Petite
A size range cut for shorter people: the same chest, waist and hips as regular sizes, with shorter sleeves, legs and torso.
Petite describes length, not girth. A petite garment has the same bust, waist and hips as the regular size of the same name, with shorter sleeves, legs and torso. Ruban Size's women's petite template says it in one line: "Petite sizes are cut for a height of 163 cm (5 ft 4 in) and under: shorter sleeves, legs and torso."
So petite isn't a synonym for XS. A shopper 158 cm tall with 105 cm hips is an L P: a full L around, cut for her height.
On a size chart
Petite sizes often carry a P. The petite template next to the regular dresses template:
| Size | Bust (cm) | Waist (cm) | Hips (cm) | Inseam (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M (dresses) | 90-95 | 72-77 | 98-103 | - |
| M P (petite) | 90-95 | 72-77 | 98-103 | 72 |
| L P (petite) | 96-101 | 78-83 | 104-109 | 73 |
The girths are identical, down to the US 8 to 10 and UK 12 to 14 labels of the M. What changes is the length, which the petite chart shows as an inseam of 71 to 73 cm (about 28 to 28 3/4 in) across its sizes.
In Ruban Size
Petite gets its own chart, so each table stays honest. Start from the women's petite template, then let product rules put it on the right products: a "petite" tag, a collection or a product type is enough. A product sold in both regular and petite can match both charts, which shoppers see as tabs (up to 20 per product).
Find my size weighs the inseam less than bust, waist and hips: in the engine's own words, a short inseam makes trousers short, not unwearable. Petite, tall, plus size, big and tall compares the four ranges.
Read more
- Sizing explainedPetite, tall, plus size, big and tall: what each meansPetite and tall are about length: the same widths, cut shorter or longer. Plus size and big are about girth: a larger chest, waist and hips. Big and tall is both at once.6 min
- How to measureHow to measure inseam, and how it differs from outseamInseam is the length from the crotch to the floor along the inside of your leg, measured without shoes; on a pair of pants, from the crotch seam to the hem. Outseam runs down the outside of the leg from the top of the waistband, and shoppers' size charts rarely use it.5 min
- Size conversionWomen's clothing sizes: US, UK and EU comparedA women's M is US 8 to 10, UK 12 to 14 and EU 40 to 42, for a bust of 90 to 95 cm (35.4 to 37.4 in). In these charts, UK numbers run 4 above US ones and EU numbers 32 above.6 min
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