Skirts & dresses for short people...

[stirlingstar]

I want to start wearing more skirts and even maybe really push the boat out and get an everyday dress. Need to get my mojo back after 3 yrs of alternate pregnancy & BFing.

I work from home 3 days, do the childcare the other 4.

I'm 5'2'' and roughly size 12 - down to 10 in some shops and occasionally 14 in others. So I'm not fat fat, but not a slender willow either and it's quite easy to look dumpy - especially if skirt length too long.

Tummy not good. Legs nice though short. Bust seems to be deflating from a BF DD back down to my original B, but saggier (!)

Please can you give me some ideas? Please please? Really want to avoid dumpiness!

Try Gap for skirts and Warehouse for dresses. I am the same height and size as you but have nork issues in addition! Hoping for more recs so I can steal them!

you have to really look for 'petite' specific skirts and dresses.

Trouble is that I don't feel very petite in terms of tummy, and also shoulder width. Where does good petite stuff then?

Gap skirts generally quite long I find, and fabric is so heavy it sticks out? Will try Warehouse dresses.

The Gap ones I have are a denim mini, a couple of over the knee cotton ones and some flouncy silk minis. All ve nice lengths at a little over the knee. I have narrow shoulders and tiny wrists and ankles plus small across the back - so all petite except the chest!

its just petite in terms of proportionality. not as in slimmer.

dorothy perkins do a petite range, although a lot of their stuff is shit at the mo, debenhams do too. most places do - boden doesn't cos johnny b is a fucker

Yes re Johnny B. I wish Whistles would do a petite range as their stuff is mostly vast.

A lot of the Debenhams petite stuff is hideous fabric - but I did get a nice coat there.

I think Topshop do a v limited petite range too but I can't stand the place.

I'm 5'1 and I get a lot of my stuff shortened. you have to watch the cut though, as shortening skirts can sometimes do funny things to the shape.

Have wondered if I should try getting some stuff shortened/altered. (Ought to do it myself I suppose but realistically will never get rounf to it). I guess you have to watch out for things that are A-liney, and go for straighter cuts? Do you just go to a highstreet alterations place and say "I want an inch off that" - or do you have to stand around getting pinned up?

straighter cuts defiitely easier. I've always used a tailor - I prefer them to pin it and trust them more than the dry-cleaners. Until recently there was a little tailor's shop near where I worked in London. then I moved to the sticks - v. small village with a post office and a spar and could not believe that it has a tailors too! how lucky am I?

I did once use a dry cleaners but my faith was very undermined. It was for jeans and I had pinned them. the woman behind the counter then measured them (rather carelessly and quickly) and said "so you want a 22" leg? I said "no, I want them the length they're pinned to" she said "yes, that's 22 inches" I said (something like) "but it's very difficult to measure accurately and the seamstress might measure it differently, so I'd just like you to tell her to do them the length they're pinned to" "but I have to write something down, shall I put 22 inches" etc etc.

I'm 5'1, I usually go for warehouse, new look length I don't seem to have a problem with, miss selfridge do a petite range. Cute dresses and tunic here