New Petite Store

Over at Alterations Needed, there's a post about Kim Dahlman's new online-only petite store, For Petite Sake. Kim is the writer of a book called The Petite Handbook, a guide helping petites look their best. Kim's store is rather simple when it comes to choices, mostly classics - not too different from what most petite lines offer. But what do you think? Are the clothes plain? What would you want Kim to add?

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Naturally Petite Interview in Prospere Magazine

Just thought you might want to know that an interview with the women of Naturally Petite, a store which caters to petite women, can be found in the latest issue of Prospere Magazine.

May Survey Results

Last month's question: Which store would you like to see carry petite sizes?

34.5% said Zara

3.4% said Jacob

10.3% said Club Monaco

41.4% said H&M

10.3% said Other

This month's question: Do you have plans to attend Petite Fashionista Presents?

Petite Fashions - Vancouver, BC

I recently discovered the site for Petite Fashions, a petite store with several locations in the Vancouver area. According to the store info link, it seems this place has been around for nearly 40 years. Brands they carry include Sigrid Olsen, Jones New York, Liz Claiborne and FDJ French Dressing.

However, it does seem that the cater more to the older crowd than younger. In their about us section, there are photos of the founder's daughter Marni and a sales associate with a woman who is definitely not in her 20s or 30s. It would have been nice if they had pictures of women of all ages and/or for them to try to aim at all ages. Other than that, the store seems to have a market, judging from the testimonials.

Petite Fashions Locations:

Kerisdale
2153 West 41st Avenue

West Vancouver
Ambleside
1845 Marine Drive

Oakridge
Oakridge Mall
650 W 41 Avenue

White Rock
Windsor Square
1959 152 Street

The Nashville area: Home to Country Music, Reese Witherspoon and PETITE BOUTIQUE!!

Laurie Roe and Lori Peffer

From the home state of one of Hollywood's favorite petite women, Reese Witherspoon, is the new petite shop, Petite Boutique. This store, located in Franklin, a suburb of Nashville, was started by 5'3" Laurie Roe and her business partner, Lori Peffer last year. Brands they carry include Skirtin’ Around, bentley a., as well as Canadian brands such as Taylor Brooke, Ingenuity, French Dressing Jeans and Lana Lee. Paige Premium Denim has recently arrived. According to Laurie, the majority of Petite Boutique’s clothes are cut for petite sized women and the rest are “cut narrow” which work well with women who are not super-petite (i.e. 5’2” and up). According to Laurie, approximately 50 independent petite stores shopped the Atlanta apparel market in the 80s and early 90s. “Today we know of only about 5 petite stores shopping our market, and even fewer beyond the southeast region of the US,” Laurie said. The ladies want to make a difference, to put petites back on the map. Laurie believes that “when enough people get the attention of the right people, a difference can be made. In other words, it does very little good to tell the woman behind the counter at the petite department in your local department store that there aren't enough petites. A buyer or a store owner needs to talk with manufacturing presidents and other decision makers to get their attention about the statistics of petites.” Of course, when petite clothes are brought into stores, petite women need to buy them! Otherwise, one loses the right to complain about the lack of sizes. Laurie also told me that she and Lori are “beyond picky” about their buying because not all sales reps truly understand the meaning of “petite.”

Front of store, inside

Petite Boutique’s clientele range from age 11 to 93 and the store carries a “regular” range of sizes, from 0 to 18. Of course, different age groups have a tendency to buy different products. “The true sweet spot is 40-45 year old executive women and executive wives, though we have many 30-somethings that shop with us and younger, as well as many 50-somethings.We have done exceptionally well with dresses and our younger market, whereas our suiting and certain pants are better sellers with slightly older.” Laurie told me in an e-mail. When asked about petite celebrities, Laurie told me that she doesn’t think that petite celebs aren’t vocal. “Kristin Chenoweth is very vocal about her size and I believe Rachel Ray is too.” Of course, celebrities often have their clothes made to fit them, so they don’t have the need to complain!

Some of the pretty dresses sold at Petite Boutique

Local media have been quite good to Petite Boutique. Laurie and Lori’s store have appeared in the Tenneseean and the Nashville Business Journal. Many clients have appeared as models for them. The ladies have also been featured on local television, Talk of the Town and Midday at Noon. Who knows, maybe national media would come calling. Maybe we’ll see Laurie and Lori on Oprah or The View some day!

I’d really like to see more people open up stores like Petite Boutique. Petites, especially petite sizes catering to all ages, are truly an under-represented market.

To read more about Laurie and her business, check out her blog!!!