Tiny Bras: The Elusive Size 30 Bra Band

The bummer about bra shopping is you NEED to try them on. So if you're a difficult size that isn't carried by a lot of stores or brands, discovering the proper size and fit becomes much harder. I've been wearing size 32 bands for quite a while, even though I've always suspected I am a size 30. But the size 30 band bras are so hard to find, I could never find one to try on.

I am in the market for some new underpinnings, so I did some online searching and figured I'd give nordstrom.com a try, since they usually carry a wide array of sizes, and there was a chance I could actually try them on in store. Sure enough, there were some size 30 bands, and a quick check on the "pick up in store" feature showed they were available in my local Nordstrom store. Off I went to Nordies...

I tried these Calvin Klein bras in size 30 band (these go down to a size 30C), and went home with them in 3 colors! Yay!

Calvin Klein "Seductive Comfort" Customized Lift Bra, $44, nordstrom.com

So, now that I know I should be wearing size 30 band bras...I began looking for "cute" bra styles (not those training bra looking ones...yuck!) online to see what else was out there. I found some great online stores that carry what appear to be cute tiny band bras.

Nordstrom.com
Carries bras as small as size 30AA. Not that big of a selection, but if you live near a Nordstrom store, there is a good chance you can find them in store to try on. That's a big plus! Nordstrom will also ship to your home for free if you inquire about a size in store. Standard shipping in the US is $8. They also ship to Canada. Free in store returns, or $6 by mail with pre-paid shipping label.

By far the largest online selection I've found so far. Carries as small as a size 28AA with lots of cute options for every size. Standard shipping is $4.95 in the US. They ship internationally through their UK website. 20 day return policy, no returns on sale items.

Carries bras as small as size 28DD, and many different popular brands. Lots of cute styles for smaller sizes. Standard shipping in the US is $5, and for a limited time, they have free standard shipping on orders of $100 or more. They also ship to Canada.

Lauren Silva:
Carries bras as small as size 30AA. A few different brands I've never seen or heard of before. Standard shipping to US, Canada and Mexico is $4.99. They ship internationally. 15 day return policy.

The Little Bra Company:
Carries petite bras as small as a size 28A (new styles only), with most starting at size 32A. The website claims the bras are designed for a petite frame, so if you usually wear a size 30 band bra, you should fit their size 32 band bras. Very cute styles. Free shipping on orders of $100 or more. $5 standard shipping on orders under $100 in the US. They ship to Canada. 30 day return policy, no returns on clearance items.

Lula Lu:
Specializing in small cup sizes, this site carries a few 30 band bras, down to a size 30AA, but mostly non-padded ones. Standard shipping to the US is $6.75. They ship internationally. 21 day return policy, no returns on sale items.

HerRoom:
Carries bras as small as size 28B, but most small sizes are icky sports bra looking things. Not very enticing. Free standard shipping on orders over $70, under $70 is $5 in the US. They ship internationally. 30 day return policy, 15 days for bridal.

Itsy Bitsy Bra Bar:
Carries bras as small as size 28A. Small selection so far, but some good, cute options. They ship internationally, and shipping is calculated at checkout by UPS rates. 7 day return policy. The owner works a lot with Petitefashionista, so check her site for specials and discounts.

Any other good small bra band resources out there?

In Memoriam: Banana Republic Petite Size 000

I reported a while back on size petite 000 showing up on the Banana Republic Fit Guide on bananarepublic.com, as did Cynthia over at Shorty Stories, but never saw any size 000 materialize on the website (I was checking religiously). I had my fingers crossed because Banana Republic has great work separates and suiting, and the idea of tiny dress pants had me VERY excited.

For the record, Banana Republic size 00 petite is still a bit big on me, especially in any other fit besides the Ryan (which is mysteriously not being offered very often any more...hhmmm...Banana, are you listening?)

Well, I called Banana Republic customer service to find out what was going on. Brace yourselves for bad news ladies...the 000 has been discontinued. I didn't even know it was ever available!

