A Love and Hate Relationship with H&M

Today I braved the post-Christmas rush at our local mall, and let me say that I'm glad I quit retail a long time ago! I stopped by Express, Forever 21, H&M, Macy's, Nordstrom's, and Sephora. After trying on countless garments as well as a perfume and body cream testers, I was only able to narrow them all down to one purchase - a black H&M belt with a buckle. Since I'm very petite with curvy hips and a small waist, finding a fitted belt has been tough. Below is my purchase:


Approximate measurements:

• Total length: 32.5 inches
• Smallest hole setting: 22.75 inches
• Largest hole setting: 30.5"
• Each hole distance: 1 inch

As you can see, this belt is very petite friendly, especially for those of us with smaller waists.


I also tried on the smallest knee-length skirt I could find. I know that Jean from Extra Petite discusses how fitted H&M size 2 skirts are. Unfortunately, I didn't have any luck, and most of the smaller sizes were raided. Here's the fit on me. And yes, those are salonpas (plasters?) on my legs.



Verdict: I prefer fitted skirts that sit at my belly button or higher, and hit right above the knee. I like that the there's a zipper in the back, but I would need to hem the length as well. The slight ruffly fabric is quite nice though. It's not itchy, and has a bit of stretch to it. Even when this skirt sits at my lower waist (hip bone), there's too much waist gap, to the point where I can fit at least one fist at the elastic waist. I would need to take in the hips as well, since it's a little too loose for my liking. This is great for petites who are a bit larger than me in the waist, hips, and butt.

Greetings and Vanity Sizing

Hello everyone! My name is Christina and I'm here to discuss the issues I've faced due to my petite stature due to vanity sizing. I once worked in retail at my local mall a few years ago. I loved dressing up in casual business wear, since Express (formerly owned by The Limited Brand) had great discounts at the time, and the quality of the clothes were nice. I usually bought tops from them because I was never able to fit any of their bottoms. A belt was my best friend, while loose tops and ill-fitted blazers masked whatever curves I have on my petite frame.

Over the past few years, I've been struggling to find quality goods that fit. From department stores and retail chains to smaller boutiques, I was usually sized out because my size was either not offered or didn't fit like they used to. I missed walking into a store, trying something on, and buying it. Nowadays I'm grabbing 10+ items in the same size, and I would be lucky enough to actually fit one of them. I've been sized out of Express for the past two years, so I've turned my back on them. Plus, their quality and value has diminished. I'm a bit embarrassed to say that I shop at Abercrombie & Fitch Kids because most of their clothes look childish. I do like the clothes from H&M, but even their smallest size varies in proportions, and the quality can be a hit or miss. I've been unsuccessful at Forever 21, but their sizing proportions are way worse. I used to own some clothes from F21 in high school that fit, but wouldn't last after a year of washing and wearing.

I've stumbled upon various petite blogs and forums created by petites, for petites. I've been stalking them for a while now, and they've been of great help to me! I'm still developing my own fashion style as well as learning how to dress in a way that flatters my body shape/type. I'd love to move away from my average t-shirt and jeans look, as I've been mistaken as a high school student one too many times. Thanks for reading, as I hope to update you guys with more posts soon! I can't guarantee the quality of pictures since I've been addicted to taking selcas and random photogs with my trusty iPhone! Merry Christmas everyone!

Jaa mata~