XXS Work Clothes: Shopping Tips When You’re Slim But Not Petite
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If you're slim with a small frame but too tall for petite sizes, where do you shop for XXS work clothes? If your clothes don't fit you well, when is it worth it to pay for them to be tailored — and when is it time to look for better-fitting replacements instead? We kind of got into this in our post on how to find suits for short women, but we haven't discussed in a while. Reader K wonders…
I'm interested in learning more about when alterations are worth it. I'm very thin and having a harder and harder time finding clothes off the rack that fit me — even a 00 from J. Crew is frequently too big, I can't shop in the petite section because I'm too tall.
I also have a hard time with dresses and some structured pieces because even though most of my measurements are a 00 or smaller, my natural waist is often closer to a 2. I have a bunch of work pieces that I really like — or would really like if I was not swimming in them and constantly ending up with my skirt on backwards after my walk from the subway.
Am I better off getting my existing wardrobe altered or trying to sell my better stuff on consignment to fund replacement pieces? I can't afford a full wardrobe from Theory or another designer that actually makes small clothes for women who are not 5'4″ or shorter.
Great question! We've talked about the most common alterations, how to tailor a suit, and the perfect pants fit, but we haven't discussed tailoring in a while.
Update: Workwear Stores with XXS Work Clothes (XXS, 00, and More)
Hunting for very small women's work clothes for your slender build? Check out our list of 0P suiting sizes, but for regular sizes (as of 2024), take a look at Aritzia (3XS!), Club Monaco (00), Nanette Lepore, Nora Gardiner (00-16), Reiss (XXS), and Theory (00). Nordstrom also has a bunch of work clothes in XXS sizes; readers have had particular luck with Rebecca Taylor, but note that Cinq à Sept, Favorite Daughter, Nordstrom Signature, Rag & Bone, Veronica Beard, and Vince all come in 00 sizes.
(Psst: We love these petite hangers at Amazon!)
Where to Find Workwear and Suits for Teen Girls
If you're hunting for XXS work clothes, you might want to consider clothing for children. Options that might have suits are in bold… (The listed measurements are for the largest size noted by the brand… compare to Aritzia XXS/00 sizing with 30.5 bust, 22.5 waist, 32.5 hip)
- Grace Karin (Amazon) – reader favorite in regular sizes for vintage-style dresses (chest 32.5, waist 26)
- J.Crew Factory – sizes as large as 36 waist and 36 chest, max height 68″
- Lands' End – particularly their ponte dresses and skirts (62-63″ tall, 33.5 chest, 30 waist, 29.5 inseam)
- Milumia (Amazon) – reader favorite in regular sizes; some two-piece sets are suitlike (30.3 bust, 23.6 waist, 30.7 hip)
- Nordstrom – store branded basics; height 65, chest 34.5, waist 28, hip 37.
- Rocco Clothing (UK) (size 37 chest, max waist 33)
- Soly Hux (Amazon) – possibly some acceptable dresses — size 29 bust, 31 waist
- Un Deux Trois (at Neiman Marcus and Dillards) – Sophisticated girls' clothes up to size 20
- Wdirara (Amazon) – some acceptable options up to size 16 (bust size 29.9 inch)
You might also want to take a look at spots that sell school uniforms for basic shirts, skirts, and sometimes dresses — Amazon has a good selection from a lot of brands.
{related: wearing kids' clothes when you're petite}
Made-to-Measure Work Clothes
Hunting for the best made-to-measure work clothes? As of 2024, the best options we know of are Brooks Brothers, Sumissura, Etsy sellers Heart My Closet, VigilanteLabs, and CelesteLilou, as well as smaller brands like Loud Bodies, Sharpe Suiting, IGIGI, and Rita Phil (pencil skirts only), plus eShakti.
Some of our favorite stores that offer free alterations for members include Nordstrom, J.Crew, Banana Republic, and Uniqlo (select styles). If you're crafty, you may also want to check out our roundup of sewing patterns for workwear outfits.
General Tips on Where to Shop If You're Slim but Too Tall for Petites
A few things come to mind for our reader:
Stop buying things that don't fit. If you're truly swimming in the pieces you mentioned, then they're not doing you any favors.
