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@suzyQ3 wrote:

@Group 5 minus 1wrote:

Petite does not mean small size. It means small boned and short.


@Group 5 minus 1, unfortunately, petite means something different to different brands. For example, QF is known for their insistence that petite simply means a shorter rise; they do not tailor the rest, apparently because JB was short but otherwise not petite.

 

Talbots makes misses, petite, woman, and woman petite,  and the clothes are tailored throughout, not just for height.

 

As for small-boned and short, yes, but there are exceptions. A tall, thin woman might choose a petite length and a thin woman on the cusp between petite and regular might go with the smallest regular for the length, although she might have to deal with some extra fabric.

 

For example, I recently discovered J. Crew jeans and love them. For reference, I'm just a tad under 5'4", small-frame, and low in weight. I first bought their smallest petite and was shocked that it was too tight in the waist (figured out that proportionally I'm bigger in the waist than in the hips -- a.k.a., more of straight build). It was was also too short for me.

 

Fortunately, their smallest regular worked great.  You just can't trust a sizing label because there is no consistency.

 

With the increase in vanity sizing, smaller sizes are becoming harder and harder to come by. I am sized out of many brands.


@suzyQ3 same here.  Only very few stores (JJill & AT) still have a few styles (not all styles) in Petites, 0 and 00. 

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@pinkmochi, it's a dilemma, for sure. For me, sometimes the petite is too short but the regular is too long (and also just too big). Once you find a store or brand that works for you, it's much easier.

 

I've some of Kim Gravel's pieces on air and liked a couple, but no, I don't think that they would work for me.


@suzyQ3 - This is my dilemma too!  I'm 5'3-1/2", but I'm long legged. A 29" inseam is too short, 30" is perfect, I can possibly get away with 31", but 32" is too long. I don't want to shorten everything, so I check the inseams carefully. Smiley Wink

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@Carolinaking wrote:

Hosts & Guests - Please stop using derogatory descriptions of the petite models.  Just because someone is short or a smaller clothing size, it doesn't mean that they want to be called 'cute' or a 'little girl'.  In fact, none of the models should be referred to as a 'girl'; they are adult women and should be shown the same amount of respect as the hosts and guests.  Size does not designate whether someone is a girl or a woman. I just heard Susan Graver refer to the petite model as a "cutie pie".  Really!?!  All the models deserve to be told that they are doing a good job and look beautiful, not just 5'10" XXS models like Katia, whom I believe Susan Graver caters to on air with the goal of appealing to the African-American demographic.


Katia is the best darn model on QVC or any runway.  I once tweeted Susan Graver that I thought Kataia was the best model ever and she responded Absolutely!

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@suzyQ3 wrote:

@Group 5 minus 1wrote:

Petite does not mean small size. It means small boned and short.


@Group 5 minus 1, unfortunately, petite means something different to different brands. For example, QF is known for their insistence that petite simply means a shorter rise; they do not tailor the rest, apparently because JB was short but otherwise not petite.

 

Talbots makes misses, petite, woman, and woman petite,  and the clothes are tailored throughout, not just for height.

 

As for small-boned and short, yes, but there are exceptions. A tall, thin woman might choose a petite length and a thin woman on the cusp between petite and regular might go with the smallest regular for the length, although she might have to deal with some extra fabric.

 

For example, I recently discovered J. Crew jeans and love them. For reference, I'm just a tad under 5'4", small-frame, and low in weight. I first bought their smallest petite and was shocked that it was too tight in the waist (figured out that proportionally I'm bigger in the waist than in the hips -- a.k.a., more of straight build). It was was also too short for me.

 

Fortunately, their smallest regular worked great.  You just can't trust a sizing label because there is no consistency.

 

With the increase in vanity sizing, smaller sizes are becoming harder and harder to come by. I am sized out of many brands.


@suzyQ3  Yes. At 5’1” and 100 lbs., I still can’t wear petite pants...they’re usually not just shorter in length, but shorter in the rise. Petite tops are sometimes not just a few inches off length (tunic styles) or sleeves, but also inches taken off bust and shoulder measurements. 

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@Mj12 wrote:

@suzyQ3 wrote:

@Group 5 minus 1wrote:

Petite does not mean small size. It means small boned and short.


@Group 5 minus 1, unfortunately, petite means something different to different brands. For example, QF is known for their insistence that petite simply means a shorter rise; they do not tailor the rest, apparently because JB was short but otherwise not petite.

 

Talbots makes misses, petite, woman, and woman petite,  and the clothes are tailored throughout, not just for height.

 

As for small-boned and short, yes, but there are exceptions. A tall, thin woman might choose a petite length and a thin woman on the cusp between petite and regular might go with the smallest regular for the length, although she might have to deal with some extra fabric.

