Petite - where do you buy your clothes.

[Sunnyside4]

I'm 5'3" and even with petite ranges feel come tops and trousers/jeans are far too long on me. I tend to buy from Next's petite range, but depends on the style as to whether it's too long, sometimes M&S.

Occasionally John Lewis have things in petite sizes, I've just bought a formal dress and separate jacket from them in petite. Makes such a difference having sleeves the right length.

I find the fit depends on where your proportions are petite compared to the brand - if you’re long waisted for instance lots of petite brands don’t work well as they assume you’re short waisted.

I’m 5’1 and find next petite doesn’t work terribly well for me most of the time. White stuff petite is great for me, Hobbs too for more formal/occasion wear.

Hobbs for good/formal stuff.
Sosander sometimes has a good range.

At the cheaper end of the scale, ASOS and Shein… you know the (lack of) quality but sometimes needs must!

Next, New Look good for jeans, M and S. Nowhere particularly high end I’m afraid.

Well I have just brought a 100% long cotton tiered skirt with a very small floral pattern from M&S kids range for £20 so might be worth looking at.

I’m just 5 feet and really struggle with practically every shop. I find Fatface short length jeans work for me but you can only order online. Next used to fit great but I popped into one at the weekend looking for linen trousers and they were around 2 inches too long. M&S seems to have lengthened their short leg and I now have to look at extra short, I’ve never seen any in their stores and there’s a limited choice online.

I have bought trousers from Pixie Girl and they do a 27” leg length, which fit me perfectly so they might end up being my go to for trousers now. Petite fit dresses from Next fit well if they’re a short style, maxi and midi are too long, although a midi would work as a maxi I guess. For tops and jackets, Next fit well. I’ve yet to find a shop I can get both trousers and top at.

I don’t have the budget for higher end than the shops I’ve mentioned already, although I was gifted a brand new suit from Reiss, the petite trousers have been taken up and the regular jacket has had the sleeves shortened.

5’3, probably a size 12 at the moment, and have never in my life bought anything from a petite range. Long limbs. Wide shoulders. The ribcage of a giant. Also I like quite voluminous clothes. (I recall trying on something petite in TopShop long ago and finding it puzzlingly little.)

Obviously I have a good idea of what will fit straight off and what might need alteration. There are some proportions I know won’t work, but in general I find I’m ok with ‘average’ sizes.

Maybe you could experiment with a wider range of brands, @Sunnyside4. I know it depends on exact proportions but Zara, for instance is mean with fabric so most things are tiny (and I generally size up there). Have you embraced cropped shirts and t shirts? I’d be surprised if the average sizes of those don’t fit you. And shops are full of straight knee length dresses right now, which might look more elegant on you (hanging below the knee) than on taller people.

I find matalan petite are shorter than next. I like new look petite too. ASOS petite is a good shout too, loads of cheap stuff on vinted I was browsing last night 😁

Next
I need actual petite clothes not just short length trousers etc with as the crutch area is too long.

I only need shorter in the leg. Shops don't do a 26 inch length which is what my 5ft2.5 height has for bloody legs!
So I just buy whatever fits the rest of my legs and have a local seamstress alter them. Works well for me. I don't need a petite on top as I think I'm a normal length there. But I wish I could find petite arm length with normal body length. I have short limbs 🙈🙈🙈🙈.

Arket
H&M
Mango
Primark
Everlane
Abercombie (petite range for trousers)
Levis (for jeans)
Reformation (petite range for jeans and trousers)
M&S
Sezane (for knitwear)

I sometimes buy midi dresses/skirts if I want maxi length. Might be worth trying cropped trousers in the regular ranges for the right fit.

I've had quite a few clothes altered in the last few years. I think this is definitely worth doing with sale items. Things look so much better when the fit is perfect.

5’3” seems to fall right in the no woman’s zone. Petites too short. Regular too long.

I find being a small size 8, regulars fit but when I was nearer a 12 they were too long. Everything gets longer as it gets bigger.

are you longer in the torso or leg??what clothing size are you?

Hollister short for jeans
Fat face size 6 for tops