Cull your wardrobe immediately. Figure out which things kind of fit you (or are supposed to be loose) — shift dresses, shirt dresses, sweaters, blousy tunics, etc. — and keep all those pieces. Pull out anything that you're “swimming” in and put it into piles: tailor, sell, donate.
Assess the tailor pile — with the help of a tailor. A seasoned tailor will be able to tell you what's an affordable alteration plan for a garment versus what is going to ruin its lines, or be prohibitively expensive. Don't feel obligated to get everything tailored in that first visit. Pick two or three pieces to start (your favorites, the ones that fill your wardrobe holes, the ones that are most affordable to tailor) and hold the rest — you want to make sure you like the tailor's work before you spend hundreds of dollars.
Look at the wardrobe you're left with. Where are there holes? If you're missing a blazer, sheath dress, pencil skirt, and trousers, you're looking at a new suit, and I would just suggest looking for one from a brand that's petite-friendly. Alterations Needed and Extra Petite are both great places to start for inspiration (although both bloggers are under 5'2″).
Call a personal shopper. A lot of stores offer these, but readers have raved about Nordstrom's personal shopping service that offers a huge range of clothes. Tell the shopper you're looking for budget-friendly pieces to buy as well as a few classic pieces to stalk. (If you don't have a store nearby, Nordstrom's online customer service is excellent — and the site offers free shipping and free returns.)
Educate yourself about which brands to stalk. I would guess that very high-end clothing is going to be better suited for a willowy frame, so make a trek to Bergdorf Goodman or Saks. A friend of mine who's very slender says she's had luck with Rebecca Taylor, Nanette Lepore, and (some) Theory, as well as blazers from Aritzia.
Finally: If you really find yourself in need of a last-minute blazer or dress or some such, consider stores designed for teenagers or even children. Watch the hemlines very carefully, as well as the general cuts.
I know readers have had mixed experiences, but I just had a good experience with thredUP — I sent in a bunch of old clothes of mine (and kids' clothing as well), some new with tags, and wound up with a $41 credit.
That isn't that impressive, admittedly, but you get a 40% off discount the first time you send something in, so I turned around and used the $41 credit and discount toward a black jersey David Meister dress and a Rag & Bone blazer, spending only an additional $44. So if you're ready to part with a lot of your wardrobe, send it in and do your research on which brands to use the credit/discount on.
Readers who are extra small but not petite, where do you like to shop for XXS work clothes? What clothing have you had success with tailoring to make them smaller?
Psst: hunting for shoes in narrow sizes? Here's our list of some of our favorites…
Hunting for work heels in narrow widths and small sizes? Some of our latest favorites include these brands:
- Extended widths (AA, C, W): Vionic (MW), Rockport (NMW), Ferragamo (2A, B, C), Trotters (M,W, WW), Sam Edelman (NMW), Bella Vita (AA-EE), LifeStride (AA-E), Naturalizer (N-WW),
- Extended sizes (4-13): Calvin Klein (4-13), Ferragamo (4-11),
Social media images (flower) via Stencil. Original image: 267/365 Tailoring, originally uploaded to Flickr by Mykl Roventine.
This post was originally written in July 2015 but has been updated as noted in the text.
Large and XL kids clothes are your friend. Especially Zara has very stylish kids clothes. You can do a large order online and just return in store what you don’t like. I find that Tahari structured dressed run smaller. H&M also runs small and they do offer some high quality things like silk shirts and cashmere. Given how you describe your body type you might want to look into shift dresses too
I think my general move would be to focus on quality over quantity for you, and save up to buy the expensive pieces that fit you well. If you have the right body for designer clothes, take advantage of it! You wardrobe might be smaller, but you’ll look fabulous.
