How to shop online when you’re petite (and send less back)

Online shopping at 4′11″ can feel like a guessing game. The photo looks perfect, it comes in your size, and then it shows up and the sleeves cover your whole hand.

I usually wear an XS or S in tops and a size 24 in jeans, but a size is only a starting point. It can’t tell you where a hem will land on a shorter frame.

The good news? You can take most of the guessing out of it with a measuring tape and a few numbers saved in your phone.

Start with clothes that already fit you

If you only do one thing from this post, make it this one.

Pull out a few pieces that fit you really well. Jeans, a tee, a sweater, a dress. Lay each one flat, smooth it out, and measure:

• Pants: the inseam (crotch seam down the inside of the leg to the hem), the front rise (crotch seam up to the top of the waistband), and the waist straight across.
• Tops: pit to pit (straight across the chest, just under the arms), the length from the high point of the shoulder to the hem, and the sleeve from the shoulder seam to the cuff.
• Dresses: the length from the high point of the shoulder to the hem. That’s where the shoulder seam meets the neckline.

Save those numbers in a note on your phone. Now you have a little fit cheat sheet to hold up against any listing. Bonus: the numbers already include the amount of room you like.

Know which size chart you’re looking at

Most size charts are one of two kinds:

• Body measurements. Which bust, waist and hip range each size is made for. Good for picking a starting size, but it doesn’t tell you what the finished piece measures.
• Garment measurements. The actual item, measured flat. This is the good stuff, because you can compare it straight to your cheat sheet.

If a chart says “across,” “flat,” or “half chest,” it was most likely measured flat across the front. Double it for the full measurement around.

Listing only says S, M, L with no numbers anywhere? Read the reviews first, or let it go.

What “petite” and “short” usually mean

Petite sizing is usually made for women around 5′4″ and under, though some brands draw the line at 5′3″. A true petite cut usually changes more than the hem. Sleeves, torso and rise tend to be shorter, and sometimes the shoulders are narrower or the knee sits higher on pants.

“Short” is different. On pants it usually means a shorter inseam, while the rise and the rest of the fit stay regular.

Neither one is better. If tops always feel long in the body on you, petite tops are worth a try. If the rise on petite pants feels too short on you, a short length might be the fix. Brands define both labels their own way, so trust the measurements over the label.

For more on pants, read Jeans for 4′11″: how to find your inseam and rise.

Check the model, then do a little math

Look for the fine print near the photos. Lots of listings say something like “Model is 5′10″ and wearing a size S.” That one line is so useful.

If you’re 4′11″ like me, that’s 11″ of height difference. So on you:

• A midi that hits her mid calf might land closer to your ankle.
• A cropped jacket might end at your waist instead of above it.

Even better, use the real number. If the listing gives a dress length, measure yourself from the top of your shoulder, right next to your neck, down to where you want the hem. Compare the two and you’ll get a much better idea.

Filter the reviews for shorter reviewers

Reviews are where the real fit info lives. To find the helpful ones:

• Use a height filter if the site has one. Some do!
• No filter? Use find in page and search your height, “petite,” or “short.”
• Look for reviewers who share both their height and the size they ordered.

If three shorter reviewers say the sleeves are long, believe them.

Pay extra attention to lengths

Lengths are the sneaky part. Before you check out:

• Sleeves: Compare the listed sleeve length to a top that fits. Some brands measure from the center back of the neck instead of the shoulder seam, and that number reads longer.
• Dresses and skirts: Ignore the name. “Midi” and “maxi” can mean pretty different lengths from brand to brand, so go by the length in inches.
• Pants: Check the inseam, then the rise. If you plan to hem them, look at the ankle first. A split hem or a detailed cuff is harder to shorten without losing the look.

Ordering two sizes (the smart way)

Stuck between sizes? Ordering both can save you a second round of shipping. Just read the return policy first:

• Are returns free, or is there a shipping or restocking fee?
• How long is the return window?
• Is anything final sale?
• Do you get a refund or store credit?

When the box comes, try it all on that day, tags on, with the shoes you’d actually wear. Then send the extra back right away, before it lives in your trunk for three weeks.

Keep a tiny fit log

Each time something fits great (or really doesn’t), jot a quick note. Something like “Size S, sleeves 1″ too long, pit to pit perfect.” After a few orders you start to see your own patterns, and shopping gets so much faster.

Once your sizes are sorted, here are some outfits for 4′11″ that actually work.

Happy shopping, friend. Measure first, add to cart second.