Apparently it was offered in very small numbers and sent to a couple of stores. Banana Republic decided the size was not the direction it wanted to take, and had the stores send back their 000 merchandise to have the material used for other products.

I am so sad right now.

I left feedback with the great customer service representative to bring back the petite 000! If you'd like to see this size, I suggest you do the same. Strength in numbers ladies!

BR Customer Service: 1-888-277-8953

Size 5 Shoe Phaseout?

An article in the Huffington Post by Suzette Shandring (a fellow size 5 footed woman! Whoo hoo!) put me in a slight panic today. You've gotta read this!

Size Five Shoe Phaseout
Suzette Shandring
The Huffington Post
March 25, 2009

Spring is my favorite hunting season: mules, slingbacks and peep-toes, but I roam the store aisles to no avail. Size five shoes are increasingly elusive prey. I'm told more shoe manufacturers are starting their lines at size 6 and have dropped size 5 completely. For people like me, it's a dark night of the sole.

It's challenging to keep my jealousy in check at the other huntresses who easily choose among a slew of size 7 sandals. Or those who can take their pick of dress pumps in size 8. Me? I'm reduced to scanning boxes, any boxes, for the magical number - 5, 5, 5 - ooh! Here's one! But it's a patent leather dominatrix number with a five-inch heel. Keep looking - 5, 5, 5 - ooh, something in a boot! An Eskimo mukluk in cheap black vinyl is not my style. What exactly is the profile of a size 5 shoe wearer? According to what I find, it's either sky-high stilettos or ballerina slippers.

..........

Employees of three different stores all gave me basically the same answers.

"Size five isn't that common and shoe companies lose money, so they focus on more popular sizes, starting with six. Some are even beginning their lines at size 6-1/2 now."

"Women's feet are getting larger. Size 8 is the average. Manufacturers have moved away from size 5 and are making more in sizes 11 and 12."

Ouch. Just throw me barefoot into the La Brea tar pits.

The sympathetic clerk suggests I shop in the children's section. I'm 54 years old and my arched eyebrow tells her I've already tried that. But for good measure, I add, "I don't like shoes with little butterflies on the side. I don't want to wear sneakers that light up."

..........

Read the entire article here

This is troubling...if anyone needs me, I'll be on my closet floor clutching onto my size 5 Christian Louboutins and Cole Haans for dear life.

Dresses That Run Small: BCBG Max Azria Petites

How strange that some petite lines by designers are only available at certain department stores...and usually only at Nordstrom. For instance, did you know Burberry makes petite coats? But you won't find them on the Burberry website or boutiques...where you will find them is on nordstrom.com or in Nordstrom stores...weird huh?

Well, the same goes for the BCBG Max Azria petite dresses that I tried on recently in my local Nordstrom store. The labels actually say "petite", so these have even smaller proportions than the regular BCBG sizes. You won't find the petite sizes in BCBG boutiques, and I have never seen separates in petites, so it looks like dresses are my only option for now.

Lots of people tell me BCBG runs small, and stress the fact they have a tiny size XXS. Well, they aren't quite that small because I have never found a size XXS at BCBG that has fit me well enough to justify purchasing it. However, the BCBG petite dresses at Nordstrom are pretty tiny, and I plan to keep my eye on new styles for one that strikes my fancy!

Here are some BCBG Max Azria petite dresses in size XS I found at Nordstrom, and are available on nordstrom.com:

BCBG Max Azria Floral Matte Jersey Wrap Dress Petite size XS, $158, nordstrom.com
This wrap dress has by far the best fit.

BCBG Max Azria Floral Matte Jersey Dress Petite size XS, $160, nordstrom.com
Still a bit big in the torso, and neckline is a bit low.

BCBG Max Azria Print Matte Jersey Shirtdress Petite size XS, $158, nordstrom.com

BCBG Max Azria Empire Waist Print Jersey Dress, $148, nordstrom.com

While not perfect, there are some pretty good options for tiny petite gals with BCBG petites in size XS. There are a few other options online that I did not post here, so check them out! It would be nice if they started making separates in petite sizes! Maybe some day...