 

For example, I recently discovered J. Crew jeans and love them. For reference, I'm just a tad under 5'4", small-frame, and low in weight. I first bought their smallest petite and was shocked that it was too tight in the waist (figured out that proportionally I'm bigger in the waist than in the hips -- a.k.a., more of straight build). It was was also too short for me.

 

Fortunately, their smallest regular worked great.  You just can't trust a sizing label because there is no consistency.

 

With the increase in vanity sizing, smaller sizes are becoming harder and harder to come by. I am sized out of many brands.


@suzyQ3 same here.  Only very few stores (JJill & AT) still have a few styles (not all styles) in Petites, 0 and 00. 


@Mj12, Talbots as well. :-)


~Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
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@jonbon wrote:

@suzyQ3 wrote:

@Group 5 minus 1wrote:

Petite does not mean small size. It means small boned and short.


@Group 5 minus 1, unfortunately, petite means something different to different brands. For example, QF is known for their insistence that petite simply means a shorter rise; they do not tailor the rest, apparently because JB was short but otherwise not petite.

 

Talbots makes misses, petite, woman, and woman petite,  and the clothes are tailored throughout, not just for height.

 

As for small-boned and short, yes, but there are exceptions. A tall, thin woman might choose a petite length and a thin woman on the cusp between petite and regular might go with the smallest regular for the length, although she might have to deal with some extra fabric.

 

For example, I recently discovered J. Crew jeans and love them. For reference, I'm just a tad under 5'4", small-frame, and low in weight. I first bought their smallest petite and was shocked that it was too tight in the waist (figured out that proportionally I'm bigger in the waist than in the hips -- a.k.a., more of straight build). It was was also too short for me.

 

Fortunately, their smallest regular worked great.  You just can't trust a sizing label because there is no consistency.

 

With the increase in vanity sizing, smaller sizes are becoming harder and harder to come by. I am sized out of many brands.


@suzyQ3, Quacker calls their clothing "short" (not "petite") because all they change is the inseam (I think you may have misspoken above when you said  shorter rise?). But they do try to be very clear about it when going over sizes, so at least there's that. In any case, I agree with many of your points above and can empathize with being sized out of many brands!


I did indeed mispeak (or miswrite?), @jonbon. Thank you for the correction.


~Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
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@Carolinaking wrote:

Hosts & Guests - Please stop using derogatory descriptions of the petite models.  Just because someone is short or a smaller clothing size, it doesn't mean that they want to be called 'cute' or a 'little girl'.  In fact, none of the models should be referred to as a 'girl'; they are adult women and should be shown the same amount of respect as the hosts and guests.  Size does not designate whether someone is a girl or a woman. I just heard Susan Graver refer to the petite model as a "cutie pie".  Really!?!  All the models deserve to be told that they are doing a good job and look beautiful, not just 5'10" XXS models like Katia, whom I believe Susan Graver caters to on air with the goal of appealing to the African-American demographic.


@Carolinaking, an assumption that we could do without.


~Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
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@Squirrel Lover wrote:

I am a true petite at 5 feet tall. I wear an XXS top and XS bottom in QVC clothes. Anyone over 5'3" is not petite. Petite pants should never exceed a 28 inseam.

 

Petite used to mean a tiny woman, but today it has changed to mean short women of any size.


You are exactly right, Squirrel Lover.  QVC says "petite" to avoid saying simply "short."  It's called vanity sizing, and that's what QVC is all about.

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Posts: 1,363
Registered: ‎08-05-2011

@Shanus: I totally agree. 5' 125lbs, wear a 4-6 but cannot wear many petites. Just as you described the issues for you are the same for me. Rise too short on petite pants and too narrow and short on petite tops. I have broad shoulders.

I did just buy a petite top at JJill only because it was extra long and wider than usual.

I don’t consider myself “petite” but just short. 

 

 

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Posts: 2,168
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@Carolinaking wrote:

Hosts & Guests - Please stop using derogatory descriptions of the petite models.  Just because someone is short or a smaller clothing size, it doesn't mean that they want to be called 'cute' or a 'little girl'.  In fact, none of the models should be referred to as a 'girl'; they are adult women and should be shown the same amount of respect as the hosts and guests.  Size does not designate whether someone is a girl or a woman. I just heard Susan Graver refer to the petite model as a "cutie pie".  Really!?!  All the models deserve to be told that they are doing a good job and look beautiful, not just 5'10" XXS models like Katia, whom I believe Susan Graver caters to on air with the goal of appealing to the African-American demographic.


"Derogatory"?  Good heavens.  Hole up in a safe space or something.