Fashion or Foe: It's Not Easy Being Petite

   In honor of International Women's day, I'm tackling an issue dear to my heart: petite fashion!

Sometimes getting dressed is like this Clueless scene. GIF from Tumblr. 

This is not how a maxi dress should fit!
Image from Pintrest

     I enjoy shopping for clothes as much as the next gal, but I sometimes find the task insurmountable because of my size. I am 5 feet tall, and I am a petite size. You must be thinking now, is this girl complaining about being small? How dare she? For the record, it's not all it's cracked up to be. I often feel like I'm a child playing dress-up in my dad's work shirts. Unlike in Rom-coms, it is not a cute look. I also had a maxi dress that made me look like Kirsten the American Girl (left) in her Christmas robe. As an investment in my sanity, I have found a delightful tailor that knows my shape and has saved countless garments from return or the Goodwill pile.



     I've taken to online shopping, sight unseen, to find the most petite options. In recent months, Express, Gap and Old Navy have all launched online petite collections. I enjoyed the petite fit of The Limited, but as mentioned in a previous post, that is no longer an option. Part of the frustration in petite shopping is that these stores have the audacity to carry the items only in their warehouses. They're doing you a "favor" by creating shorter length pants (still not short enough if you ask me), but you have to use a picture of a model to guess the fit. It says the pants are made for a 5'4" size and under, but those cropped jeans will still hit me at the ankle. The size chart is often not helpful enough in determining fit. Some petite sizes are just less long than the regular, or give a general size like 4-6, which is neither a 4 or a 6. These retailers need to size clothing accordingly and address common problems like the butt/waistband gap issue. (For this problem, I am now wearing petite curvy jeans). In a nutshell, you have no idea how they really fit, and they make you pay to ship the items to your house. You may order two sizes, and you end up spending a lot of time dealing with returns because a blousy petite small tank is still about 2 sizes too big for some reason.

     If you can brave out the petite section of a store, god bless! I took a stroll through my local Macy's petite section, which is about 20' x 15' total due to the Macy's Backstage taking up most of one floor. The cute sweaters in the women's sportswear were nowhere to be found in this postage stamp of a collection. At best, it looks like someone that cared little about fashion or fit could find some petite options here. It was pathetic. I stop in at Ann Taylor Loft every few weeks to check their petite section. If I'm looking for jeans, I may be in luck. If I'm looking for anything else, the options are 'lofty.' I bought a small striped top a few months ago, and it still appeared huge on my frame, as low as my mid-thigh and mid-sleeved. Who is the parson that thinks all small women want to wear tunics? I would love to see more dresses and tops that fit or follow my frame.  I don't need more over-sized sweaters and drapey tops!

Give Your Heart to Weight Loss: Petite Eats (Part 1)

Give Your Heart to Weight Loss: A Woman’s Guide to New Diet Books for Spring 2012

Part 1 of a 4-Part Series

     A slim waist, tasty meals, and a healthier heart are all results promised to women by well-known weight loss gurus in spring’s new diet books. Women of all ages are looking to find eating and exercise plans that fit their schedule and mindset. In honor of this month’s American Heart Month, 3 new books promise to change your beliefs on eating, wellness, and prevention of heart disease, which is the leading killer of women. Here is the first book in in this 4-entry blog series:

Book 1: The Less is Less Approach:     

  
  
Personal trainer and lifestyle expert Jim Karas offers a specialized take on women’s dieting with The Petite Advantage Diet: Achieve That Long, Lean Look. The Specialized Plan for Women 5'4" and Under (Hardcover, HarperOne, 2011, $25.99), available in stores now. Karas uses a 21 day plan of calorie cycling that applies lean eating to two days of 1,100 calories and a third day of 1,600 calories. The USDA reports women ages 19 to 30 and 31 to 50 should consume 1,800 to 2,200 calories and 1,600 to 2,200 calories per day, respectively.  As a woman measuring at 5 feet, I found tips in this book truly eye opening.

     Karas’s plan recognizes that a woman who is 5’4” or smaller cannot consume the same amount of calories as the “average” sized women. As a woman measuring in at 5 feet, I found tips in this book truly eye opening. A new study in February’s American Journal of Clinical Nutrition supports his idea that reducing calories as a prime factor in stimulating weight loss. While the plan is created with petite women in mind, any woman can benefit from Karas’s recommendations for changing one’s mindset to weight loss.

     Karas devotes chapters to explaining metabolism, the best meal options when eating out, the importance of recognizing liquids as a diet saboteur, and the benefits of dieting as a team or group. In recognizing the importance of social activity and relaxation, Karas approves wine on his list of appropriate liquids (in moderation), and allows for a few glasses a week in his plan. His unorthodox approach to exercise focuses on strength training as a key to maintaining a lean shape, with minimal cardio activity to accompany an improved metabolism. Karas offers simple mantras to express his points such as, “Muscle down = metabolism down.” Karas’s previous books include The Cardio-Free Diet (Gallery, 2007, $28.99) and The 7-Day Energy Surge (Rodale Books, 2010, $15.99). 

     Whether you’re struggling with planning low-calorie meals, getting your body jump started, those stubborn pounds, or a reliable fitness routine, there’s a book for you. Both the medical and fitness communities apply different methods to approach eating, working out, and weight management, but they are united in their desire to get women healthy, happy, and heart-conscious. 

Image from amazon.com. 
Read the next post here. 
Read the third post in the series here. 
Read tips and recipes here.