Monday Musings- Finding Your Size
Happy Monday, ladies! This week I’m musing about sizing and how women who do not fit the “average”, struggle to find clothes that fit. Lands End sent me a few tees to style on Instagram, (this is not a sponsored blog post), and the more I dug into their sizing, the more I realized how some retailers are letting women down.
It’s no secret, I’m a huge fan of stripes so I gravitated to this one. It’s a Pima cotton blend that also comes in solids with 42 options in sizes 2-26, in regular, petite, tall, and plus sizes here. That’s an impressive size range and the color options are pretty inclusive as well.
These straight-leg white jeans come in sizes 2- 26W, regular, petite, tall, and plus sizes here with an inseam of 28, 30, or 34″. Lands End petite is intended for women who are 4’11”-5’3″ but I’m 5’4″, and they work for me.
These jeans, on the other hand, are so long I had to hem them 2″ and wear my tallest espadrilles. They don’t come in tall, but the inseam is 28″ or 30″.
This tank (plus here) is long enough that I folded the bottom under 3-4″ rather than tucking it in. I’m wearing a small in regular and realize a petite would have been better for me but the website did not list garment length so I didn’t think of it.
Unless it’s a specialty store, most retailers focus on the average-sized woman. This makes sense for them from a financial standpoint but leaves many women struggling.
Nordstrom used to have a dedicated petite department in the store. Several years ago they removed it and the product was mixed in with everything else. They added little rings on the hanger so you could spot them on the rack, but honestly, it doesn’t help because the volume is just not there. Online has the best selection.
One of my local Chicos has also removed their petite section but it is available online. Loft carries petite, tall, and regular but decided to discontinue carrying plus sizes. Banana Republic carries regular, petite, and tall, in many things. Gap has regular, petite, and tall. Old Navy has regular, petite, tall, and plus in most things.
Talbots and J. Jill carry large selections of petite and regular in-store with more online. Coldwater Creek carries petite and plus but they have closed all their brick-and-mortar stores so everything is online.
Madewell carries petite, regular, tall, taller, and plus. Ann Taylor offers regular, petite, and some talls. J. Crew offers many things in regular, petite, tall, and plus.
Many of you have mentioned your increasing struggles to find garments for your size so I’ll be keeping more of an eye out for you.
What stores do you shop for your sizes?
Thanks for reading ladies and remember to wear what makes you feel confident.
I find sizing is a real trip. Most of the time a brand of a particular size are different.
Can pick up two pairs of pants and they both fit different.
I use to pick tops or pants and not have to try them on. This really surprise me. Can not do that anymore.
On-line shopping is the same. Very tired of having to try everything on and send or take a portion of my order back.
I shop the stores you mentioned that carry petite. I am 5’1″ and 130 lb. 70 yrs old. I have usually found what fit me best at Macys for most things. Talbots and Christopher Banks seem best for pants. Also Belks is overall best for petite my size and the quality is good.
Good to know… thanks for letting us know about Belks
Love your blog, Jennifer! It’s my treat to myself each morning when I open my iPad. Your advice and rationale is so upbeat and I always learn something new!
I am 5’ 1 1/2” and even in my heyday of 5’3” I always have worn petite sized clothes. My go to stores are almost exclusively Talbots and JJill. I love Nordstroms but the closest is 90 minutes away. Before retirement I traveled frequently for work and shopped the Travelers line at Chicos because they often had a shorter length in the pants. Those close wore like iron. Now I love the Wearever line at JJill for clothing that travels well…now for leisure travel.
I love the Wearever line too! So comfy!
I often say that if Talbots quits carrying petites, I will have to go naked! Lol I have also shopped at Land’s End for many years for petites and own many of their supima tees. Their relaxed fit options work well for my “apple” middle. I have noticed, however, like many other retailers, Land’s End’s quality in other items has become more inconsistent. I almost always require petite sizing in tops due to my narrow shoulders and short arms and finding tops that aren’t tunics is becoming challenging. (I’m looking at you, Chicos!) Nordstrom carries very few petite tops beyond Nic and Zoe, and that brand often doesn’t suit my classic aesthetic. And the in-store petite department at Macy’s has also shrunk to a few racks in the back of our huge local store.
Thank you for seeking out the best options for all sizes and shapes for us!
I’ve been struggling to find things in my Macy’s as well.
Talbots petite pants are my go to in pants. They have a good selection and most items are available in petite. I wish Chicos offered more petite items. I really like the few pants I have bought there but selection is very limited.
I really enjoy reading your post every morning. Thank you for all the useful information you provide.
Talbots petite sizing works for me in general, but petite pants length has been just a bit too short–I am 5’3″with long legs, so at the top of their range. Sometimes I can wear the Regular size, but not always. So I play a lot of games: ankle pants, controlled shrinkage, etc. I don’t understand why but I’m a 4P in Talbots pants (except for the length), but the Regular 2 is too big all over, and they rarely have a 0 (the size range doesn’t go down that far, but it does in Petites. Why is that?) Chico’s is great when they have something (I still find some things over doo-dadded), but they offer less and less in Short length now, and my closest store also removed the petite section.
