My hunt for a petite-friendly ski jacket continues. I was browsing the website of Helly Hansen, and noticed that their size chart had detailed information that included the height and centre back length of their sizes. Unfortunately, they don’t carry petites, and their regular sizes are mostly cut too long for me. So I sent… Read More Wall of Shame: Helly Hansen
Ouch. This is a Wall of Shame post that’s hard for me to write. Canadian co-op retailer Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) has long been one of my favourite stores. Basically the Canadian equivalent to REI, MEC has been my go-to place for years to buy hiking, camping, skiing, cycling and travel gear of all sorts.… Read More Wall of Shame: Mountain Equipment Co-op
The classic fit and flare dress is a great silhouette for petite pears like me. While many professional women are tempted to default to sheath dresses, they can be unflattering on those of us with shorter stature and larger hips. In contrast, the a-line of a fit-and-flare skims flatteringly over the hips, elongates the legs,… Read More The fit and flare dress
An article published last week in The Atlantic examined the relationship between height and money. Specifically, it found that in Western countries, a jump from the 25th percentile of height to the 75th—about four or five inches—is associated with an increase in salary between 9 and 15 percent. Put another way, tall people make hundreds… Read More Short women make less money: Being petite in the workplace
What does “petite” really mean? If I had a nickel for every time I talked about petite clothing and someone said “don’t you just mean smaller sizes?”, I’d be rich. No, petite does not mean small. It’s an industry term that refers to clothing made for women who are shorter than average height, regardless of… Read More Petite: It’s about aspect ratio, not size
Dear fashion industry: I am short. Yes, short. Not “petite” — I’m also a very average women’s size 10 or 12, not a model-skinny double-zero, and saying it in French doesn’t make me any taller. Not “vertically challenged” — it’s not an obstacle course, and there’s no prize for winning. Just short. More specifically, I’m… Read More Fashion industry rant: Being short
When you’re petite like me, shopping is a constant chore. Nothing in stores ever fits. Even in Southeast Asia, where I figured that I’d have an easier time since people tend to be shorter, I have been virtually unable to find clothes that fit. The problem is opposite here; everything is “one size fits all”… Read More Custom tailoring: Getting clothes made in Vietnam
