Where to Shop for Petite Plus-Size Clothes

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The frustrations of shopping for plus-size clothing are well-documented, and one particularly hard area is petite plus-size. When the average American woman is 5’4” and a size 16, you’d think the options would reflect that with shorter inseams and properly scaled shoulders. More often than not, though, they just don’t; meanwhile, “petites”-focused brands — even really good ones, like Stature — mostly offer extra-small, small, and medium sizes.

Hopefully some of the plus-size designers who have made strides with trendy plus-size pieces in recent years, like Elvi and Universal Standard, will step up to the petites-plus plate. But in the meantime, there are a few options that don’t involve just taking everything you buy to the tailor.

Below, check out a list of online stores that offer petite plus-sizes. (And don’t immediately write off the brands you might think of as frumpy mom clothes; even Talbots and Land’s End have a few good options.) The best picks from each store are highlighted, so you don’t have to sift through any web pages.

Know of others? Please share in the comments, or come talk about it in the Racked Lounge, our private Facebook group for shopping advice!

Eloquii: Often compared to Zara or H&M, Eloquii is known for hitting current trends while they’re actually still cool. The brand released a petite-plus capsule collection last September, but it doesn’t usually have that many petite pieces in rotation. Currently there are only 10, but at least two of them are extremely cute: this wide-leg denim jumpsuit ($119.90) and this mesh detail scalloped dress ($110.90). Let’s hope Eloquii offers more soon!

Land’s End: If you need outerwear, head to Land’s End. It has a bunch of great petite plus-size down options, such as this long down coat with a slight sheen ($189) and this fun leopard print puffer ($109), as well as less heavy-duty options like this cute rain jacket ($69.95). It’s also the best spot on this list to pick up T-shirts, with plain scoop necks in short ($19) and long sleeves as well as some retro-feeling striped Supima cotton options ($35.95).

Lane Bryant: The plus-size mall brand finally introduced a new petites collection over the summer. It’s the best site here for basics like jeans ($69.95) and simple tops ($34.99). It also has some good options for work, including this faux-wrap bodysuit ($49.95), this oversized button-down ($49.95), and this tailored blazer ($79.95).

Macy’s: Macy’s offers a small but decent selection of petite plus-sizes, including brands like Lucky, City Chic, NY Collection, and Celebrity Pink. A few standouts at the moment include these black pull-on wide-leg pants ($26.40, were $44) that would be perfect for work, “Infinite Stretch” skinny jeans ($27.99, were $59), and this chic faux-wrap jumpsuit ($34.99, was $70).

Addition Elle: The trendy plus-size retailer’s petites options only extend to bottoms, but they’re all pretty cute. Expect jeans from Love & Legend (including this cute black pair, now on sale for $59) and work-appropriate trousers from Michel Studio.

Cato Fashions: This site only offers petite-plus for pants. But if that’s something you need, there are some cute and very inexpensive options for work, like these houndstooth trousers ($27.99) and this plaid pair ($27.99), as well as jeans.

Talbots: Talbots defines petite-plus as “Woman Petite,” which features sizes X-3X and most pant inseams at 25.5 inches. While the majority of Talbots’ clothes seem styled for an older audience, there are a few good things you can pick up here. Focus on the sweaters, like this lilac tweed turtleneck ($149); outerwear, including this stand-collar coat in three color options ($329); and pants, including jeans or these cute velveteen leggings ($99).

Catherine’s: While Catherine’s has the most petite plus-size offerings by far, it also has the most options you’ll probably want to skip. That said, there are a few pieces worth checking out, like these flat-front jeans ($49) and a couple of the activewear bottoms, including these space-dyed leggings ($54) and these striped leggings ($54).

Lee: If you want to do the whole vintage-looking-but-not thing, Lee makes plus-size jeans that come with petite inseams (28”). Prices range from $44 to $64, and pairs from the Platinum Label are a highlight, like these dark denim straight leg jeans ($62). If you want to try them on IRL, J.C. Penney carries a few pairs.