How to Dress the Petite Frame
Women of all sizes and shapes seek to buy clothes that fit their personality and styling preferences, enhance their image, and fit well. Shopping at popular retail stores and specialty women’s clothing stores is the traditional method for meeting these needs. Women that fit the category of “petite” (5 feet 2 inches tall or shorter) have difficulties in finding retail outlets that give them choices and the flexibility they need. From styling to fitting, the challenge is ongoing.
Petite women, like all women, want style choices and wardrobe designs that will flatter their figures and neutralize any shape issues associated with being overweight or very thin. Women that have petite figures generally should create a wardrobe that adds height and simultaneously helps create an hourglass shape. The first order of business is to understand and appreciate their personal figure and work with fashion and fit experts that will guide them in choosing the best design patterns. These support resources help highlight individual features and downplay any physical attributes they may be self-conscious about. Women in all shapes and sizes struggle with the same challenges.
The first thing to review is the chosen source for buying petite clothes. Women typically have a favorite retail outlet or they may shop extensively within multiple stores to find wardrobe choices they like. Perhaps you have even sought out the services of shopping support resources to help you justify your preferences and choices.
When you walk into a retail store you frequently must look in a remote corner somewhere to find the clothing section labeled “Petites”. The space is limited, and the choices are few. Many times, the styles reflect a wide variety of patterns and fabrics. It’s as if the designers are admitting “Who are these petites and what do they like?” They try to offer a wide range, but the displays are a mile wide and an inch deep, offering no depth of choice. Although the stores don’t mean to show a lack of concern for the needs of the petite shopper, their actions reflect otherwise.
Women of petite stature face a myriad of issues even with clothes that are allegedly designed for them. Between pant hems that are too-long, armholes that are too-big, and skirts and jackets that are too long or too wide, a petite woman experiences frustration in getting the right fit. Many times, available petite sizes need extensive alterations that may result in a better fit but end up making you look distorted and feeling uncomfortable.
Regular sized women's clothing is designed for women roughly 5'5" tall and will not fit properly or comfortably on someone who is shorter or significantly shorter. Petite clothes have shorter sleeve, pant, skirt, and torso measurements. Petites will typically have narrower shoulders. The proportions of all the measurements for petite women need to be different and ideally customized.
Misses sizes aren’t much better as they are typically cut for more curved shapes at the bust and hips. The in-seam for pants in Misses sizes is slightly longer than Juniors to accommodate more rear end width, wider hips and just a more contoured shape. While Petite sizes are very close to Misses sizes, they are still not ideal for the petite woman.
Sizing and styling for the Petite Plus Size is even more problematic. Generally, Plus-Sizes are proportioned for taller women. Petite sizes for plus size women are often too small across the bust lines and hips. Appropriate petite plus size clothes are difficult to find and almost always require significant tailoring alterations.
If you are frustrated processing all this consider the likely scenario for why. It is nearly impossible for a dress to look the same on a petite woman, a standard size woman, a plus woman, and a petite plus woman. The hem lines are all different, the waists fall proportionally in different spots, the necklines fall differently, the pockets are placed in different spots, etc. The petite size woman garments is the one that gets the biggest discrepancies. So, it is no wonder you struggle to find shopping for clothes rewarding or satisfying.
Women of petite stature ideally would hire a Master Tailor to make their clothes. Master Tailors are also known as Custom Tailors or Bespoke Tailors. They are hard to find because they have unique expertise and extensive experience across the spectrum of fashion, styling, fabrics, design, assembly, accessories, and fit. They are old school and usually associated with sophisticated, global design studios that make clothes for high-end clothing distributors that sell their lines to branded retail specialty stores all over the world.
The petite class may also have the mistaken impression that engaging a Master Tailor is something they can’t afford. Things have changed over the past few years and there are new options for meeting Master Tailors that can work with you to make custom-made clothes that cost about the same as clothes you buy off-the-rack from retail outlets. The difference is in the quality you will receive.
My Custom Tailor Custom Tailors is a third generation manufacturer of custom-made suits and shirts that serves men and women all over the world. Since they make custom-made clothes for a wide array of women, they are very experienced in making clothes that are uniquely designed for women of petite stature. Notice we don’t define that as an amorphous category of petite styles. Women of petite stature have the same requirements that all women do. They like many of the styles that women in larger sizes enjoy; they just like them in smaller proportions. Mismatched proportions are the biggest problems petite women face in buying clothes, especially those labeled “petite”.
Custom Trousers and Pants
Petite women need to be very cognizant in their selection of trousers and pants. The design process is much easier and more efficient for a petite structured woman to have these items custom-designed and made. If your trouser is tailored too long, it makes you appear shorter than you really are. Off-the-rack petite trousers often are too long. A custom-made trouser length is set to the precise spot off your shoe that makes the lower part of your physique perfectly symmetrical. Even an experienced tailor in a retail setting can easily miss the precision of this measurement.
