delia's -- my kids loved to shop here when in high school. They've grown 4 inches and now tower over me. But DD#2 still often finds her jeans here. They fit me too, I just find the rise too low. Most of the rest of the store is tee shirts/casual wear. But the jeans are worth checking out.

344 - more upscale, more $. Not sure they have an online presence?

Bebe - gotta be choosy but I can routinely find stuff that fits here, pretty easily.

Club Monaco - worth a shot. I have to size up to accommodate my figure, then the vertical proportions are all off. You might not have to size up -- though you may still have to hem here and there.

Gap & ON Kids - for jean jackets, and maybe even jeans. I am a size 12 kids in those brands, when my weight is lower. Might also try for button downs.

Abercrombie - fits in shoulders but not length and sleeves. However, sometimes you can find something that is easily altered (i.e., shoulders and armholes and waist fit perfectly -- it's just the sleeve that is freakishly 6 inches past the tip of my longest finger??)

INC brand at Macy's - available in petites. Have you tried this brand yet?

Madewell - for quality basics. Not petites, but if you are slim petite, you may find you have some luck. Try their jeans. Their jeans fit surprisingly good.

Talbot's petites - worth a shot, especially if you are a racy rectangle with slim waist. And like their color palette.

Urban outfitters - go for the smallest size.

Wet Seal - don't laugh. Good for basics, like cami's.

Love Culture - kind of like a F21, with bad lighting.

Gigi

Veteran

I got my Asos stuff today...and was it small! I ordered some skirts, one in size 2 and one in size 1 (the size 1 skirt actually said 0 on the skirt tag). The size 0/1 skirt was actually a little snug in the waist, so I will probably send it back. The size 2 skirt fit nicely in the waist.

I did order a size 2 top, and that was a miserable failure. But it was not a petite size, so that may be the reason. Also, I think it was supposed to be an oversized fit. So Asos may be a place to try out. I know I am going to try them again.

There was a bit of a snafu with my order--I ordered two sizes of the skirt I wanted most, a size 1 and a size 2. They sent only the size 1 and then some other item that I hadn't ordered--a size 6 black dress. So I have e-mailed them and hopefully can get the skirt in the larger size, as I originally ordered.

I thought the stuff was pretty decent quality too.

PA, a quick and dirty way to find out if you are short waisted is to take your overall height and then divide by 8. Then you want to compare your body against the following proportions:

Head length: 1/8 of height
Bottom of chin to smallest part of waist: 2/8 of height
Smallest part of waist to bottom of crotch (=rise): 1/8 of height
Bottom of crotch to knee: 2/8 of height
Knee to bottom of foot: 2/8 of height

If the bottom of chin to smallest part of waist is smaller than 2/8 of your height, you are short waisted. I have a short waist and then a long rise. That explains why I have such a hard time finding tops that fit but don't have such a hard time with bottoms (other than hemming).

chadya

Veteran

BR outlet seems to carry a large amount of Petites, at least the store near me does. It is a newer and larger one.