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?!

Yes, clothes sizes should be...
Tall
Short
Fat

😐😐

BTW I am petite.

YANBU OP. "Petite" is defined as "attractively small and dainty" so you're not wrong. If they are happy to have a "Tall' range in the shops then why not a "Short"? What's wrong with Short when it's the opposite of Tall?

"Petite" conjures up a small slim frame (or its definition of attractively small and dainty) when (obviously) short people can be fat or thin or non-dainty as much as tall people can be any of those things or anyone of any height for that matter. If "Petite" (clothing) is referring to shorter height, shorter legs, shorter arms etc then it should be the Short range. Not sure why Short is an insult any more than Tall could be?!

I am 5ft 0 and definitely not petite, big bones, big feet and hands and fat (delightful!). I have to shop in petite ranges though as that’s where the shorter lengths are. It is an awkward, inappropriate description, I agree OP.

Should just say it like it is, the short arse range for short arses. If its plus size and petite, then short arse with a fat arse range.

Petite literally means short/tiny(in french).

I used to refer to DD as petite. It wasn't just her height but she was very small framed,narrow waist etc. Clothes her age always looked like there wasn't enough child to fill them. She's filling up a bit more now ,but still can fit comfortably in clothes a year or two younger.

My DD gets described as Petite by her consultants, she's below average height and below average weight, so therefore petite.

I fit the 'petite' category. 5ft (just), size 6, size 3 feet, no 'curves' to speak of - about the size of an average 11 year old. I have to buy clothes from petite ranges or I look as though I've gone through the dressing up box
Saw some photos the other day and realised I look like a child on a day trip when I'm out with friends. I would like to be a bit taller.
I'm not a fan of 'petite' but not sure what else those clothing departments could be called?

YourSarcasm Petite is defined in the English dictionary as follows: "ADJECTIVE (of a woman) attractively small and dainty. ‘she was petite and vivacious'.

The origin is indeed French Petit(e) meaning small, but that's not the current English definition.

🤔 yes OP! I completely agree with you. Shops should just plaster SHORT all over their advertising and cut the bull!

Whilst their at it why don’t they quit the whole ‘curvy’ crap and just plaster FAT all over that range? 🤔

...oh wait.

*they’re

Sorry OP but it does mean small(er) all over not just short. Evidence= whenever an item comes in reg and petite I'll buy the 10 and not the 8 reg as the petite items have shorter hems, shoulder straps, etc. E.g. I bought a pinafore dungaree dress and preferred the 10 petite - both fitted me but the 8 sat too low on the leg and gaped around the bust and ribs.

I have a sizeable arse and thighs, rest assured, but I need 28 inch bras.

Petite is def small all over.

Naff all wrong with "Petite". What do you want a range of clothes for people who are smaller than average to be called? "Shortarses"?

Change the "Plus", "Curvy" etc ranges to "Fatties" while you're at it.

Oh nooooooooo can't fat shame. You can make every other bugger on the planet feel like shit though.
.
Tbf I feel slightly better for that rant!

This ^^

Jesus Christ. First world country problems eh OP.

Sigh, I'm tall and very well built. I was always taller / heavier than most of my partners.

I always dreamed of being "petite"...

As a user of petite clothes I quite like the term. The idea is to make it sound appealing to customers, being offended because you don't fit in that category seems a little OTT. At least you can reach supermarket shelves etc! Tall is never usually seen as an offensive description And I can't think of a petite equivalent.

Hate being called curvy. Was called curbynfor my hourglass figure. Was underweight and had no waist. Grew a huge complex over a few years and started binge eating.

You can be short without being petite. Petite to me means like very small hands/feet as well as being short, v delicate features etc. Petite ranges in shops are always much better than tall ranges! I’m 5”10 and all I see in tall ranges is a load of leftover jeans 🙄

Petite means short and thin. If you are short and fat then you are just fat.

I think you just have self esteem issues OP. It’s a ‘you’ problem, nothing to do with anyone else. Having a mental complex with your height and believing that you’re large and clumsy is your own personal problem.

Let’s be honest, being short is seen as a flaw and being tall is seen as more desirable/better genetics etc. Therefore a ‘tall’ clothing range does not have the same negative connotations as a ‘short’ clothing range.

Naming a clothing line designed for short people as petite is the same as naming a clothing line designed for fat people as ‘curvy’ or ‘plus size’. Larger people aren’t going to be ecstatic about buying a range of clothes in the ‘Fat’ line, therefore it would impact sales and be a bad marketing choice.

It’s the same reason why stores prefer to refer to the short line as petite. It’s a euphemism. I’m sure fat people know that they’re fat, they don’t need to be constantly reminded of it. Same way that short people know that they’re short and don’t need to be constantly reminded of it.

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

I am 5ft 2 so technically qualify for petite ranges - but petite trousers are usually too short for me. I can wear regular length in most shops.

I think it’s a bit more than just clothes with the hem taken up. It’s proportion too so that arms don’t dangle six inches over the end of the arms and the waist inset at the knees.

Petite as a term is a tad twee. We call our petite daughter midget.

The whole women sizing is ridiculous, I have 4 boys and have realised as the older two have needed suits for school sixth form that their clothes come in many waist and length combinations for trousers and also jackets. They also come in different style fits, regular, tailored, slim skinny and in all these ranges you still get all the combination of waists and lengths, chest and lengths.

Why do men get all this choice all in the same category to allow for all shapes where as women need to be petite or tall or plus etc just to make us all feel not ‘normal’!

Why on earth would it bother you what someone chooses to call themselves?

DP is short - usually trousers either give waist and length in inches or waist and S for length. Suit jackets also have S as an option. Most clothes, however, don't, so a lot of them look as though he's trying on somebody else's dad's clothes (not his dad's, as he is a full six inches shorter again), not because of the size, but because shirts extend past his fingertips and jackets without a S option aren't far behind. A standard shirt is so long in the body, they cover his arse.

And just try getting a halfway decent pair of shoes for men in a size 6 without them clearly being intended as school shoes or so broad the feet slosh around in them like a salmon in a canoe.

I'm average height, but with dumpy legs and a long body. At least with petite ranges, I know there's less likelihood of trailing vast amounts of fabric round after me when buying trousers, as I can't wear heels.

I don't quite see why it's even relevant to you - fed up of being called a giant? Like to tower over people and tell them 'you're SMALL'? Have a complex from parents of smaller children looking horrified at the great galumphing monster child charging into the playground?

XCF was 6'5" and an utter dick to shorter people. Really had a problem with any male under six foot. And thought that they should be called as 'he saw it' - dwarves.

It's not an attractive trait.