Picture the scene. You’re out for a jaunt in the city, ready to take on a spot of new-season shopping. You pass a boutique window and you stop. Those kick-flares are amazing. That sweater? Just the right shade of blue. And as for that jumpsuit? Divine. Before you even register that the window you are ogling belongs to a store that doesn’t offer petite sizes, you have skipped inside… ready for a fresh bout of frustrating fitting room antics. Expensive, time-consuming and utterly fruitless. Spare yourself the hardship and stop buying clothes not designed to fit petites. Here’s why…
1. IT’S A WASTE OF YOUR TIME
Shopping at stores that don’t offer petite sizes can be annoying, to say the least. You go from store to store trying on lots of things until you finally, maybe, possibly find something that fits. And online shopping is just as lengthy and disappointing. You spend all that click-time trying to guess how the item shot on a 175cm/ 5’9″ model will actually look on you. It’s not worth it.
2. IT BRINGS ON LOTS OF NEGATIVE EMOTIONS
Trying on one ill-fitting thing after another can make you self-conscious. You can’t help feeling like a failure. Feeling that something must be wrong with your body for a dress to look so unflattering. And while you know deep down that these emotions are unjustified, they’re still not pleasant ones to experience.
3. IT RESULTS IN COSTLY ALTERATIONS
After the harrowing shopping process, you have the expert-tailor search to look forward to and then the alterations themselves. And the costs add up – many petites are spending more than £200/ $250 on alterations per year.
4. YOUR CLOSET IS FULL OF ITEMS THAT DON’T FIT
You spend hours sifting through lots of different options to find clothes that fit you. You spend a fortune on alterations. But still your closet is full of items that don’t really flatter you. Why? Non-petite items can’t simply be altered. They need to be designed differently to fit petite frames. And a perfectly tailored coat that has a waistline a little too low ruins your whole outfit.
5. TRYING ON PETITE CLOTHING CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER
Most women tend to rely on the same old brands again and again when shopping. But why not try something new? Try petite clothes and you will see how so many of your fit issues are fixed. You’ll find shopping can be easier. More fun. And you might even discover a new label or explore a new style identity in the process.
6. THERE ARE LOTS OF AMAZING PETITE OPTIONS OUT THERE
It’s true that the selection of petite clothes is limited compared to non-petite options, but there are still some amazing petite styles out there. Check out our Petite Shopping Guide for a list of British and American brands that do petite sizes or explore Bomb Petite shop for a selection of designer petite clothes.
