Michelle

No Small Fuss: Petite women put up a big fight over disappearing departments

In a vocal, if unorganized, campaign, petite women, defined as women 5-foot-4 or shorter (about 56 percent of the population fits the bill, according to the U.S. National Center for Health's 2005 statistics), have actually reversed the trend in at least one major department store.

Saks Fifth Avenue, which dropped petites about a year ago, got so many complaints that management rescinded its decision late last month.

"We recognize how disappointed our petites customers have been," said Saks vice chairman Ron Frasch in a statement. "The good news is that, as of November, we are back in business, offering our clients the best selection of petites fashion."

While other stores - Lord & Taylor, Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers and Banana Republic, among them - say they will remain committed to their petite business, some are, for now, maintaining their retreat from the market. Bloomingdale's has significantly reduced its petites floor space, and Neiman Marcus opted to, as of this fall, pull petites from all but two of its 36 stores.

The issue, says Marshal Cohen, chief analyst of the NPD group in Port Washington, which tracks retail trends, "is a double-edged sword. Growth is coming from other areas, and even though this is a devoted customer, the retailer is thinking we need to grow handbags, footwear, jeans." According to Cohen, while the petite market has grown overall, it has fallen 5 percent in department stores.

Meanwhile, Cohen says, he's "black and blue from talking to petite customers. They have no fear, and they are so passionate.... As a retailer, I would never want to cross them."

"There's no good answer," says Cohen. "Strategically, the stores have to grow. Retailers don't believe people will boycott stores," says Cohen, who thinks they will. "That's how emotional they are about it."

Indeed.

Candace Corlett, a 50-something, 5-foot-3 customer and principal of WSL Strategic Retail, a Manhattan consulting firm, says she's ready to rumble.

"You talk about rage!" she says. "I think it is enormous chutzpah for them to alienate any group of shoppers. It's a huge mistake, because petites are one of those niche groups that form an emotional connection with a store fostering loyalty and destination shopping and they are erasing it. Their rationale is that petites will shop juniors or little girls or small sizes, but they don't fit."

Likewise, Nancy Graham, a 57-year-old, 4-foot-10 social worker from Port Washington, says she's incensed.

"I feel prejudice," she says. "Petite is not just about being small. You don't have to weigh 92 pounds. They want us to wear small sizes in all this young fashion, but we're women, and we want great-looking clothes. I depend on petites, especially for pants and coats. It's insulting and I think it's bad business. Are they doing so fabulously well they can afford to lose us?"

Designers and manufacturers, of course, have been caught in the middle of all this. Ellen Tracy, a staple for the well-dressed petite, completely ceased petites production because of the cutbacks.

"When Saks decided to vacate, it sort of pushed us over the edge," says Howard Rosenberger, Ellen Tracy's president. "There was not enough meaningful support." Customer reaction, says Rosenberger, has been absolutely outraged. "I got letters, e-mails, irate phone calls. This is a very vocal group of women." With Saks' return, Rosenberger said the company will starting shipping petites again in November.

For her part, designer Dana Buchman, whose petite business came under considerable strain from the Saks cut, is pleased that petites have been heard. "Their outrage is really registering. It's a public outcry from women who want to get dressed in clothing that fits. I'm delighted. It's been a very satisfying moment in retail."

A short guide for the short

At 5-foot-4, the tall end of the petite spectrum, Glamour magazine's fashion editor at large, Suze Yalof Schwartz, says that not only is it easy for petites to be fashionable, but they can be downright style icons. "People should know that many smaller woman are revered for their style." Among them? Sarah Jessica Parker, Eva Longoria and Jessica Simpson. But the "Do's and Don'ts" maven, who, while we're on the subject, always looks tall, has a few recommendations:

"It's all about length," says Schwartz. "You don't want to wear cropped pants," but if you want to catch the seasonal trend, wear Bermuda shorts with high heels, " ... la Jennifer Aniston." Do wear long pants with a high heel, it's very elongating. "You never want to wear a dress that hits mid-calf," she adds, noting that the mid-length breaks the line of the body and makes you appear even shorter. She suggest going either short or to the ankle.

"Bigger people can carry bigger prints, but on short people, they can overwhelm," says Schwartz. "Choose prints of moderate size."

There's a big fashion movement towards volume - poofed dresses and skirts with loads of fabric. "When you're short," says Schwartz, "you can only get away with it in a minimal way. You shouldn't wear the big dress, but for instance you can wear a short, full skirt with a tight top."

"Really long, straight hair can make you look shorter," she says. She suggests keeping hair to the collarbone.

"The most important thing," she concludes, "is to know your body. Don't get trapped with trends."