Brands that love Petites

One of my favorite places to shop for petite-friendly and business attire is Banana Republic. Not only are most of the regular styles made into petite sizes but the quality is good and the prices are recession-friendly, especially when there is a sale.

J.Crew, whose most famous supporter is none other than Michelle Obama, boasts a fantastic petite section. Whether you are in the mood for a crisp pencil skirt (always a must for a petite lady), detailed cardigans, or a beautiful summer dress, J.Crew has everything you want (including bridal!), in a size that fits.

I have a soft spot for Ralph Lauren, mostly because I love his ads. I was excited to find that he has an accessible and gorgeous petite line in addition to everything else. Definitely a must for polos, dresses, and classic tops.

When I am in the mood for a little fun I love to shop at Armani Exchange. While it may not actually have a petite section, I have found that most of the clothes fit and work for a petite frame. Ditto Bebe and Guess.

Rating the major department stores is a little bit more difficult. I love Nordstrom for the shoe selection and many of their affordable dresses. Their petite section is a little lacking, but they have one and their regular-sized clothes are wonderful, so I do recommend looking there. My favorite department store petite section, though, is Bloomingdales. It features a lot of BCBG (one of my personal favorites), Anne Klein and Calvin Klein. You are almost certain to find a chic and wonderful piece to add to your wardrobe. Macys boasts an equally chic and more affordable petite section. Both, however, have frequent sales and are great resources. Nieman Marcus has a decent selection of designer brands – but the petite section is hidden under “special sizes.” Saks Fifth Avenue has an amazing array of clothes, but no obvious petite section.

If you haven’t found ideeli, hautelook, Gilt Groupe, or Rue La La yet, it is high time you did. These online exclusive shops have some of the best deals on designer clothes around. While you may need to get on a wait-list (or email Petite et Belle for a referral), these are worth looking at. Less exclusive, more accessible and as wonderful are Shopbop and Net a Porter. None of these sites actually cater directly to the petite dresser, however, they have fantastic deals and should not be missed.

Finally, if you love hand-made, unique and fabulous creations, look no further than Etsy. Not only will you be supporting individual designers and artists, but you will always find something that is affordable and stylish. I always feature a find from Etsy on the Twitter feed

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