I have always believed that old expression, "the clothes make the man", or in this case the woman, because I truly feel that cultivating a personal sense of style will definitely boost any woman’s sense of self.
As a child I was one of those little girls who dressed in their mother’s finest, decked out in the real jewels, and ruined many makeup kits by swathing every beauty product known to woman in layers heavily across my face. When I became a teenager, I was obsessed with fashion magazines and models. I tried to emulate every model’s look, accessory, stare, pout, and hairstyle.
Yet as the world around me grew up, I didn’t. Since junior high I have remained 4’10” and hovered around 80lbs. Therefore, as a developing (and I use that term lightly) teen and a full-grown woman, my fashion options were highly limited.
In department stores salespeople mostly ignored me as they could not fathom selling to me, and when I did “bother” them I was glowered at before being relegated to the children's section. I have been forced to settle with "fuddy duddy" styles at Petite Sophisticate (no offense meant); buy larger sizes and spend $$$ to have those tailored; don cheap looking suits and childish looking clothes; or resigned to live in jeans and T-shirts.
So I finally gave up and turned to the internet to save myself the embarrassment of shopping in person.
Stumbling around the net, as one does, I came upon the blogs of other petite women who took it upon themselves to delve through the clothing industry and triumph for women of my stature. I began to discover it wasn’t just me that suffered from this affliction. There were others out there; petite, plus, and even women that the industry considered “normal” struggled.
As a petite, I think pants are the hardest item to find. The length/inseam has to be shorter, and the rise (crassly put, the crotch area) must be shortened to properly fit the vertically challenged. At the suggestion of some bloggers I hit Delia*s for jeans in a 28” inseam and a less than 8” rise. I triumphed with my first successful jeans purchase in over three years!
For work I found blouses and skirts in 00P – 16P at Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Loft, (the Taylor Twins have 00P online and outlet stores only), and for play there were fitted tops and sweaters in 00P at Banana Republic. The accessory and shoe departments of Nordstroms reflected in the pupils of my eyes.
In a literal Candyland of clothing my fashion flames reignited. I dare the industry to defy me now!
As a child I was one of those little girls who dressed in their mother’s finest, decked out in the real jewels, and ruined many makeup kits by swathing every beauty product known to woman in layers heavily across my face. When I became a teenager, I was obsessed with fashion magazines and models. I tried to emulate every model’s look, accessory, stare, pout, and hairstyle.
Yet as the world around me grew up, I didn’t. Since junior high I have remained 4’10” and hovered around 80lbs. Therefore, as a developing (and I use that term lightly) teen and a full-grown woman, my fashion options were highly limited.
In department stores salespeople mostly ignored me as they could not fathom selling to me, and when I did “bother” them I was glowered at before being relegated to the children's section. I have been forced to settle with "fuddy duddy" styles at Petite Sophisticate (no offense meant); buy larger sizes and spend $$$ to have those tailored; don cheap looking suits and childish looking clothes; or resigned to live in jeans and T-shirts.
So I finally gave up and turned to the internet to save myself the embarrassment of shopping in person.
Stumbling around the net, as one does, I came upon the blogs of other petite women who took it upon themselves to delve through the clothing industry and triumph for women of my stature. I began to discover it wasn’t just me that suffered from this affliction. There were others out there; petite, plus, and even women that the industry considered “normal” struggled.
As a petite, I think pants are the hardest item to find. The length/inseam has to be shorter, and the rise (crassly put, the crotch area) must be shortened to properly fit the vertically challenged. At the suggestion of some bloggers I hit Delia*s for jeans in a 28” inseam and a less than 8” rise. I triumphed with my first successful jeans purchase in over three years!
For work I found blouses and skirts in 00P – 16P at Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Loft, (the Taylor Twins have 00P online and outlet stores only), and for play there were fitted tops and sweaters in 00P at Banana Republic. The accessory and shoe departments of Nordstroms reflected in the pupils of my eyes.
In a literal Candyland of clothing my fashion flames reignited. I dare the industry to defy me now!
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