While I know that this post won't apply to everyone, I do know that there will be some readers that will be spared much anguish by this information! This post is about a few ways that petite ladies can create vintage looks that fit them well. (I do know that there aren't just petite ladies, though, so I've included some links to other tricky-to-fit body types at the bottom!)
First, let me talk about what petite means, because it seems that there are a lot of misconceptions.
petite - (noun) a category of clothing sized for women or girls of less than average height and with average or diminutive figures, or women who wear this clothing
So petite is not simply a nicer French word for "short" or "tiny waist." It actually includes a difference in proportion. Petite ladies are not only shorter than average, but they tend to have shorter torsos and narrower shoulders as well. The height isn't just shorter, the proportions are smaller. This makes finding clothing difficult.
You may be petite if:
- You try on clothing and the bust darts are always too low.
- The shoulder seams on clothing where the sleeves start generally hit below your shoulder, on your arm, or sag.
- The length of garments from your shoulder to your waist are usually too long.
- The widest part of a dress around the hips is at your mid-thigh, not your hips.
- When you try to move bust darts or shorten a dress at the torso, the arm holes mess up your plans.
- Sleeves are often too long for your arms.
As you can see, there are some fit issues encountered by petite ladies that aren't usually considered by others who just tell petite women to "get dresses hemmed" to fit. Well, it takes more than hemming to get an average sized garment to fit a petite lady!
Here are a few ways to help you petite ladies out there find clothing that fits, or how to make clothing fit!
1. When buying vintage clothing, always ask for the length of the garment and the shoulder-to-waist length.
The shoulder-to-waist length can help determine how long the bodice is and if it will fit your torso. If it's too long, the waist of the dress won't hit at your waist and the bust darts will probably be too low. This will also likely mean the hip of the dress won't hit at the widest point of your hips but rather below.
(Keep in mind, though, that many vintage dresses have a bloused effect, so another good measurement to ask for, if you think this is the case, is the shoulder-to-bust-apex. Compare it to your measurement there, and this will show if the darts will hit in the right place.)
2. Use vintage patterns with a petite option.
Vintage patterns often have different proportions available in one pattern packet (such as this 1960s pants pattern that came in petite, normal, and tall). Using petite proportioned patterns can help you get a better fit.
3. Use vintage patterns in general!
Older patterns with smaller bust sizes also tended to become more petite. Although you may still have to shorten a torso here and there, the shoulders, from my experience, tend to be narrower and have a better fit than modern patterns with the same bust measurement.
4. Find staple pieces in modern stores that have petite sections.
Petite sections are not so common, but there are a few stores that have them, so utilize them for your basics like button downs and pencil skirts. These trends are classic and still available. I very highly recommend the petite button down shirts at Banana Republic. I have two of them (one is styled in this post), and I LOVE THEM. The shirt fit me perfectly in every way, and they're even made of anti-wrinkle fabric!
5. Buy knits.
Knits are amazing for petite ladies! Due to the stretchy nature of knits, most are made without darts, so you don't have to worry about them hitting at the wrong place! Not to mention, vintage knits are often made with negative ease, which makes them smaller than other pieces made of fabric. This can make them just wearable for a petite lady!
6. Carefully shrink things.
Sometimes all it would take to make a garment fit is a general slight shrinking, much like dragging the corner of an image inward on the computer to make all of it proportionally smaller. Shrinking can do this!
Many fabrics will shrink if put in hot water or in a warm dryer. I have done this on a couple sweaters, and also a 1940s sweater dress whose shoulders were a little big for me. If you want to do this, I would recommend shrinking by keeping it in hot water (or the dryer) for only a few minutes, then taking it out and checking it. Repeat this process until it is finally down to the size you want. (But seriously, be careful with this!) I've also benefitted greatly from others' shrinking disasters! When they proclaim that they are now selling the dress cheap because it is "child-sized" I jump in there and check it out!
7. Look for eras when your size was average.
For me, this is apparently the late 1800s to 1910s. I find a LOT of antique clothing that fits me perfectly, and I like to incorporate the pieces when I can (although sometimes it requires certain undergarments to make it work). I won't lie, it kind of gives me an extra little happiness that after all the frustration of trying to shop in a bigger world, at least these antique fancies that many people want to wear but can't actually fit me for once!
8. Let your favorite shops and vintage sellers know your measurements and that you're willing to buy tiny things.
I've heard from a couple sellers that they're surprised I want a smaller piece. They've said that they tend to skip over petite pieces they find because they don't think there's a market for it. Let them know you're here and ready to buy!
9. Don't give up heart!
A lot of people don't understand how truly difficult it can be to find petite-proportioned vintage clothing and not understand "the strugs." It's okay. Maybe they'll come around and ask about your journey so they can understand more. Until then, keep looking for all those "china doll-sized" pieces that you can rock! (Anyone else hear that all the time? "You just look like a little doll!!! You look like a tiny china doll!")
Resources for other tricky-to-fit body types:
General
Plus Size
Pear Shaped
Large-Busted
Tall
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