to be annoyed that it's easier for fat women than for short women to buy clothes.

[moxiemonster]

A new Simply Be has opened here. We now have that and Evans. I should imagine the moderately stout can get into clothes in most shops. If you're short, there are rarely dedicated shops and the choice is limited and twee.
Obviously there is money to be made in the plus size market. It's just one of life's unfairnesses that the cake munchers are rewarded for their lack of self control with clothes to fit them.

So many of us can't find clothes, ARE YOU LISTENING CLOTHES MANUFACTURERS???

Although at least if you are short you can pay to have things taken up or hemmed.

OP has a point, it's easiest to buy clothes if you are plump, or at least very pear-shaped. I am a slender but curvy nearly 5'8" with short legs & long body (that's neither short nor tall, neither fat nor petite, right?) I am a young Sophia Loren shape.

I struggle to find clothes. The regular leg length is too short for the waist in spite of my short legs. I could get right leg length if only I put on 2-3 stone. "Tunics" are the only style top that don't leave me cold & bare midriffed. Large used to mean long, now it means wide. Trouser waists are too low. In spite of wide hips I can pull jeans off without undoing the zip, except those with enormous tummy pouches and drawstring waist. Size 12 top does not match size 12 bottom unless your body is actually pear-shaped.

And everything bloody shrinks (length ways, not width, just length!) after enough washes.

If I were short and skinny I bet it would be impossible.

I am off clothes shopping today, actually (with trepidation).

I am 5ft and have been size 8 (for a limited period only) up to a size 14 and have never had the difficulty you speak of in finding clothes to fit nicely.

I therefore conclude that this thread is a load of bollocks designed purely to say nasty things about other women and the OP is a bit of a cunt.

Er...I'm not petite either. I am short - five foot tall - and I have big bosoms and I am a size 10 in jeans which even in today's size-inflation was not EnormousHeffalumpery last time I looked. But I'm not petite. I am a normal person, just a bit short. I do not want girlish polyester with narrow-set shoulders. I am not winsome and floaty. Nor do I wish to be consigned to the (possibly age-appropriate ) ladyhell of Eastex, dammit.

lljkk, we all need to go back to the days when we have a sewing machine in the house. I don't have the skills myself, but I picked up a great habit when I was in Spain. A lot of women in my office seemed to be popping out to 'el sastre' on a regular basis.

I am now in and out of the tailors a couple of times a month, not only to get trousers shortened but I've had dresses shortened from the top, so that the waist is lifted up and falls in the right place. Have a tailor that knows me now.

ohDeerhaunting you must be in proportion then, I have normalish length legs but a shorter than average back, even for my height.

ps, with pear shaped, I never used to think I was pear -shaped because I do have (small) boobs. but according to littlewoods tool if you are 8/10 on top and 10/12 on the bottom that does make you pear shaped..... so as well as having too short a back to be in proportion I'm different sizes on top and bottom so 'ohdeerhaunting' you would struggle to find clothes that FLATTER you if you were me. yeah in can walk into any shop and pull tens and 12s off the shelf and somethign fill fit, but it very often makes me look shapeless and frumpy

sorry Blueberrypie, I didn't mean my post to come across as smug or snippy to anyone (except the OP who I think has been rather unkind and deserves it)

I hope I haven't offended you, it wasn't my intention.

FWIW while I am in proportion length of legs and torso wise, I also have quite broad shoulders and big boobs which brings it's own set of 'clothes to avoid' problems like anything floaty or smock-like, or shift dresses - all of which I always love the look of on other people but make me look like I'm pregnant.

Don't worry I just envy you your more normal proportions. [henvy]

Mind you, as I've got older, I shop less and better as they say. So I guess I manage....

Yooz fashionistas will mock me but I have the odd thing from country casuals because although I dislike 90% of their stuff, from time to time they churn out some hobbsesue classic stuff that is really stylish... I swear. They do look at me to see which lady I'm assisting though! but, hand on heart here I've got some stylish classics in there.

I peruse peroooooz their sale website and pick up the occassional dress /top knowing it will be good quality, and nobody will recognise it as being from country casuals ... The rest of what I buy now is simple, fitted and I take to my tailor and he has lowered belt loops on coats and all sorts. It's a great skill. I did buy a sewing machine about a year ago, from LIdl, I had this day dreamy bullshitty notion that I would become a master seemstress but it didn't happen...

what do yooz think of this dress?

for a short person

I'm not fat but I don't have a naturally slim waist either, and combine that with being a size 10-12 which is quite robust at only 5'2"....... I need clothes that are fitted but not tight.

Oh dear...I like it . Go for it.

This is what I mean when I say that CC sometimes splutter up something that looks a little Hobbsesque quite like this

Anyway!! that's my guilty little secret! Obviously it would be much cooler to link to stuff from zara or mango but I have never managed to buy a thing from those "cool shops" ;-p

OP does have a point, although not necessarily phrased very well for MN I am almost 40 but the size and shape of your average 11 year old but with slightly larger hips ( I know because I teach them). I can only get stuff to properly fit from kids ranges or the occasional petite range but I end up looking like I'm either trying too hard or have given up trying altogether.
I find it irritating that shops can't just make their regular clothes in petite sizes, why do they have do make a separate range?

Now that we all buy a lot of stuff on line, it would be nice if some of the shops could creat a couple classics, say an olive green military style coat, and a belted grey or muted burgundy coat and then customers could customise it by selecting the length, where you want the belt to fall, how long you want the sleeves. It would WALK out of the warehouse.

I don't work in the fashion industry though. Is that totally unrealistic?

Brilliant idea!

Oh ye God.. the cake munchers..

I figured out today, I need to have

size 14-16 in top if it's a regular type top

size 8-10 in top if it's called a tunic

size 8 LONG Leg & High Waist CURVY trousers. Did I mention that I have quite SHORT legs for my height?

I so hate shopping. Everything gives me the message: you are short, and fat.

And just in case I forget: you are short, and fat. NOTHING fits you! You look like shite!

and to think people do it for fun. It must be great to be 5'6" and a size 10...

sigh. In my next life!

Fenton! OhChrist, FENTON! What is your secret, where do you shop? Pass on hints and tips asap!