Une Petite Femme Chic

It ain't easy being short. Especially when it comes to clothes. Just ask my sister. She is 4' 11" and despite the fact that the average height of American women is slightly under 5' 4", she is still considered relatively short -- or what some might call "extra petite." And that has unwittingly forced her into a fashion-industry box that limits her access to ready-made clothes. Even petite brands don't always fit her properly -- probably because they fit the average 5' 4" frame -- and she usually has to get things tailored or just deal with the extra length or bulk.

It is unfortunate that there are a limited number of clothing brands and designers that accommodate real petite women. And that doesn't mean skinny women -- I've often seen the word petite used to describe women who aren't just short, but teenie-tiny in the weight department. Sure, they are petite, but so are woman who are a little larger but under 5' 4".

So, here's the thing. The fashion world needs to step up. They need to start redefining what it means to be petite. 5' 4" is not petite. It is average. Just as they've started to accept that the average clothing size for women is a 14, they've also got to start accepting the fact that a lot of those size 14 women are also short.
Thankfully, though, there are some brands that have taken the plunge to offer a decent number of options for true petites like my sister. LOFT, Gap, Banana Republic, and various Macy's brands like INC and Style & Co. are a few of the brands that actually have petite clothing that is designed specifically for small and short women.

Here is a sampling of what you can find from these petite brands.

 First row: Petite colorblocked dress, $69.50 (+40% off), LOFT; Anne Klein belted a-line, $84, Macy's. Second row: Sexy boyfriend jeans, $69.95, Gap; Style & Co. boot cut rinse wash, $32.99, Macy's; Marisa trousers, $69.50 (+40% off), LOFT. Third row: Ponte knit peplum top, $49.50, Banana Republic; Stripe crochet yoke shell, $54.50 (+40% off), LOFT

P.S. Telling a petite woman to "just wear heels" to increase her height is like telling a large woman to "suck it in" or a tall woman to "not wear heels." No one should have to feel like they have to adjust who they are physically to fit into clothes.