Help please...petite/fitted stylish casual wear

[SmallestInTheClass]

Please help me S&B readers...I'm a petite size 8, 40 something and need some new casual clothes. All my friends rave about Hush, Toast etc but their clothes would all drown me and make me look like a dumpy sack of spuds! My friends are almost all taller and bigger sizes than me and they look fantastic in the looser fit style of clothes which seems to be everywhere at the moment. I've had clothes from Boden and Hobbs for office wear the past, but a lot of their stuff seems better suited to work rather than casual. I've also bought from M&S but feel it ages me a lot. I'm not really into flouncy, dressy or blingy stuff, just some nice simple tops/shirts/tees and trousers that don't make me look too classic and old-fashioned. Any ideas?

Don't rule out places like Hush and Cos. I am also short although more of a 10/12 size, and I buy from them a lot.

Have you tried Uniqlo? They aren't a petite range but I find they aren't too long in the body, great for smart casual and if you buy in store they do free alterations.
Other than that I like Saint and Sofia for short smart casual trousers, MandCo sometimes have a few nice bits in their petite range and I do buy from ASOS although they are very hit and miss re quality.

Thanks @PeaceLoveAndCandy will have another look at those. @MavisMonkey I hadn't tried Uniqlo and not heard of Saint and Sofia so off to have a browse now...

Do you mind cheap fashion? I have found boohoo petite great for coats and jackets and I've bought regular ( not petite? cropped jumpers and t-shirts and they are the perfect just at waist length. I am the same and need petite clothes or I look fat. Jeans I get slim or girlfriend from gap and trousers m and s short leg either slim or very wide

I love sezane - I'm 5'1 and I think they cut their clothes for more petite fitting. I tend to wear a lot of their tops and dresses. Also zara tends to cut for us of a shorter persuasion

Thanks for those suggestions, great to know I'm not the only one. Don't mind a bit of cheap fashion (although often buy second hand to avoid fast fashion landfill).