If you are Petite where do you buy your clothes?

[Ineedsomesleep]

Well, its in the title really. I need a couple of dresses for work and some weekend wear and lots of inspiration

Next for jeans and trousers, I'm 5'3" and theirs are a perfect fit without shortening. I have had Precis in the past when I needed formal things for work and meetings, but it is a bit "old" even for me.

I have bought a few pairs of trousers in Next, but that's all I buy there. I have things shortened a lot. I have a good tailor who can shorten anything, coats, jeans from charity shops, he has even shortened a dress for me from the TOP so that the waist fell on my waist.

Often, petite range clothes are only shorter, they're not proportioned properly.

Wallis dresses tend to be quite short though, so I have a few dresses from Wallis. Also, M&S are good for doing different lengths and it's tedious, but if they don't have what you want in shorter leg lenth or skirt length you can always order it in.

It is extra leg work being short imo! I'm always having to order things in, get them altered.

petiteaffair.co.uk worth a look but price wise, similar to precis (which I like actually!)

Country casuals are 75% for older women, but they do (honestly!) have the ODD nice thing, so it's worth a look on their website definitely as they have a petite range.

Uniqlo stuff is cut quite small, I'm 5'1" and get quite a lot of stuff from there! Also they alter the jeans in store for you so you can get them any length you like.

I'm 5ft and size 8-10 and it is hard work. I have had a few nice bits from next petite this year - jeans, camel colour jumper dress and a grey winter coat. I also have my eye on a mac in Topshop petite - although I feel some of their stuff is too young for me at 34. M&S online petite have the occasional thing but very disappointed with the trench I just ordered - completely different shade of red from how it looks on line so that will be going back. John Lewis online also now has a petite section which is worth a look.

Must have a look at that JL petite section.

Thanks for all the lovely suggestions so far, will have to get looking on the websites.

miss selfridge topshop and river island do shorter length/petite nice jeans. Dorothy perkins do reasonable petite range too

I'm just under 5'2" but have normal length legs (29") so skirts and trousers I can buy anywhere. However, Petite range tops never fit as my short body is very curvy and I have virtually no waist. It does go in, but there is no depth to it IYKWIM. I am afraid it is just a case of trying on lots of things. Only dresses that fit are the ones with high i.e. under the bust, waists, otherwise I stick to semi fitted and stretchy garments.

While I have the attention of fellow petites, what stuff do you think suits us? I tend to stick to slim jeans, Ts cardigans and tunics... would welcom other ideas tho

It can be so varied, I have a very slight frame and features and I find it difficult to get items to suit me. I can end up looking like I've put on a grown-ups clothes

agree Ineedsomesleep, often feel swamped. I try to avoid fussiness/frills/layers. I have just invested in some black jeggings and some skinny jeans to wear with slightly longer vest/tshirt. Also got this to wear with leggings, cowboy boots and longline cardi

Ebojones, I stick to no patterns now, pretty much. I think big patterns are ridiculous on small people, and small small patterns can be a bit mumsy teadress.

Ihave a navy/white stripy long sleeved top on under a navy short sleeve shirt now, so not a total ban on patterns! - allowed in 'patches'! But no matter how much I love a Boden pattern (eg) now I just know now I can't go there! I used to, a decade ago. I was in denial.

I wear a lot of v-necks now. Fitted clothes. Nothing baggy. Baggy is bad on small people. I like a few different colours. Like eg, a pale pink 3/4 length shirt/top under an oatmeal tank top, both plain though. And if you wear with trousers that match the oatmeal then it elongates you, but you're not totally all wearing same colour head to foot, which is a bit much! although that's always the advice given to elongate you.

I always always wear wedges, except when exercising.

Faking being a bit taller is like a full time job for me

at Valium. A tall friend recently told me that she doesn't think of me as being small . All those years in heels must have paid off.

Have just found the Precis Petite Outlet on ebay.

Think I shall be spending the evening shopping, well looking at least.

Looking in my wardrobe, there is not a single pattern in it (apart from a couple of stripey tops).
Used to think it was very boring but they suit me much better. A bit of embellishment or texture in the same colour is what I do to be daring!

Totally agree re patterns. Pretty much all of my clothes are plain. It's just too much of a minefield to get right.

I bought this the other day and thought I was being daring

in no way shape or form could this be considered "daring"... sigh

Brilliant thread. Off to check out that outlet now - thanks!

{grin] at RipMacWinkle living on the edge.

I'm 5'2 and a half and size 10. M&S ordinary range short fit trousers are too short but Per Una petite usually OK, Next petite are better proportioned but almost always have to be taken up if I want to wear them with ballet pumps. Non-tunic style Boden tops are usually the right length for me ditto Monsoon. Plessed with new Monsoon trench as the waist was in just the right place and new wool boyfriend cardi from Dorothy Perkins which isn't too long.

I'm 5ft and a size 6-8 depending on shop.

I always get jeans taken up as I tend to buy premium denim as wear jeans a lot.

I buy stuff everywhere though - its much easier nowadays to find good stuff that fits.

I do wear lots of slim fitting stuff and never do empire line or anything too voluminous as it just drowns me.

But I wear some patterns too.

In fact the best thing you can do when you're short is to find a good tailor so you can get stuff altered to fit properly.

Regarding trench coats - places like comptoirs des cottonniers cuts for small people and go down to a size 6.

I find Awear good for shorter leg jeans.

Dresses too seem to be cut in a way that suits petites.

Oddly the skirts aren't.

There are no clothes on that précis petite site!!

I agree re: patterns although I am often drawn to them and DH likes them (doesn't like my "boring" clothes).

I went shopping with a personal shopper recently and she said exactly what Valiumsingleton has said, body-skimming (not tight), nothing drapy or with too much material.

I am not technically "petite" because I am 5ft4 but I think I have short legs and a small frame because the petite stuff fits me much better.

I have all my trousers taken up to the right length but it is standard to do that in France, they do it in the shop.

Agreed re: the baggy stuff.
I do like my stripes though - wearing the boden longsleeve stripe T today and it is a good fit on me.
I have also been drawn to the patterned tunics but having read your comments am now having second thoughts!

I found Wallis' Petite range good (am 5'1") for summer dresses and t-shirts. M&S good for jeans in short leg. Got some nice indigo straight legs there a few months ago. Biggest revelation though has been Gap. Got a couple of dresses via the new online service and they are actually a couple of inches above the knee. They must be very short on normal height people (prude emoticon).

Gap have a new online service??

Wallis Petite and Next