What is petite sizing

What makes petite different? Petite size items have shorter sleeves, hemlines, inseams and rises. Many designers also make fit considerations like knee and armhole placement to accommodate smaller frames. Your body shape and measurements help determine the right size and silhouette to ensure you look and feel your best. Knowing your inseam, preferred sleeve length and distinguishing details are essential for finding a flawless fit. Petite sizes differ from regular sizes, mainly when it comes to height.

Height continues to reign supreme when distinguishing between petite and regular sizes. Retailers often provide size guides to help establish what best fits your frame. If finding the optimal size and fit is a challenge, consider getting your measurements taken by a professional tailor. Or, pass a friend the measuring tape to help you take individual measurements to find your true size. Your measurements will come in handy when identifying what petite sizes work best for you.

When opting for alterations, remember to buy items that fit the most prominent part of your body. Whenever and wherever you see fit. Wear petite sizes when you have fit challenges, as smaller crafted clothing will assure a better fit. For example, a petite woman with a long torso or a full chest may prefer the fit of regular sized tops.

Conversely, do you have long legs and a short torso? Petite tops and regular size bottoms might be the magic blend for you. The unique cuts and silhouettes for petite sizes can help women of all sizes uncover items tailored to their frames. When determining if petite sizes are suitable for you, take all factors into account from head to toe.

Celebrate what makes you stand out in a crowd. The first step in building a wardrobe where you feel comfortable and confident is finding your optimal fit. Denim is always a good idea, and an essential part of any wardrobe. Dressed up or down with ease, the hardest part is deciding which pair to wear. The good news for petite frames is all denim silhouettes look great on you with the proper fit. Our style experts have a few tips to keep in mind when selecting a pair of jeans.

First things first: consider the rise and silhouette. High-rise denim is a dream. It highlights your waist and provides definition and balance to your ensemble. Choose from skinny, straight or bootcut silhouettes in an array of blue washes.

Best part? This rise and silhouette combination is an easy trick for petite women that want to lengthen their legs. Not ready to ditch your skinnies and embrace the wide-leg trend? How should you style your straight-leg jeans?

Romantic puff sleeves are a summer trend making waves. Stylist Tip: Skip the tailor and cuff your jeans for a simple petite style hack to get your desired inseam. Petite Size Chart as a general rule of thumb. Petite fashion as a concept was invented in the s, when influential fashion designer Hannah Troy noticed a large number of women having a hard time finding great-fitting clothing.

She studied the measurements of military women volunteers during World War II and found that the typical woman was short-waisted. Thus, the petite size was created. Today, many years later, not all manufacturers offer petite clothing. However, an increasing number of them have created collections in the past few years.

Many large retailers are currently working to expand their selection of petite clothing to meet the demand, while petite-specific brands are popping up all over the world as we speak. An ABC News article states that as of , The petite market became the fastest growing retail sector in Petite sizing can be limiting for those of us who have bigger busts or curvier figures , and may not always make the most comfortable fit.

But if you're shopping for petite clothing, the most obvious thing you'll notice—and the most important—is that sleeves, dresses, tops, and bottoms are all shorter in length. Because clothing manufacturers cut to their own specifications, the length may be the only difference in some cases. However, some brands are going a step further by taking all petite proportions into account.

This can include higher armholes, narrower shoulders, shorter rises on petite pants, and shorter bodices on petite dresses. Apart from fit and sizing, petites may notice a difference in the style of their clothes as compared to that of their longer-limbed counterparts.

Oftentimes, petite clothing is designed to make its wearer appear taller. So you'll find more vertical stripes, princess seams, smaller prints, smaller buttons, and thinner belts when shopping in petites. Monochrome outfits are also super flattering. On the other hand, you may want to stray away from larger silhouettes as they can overwhelm a smaller stature.

Ultimately, however, style comes down to personal taste, so while these may be petite clothing trends, you're the best judge of what clothes will make you look and feel your best. Now that you know what petite sizing and styling are all about, you're just about ready for some retail therapy.

But before you go, know this: In general, online shopping tends to offer more options for petites than brick-and-mortar stores. That's because many retailers devote more floor space to "regular"-sized clothing. However, if you do head to the shops only to discover that there are no petite sizes available, fear not, as the power of a good tailor should never be underestimated.

And as with all shopping, trying before buying is ideal.