Another essential trouser/pant element is to consider styling options that work best for your height and leg dimensions. A more straight-leg design subtly adds height to a petite frame. A Master Tailor will balance key leg dimensions to give you the best fit and appearance. The flared option is definitely inappropriate as it will distort your lower profile to make you appear shorter than you are.
Creating Shape
Petite women, just like any other size women, want to make figure flattering styling decisions in creating their wardrobe. Custom-made clothes from a Master Tailor will accomplish that goal because these clothes are made specifically for you. In fact, it is likely they won’t fit any other petite women. The shape will be uniquely you, just the way you specified it in conjunction with your Master Tailor.
Color is an important variable in creating an optimal and shapely appearance. A monochromatic wardrobe will consistently provide the appearance of a straight shape. Ideally, you want to create an appealing hourglass shape. This can be greatly enhanced by creating outfits in two different colors. Then you add different color or style belts to accentuate your waist measurement and highlight the slimmest part of your lower body shape. Think of this concept in these terms; pair a custom black trouser paired with an emerald green custom dress shirt, accessorized with a metallic belt to draw attention to your waistline. Use your imagination to think of other combinations that will work in the same way.
Suit Jackets, blazers and dress shirts, shirts, and blouses
Proportional fit is the key to optimizing these items for the petite structured woman. Use these simple guidelines in working with your Master Tailor:
Length is important. It is essential with a petite frame to have the inseam length matches perfectly with the top of your leg down to the target spot above your shoe. Your measurements will define the ideal length and taper angle to perfectly complement your waist line. A length that is too long or short will greatly distort your vertical presence.
Armholes must be perfectly positioned to avoid showing off parts of your brass or exposing extra skin. The proper width of the sleeves from your wrists to the top of your arm will give you a sleek and flattering silhouette.
The neckline must be designed properly to avoid showing too much or too little cleavage. A neckline that is too close to your neck will make you look shorter than you really are. V necks and scoop necks make you appear taller.
Sleeve lengths are important to make your arms look perfectly proportioned to your torso. A sleeve length that is too long will again make you appear shorter. The top of the sleeves need to sit on the bony part of your shoulders rather than being allowed to slightly droop down the arm.
Fabric choice is important. Solid colors will always work best but you can choose prints or patterns as long as the motif is small or subtle. Boxy styles or styles with excess fabric will make you appear shorter than you are.
Above the knee skirt hemlines are ideal for petite frames
There are many other subtle and not so subtle strategies for designing clothes that enhance the petite frame. Trying to hit on all these elements and relationships yourself is clearly a hit or miss proposition. On certain days you may do better than others. But ideally you would incorporate a proven method in combining style, quality, and value consistency.
The best way to get much needed guidance and expertise to accomplish these and related concepts is to work with a My Custom Tailor Master Tailor. Petite women can accomplish any fashion and style objective if they pay attention to proportion and fit and avoid designs that produce excess material over their petite frames. A Master Tailor starts with your measurements and input, and combines it with his expertise and experience to give you a variety of looks to make your petite figure look good with anything you wear.
My Custom Tailor Master Tailors constantly travel to cities all over the world and conduct Travelling Master Tailor Roadshows. These roadshows educate consumers on the value and quality of custom-made clothes as an alternative to clothes purchased from popular retail outlets and specialty clothing stores. Attending a roadshow is a unique, entertaining, and informational experience. Travelling Master Tailors bring fabric samples, finished pieces, and styling examples that educate prospective clients on the value of buying custom-made clothes that meet specific buyer desires.
These roadshows are particularly beneficial for petite statured women clothing. Meeting a Master Tailor and understanding his approach to custom made clothes helps you get the perspective you need to understand the quality and value against what you have experienced in shopping retail shops and stores. Review the quality standards our tailors and cutters adhere in the work they do. Check the Travelling Master Tailor Roadshow schedule to see when a roadshow event will be in your area. Make an appointment online with My Custom Tailor. Get some friends to go with you to share the experience. Bring a bottle of wine to keep the environment casual. There is no obligation to purchase anything, just the commitment to enjoy yourself and come away with an alternative to buying suits from branded stores. You will learn a lot about the criteria you need to consider when buying new clothes.
Review the My Custom Tailor Website to see the clothes collections they have for women. Imagine being able to have these style designed and made for you on an ongoing basis. Your measurements will be taken and will serve as the foundation for anything you have made. Once you have developed trust and confidence in your relationship with a Master Tailor, you can order items online using the capabilities of the My Custom Tailor Website.
Change your life in a positive way. Have your clothes custom-made uniquely for you. After all they are made for you using your precise measurements. Contact us and let’s get started.