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If you’re on the shorter end of the scale and are looking for trousers that fit and sleeves that don’t extend too long, scroll on for our round-up of brands making clothes with shorter in-seams and “petite” ranges.
Most clothes aren’t designed for shorter frames
When fashion brands draft new garments, they’ll often make them to a standardised height for the market they’re selling in, and base the shape on the body of a fitting model who’s usually around 5’9” for womenswear, and 6’1” for menswear, for clothes sold in the UK, US, and Australia. Those of us with any drastic variation on those heights, then, will end up with a garment that doesn’t fit quite as intended, and at worst, makes us feel uncomfortable. Sizing is often inconsistent between brands too, which emphasises just how subjective the so-called “average” body shape is.
We already covered the brands making clothes for tall people, so what to do if you’re on the shorter end of the scale?
Many brands today make “petite” ranges—a word that has often been misused to describe weight, rather than height, and in the context of fashion, means clothes for people of any size or body shape who have a shorter frame, usually under 5’4”.
Until recently shorter ranges have been harder to find amongst more sustainable brands. That’s partly because of the extra production work involved in creating clothes with different proportions. Garment patterns must be graded (or, scaled) and samples made to ensure they still look and fit with the same proportions, and that sleeve lengths, waist and hemlines fall in the right place. Same goes for tall ranges too. And if you’re a small brand operating on tight margins, this kind of work can be a big cost with lower consumer uptake than a one-length-fits-all approach.
'Petite' ranges are for those of any size who have a shorter frame, usually under 5’4”
One solution is to work with made-to-measure garments, and you’ll find some brands offering this service in our round-up of brands for petites below. Other options include brands with shorter in-seam lengths (usually 28 inches instead of 30), and tried-and-tested petite ranges.
It’s also important to take a moment to celebrate our different body shapes, and acknowledge that if a brand’s clothes don’t fit when you try them on, it’s not a cause for concern. In fact, this is the reality for many shoppers.