I agree. I have the same body frame as the OP and when I’m on the light end the smallest sizes in stores like J Crew, AT, Loft, and Banana simply don’t fit. I use to get very angry that I couldn’t pick up a bunch of nice stuff for an inexpensive price at mass market places like other shoppers. And the best tailors end up charging more than the cost of the item ($75 to $150) for tailoring, but you might not like how the altered item fits once they are done (how they fit the curves on a shift dress or what they think is an appropriate sleeve length on a jacket might not be what you like) and now you’ve paid $250 for something you won’t wear. I’ve since decided that the best bet is patience, thorough shopping and saving to buy fewer quality items that fit well.
Express runs very, very small. XS at express is often like a girl’s 14 or even 12.
Yes, Express is small. I know a lot of people hate on Express for their club clothes, but they carry suits and pencil skirts and trousers, and their XS and 0 and 00 are actually very small. When I was several pounds lighter and the smallest sizes at BR, AT, J Crew and the like were too big, I could still get professional clothes at Express.
I also second the recommendation for kids clothes (boys and girls) for items like sweaters and t-shirts.
Express pants are all unlined.. I’ve never found a pair I’d actually wear to work.
The fit is tough. I’ve sacrficed fit/appearance in recent years. Used to pay for tailoring- certainly looks and feels way better and is more corporate- fitting. But since I had my child size has changed way, way too often to make it practical or affordable. I just have a few things that fit and wear them over and over. I have been lucky to find a few already-shortened pants at consignment shops.
Wow, between this and the commenter this morning, I had no idea that skinny, beautiful women had such a hard life. /s
Dude, just chill.
+1
srsly
No one likes to not have clothes that fit well. Ill fitting clothes do not look good on anyone.
Nah. I agreed this mornings was silly but tall thin women absolutely can have a hard time shopping, especially if they would rather not spend a lot of money.
And still suffering from near-daily panic attacks over issues unrelated to my appearance. Seriously, we all have problems. Get the F over yourself.
Everyone deserves clothes that fit. Get over yourself.
The problem with small sizes on tall girls is that the neck-to-waist measurement is often too short. Shop in tall sizes if you can. Separates will work better than dresses. A dress look can be achieved with a matching top and skirt which will give some waist leeway.
I like the personal shopper recommendation. They should know which brands look better on tall slim women.
I think is true for tall women with long torsos, but those of us that have a fairly average torso and long limbs, tall sizes often are cut weird and just won’t work.
Have you tried Brooks Brothers Outlet? I don’t shop there often so I may have just got a strange piece but I typically wear a 4 in Loft/Banana and needed an 8 in the pants I just bought at Brooks Brothers. I’m also tall and the regular pants were long enough. I’m guessing a 0 or 2 there is much smaller than at J Crew.
I could have written this post. I am 5’5- with very long limbs, and so, petites do not work. I am increasingly finding that size 0 or 00 at Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, and other similar stores are too big. I am curvy (big boobs and hips), and so, children’s clothing would not work. Teen clothes are not great either.
Brooks Brothers Outlet generally does not carry size 0. So, you need to shop at the regular Brooks Brothers, but I have had good luck with some tops and some pants. Plus, they have a tailor there to assist. I have also had good luck at Nordstroms. I recently bought some Madewell jeans in a size 25 that fit well and Tourve pants in size 0.
For cheaper brands, I have had decent luck at Zara and H&M.
I’m also 5’5″. I have to ask – how many times have you been in AT and when the sales person asks to help and you say the 0 is too big they say “have you tried petites.” I haven’t lost my patience yet, but I always wanted to say something snarky about being thin, not short. It’s like they don’t understand the definition of petite.
I love Ann Taylor. I’m about 5’8″ and a size XXS-XS or 00-0.
Elie Tahari’s very good for slim folks. BCBG is also good – esp. their wrap dresses, try them for a lovely and much cheaper alternative to DVF. I’ve had good luck with Maggy London’s dresses as well. As for pants ((giant shrug)) – no idea, v. difficult. If you do find something that fits buy in multiple colors and/or multiples (for if/when one wears out) if at all possible. Look forward to hearing what others say.
I’d have to stop buying any business appropriate clothes if I stopped buying things that don’t fit!! Kids clothes can be a good substitute for casual wear (for shorter folks), but not for business clothes. I still have to buy clothes that are too big and get things tailored. I can’t afford the pricier brands and, unfortunately, the smallest sizes in more reasonably priced brands are often still too big.
