Spontaneous commiseration at Talbots

"You know, someone really needs to do something about this. There's nothing available for petite women in their 40s - especially if this keeps up!"

Susan, a 40-something shopper, told me this while we were commiserating about our shopping woes in Talbots a few days ago. I had struck up a conversation with her after the salesperson had informed me that Talbots has never made size 0P clothing, and suggested that I check some of the department stores, as Ann Taylor had stopped selling petites - untrue! Susan chimed in at this point because she was worried about what she'd heard. I reassured Susan that no, it hadn't stopped selling petites, but filled her in with what the Times had mentioned about the disappearing petite sections in department stores.

Even though she was fuller than me (she told me she was about a size 8P), she has the same exact problems I do because she is also quite short - 4'11". Nothing fits her correctly - the armholes are too big, the rise too long, and jackets are made for someone longer in the torso. In short, the proportions were all wrong for our height. She mentioned that she often shopped in Lord & Taylor, as they also had a petites department. I replied that I don't really shop in department stores as they usually start at sizes too big for me - and I didn't like the styles. When I mentioned that the bulk of my clothing came from from Banana Republic, she was astonished - she never knew they had a petite line! She promised to check it out.

We wished each other luck with our shopping trips as I left. Well, I thought, the Talbots trip was a disaster for me, but at least I was able to point someone else in the right direction!

It really is hard for older short women to find appropriate clothing (well, I guess that's true for any sized older woman too). At least 20 or 30 somethings can still get away with shopping in teen stores! What do you do when you can't spend a fortune to look tasteful for your age? Have any thoughts? Susan and I would love to know.

Talbots Store Review: A Short Disappointment

Talbots
525 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022
212-838-8811

I have to admit that I very reluctantly entered the store today - mostly to give it a fair shake with a fresh look. As soon as I entered the door, I was already confused. The store was several floors, and as usual, the petite's section was not on ground level. I consulted the floor directory and my eye immediately latched onto "Talbots Woman" on the 3rd floor. Maybe it was from walking into several department stores recently, but somehow "petite" became instantly knocked out of my brain. I'm a woman, I thought (duh). This must be my section.

Entering the elevator, I was soon confronted with the truth. Indeed, the phrase "Talbots Woman" wasn't really an indication of brand loyalty and gender, but a euphamism for "large Tablots Woman." Not only was I wrong about my section for sizing, but it wasn't even for petites! Another woman in the elevator confided that she had gotten confused too.

When I stepped out on the 4th floor, I kicked into browse mode. Ok, some of the stuff was definitely wearable. I started leafing through a rack of skirts (hung woefully high, I might add!), looking for a 0P. I could have sworn that they carried this stuff. Well, after going through several different styles, I confronted the sales staff. Excuse me, I asked, what is the smallest size here?

The answer shocked me because I swear that they used to carry 0P. Maybe it's a function of wishful thinking or turbo-advanced old age (yeah I know, I'm only 20-something), but I was wrong. NO 0P stuff at all!!!! The smallest size in the store was a 2P. And yes, I tried stuff on that totally didn't fit me (what a surprise). With that, I became fully despaired. Some of the stuff shows promise, even if it is a little, eh, old. The website even helpfully gives inseams for pants! (A cause for some confusion as a pair of pants I brought up had the unfathomable measurements of 32" for misses, 29 1/2" for petites, 31" for woman, and 28" for petite woman. I guess heavier older women are pressumed to not wear heels?)

Talbots has completely abandoned all attempts at capturing the young (maybe fashionable) audience! Ok, sure, you have to admit they're not strong on the fashionable side of the equation, but there are certainly enough young, not too picky women that'd like a fair selection too, at a reasonable price. Overall, their prices weren't that much lower than for the lower end stuff at Banana Republic or Ann Taylor (though my complaint about crappy fiber content is still valid - check out the amout of polyester being used!). Heck, label us as unfashionable, but don't cut us short and skinny people out completely!

Finding Petite Stores - Where Can I Go?

Finding a good petite selection can be a difficult task - especially when you don't live near dense metropolitan areas. Certainly, online selections are much better at giving a broader range of goods - but nothing beats the positive aspects of in-store shopping. Although many department stores carry petite clothing, the selection is highly variable depending on location, and sizing usually begins at 4P for most items. I'll also admit that eBay has been a source that I look to more often than not.

Here's a compiled list, along with short descriptions, of the more accessible stand alones, sans department stores. I'll be adding to this as I find (or remember) more:

Ann Taylor - The tried and true for corporate and casual wear. Think classic rather than trendy. For the dressy stuff, it's sophisticated and safe, not sexy. The casual stuff is definitely geared towards a more matronly audience, but when you need a suit, you can't go wrong here. I have tended to stop shopping here as everything needs to be taken in for me - but if you're slightly bigger than me, you're all set. (link is for expanded petite selection)

Banana Republic - Mainstream trendy and fashionable, their petite selection is pretty good, but certainly not as wide as the regular sizes. It definitely caters to a younger audience - the non-corporate stuff would be appropriate from late teens to thirties up. I am annoyed that their 00P selection is only available online, but they offer free shipping for petites to make up for it. I tend to think their pricing has raced ahead of their quality and/or style.

Brooks Brothers - Definitely corporate and old school classic. Quality is definitely a high point here - and the price reflects it. If you fuss over fabric quality/feel, BB doesn't disappoint. If you don't mind the country club-like image, it's a great place to pick up really nice stuff. It's more pretentious than AT, but hey, you're just looking for stuff to wear. I find that the price point to quality ratio is better than most of the other petite stores. The shirts seem more billowy than fitted - even the ones that claim to be fitted. For online, you have to pay for shipping unless there's a promotion.

J.Crew **- Ok, I have to admit that this is not one of my favorites, as it screams "Prep" to me. Color choices are also a little more outrageous - but a bold color might work well for you. They seem to have fewer petite carrying stores, which makes it a little more difficult. I find that their suiting is of much better quality (relatively speaking) than you'd expect from some of their casual wear - it's comparable or even better than BR. You have to pay for shipping for online orders.

Talbots - The best I can say about this place is that you get a decent value. This is definitely geared toward a matronly set. It caters to the audience that upscale department stores don't like, as noted here. The store is actually cheaper than the others, and when they have sales, prices drop down very, very far. Fit and cut are generous, and the style is frumpy (if you're being very nice about it, conservative). Fashionable, it is not, but it's great when you just need something to fill an essential in your wardroble gap. The thing that turns me off most is that most of the stuff is made from synthetic mixes that are obviously geared towards slashing costs, instead of blending for particular qualities (like stretch or wrinkle-resistance).