Michelle

Savvy Shopper Q&A

(This is ostensibly about shopping for tall clothes and not about petites, but contained some interesting information anyway.)

Q. You've written about petite size downsizing in department stores. What was not mentioned is the lack of tall sizes. There are so many choices for petites, including whole departments. There are also plus size departments. When was the last time you saw a tall department? It is easier to alter clothing when there is enough fabric. If sleeves are too short, you can't add material. Where are tall sizes available in the Twin Cities?

A. You are absolutely right — petites aren't the only ones feeling alienated at the mall. But there's a reason you see more focus on petite sizes: Short women outnumber tall ones — by quite a lot. Studies conducted by sizing expert Lenda Jo Connell, a professor at Auburn University in Alabama, show that around 30 percent of women are under 5-foot-4 while only 16 percent are taller than 5-foot-7. Connell also points out that manufacturers try to accommodate taller customers by making garments longer than the average figure so that women of average height often need their pants shortened. This is especially true with jeans — a 35- or 36-inch inseam is now more common than 30 or 32.

writergal

Only 30% are 5'4 or less? I thought it was more like 40?

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