clothes and shoes for small-sized women in US?

[JessieRC 8]

Hi VJers,

I've got my visa finally and am flying to Bay Area, SF on April 10th. Now I am now a shopping spree preparing and buying stuff I'd take with me there. Now I have a major problem about how many tight jeans and shoes I should take with me...

I am very small and slim woman - 5'3 feet and 95 lbs or 161cm and 42kg. Even in China I buy the smallest size pants (waist line 60cm or 23 inches) and size 34（3.5 or 4 in US.size) shoes...Have to say my sizes are smaller than average Chinese women's and sometimes I have trouble finding the right sizes in China.

I favor tight pants or jeans to highlight my hips and legs since I think they are my best features. I am taking all my good pants and jeans(meanin loads of them) and at least 6 pairs of shoes wth me this time and hubbie says I am over-reacting! But I know my man is almost ignorant about these womanly things so I am not so convinced.

Advice, please, anyone? Thanks a lot!

[canadian_wife 1,822]

I have a friend who is under 5 feet, she shops and children's gap.

you can always find small sizes and have them altered to fit your body

good luck

[bigdog 376]

I think shoes are the biggest issue until I involved my best friends wife and now she getting all kinds of cool stuff. Small is tough, ask around it is not impossible. Got my wife kids size cowboy boots called Fat Baby's, same style as adults. Biggest complaint is sometimes small looks like kids stuff not adult. You are not over reacting, just need to find the right places.

Edited March 24, 2013 by bigdog

[Caryh 5,206]

Its hard but not impossible. My wife is shorter than you and it took us a while to find things that fit her here. At least she wears size 5 shoes, so we can find those in some places. All her jeans are taylored after we buy them. She has a 24" waist, but everything is too long. Finding a 23" waist in woman's size may be impossible, we've never found smaller than 24". Even the 24 was hard and found in very few places. I'd really say stock up before you come.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

For pants, Nordstrom and Ann Taylor have 0 and 00 in petite sizes. Levi's and Guess also have women's jeans with different styles and fit in smaller sizes. Shoes smaller than a 6 are more difficult to find.

[luckytxn 2,264]

My wife is a size O and sometimes that is even too big and she needs OO. (I didn't even know they had sizes O and OO) Most stores will have small in the petite sections but usually limited. As noted before my wife will find the pants that fit her but they are too long usually but she is a tailor on the side and just redoes the length. Many good places to get clothes altered. My wife will also make her own clothes a lot. She is also a fan of very tight form fitting clothes as she likes men to ogle her. I don't mind.

My wife is a size O and sometimes that is even too big and she needs OO. (I didn't even know they had sizes O and OO) Most stores will have small in the petite sections but usually limited. As noted before my wife will find the pants that fit her but they are too long usually but she is a tailor on the side and just redoes the length. Many good places to get clothes altered. My wife will also make her own clothes a lot. She is also a fan of very tight form fitting clothes as she likes men to ogle her. I don't mind.

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

I think it is going to be very difficult without some tailoring. The other problem is that you could fit into clothes in the kids' department, but you will be too tall for most of them. Even my 4 year old, who is quite tall, has a 22" waist. It might be best to stock up before leaving.

Regular Children's Sizes:

Size detail Height Weight Waist

4 40 - 42.5" 37 - 42.5 lbs 21"

5 42.5 - 45" 41 - 45 lbs 21 1/2"

6 45 - 48" 45 - 49 lbs 22"

6X 48 - 49" 49 - 53 lbs 22 1/2"

7G 49 - 51" 53 - 59.5 lbs 22 1/2"

8G 51 - 54" 59.5 - 69.5 lbs 23"

10G 54 - 56" 69.5 - 87 lbs 24"

12G 56 - 59" 87 - 97 lbs 25"

Slim fit Children's Sizes:

Size detail Height Weight Waist

4S 40 - 42.5" 35 - 37 lbs 19"

5S 42.5 - 45" 37 - 42 lbs 19 1/2"

6S 45 - 48" 42 - 46 lbs 20"

6XS 48 - 49" 46 - 50 lbs 20 1/2"

7S 49-51 50 - 56 lbs 201/2"

8S 51 - 54" 56 - 66 lbs 21"

10S 54 - 56" 66 - 82 lbs 22"

12S 56 - 59" 82 - 92 lbs 23"

[spookyturtle 9,466]

My wife is a size O and sometimes that is even too big and she needs OO. (I didn't even know they had sizes O and OO) Most stores will have small in the petite sections but usually limited. As noted before my wife will find the pants that fit her but they are too long usually but she is a tailor on the side and just redoes the length. Many good places to get clothes altered. My wife will also make her own clothes a lot. She is also a fan of very tight form fitting clothes as she likes men to ogle her. I don't mind.

My wife is a size O and sometimes that is even too big and she needs OO. (I didn't even know they had sizes O and OO) Most stores will have small in the petite sections but usually limited. As noted before my wife will find the pants that fit her but they are too long usually but she is a tailor on the side and just redoes the length. Many good places to get clothes altered. My wife will also make her own clothes a lot. She is also a fan of very tight form fitting clothes as she likes men to ogle her. I don't mind.

And they have 0 and 00 in petite also.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Small woman here. J Crew is fantastic for petite sizes. They definitely have sizes that have a 23" waist. As mentioned above, Ann Taylor is also good. But for Pete's sake avoid children's clothing. Number one, they don't really accommodate hips and bust. Number two, you will look like a child, not a woman. Just... ew.

Get to know your tailor too!

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Small woman here. J Crew is fantastic for petite sizes. They definitely have sizes that have a 23" waist. As mentioned above, Ann Taylor is also good. But for Pete's sake avoid children's clothing. Number one, they don't really accommodate hips and bust. Number two, you will look like a child, not a woman. Just... ew.

Get to know your tailor too!

My wife used to shop at the Petite Sophisticate too before they disappeared.

[SBB 74]

For shoes there's always Zappos. They have shoes in pretty much any size. My wife has the opposite problem you do needing size 9D which makes retail shoe shopping largely futile.

[JessieRC 8]

Thanks for the replies everyone

Really appreciated!

Now I need to head off stocking up on at least shoes!

[Darnell 8,478]

I suggest you buy as much of what you like, in China, and pay for the extra weight on the extra piece of luggage.

You know what you like, it's sold there already, and the extra money you pay now for more luggage?

Far outweighs all the price of the hassle yer gonna have when you hit the USA.

And come on - it's the best reason to tell the husband - Time for another shopping trip, to get back to China for a visit.

I not suggest you pack socks or underwear, though. BRAS that fit are super important.

---

There are Chinese Tailors in Oakland that can fix anything you bring them, so keep that in mind if you absolutely have to shop in the USA.

Edited March 29, 2013 by Darnell

[Golden Gate 530]

I used to go shopping for clothes in Chinatown in San Francisco. They were usually smaller than American sizes.

[EminTX 131]

The suggestions for tailoring, shopping in Chinatown, and Zappos are all right on the money. I have a niece that is almost 6 feet tall but wears a size 0 and for her, clothes are a nightmare, too. (To make it more unfair, she deep fries EVERYthing. Sigh. Her husband has gained 150-lbs with her.)

If you can learn some basic tailoring/sewing, this can make all the difference, too. Many things can easily be altered in under 30 minutes. Hems, reducing a plain (frumpy) dress/blouse into something fitted, or putting in darts can be awesome. The flexibility of recons opens a whole new level to your fashion searches.