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BLOG: Petite World Problems - The Fitted Shirt

Everybody needs at least one crisp, white shirt in their wardrobe, but that’ used to be hard to find when you are part of the Petites Posse. Being petite does not mean skinny. The correct Petite sizing is 4P to 16P made especially for women under 5’3” or 160cm tall. I meet so many women who do not know they are petite; but would look taller, younger and more confident wearing clothing that is made to fit them.

A shopping trip for a crisp white shirt often resulted in the purchase of kids shirt, or a small guy’s shirt - and the ‘boyfriend shirt' is great, but not appropriate for every outfit. If you’re petite, you’ve probably tried on hundreds of white shirts while shopping, only to end up with a shirt that looks like a bag and has optically reduced your size! Yup…I get it.

I would console myself by tucking the shirt into my jeans to make it look more fitted, but when I did, an unfortunate side effect (which many of you will have encountered) occurred. I like to call it the ‘excess material muffin top’. That mound of material you’re trying to tuck away, that sits at the top of your otherwise tailored jeans. That my Petites Posse, is what I set out to eliminate when I was designing my Target Petites Fitted Shirt.

The perfect shirt for a petite fit, it features an arm hole that fits around your shoulder and arm and doesn’t restrict your movement. The cuff ends where the palm of your hand meets your wrist and, when buttoned up, you should be able to slide two fingers between your neck and the collar.

The sleek design features side darts for a flattering silhouette (with no more than 3 inches of excess material when you pull it away from your body), and stretchy fabric that clings to all the right places because, as I like to say, you should wear a shirt, a shirt shouldn’t wear you!

As for where it fits into your planned looks for the week, it’s perfect for the office with a skirt or tailored pants, and it transitions beautifully into evening wear with a sexy pair of heels. Or simply pair it with jeans and a blazer for a more casual look. For winter layer it under a knit, or for in between weather, layer it under a dress or top (asymetrical ones look incurably chic with this one when you push the sleeves up).

Try it under your Petites denim jacket - push the collar or your shirt and jacket up and tie your favourite scarf around the outside of the jacket collar - a favourite when heading out in the chill of the morning or evening. rfectly petite cut, you can wear it straight off the rack without any alterations.

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