Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with petite

Workout tops for short girls?

catesbie — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:23:31 -0800

Are there brands that make workout tops suitable for short girls? I'm 5'1" but reasonably curvy. All the fitted workout tops I own are too long and therefore too tight on the hips, so they ride up on my rather short waist and require constant adjustment. Buying a size up doesn't solve the problem - then they're just too baggy everywhere else. Can anyone recommend a brand - online or otherwise - that sizes tops for petites? (Lots of places seem to offer pants with shorter inseams, but not tops.)

This would be for the usual gym stuff, but also needs to be suitable for Pilates and yoga, where t-shirt+sports bra+headstand simply will not do. Thanks in advance.

Low-rise tights?

lemuria — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:18:31 -0800

I'm looking for low-rise tights cut to fit a petite, short-waisted woman. I'm 5'1, 125 pounds, size 6/8, short-waisted, and I carry my chub in the mid-section. Small-sized tights are way too tight in the middle, but anything larger and the waist sits nearly at my chest because I'm so short.

I've googled "low-rise tights" and found some at Target, but I'm wondering if there's any other particular brand that's cut that way but not necessarily advertised as such.

I've tried:

GAP Small, GAP Medium: both way too tight in the middle. Like, "pain box from Dune"-level tight. Somehow, the medium is tighter than the small (?!) and, of course, its waist is practically at the bust.

Old Navy Small: see above

Urban Outfitters: I have some I bought last year that fit decently, but they were specifically marked "low-rise" and looking at the website now, I don't see any that say that any more.

Anyone else with a similar build found tights that fit?

How fancy can a cardigan get?

Juliet Banana — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:32:39 -0800

I am looking for formal, professional-looking cardigans for work. I'm a petite female who is basically trying to avoid wearing a blazer. I'm a bank teller, and suit jackets seem to be a bit more common on females than at my previous job. I do not want to wear a jacket for many reasons, though if you can magically find a blazer that will actually fit and flatter a girl my size I'll be amazed and corrected.

I know a cardigan is never going to be as formal as a jacket. However, they work a lot better with my wardrobe, I can roll up the sleeves if needed so they're not dragging through stacks of cash, and I just like them a lot better. I'm trying to find cardigans, or maybe pullovers, that are quite formal and workplace appropriate. People do wear sweaters where I work, so this isn't some crazy harebrained scheme that's going to get me fired.

Complications: I'm an XS or petite small in US sizes. I'm about five feet tall and a hundred pounds. I easily fit into children's and junior sizes, and clothing lines for full-grown normal-sized ladies sometimes won't fit right unless I can find an extra-small. There are certain stores where the sizes run small (ex: Anthropologie, Bebe) and I don't have problems, and there are certain stores where the sizes run large (ex: Wal-Mart) and I can't fit into anything.

My work wardrobe style is generally something like this; a tailored dress that hits on the waist, opaque tights, ballet flats, and a cardigan. I need help with the last component. Online options, suggestions for brands that carry work wear in smaller sizes, and store recommendations in Chicago proper are all welcomed.

Teeny Tiny Scallops!

hippybear — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:04:04 -0800

What do I do with these tiny scallops? I purchased some "petite sea scallops" from the store yesterday. They are quite small -- maybe around 1/2" in diamter and 1/2" thick. Sort of like oversized pencil erasers.

Anyway, I've been searching online for a good recipe to use these in for hours, but nothing is really pinging me as "wow, I need to make that", or else assumes that I'm using the more traditional large scallops.

Does anyone have any good suggestions on how to use these?

Where can I find jeans for my tiny yet callipygian frame?

pluckemin — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 16:36:42 -0800

Where can I find jeans for my tiny yet callipygian frame? Continuing my goal of "aging up" my wardrobe, I'm looking for jeans that an adult would wear. But there are two factors that are making this particularly challenging:

I'm a short, skinny female (5'2", 100 lbs) with a frame that makes finding jeans difficult; even size zeroes at the Gap generally hang off me. I recently found a pair of 00P dress pants at Ann Taylor that fit, but 00P isn't exactly a common size to find in stores. So that's problem number one.

My second problem is the fact that I have a butt. Not a big butt -- I happen to think it's rather proportional to my body and, frankly, quite spectacular -- but in the rare event that I find a size zero that's cut snug enough for me, it also seems to be cut for someone with no body fat whatsoever. It flattens out my butt and has absurdly large pockets that go down so far they're on my thighs (not to mention the gapping at the back of the waist).

So I always find myself going back to the juniors department, where sizes are cut a bit smaller and also sometimes a bit more bootyliciously -- but jeans in the juniors department always have stupid fading or artificial tears or rhinestones or giant flares or whatever crap that clearly makes them juniors jeans. This does not work well with my desire to dress like an adult.

My question, therefore, is thusly: where in the U.S. (I'm in Chicago, if that matters) can I find women's jeans in very small sizes that are also cut to accommodate a curvier figure? (And, yes, I know the Gap has "curvy" jeans; see previous remark re: size zero at the Gap hanging off of me. If I recall correctly, the Gap curvy jeans in size zero weren't bad in the waist but were way too baggy in the thigh and hip.) I really don't want to spend more than $50, and I only want to spend $50 if they'll actually last for more than a year. Searching for previous questions directed me toward Make Your Own Jeans, but the idea of taking my own measurements and being out $50+ if the jeans don't fit isn't exactly appealing. I would very much prefer to go to an actual store and try things on.

Office Chairs for Short Girls?

arnicae — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:57:24 -0800

Are there any office chairs out there for petite women? I have a short inseam and rarely can touch the ground when I'm sitting all the way back in my seat. I'm 4'11 and have never sat in an office chair that worked for me. If I sit back in the chair I cannot touch the ground. I have a ~28" inseam which means that even with shoes with high heels, my feet often dangle an inch or two above the ground.

I tried a kneeling chair, but they really don't work for me. Are there any traditional office chairs designed for short people? I looked at BodyBilt 756 which is designed for short people, but they have pretty indifferent reviews on the internet. I'd love to get one that I could try out at a store rather than buy sight unseen but I'll take what I can get!

Any advice? What do you have that you like (or hate?)

Petite boot shopping in Austin, Texas

fructose — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 09:37:09 -0800

Austin shopping filter: Where has a good selection of ladies casual calf- to knee-high boots for reasonable prices in Austin that is not in a mall? See details for specifics. I am looking to get a pair of flat, black boots, probably suede or suede-esque to wear with skirts mostly. I am looking to spend $100 or less. One problem is that I am very petite and many boots are either too tall and/or too wide in the legs for me and look very silly. That's why I need to find a place with a wide selection of brands so I can find one that runs smallish.
I've tried DSW and really most of the big-box shoe stores in Central and North Austin.
I've tried the mall/don't want to go back there because it's going to be a madhouse of people trying to get after-Christmas sales.
Online shopping is not an option since I have to be able to try them on my weird legs.
Thanks!