Top 10 Petite Modeling Myths List

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Bella Petite Magazine Brand Ambassador / Influencer / Actress Ann Lauren ®  IMDB biography credits

Ann Lauren On Petite Fashion and Modeling Myths

Petite Model Kate Moss

Myth 1

You have to be tall to be beautiful and a model.

Reality:   Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. When designer Marc Jacob was asked about Kate Moss’s height, he replied, ” I guess perfection comes in all shapes and sizes.”  Jacob’s is unconcerned about models trending to be shorter in the fashion industry.

Confirm that beautifully designed and properly fitted clothing looks great on the runway when modeled by Petites!

There are many petite actresses breaking down the age-old stereotype that you have to be tall to be beautiful.

Petite Celebrity Eva Longoria

Myth 2

Clothing looks better on a tall Woman.

Reality: Clothing designers feel their clothes look better when draped on a tall woman’s frame, as they are considered clothing hangers, but designers should be sizing clothing to fit well and look great on a petite frame.  All they need to do is scale the clothing to fit properly.  

Utilizing petite, fit models to accurately size proportions for a petite frame is the key!  You be the judge, check out the petite celebrities on the RED CARPET they look fantastic in their designer’s duds.

The myth is tall women look better. (BLOG article: Retailers support Future of Petites in the Fashion Industry)

Myth 3

Petite Celebrity Racquel Welch

Tall women look better in swimsuits and lingerie.

Reality: Petite women are better proportioned than tall, lanky models. Remember famous petite actress 5’4″ Raquel Welch and her perfect measurements (36-24-36)?! Most swimsuit and lingerie models are petite.   It is funny that Victoria’s Secret won’t use petite models, considering their biggest consumers are petite women.  Go figure.  I guess they’ll continue promoting an unrealistic image until petites protest the exclusive use of tall models in their catalogs, or another competitor comes along and takes a bite out of their sales by promoting to the petite market.  Maybe then they’ll take notice.

Myth 4

The majority of women are tall in the US and abroad.

Reality: In the United States approximately 70% of all women are 5’5″ tall and under.  There are approximately a hundred million petite and petite plus-size women in US.  In the international marketplace, there are over six hundred million petite women.

Interesting statistic: Women 5’9″ tall and over only represent 3% of US females.  Translation:  designers missed their mark! (“What is Petite” )

petite plus size model

Myth 5

Petite means “tiny” in the fashion industry.

Reality: Petite means “short” not “tiny” in the fashion industry.  Petite references stature encompassing the height range of 5’5″ and under, including petite-fit and petite-plus-sizes in the fashion world.

If you’re confused, you’re not alone.  Many clothing manufacturers and retailers don’t sell petite clothing.  

In addition to petite consumers’ confusion they use petite designations like “small” and “extra small.”  Savvy garment designers, manufacturers, and retailers reserve the term “petite” for clothing that’s specifically made to fit a petite frame.

Myth 6

Juniors and Boys Departments offer an alternative choice for petite clothing.

Reality: NEVER! Don’t even go there!  Teen girls’ and boys’ clothes don’t fit our frames.  Think about it, petite women have hips and bust lines, therefore it’s not possible to find proportionally fit clothing in those departments.

Plus, it is an insult for Petites to be relegated to shopping in teen girls and boys’ departments.  Style-wise, it’s a joke and a bad idea.  The styles are geared toward boys and teenagers.  Do you really want a Barbie Doll or Spiderman t-shirt?!  Hello Kitty is not an alternative.

Myth 7

As long as you select the correct size, you can expect your clothing to fit well

petite model search

Reality: Petites rarely find off-the-rack clothing.  No such luck in my world.  Ready-to-wear is a great concept, but not the reality in a  petite woman’s world.  Fitting petite proportions proves to be the ultimate challenge in shopping. We petites understand that we pay twice as much for our clothes because our tailors end up as our best friends.  If you can find a designer label and size consistent in cut, without alterations needed, count yourself lucky!  

The few labels getting it right know to use petite fit models.  Some good examples: Liz Claiborne, Kenar Petites, Jones New York, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic… try them out.  Keep in mind manufacturers work with averages. That’s why it’s difficult to find ready-to-wear fashion.  (reference article “Retailer’s Support Petite Fashion Industry”)

Myth 8

Petite women should always try to look taller.

Reality: There’s nothing wrong with being PETITE!  The media, entertainment, and modeling industries have created an elaborate illusion about height.  Don’t buy into it!  It’s a falsehood.

 Read our continuing series of article blogs on “Truth About Height with Models, Actresses, PopStars & Celebrities.”

The main fashion goal is to look great!  When petites dress to look slimmer, we look taller.   Dressing to look slimmer will automatically create a leaner line of sight for a longer look.  

Petites should stay away from big or overly distracting patterns.   Also, remembering to accent garments with flattering, simple accessories is a key strategy.

Myth 9

Creating petite clothes simply means to shorten.

Reality: There’s more to it. Shortening hemlines is merely a starting point. You have other proportional issues involved.  

For instance, petite women normally have a small frame, narrow shoulders, and shorter back-waist length.  Simply shortening an item of clothing may not be enough for a proper fit. If you have ever made your own clothing, you’ve likely noticed shortening a commercial pattern isn’t enough to achieve a proportional fit.

PETITE SHOES & STYLE

Myth 10

Petites should wear 4″ inch plus high heels.

Reality: The spiked heel equals less return.  If petites wear more than a 3.5″ inch heel you tend to appear shorter.  A reason is that super high heels overpower a petite leg.  

The point is that most petite women don’t walk properly in high heels causing what I refer to as the “wobble effect.”  So ladies, practice how to walk in your shoes.  You don’t want your shoes to be the focus.  

Another general fashion rule is not to wear plain old flats either. Please don’t cry, but it’s not flattering to a petite frame.  Petites always need a little lift in the leg and wearing at least a 1.5″ heel creates a shapely, longer leg for a sexier look.

BellaPetite will continue to break down the stereotypes, expose myths and bring you fashion do’s and dont’s. For all your petite fashion news and entertainment Bella Petite!

Written by Ann Lauren

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9 thoughts on “Top 10 Petite Modeling Myths List”

  1. I LOVE MARC JACOBS, this just deepens that love. hahaha, but seriously he is amazing, I love all his clothes, I got one of his bags as a christmas gift and it is possibly the most beatiful thing EVER. And Finally someone says something the same bust measurement and waist measurement! My friends all tease me abut this, they think its proof I'm Flat and that its embarrasing! Lies! (not that I'm very busty but thats not the point). Loved this.

  2. Terrific work! This is the type of information that should be shared around the web. Shame on the search engines for not positioning this post higher!

  3. Uhm Raquel Welch was 5’6, not 5’3. Nice article, but that error is pretty bad and doesn’t help your cause much when it turns out that she’s actually a whole 3in taller.

    1. Hi Abbey, we have an inside entertainment source who is friends with Racquel Welch. He is a prominent director/producer who has worked with her as well, and he verified her height for us.

      Second news source: “Raquel’s not nearly as short as I expected her to be, either – she was about my height, 5’4” but my fiancé said she was wearing pretty tall heels, so she very well could be significantly shorter when wearing flats.” See http://www.iamnotastalker.com/2010/04/26/the-raquel-welch-beyond-the-cleavage-book-signing/

      As we know celebrities, models and musicians, as well as agents tend to exaggerate their true height. In Hollywood, this is a common practice referred to as the “2-inch rule.” Also don’t forget that celebrities like Welch wear heals that ar 4 to 6 inches high.

      Thanks for reading our magazine. Have a good day!

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