So what is petite clothing?
“Petite” comes from the French word for small, so people tend to assume petite clothing is for short, slender women when in fact it only applies to height. Generally petite size is classified below 5’3” to 5’5”, here at Bomb Petite we cater to women up to 5’4” with sizing from extra small to extra large. Its worth noting, however, that some women who are taller may benefit from petite clothing if they have shorter legs or arms, narrow shoulders or a short torso.
Proper petite clothing is more than simply scaled down versions of regular styles. Well-designed petite clothing uses styles specifically chosen to flatter the petite figure, elongate the limbs and avoid drowning smaller frames by using techniques such as scaled down prints, smaller buttons and trims and skinny belts.
If you are around 5’4” or under, the petite range will generally fit you best, regardless of your body shape or age. So whether you are voluptuous or skinny, leaving home or retiring, once you know your measurements you can work out your basic shape and find the right clothes for a perfect fit for you.
Basic differences in fit
The key difference between regular size and petite is that the clothing is shorter in length, with shorter sleeves and hem. Our high quality petite pieces may also have other design differences, such as higher armholes, narrower shoulders, vertical stitching and proportionally sized details.
Petite pants should have a shorter rise, and petite dresses should have a shorter bodice.
How to measure yourself
To get the best result, take your measurements a few times and ideally get someone to help measure you. Ensure you are not holding the measuring tape too loosely or too tightly.
BUST
Wrap the tape measure around the fullest part of your bust (not under the bust), below your underarms, around your shoulder blades, and back to the front to get the measurement. Check in the mirror that the tape measurements hasn’t slipped down the back.
WAIST
While standing up straight, use the tape to circle your waist (like you would for a belt) at your natural waistline. If you bend at the waist to one side, the crease that forms is your natural waistline.
HIP
Standing naturally with your heels together in a relaxed posture, measure the circumference of your hips at the fullest part. Make sure the tape is level so try to do it in front of a mirror.
