Smart/don't F***k with me suits for short waisted and short statured. Are there any options? Please help - sick of being patronised!

[herewegoloopyloo]

Have been in new job for 5 months and although need to be smart day-to day, I don't generally need to wear a suit. However, there are a few meetings where all my (male) colleagues are wearing suits and it has become abundantly clear that I am going to have to dress the part. I am relatively young for my role, which doesn't help.

The problem is I am 5'3, size 8-10 but am very short waisted so the jackets or suit dresses never fit- the waist sits at the top of my hips. It always looks awful and is more than just a quick alteration to make fit.

Does any one know of any decent petite ranges?

Or has anyone tried bespoke tailoring?! I read about Raja fashions in the paper who are coming near me soon. THey are expensive but for one suit I am becoming desperate enough to be prepared to stretch to it if did actually look good on me.

Style gurus, please help!

Banana Republic have a good petite range (not sure if online or not). I think killer dresses are more effective sometimes than suits. A great dress with great shoes and accessories...easier said than done!

I'm not a style guru (disclaimer) but I am 5'3 as well. I know it's maybe the preserve of the older lady but I've just got a suit from Precis Petite sale and it's so good not to have the sleeves grazing my knuckles or have to shorten the trousers/skirt. I suspect it's a bad time of year to buy tailoring but it will come into the shops in August with the autumn stuff.

If you work with blokes like me though, up the ante with some dresses/shoes and I think it will register with them that you are looking smart. Men are often dim about clothes and if you are looking too unusual/fashionable they will get confused when women would just see a stylish outfit. E.g. woman: "that's a nice dress over leggings and cropped cardigan she's wearing" man: "what's with the nightie and half a jumper?"

this kind of thing, I know it's not your size but you get the idea

I think a dress and a jacket could be better. Try Hobbs for jackets - not Petite but they do some with short/three quarter sleeves.

Good petite ranges - Banana Republic (only in store) and John Lewis online
Agree that Hobbs is good for smaller fitting jackets - try the NW3 range.

When I lived in black suits Hobbs and Reiss were my choice. I am size 8/10 5'3" and also short waisted.

Thanks. Wed13 -that is the kind of thing I am looking for and completely agree re. need to smarten up. Think going for (or aiming for!) stylish rather than classically smart has been a mistake. I have tried on numerous lovely jackets and dresses in Hobbs but it is my short waist that is the issue - as teh 'waist' sits on my hips there is loose material above, which looks dreadful. Have not tried NW3. Have tried B Republic but didn't know they had a petite range - will check on line.
Any suggestions for smart dress and jackets? I think this looks great, but again for tailored dresses I have the same problem.

Boden are starting to do petite in their Autumn preview.

Navy, but definitely a don't-fuck-with-me suit. jacket, trousers (also shorter available, skirt. Also in teh sale.

Maybe have a look at their linen suits too, if you can hack linen that is.

Loads of suits in the sale, you'd need to have a good root about here,

NWB - those are great. Will peruse more when DD sleeping! My problem is not so much getting trousers to fit (can always take them up and I would wear heels). Am beginning to feel there might be places out there. I love the clothes in Reiss, LK Bennett and Hobbs but they never fit. Had never heard of CC but will look out for them.

Anyone seen any good suit dresses with jackets?

Do try Jigsaw. I'm short and find that their suits work well on me.

Principles at Debenhams have got quite a good Petite range as well, and it might be worth trying Next, because they have loads of petite stuff, and although their suiting is quite cheap they'd be more acceptable for dresses (it's better to go cheap for tailored dresses because you can afford to buy a week's worth and they're less likely to be dry-clean only).

(when I said Next suiting was cheap, I meant ...and nasty)

Any chance of going to the states soon or know someone who could pick up/send to you? I ask because the best reasonable-priced suiting I know of is J. Crew. Take a look at their petite range here. Very good quality too.

Such a hole in the UK market for nice petite clothing!

So have ordered the navy jacket and skirt from precis, although usually take a 10 in jackets and they only have 8. Will report back.
Sofaqueen - the J Crew stuff looks exactly the sort of thing I am after but sadly no trips or friends in the states. Completely agree there is a big hole in the market in the UK. If anyone wants to exploit it, let me know!