Wrap Dress: Rag and Bone

My interest in the brand Rag & Bone was piqued when I found a very slim fitting pencil skirt, so I began checking them out to see what else they had to offer the tiny petite gals of the world. Perusing the Rag & Bone racks at Saks Fifth Avenue, I found another great little number.

One of my favorite things to find are wrap dresses. Extra points if they are made in a beautiful fabric. Rag & Bone did both for me with this little gem...

Rag & Bone Iridescent Sheer Wrap Dress in Carbon, $380, shopbop.com

And here she is in size 0, right off the rack. Check out the fit without any alterations!

Rag & Bone wrap dress in size 0, Christian Louboutin shoes

This dress is a really thin silk with a fun mesh bottom detail and side pockets! I love pockets in dresses and skirts! It has twisted spaghetti straps that should be easy to alter.

As you can see from the picture, the dress is a little baggy on top, but when I pull up on the straps, everything falls into place. This dress is made for a taller girl with a longer torso than I have, so by shortening the straps, the waist, bust, armholes and hemline all move higher, which smooths out the extra fabric you see danging in the photo.

A beautiful dress with an easy alteration! Fabulous!

This dress is available online at shopbop.com and neimanmarcus.com. If you opt to pick this beauty up, take note that the fabric is thin, and the dress is unlined, so you'll need at least a skirt slip for modesty. Off to the tailor I go!

Knee-High Boots for Narrow Calves: Duo Boots

www.duoboots.com

The search for high boots that fit thin calves is a tough one. I've tried the "stretchy" boot, like the ones offered by Stuart Weitzman, and I just don't like the look of them. I think they look cheap...despite the high price tags. What I really wanted was a nice solid leather knee-high boot, with a nice heel, for that equestrian look, but with calves measuring about 11 inches around...my search has been ongoing for years.

I had heard of Duo Boots before, the store in the United Kingdom that specializes in calf fit boots, but I was too scared to actually purchase a pair. They have a range of calf sizes, from wide to narrow, but I was worried about the measurements. The smallest calf circumference available at Duo is 30cm, which comes in at just under 12 inches...would this still be too big for my scrawny legs? I was also terrified of the shipping charges to the U.S. from the U.K. What if I didn't like them and wanted to send them back? Returning them would cost me about $60 in shipping charges (too and from the U.K.)! Paying $60 just to try something on? Yikes!

So, Duo was having a sale, and I fell for it. I found these boots in size 35 with a 30cm calf, a nice sturdy 3 inch heel, side zipper, and a relatively shorter shaft height of about 14 inches (remember...petite legs need a shorter "tall" boot shaft). So, after pacing around the house, busting out my measuring tape a few times, and weighing the costs, I gave in to temptation and decided to give them a try...shipping charges be damned!

Duo Boots "Latina", duoboots.com

They arrived, and here they are...tah dah!

Duo "Latina" boots, Banana Republic camisole, Abercrombie & Fitch sweater, Junior's Dept. jeans (yuck!)

I know, I know...poor choice of jean, right? Well, I'm on the hunt for the perfect pair of skinny jeans to wear with my new boots, and my last attempt wasn't quite right. But let's focus on the boots here.

The 30cm width is PERFECT! I can wear them with or without jeans, and my little calves don't look like a pair of toothpicks rattling around in them. They actually FIT, as in they hug my calves! I am very impressed! The leather quality looks good so far, but I won't really know until I rough them up a bit. The sole is a textured rubber, so you won't slip and slide on slick floors, and the inside of the boot is lined with a soft fuzzy fabric (which happens to be bright pink, if that sways anyone). The boots I bought have a full side zipper, which makes stuffing jeans into them much easier.