Things that are easy to have tailored IME, non-patterned pencil skirts, non-patterned sheath dresses, and most trousers, so long as they don’t have any weird pleating or anything like that. For me it’s almost always been worth getting things I already own altered versus buying new pieces. I brought in about 10 pieces the last time and it ended up around $180. There’s no way I could get 10 business pieces for $180 buying new clothing.
I have a similar problem. For reference, I’m 5’5″ (so not tall, but also not petite) and long-waisted. I weigh 105 pounds. I am a 30DD. My best tip is to shop European brands. They’re typically cut slimmer. Reiss is my current favorite. For skirts, I buy J.Crew petite 00, even though I’m not petite and they generally fit so I don’t need to tailor them (but I have short legs so the length on the skirt isn’t an issue). I’ve also had success with Theory; however, you will have to have everything hemmed unless you are very tall. I have a tough time with shirts, but I’ve had some success Ann Taylor and J. Crew. I try to buy shirts that fits in the shoulders and across the bust, then if I need to have the sleeves shortened and the sides taken in that is less of an issue. I do the same with jackets/blazers (Although I have also bought J. Crew jackets in petite 00 and had success. The sizing is not always consistent, though. I have never had issues with the shoulders, but sometimes the sleeves are a little short or the “waist” of the jacket is too high). With all that said, I have almost everything I own tailored, especially pants. In my experience its better to buy fewer, higher quality pieces that are worth the expense of tailoring. I hope that helps.
+1 on all of this advice.
+1 on this as well. I love Reiss — and it definitely cuts small. Similarly, Ted Baker is v. slim-fitting!
On a related note, does anyone have a suggestion for a good tailor in NYC? (If Reader K is in New York, this would definitely help her out)
The Tailoring Room on the LES is great.
Thank you! I’m not the original asker, but I’ve been trying to find a good tailor for a long time.
Sometimes the clothes at Gap Kids are just too flashy. So, I am forced to go to American Girl store and order clothes for large colonial dolls.
In all seriousness, I think brands like J Crew, BR, and AT are going to be hard because they’re so vanity-sized. I agree with the above about focusing on a few key pieces from designer brands that will run smaller and picking up accent pieces from the retailers like Express, H&M and F21 that are more junior-sized. Juniors and designer sizing tend to be more straight up and down whereas with the other mainstream brands you might be running into cuts that are more geared to women who are the opposite of you–a smaller size in the waist than hips.
On a related note, what are good criteria to use or questions to ask to figure out whether a tailor is good/seasoned when you don’t have a personal recommendation in your area?
I’d find a tailor and bring him/her an inexpensive pair of pants to have them altered to test them out.
I don’t have a good answer for this but I will bring them something I was thinking of donating and see how those alterations come out. You could even pick up a “wrong size for you” cheap sheath dress somewhere for this purpose. Regardless of whether they do a great job or a terrible job, it is money well spent to tell me what I want to know.
On the cheaper end, Zara is really great for thin and tall people. On the more expensive side, Theory definitely runs small (though not sure about tall) and Rachel Zoe’s line of clothes runs reallyyyy long. Also check out Modcloth – they carry a variety of brands that run the gamut in sizing, but the reviews should help steer you towards clothes that work for your body type.
So when you bring something in to be tailored- is the expectation that the tailor will know how to “make it fit better,” or am I expected to know what needs to be done where? If I ask for the waist to be taken in, for example, will the tailor just do it, or will she say “hang on- that will make it hike up as you sit, so that’s not a great idea.”
Thanks- a tailoring newbie
Yes. Any decent tailor will have you try on the garment and mark/pin it while you have it on. You point out the fit issues, the tailor figures out how to alter the garment or will tell you if it won’t work.
Both, IME. I tell the tailor what I want generally (taken in at the waist, hemmed, cuffs let out, etc.) and then she/he will have you put the clothes on and will either safety pin the clothes as appropriate or mark them. This is the time where you should speak up if you think the tailor is going to take too much in at the waist or make the pants too short (be sure to bring the right shoes with you also). For instance, my tailor wants to make things fit exactly to the curve of my waist, this means I have a hard time getting things over my hips, so I know that I have to tell her that it’s too tight or to not take as much in. DON’T feel bashful in this step, it’s where you need to speak up if you don’t like how the tailor has pinned something! Hope that helps.
