It’s like a double whammy for clothes shopping: plus size petite. Ugh. Let me explain. In fashion-lingo the word “petite” means under 5’4″. At 5’2″ I easily fall into that category. Finding clothing for a petite woman can be difficult, but for a plus sized petite woman? It’s nearly impossible. With regular length pants, I can wear heels and make them work. Otherwise they’re simply too long (see my favorite pair of slacks, below). With a dress or a blouse sized for an average woman? I simply have to deal with extra fabric in the torso since the narrowest part of the garment, the waist, hits closer to my hips. It’s that or take them to a tailor. The last thing we curvy gals want is excess fabric at our narrowest parts!
Thank goodness online retailers offer more options for plus size petites than are found in stores. Here are the sites I’ve found that offer petites for curvy women. And you can see in the photos what really great-fitting clothes can do for your figure!
Talbots Heritage Seasonless Wool Straight-Leg Pants / Talbots Polished Sleeveless Dress / Talbots Seasonless Crepe Flounced Skirt
Talbot’s – While it may be on the spendy side, Talbot’s has a fantastic range of offerings for plus size petites. Dress, shirts, coats, you name it! A good place for investment-pieces that stand the test of time and trends.
Land’s End– A great selection of casual petite clothing in plus sizes.
Nordstrom– Again, not a large number of options, but if you’re looking for essential pants Nordstrom is an option.
Jessica London– Mostly pajamas and coats.
Simply Be– Pants, and a couple other items.
Do you have a favorite go-to store or website for plus size petites? Please let us know in the comments– we love new places to shop!
Carrie
Hello everyone, I’m Carrie. I’m a family photographer, and a mom of three elementary school kids. I grew up on a cattle ranch in Oregon, but I’ve lived on the east coast for the last eight years. I love exploring new places, baking, volunteering at my kids’ school, and reading. You can check out my other work at Cabesh Photography.
you should totally check out Torrid! plus size fashion, for both average, short, extra short, and tall!