To hate the term 'petite'

[lemondrizzleistheshnizzle]

You're not petite, you're SHORT.

I hate the term petite, to me it's used to make short people sound all dinky and cutesy and makes us tall people feel large and clumsy.

Am I alone in my irritation of this?!

I thought petite meant small all over, it’s possible to be short and fat, in which case short and petite are different

Petite means small in all directions not just height

I think you can be short, fat, and petite! You may buy a petite jacket because you have tiny shoulders and a small torso, but depending on weight would buy different sizes.

Yes, possibly you are. And it's silly to think it's named to make short people feel better than regular-sized people!

Petite is just less of an insult than short, like 'plus' for the range for fat people.

Petite annoys me too. It means generally small not just in height. I think people who use it think it makes them sound all cute and dainty ugh.

Shoulder chip?

I don’t know why it’s annoying

My DD16 is 5ft, size 6-8 and has size 3 feet
She’s too old for kids clothes so it’s nice she has a specific range she can shop in. It is not easy to find 26inch leg jeans!

I think petite means short and small proportioned.

It annoys me when people who are just short use it as a euphemism. But, perhaps they use it as a euphemism because short is seen as a negative thing which is pretty crap.
So maybe I need to get over myself.

I think you can be short, fat, and petite!

Definitely! Pisses me off no end that many petite ranges stop at size 16.

@Marilynmansonsthermos

So glad you understand .

Genuine question - if it's meant to mean small frame/proportions all over - why do petite ranges go up to size 18 and beyond?

I'm 5ft and we'll aware that I'm shorter than regular sized people If I'm looking for trousers with a 29 inch leg or shorter then I will ask for the Petite section. Aside from that I don't mention my height, as it's obvious to everyone that I'm short

I always hear ‘Reet Petite’ playing in my head when someone says it. Which is annoying.

It must mean short, as the width factor is already catered for by having a range of sizes. So you get short people who are in proportion and therefore petite (ie small all over) and those who are...not.

You can't be short and both fat and petite! They are mutually exclusive.

I hate the term petite, to me it's used to make short people sound all dinky and cutesy

I’m 4’11 and bloody loathe the idea of being dinky and cutesy. I’m short, not a doll.

I’m 5ft tall so often shop petite ranges but would never describe myself as petite, I’m just short.

I assumed it was short arms and short legs mainly for clothing
Hence you can be a size 18 but have very short legs

It's just a descriptor. DD 1 is petite. She is on the 2nd centile for weight, aged 4.5 but 3yo clothing, and a head shorter than most of her preschool classmates.

I am 5' 3" and a generous size 12. I am not petite. I am short and tubby.

I'm petite.

Not short. Petite.

Petite implies small all over not just short.

why do petite ranges go up to size 18 and beyond?

Marketing or poetic license? What difference does it make though? It's what's inside someone that counts. The sooner we stop giving a shit about what shape someone is or what stupid terms we use to describe their physical form the better.

Agreed, size 18 is not petite. I'm 5'3" and sometimes go for petite to get better proportioned clothes as I'm a size 8.

But YABU there is nothing wrong with the term petite.

Means small boned

I would never describe myself as petite. I’m a 5’2 size 12. I’m pretty solid and not at all dainty.
I like my trousers to be 12S for short but that doesn’t really help with jackets or dresses where it’s impirtant to have shorter sleeves and the waists in the right place. Petite clothes are “shorter” all over not just in overall length.

I think you can be fat and petite. To me, petite just means ‘shorter than average’ (so petite clothes have shorter legs etc). You see clothes in petite ranges up to size 20 etc so I don’t necessarily associate it with daintiness, just shortness.

It sounds like you have a massive complex about being tall OP.

It’s a euphemism, a polite term that reflects the unfortunate fact that being short is seen as a bad thing these days.

If we’re against euphemisms, and Petite is to be known as Short, shall we rename all Plus Size clothes ranges Fat instead?