+1 to speaking up. Where I live, it doesn’t seem like tailors see a lot of women bringing in suit dresses for alterations, so they try to pin all of my dresses as if it were brunch/ladies-who-lunch/evening-wear and as if I will never gain a single pound ever–way too tight and bodycon. I have to tell them that I need it looser or I’d never fit in my work clothes after eating a cookie.
+1
Getting things altered is a learning curve. My body/tummy fluctuates like crazy and even though I am slender I can easily have a pair of pants that fits me perfectly one day, and later that week seems too tight. It stinks. It also means I am still learning how to tell tailors to alter items for me. My experience matches Angela’s….. The first couple times I had dresses/pants altered carefully, I was shocked at how they looked. First, because I never had clothing that fit me appropriately. Ever. But second…. I was not comfortable wearing things that form fitting for work. Looser… looser… please….
You say what you don’t like about the fit, then the tailor figures out how to fix it. E.g., you say “The waist on this dress hits me at the ribs and the hips of the dress are at my waist.” The tailor decides whether it is better to take in the side seams or add darts, then pins the garment accordingly for your approval.
In terms of how much too-big garments can realistically be altered to fit, I’ve had good luck having dresses and suits taken in at the waist and below, but not at the bust or shoulders. I have had skirts taken down an entire size or more, but that’s harder to do with a jacket.
And yes, a good tailor will tell you what will and won’t work.
Also, if you plan to wash your clothes (i.e not dry clean only), then wash them before getting them tailored. I have been burnt by clothes shrinking after getting them tailored and not fitting anymore like I wanted them to fit.
+1 Even if they are dry clean only, still do it before altering.
Yes, you’ll need to advise the tailor on what needs to be done and be an active participant. This is where the skill of the tailor is important and whether they have much experience with women’s work wear. Also, there may be a language barrier with some tailors so that may be an additional hurdle.
Some locations of Nordstroms will tailor garments that they didn’t sell and I’ve always had fabulous results with their tailors. It’s worth a call if there’s one near you.
Nordstrom is actually where I go where they pin everything too tight. I think it’s a regional issue in that they are more used to women here actually wanting really tight dresses, even for work (it’s an MRS degree/pre-SAHW job kind of city). I continue to go there because they do quality work once we agree on the pinning, but you definitely have to advocate for the fit you want there just as you would anywhere else.
Also, FWIW, my location doubles the price for any non-Nordstrom item. It’s up to each person whether that is worth it.
Agree with this.
My last pair of Theory pants was altered at Nordstrom’s and they are no longer work appropriate. A very expensive lesson…
I have a great tailor. I just put on the item and say “can you make this work?” and she pins and does her magic and every time I have been delighted.
Don’t forget that dressmakers exist. Ask at the local drycleaner or bridal salon. It may be easier to start from scratch with a garment than to do extensive alterations. As an example of what is available, Mood Fabric has an online presence and sells Theory branded suit material.
May not be appropriate for your office, but eShakti allows for some pretty significant alterations in clothes if you pay the $7.50 for customization.
I just made my first order from eShakti, and while it was okay, I was not overly impressed with the quality of the fabric or the overall fit. Even though it was made to fit me. ymmv.
Finally, a post on sizing I can relate to. I am 5 ft 6 in and wear a zero, sometimes double zero depending on the designer (side eye to J crew for this vanity sizing). I am a hospital administrator and wear suits and dresses all the time. I look like a teenager but I can’t afford to dress like one. Luckily, I found Antonio Melani clothes at Dillard’s a few years ago and it has been my saving grace! Their size zero is a true zero and fits me perfectly with no alterations. Their blazers are fitted as well (wearing a new one now as I type this). And my favorite work pieces from Antonio Melani – the shift dresses!! I have so many. Most of my work attire now is Antonio Melani. They are very chic (think Michelle Obama, Claire Underwood, and Olivia Pope style) and great fit. Note – since I am a cheapskate – I stalk their clothes until Dillards has a sale or they go on clearance so I never pay the retail price ever. I also get fitted blazers from Zara and H&M. Limited has great clothes but I still have to get their size zero dresses taken in. I used to wear Express in college and grad school but Express is a little to0 form fitting for post-grad.