As for the Land’s End tank top: the website did list the length but it’s not so easy to find. On the web page, once you’ve opened the Size Charts, in the upper left corner there is another smaller print link that says “Item Dimensions”, which gives the actual measurements. I’ve made great use of this over the years. I think Land’s End does one of the best jobs of any retailer with this feature (except it’s not more prominently displayed). I wish more offered it, especially JJill–which routinely fields questions about item measurements. It would certainly save on returns!
I too love the predictability of Talbots sizing.
P.S. I recently bought a sewing machine to do my own alterations. Seamstress costs have gone up quite a bit here.
I usually purchase my clothes from Dillard’s they always have a good supply of petits
Thanks for letting us know about Dillards petites
Hi.
I find I have to return many items due to sizing issues. Talbots, Old Navy and Loft have predictable sizes. Nordstrom and other department stores vary by the brand of clothing. So few places to shop locally, so it’s great when you can find predictably in sizes.
Thanks for the blog on the very common issue for all of us.
My go to store for petites is Talbots as they have the best in store selection by far of any other retailer in my area. I have bought a piece or two at JJill and Loft on occasion as well. At least these two retailers still carry some petites in store.
I don’t want to order clothes online as I prefer to try items on and see fabrics when I am shopping.
I like Nordstrom but as you mentioned they do not carry petites in store any more. Same goes for Chicos and White House Black Market. I find this frustrating as well.
I rediscovered Lands End at Kohls. They carry petites in it too. They had some items in the store and more selection on line. I have that same t-shirt without the v-neck. I’ve wore it a lot this summer. I like the quality too. I ended up with several polos, t-shirts and cardigans.
I’m a pear shape who wears petite and junior sizes, I’m all over the place. I have more luck in European stores. For US stores I try Macy and Talbots. Talbots petite comes close, I alter everything i buy.
Most women could benefit from having a good person to do some basic alterations.
Or learning to do their own alterations, as noted by an earlier commenter!
I have been shopping almost exclusively at Talbots for over 20 years as they seem to be the perfect (PM, P8) fit for me. I will say that their sizes are becoming more generous as the years go by so I am sizing down every couple of seasons. Occasionally I find something at Loft, but not usually. I will say that the quality of Talbots clothing has trended downward. Pima tees only seem to last a season now, while I have others that are 10 years old and look better than the new ones. I have found the petite choices at Lands End for bathing suits to be great and the suits I have purchased have lasted.
I’ve heard fabulous reviews of the Lands End swim suits. You’re not the first person who has mentioned a quality decline at Talbots.
Tell me about it. I’m 6′ tall and have spent a lifetime searching out quality affordable clothes.
Talls are very tough!
I hear you! 5’10” with a 33-34″ inseam without heels, I’m having a harder time finding Talls- they are around, but not as much selection, and almost always online only. Long sleeve blouses-ugh, just ugh.
In line with your theme on size issues, I found it interesting that the Chico’s sale that began yesterday only had 52 petite sized clothing on sale…out of something like 850+; granted, not all sales items were clothing, but still, there was relatively little that would work for a petite. Most of the regular tunic tops were 30″ long and the maxi dresses would simply be trip worthy. Was frustrating as many items before the sale indicated both regular and petite sizes were available, but no petite sizes options were shown on the sale pages.
That makes me wonder if their petites sold out quickly or if they didn’t produce enough.
I think your explanations of how to get a good fit by sizing up or down are also helpful. Knowing what sizes we might wear in certain brands, while not being stuck on a particular number for our size, makes shopping and looking confident much easier. Thanks for this advice!!
Jennifer,
Thanks,for sharing this information. What I find interesting with your blog is that you explain why clothes work or don’t. You really are a fashion professor! I love your honesty and humor as well. One thing I struggle with is knowing if something fits. Would you give us pointers on knowing if a garment is too large or too small? Thanks again for my morning dose of fashion!
That’s a great idea for a post. I’ll work on it.
I buy all my T-shirts at Lands End (plus). Their fabrics are second to none as they wash and dry over and over without fading or shrinking. The fabric quality is excellent, especially the Supima cotton. Even darks like navy and black retain their colors well. I also find the cut of the plus shirts to be excellent as they are well proportioned and actually fit well. J Crew and J Jill are also stores I frequent most often.
Thank you for sharing Mira!
Two garment measurements That are important to me (but that I seldom see retailers provide) are the length of a top and the leg opening of pants.
Yes, yes yes! Very few give lengths of tops ( please, not so long!) and the lower width of pants is important too. Also, when measurements are given, they’re usually for the regular size not petite!
Those matter to me too!
Talbots includes all sizes. It’s been my go to store for years.
I agree re: Talbot. I think it’s important to stick with a store once you find one that matches your size
I agree but brands do occasionally change their fit model so don’t be alarmed if they do, just recalibrate what you know works for you.
I love their size inclusivity
Well, I’m generally sized out of land’s end, so i don’t even bother looking there any more. But Nordstrom’s is usually a good bet for me, and if its a smidge off, they have on site tailoring. Banana Republic, JCrew and Athleta are my other go to’s.