If there’s a word that people use the most to describe me, it’s probably “small”. I’m certainly not tiny since I’m on the short side of average on the height scale and thin although definitely not underweight. Still, I think many small women can relate to me when I say that I have often times had trouble finding clothes.

It’s great that the fashion industry has recognized the plus sized woman and has offered larger sizes that flatter the full figured shape. Over the last decade more and more stores have started selling plus sized clothing to accommodate body shapes that are more representative of the average American woman. Still, those of us who are small have felt left behind as we have seen the petite lines disappear from major clothing stores.

When I was in Europe recently I bought a bunch of clothing since it’s easier to find attire that fits my frame. Europeans tend to be smaller than Americans and so the sizes selections are smaller to meet the demand. Still, I can’t fly over seas every time I need a new pair of pants or a skirt. Most of the time I am limited to the clothing I can find in the U.S.

Vanity sizing is probably the worst thing that has happened to the smaller woman. While I used to be a size 6 in high school, I am now typically a size 2 and I have to say that I have certainly not lost weight since I was a teenager. If clothing gets any bigger, I’ll have to shop in the children’s section. There are plenty of women who are thinner and shorter than I am so it really shouldn’t be this difficult for someone like me.

After the difficulty I have had, I was really excited to see on the news this year that several clothing stores have reintroduced their petite lines after many complaints from smaller customers. Thank you to all of those ladies who complained! The fashion industry listened and suddenly, I am finding it easier to shop and find clothing that fits. I tend to stick to a few stores that cater to smaller women like Ann Taylor and Banana Republic but I’m sure there are more stores out there that also offer petite options.

Are you a small woman who has trouble finding petite attire? Where do you typically shop? What are the best stores that sell petite clothing?