It seems to me that almost all women, regardless of their height, size, or shape, have problems finding clothes that fit properly. My question is, where is this generic woman that off the rack clothes are supposed to fit? Does she even exist?
I’m 5’10”, but am 34 x 24 x 36, with a 35″ inseam. I have found higher end brands give me the length I need more than other brands, so I go for quality pieces over quantity. I have found that tall sizes are often cut weird and just don’t work. I stalk Saks/Neiman clearance. And if needed, I’ll get things altered, usually to bring in the waist. I like the smallest sizes St. John, Escada, and even Kate Spade a lot.
I have also given up on pants, and just wear skirts and dresses. I can’t really find pants to fit, would need to get them made, and don’t really care for pants/jeans anyways. Luckily I live in a warm climate, so at worst I just through on tights under my skirt/dress.
Sleeve length can be an issue, but I tend to go with sleeveless, short-sleeve and 3/4 length to avoid this. When I need long sleeves (i.e., a suit jacket or blazer), a tailor can often lengthen the sleeves with fabric under the hem/lining and move the buttons down.
I forgot to add that Armani suiting fits me off the rack. I have gotten complete suits on clearance/at outlets for <500.
Anonymous Associate – We must be long lost sisters/twins! I am the same size, but 33″ inseam for flats, 35″ for heels. XS in tops, 25/0 in pants. I have a heck of a time finding clothes but designers tend to fit better than anything off-the-rack. I’ve been buying everything from thredup.com lately. I live in Maine so it’s difficult to find any designer brands around my area. Thredup has been a godsend and the only reason I can afford clothes that fit.
I work in a very casual office of engineers; I am one of 3 females and the only admin. So regardless of what anyone else wears, I always try to look professionally casual – think jeans (dark & medium, boot, flare, straight), blouses (sleeveless, short, 3/4) or sweaters, and heels, always heels.
For jeans, I have had success with Joe’s Jeans, Level 99, J Brand, and Mother. Any off-the-rack jeans in “long”, tend to be much too short. I’ve gotten lucky with Ann Taylor, LOFT, Banana Republic, and sometimes Target blouses in XS. Considering I’m tall, it annoys me that “Tall” sizes like Gap and Banana don’t actually come in sizes smaller than 4.
When Victoria’s Secret had suits, the dress pants fit AMAZING. I was so bummed that they stopped selling all the clothes; hopefully the 2 pairs and one suit I have lasts forever.
I don’t know a single person remotely close to me in height/size, so this is exciting! Only difference is I am 35″ for flats and 37″-38″ for heels, which is why I just gave up. Tall sizes just don’t work for me because they make the torso long too, and I have the same torso size as people a half a foot shorter than me.
I am going to try some of your suggestions for cheaper options, especially for weekend clothes.
Me neither! I love it! I meant to mention that if you want some jeans in the super inexpensive realm, I just this weekend ordered 0 X-Long bootcut ones from Maurices.Com. I found then on clearance for $6.99 and I figured, wth, can’t be any worse than any others. The X-Long is supposed to have a 37 inch inseam! They looked like a decent dark rinse boot cut also.
In addition, Lucky has a 37 inch inseam online as well. I ordered a pair of 2 X-Long before but theyes were too big (I only paid $16 with shipping so I didn’t bother to send back). Not all their jeans come that long but you should check it out! I’m always on the hunt for super long, on sale jeans. The only lucky thing for us is that in the OTR clothes, the 0 and longs/x-longs are usually on clearance :)
I think that in general vanity sizing is less of a problem as far as European brands are concerned, so I’d try there. Still, I make use of tailor a lot (including making clothes from the scratch in the developing country when on holidays).
Thanks for sharing these helpful options! Definitely a great post.