Does 'petite' mean shorter in length but also smaller size overall?

[EarlyInTheMorning]

Please tell me it does

I am 5 ft but never buy petite clothes. In my experience of trying them on is that they are slightly smaller overall though.

Yes I think they are smaller overall in not just length, bust and hip measurements also seem smaller.

My understanding was that it meant shorter in length and sleeves but not necessarily smaller bust or hip measurement. If the shop in question has a website you could look at their online size guide.

I find petite trousers/jeans are fine but petite tips never fit me as I have boobs, large boobs and they are designed for petite as in smaller all over rather than just short.

Yes! It drives me mad! Principles is the worst offender - I tried jeans in a normal 10, fitted fine but too long, tried the same pair but petite, couldn't get them over my arse.

Petite should mean shorter ie leg length or strap to boob length, but fur some reason they often come up smaller overall.

A 10 should be a 10 but it isn't.

Best ones are Fat Face and MnS which scales down but keeps sizing the same.

Tops not tips...

Yes, I tend to find there is a size difference. So I am a 6/8 regular size depending on the shop but definitely an 8 in petite. Also they seem to make petites for the kylies of this world. I am a 28E bra size, no chance of a 6 petite covering them up!!

I am petite in body but not in length so even though a petite jacket would fit me best across shoulders etc it would be too short in body and arms. Therefore it's best to shop in teen shops!

Agree with 5madthings. I find in jeans/trousers the fit tends to be the same, but tops the fitting seems smaller. So of I buy a suit I would get the trousers in petite but buy the jacket from the normal range.

(I thought it was just me who was a peculiar shape )

I'm so relieved you said that. I bought petite crops online, usual size 8. Admittedly I'm a bit chubbier than usual at the moment but these crops were just crazy tight all over. I'll have to try petite size 10 because normal size 8 crops will just look like trousers that are too short for me, but are too long to be called crops. I've been in a bad mood all day since trying the trousers on this morning.

Some petite people have short legs but a more 'normal' length torso. Others are shorter both in leg and trunk. Me, I have very short legs and a slightly shorter than normal toros - but it's longer than it should be for my leg length IYSWIM. I always wear petite trousers or teen trousers (love H&M) but I sometimes wear regular tops - it depends if they are supposed to be longline or not. But it's always the same 'size' - 4-6 on the bottom, 6-8 on the top, depending on the style. IME arse, thigh, shoulder and chest inches are the same across ranges, it's the lengths that differ.

I'm petite length wise but not width wise and certainly not on my norks so I don't buy petite at all as I find them to be small in general not just in length. Damn my fat ass

Yes generally they have narrower shoulders, the waist sits where it should and agree the waist/hips are often smaller.

Topshop petite jeans are I reckon a size smaller than the standard range.

I find petite trousers and skirts are exactly the same size as normal ranges just a bit shorter.

I don't get on with petite tops at all, I think for the same reason someone said above - because I have boobs.