Hellobee Boards

@autumnlove: I thought technically it was based on height since petite clothing usually has shorter sleeves and shorter hem lengths! I think people use the term more loosely though. I'm 5'2 and consider myself petite, even though right now my body type doesn't scream petite lol!

I think its BOTH

I have found that petite clothes are slightly smaller in the hips as well as the length.

Based on height alone would just make you short!

I consider petite based on height and build. Build as in shorter sleeves and torsos.

Yea, I always thought petite was small frame + short. ??

I think it's both. I'm petite at 5'2.

I always thought it was height + build (shorter arms, legs, torso), not weight based.

@pui: Even if someone is short and fit, they can still have a larger bone structure. Which is the only reason that I base it on both. Because two people with the same height and fitness level can have completely different bone structures... just my 2 cents though. Not trying to stir the pot, just throwing my thoughts on the table.

I know I'm petite b/c I have never own pants that are just the right length, and most of my sleeves are too long

@StbHisMrs: this....height and build. I am 5'2" and consider myself short not petite. I have seen other women small and large that strike me as being an all-over petite person.

@CupQuakeWalk: totally agree. I'm 5'3" and when I was a size 0-4 I considered myself petite. Now that I'm not, I don't personally think I'm petite anymore; just average.

I think there's definitely a difference between petite clothes and petite body. I happen to be both, but petite clothes still don't always fit me well because i'm not just short, i'm petite!

Petite is a shorter and smaller than average body type. Petite clothes are super skinny. I used to wear petite pants a looong time ago but I was average height.

I thought I knew but am now baffled, because I recently had two doctors in the same week tell me I'm "petite" and I never considered myself petite or short. I'm 5'4" and was a size 0 prepregnancy but needed longer shirts and never petite pants.

@spaniellove: have you ever tried them on? I am your exact size (almost 5'4", size 0) and although I don't NEED petite clothing (regular works fine), if need be, I can get away with petite pants and dresses. Actually, petite dresses look better on me because the length doesn't look too "church lady."

I think techically it's height but while my LO is very tall she is very slender so I tend to call her petite.

I consider petite to be short and small framed/thin. I consider myself petite at 5'1'' and 115 but I didn't when I weighed 145. I think it really just depends on who you ask though.