Ever been called ‘Shorty’?

Are you shorter than average? I’m 5′ 2″ and find it quite hard to get clothes that look good and fit properly in all the right places, without making me look like a bag lady. I’m not trying to look like a model, I just want to look normal. It would be wonderful to buy something off the peg and not check if the fabric is okay to cut at the sleeves and hems, and whether this would make the proportions all wrong. So, aside from making your own clothes, what can you do?

In the UK, there are a number of retailers that carry a collection of clothes for vertically challenged people. They’re not all on the high street so it can be hard to get something a little bit different. I’ve always liked a touch of individuality. Let’s see what I can find…

Additions Direct
Austin Reed – petite collection
Bhs Petite
CC – Petite Shop
Debenhams – petite collection
Dorothy Perkins – petite collection
Elvi – for sizes 16+
Grace Designs Edinburgh – bridal and evening wear for petite ladies
Hawes & Curtis – offers ladies shirts in slim fits and smaller sizes
H&M – gotta LOVE their virtual catwalk show! Check it out!
Karen Gillam – limited edition designs help you appear taller and slimmer
La Petite Salope
Love Me Do Brides – no charge is made for alterations
Marks and Spencer – Petite Collection
Minuet Petite from the Alexon Group
Miss Selfridge Petites
Montage
Next – petite collection (they also do petite wedding dresses)
Orvis – petite collection
Peruvian Connection
Petite Affair
Precis Petite
Principles – Petite range
Reet Petite – includes evening and maternity wear
Talbots – US retailer now in the UK
Wallis – petite collection

Small feet? Check out….

Feet-Petite – online retailer
Little Shoes
Piccolo Shoes
Shoekins
Small Measures
Small Shoes
The Little Shoe Shop

For petite fashion advice, check out the following …

How to Look Good
Petite Fashion Monthly
Reet Petite
Yo Shorty

Fashion retailers start to recycle clothes

Marks & Spencer has launched an effort with Oxfam to encourage customers to recycle their worn clothes. Customers who donate clothes — which must include at least one Marks & Spencer item — will receive a voucher worth £5, valid for one month, to use with their next purchase of £35 or more on clothing, homeware or beauty products at M&S. Donations can be made at any of Oxfam’s 790 stores across the UK and Ireland, where they will be sold to raise funds for Oxfam’s work in global relief.