As for the shipping experience, it was great! My boots were shipped the day after I made the order, and I received them in a little over a week! Not bad for coming all way from the U.K. I've had items shipped in state take longer than that! The items are sent by Royal Post, and need to be signed for by the recipient. I wasn't home when my package came and picked them up at the post office the next day. I had to show my ID, sign for it, and hand write my address before they let me run off with my package, so be prepared.

Now that I know the 30cm width is narrow enough, I won't be so afraid to cough up the shipping charges the next time I see something I like on their website. Duo makes down to a size 35, and 30cm calf width, so if that sounds like you, take a look!

Shoe Sales and Promotions

Nordstrom has a free shipping code for any shoe purchase right now...did I mention they have a great selection of shoes smaller than size 5? This is a great time to pick up some shoes without having to pay those pesky shipping charges.

Nordstrom Shoes is Size 4 and Below
Nordstrom Shoe in Size 4.5
Nordstrom Shoes in Size 5

Enter code: SHOES
Ends April 13th, 2009

Cole Haan is giving an extra 30% off sale shoes, and free shipping! Cole Haan has a great selection of shoes in size 5...although not any size 4.5 or 4 this time around.

Cole Haan Sale Shoes in Size 5

Enter Code: SPSALE09
Ends March 16th, 2009 **Extended through April 13th, 2009**

I bought these babies a while back and LOVE them...there are a bunch of size 5's still left! Pick them up while you can!

Cole Haan Carma Air Almond Toe Pump in Gray Suede, $139.97 after discount, colehaan.com

Store that Only Carries Shoes in Small Sizes: Giordano's

Oh, you New York girls have it good! Tiny shoe size? No problem...just skip on down to Giordano's to peruse the collection of shoes in size 5.5 down to size 4! What a fantastic idea!

The best part is this store stocks shoes from high end designers like Pucci and Christian Lacroix, middle range designers like Marc by Marc Jacobs and Stuart Weizman, and their own store brand which is priced in the $100-$200 range. Fabulous!

Check out the Catalog: Pucci, Lacroix, and Pliner! Yay! petiteshoes.com

Being a small shoe size is so frustrating because stores never carry them, or if they do, they only have one or two pairs in stock that inevitably sell out the second they hit the sales floor. Or we get stuck with the display shoe (because small shoes are "cuter" so the smallest size in stock is usually on display) which has been manhandled by every shoe frenzied woman (or man if you're into that kind of thing) in the store. And that's if you're lucky enough to be a size 5! If you're a size 4.5 or below, you'd better hope designers even MAKE shoes that small...geez.

That is what makes shopping at a store that sells only small sizes so amazing...being able to walk into a store and know they have your size is a great feeling. Giordano's takes online and phone orders, and they ship anywhere in the US, Europe, South America, and Asia (What? No Canada?) so if you're not in NY but need a tiny shoe fix, then drop them a line. The store will definitely be on my list of places to visit when I finally make it to NY!

Giordano's
1150 Second Ave.
New York, NY 10021
212-688-7195
Giordanoshoes@aol.com

Jeans that Run Small: J Brand 10" Skinny

jbrandjeans.com

I've heard the J Brand 10" skinny jean ran really small, so I had to search it out and test it for myself. Skinny jeans are supposed to fit nice and snug all the way down the thigh and leg, but on someone really petite, finding this snug fit is really hard to come by. My usual problem is the jeans are still too baggy in the thigh and leg...go figure...too skinny for skinny jeans...who knew? All my attempts at finding truly skinny skinny jeans have yielded no real success...until now.

J Brand 10" Low Rise Skinny, DVF top, Cole Haan Shoes

These are the J Brand 10" skinny jean in size 24! The 10" refers to the leg opening at the bottom, so the taper on this jean is the skinniest of the J Brand fits, and the low rise is great for petites. The only alteration these would really need is to get the waist taken in a bit! I'm still amazed I found jeans that actually hug my little legs!

Unfortunately, I had to pass on purchasing these jeans because I did not like the back pockets. I felt the back pockets were a bit too big for my small frame, but I was really happy with the fit overall. If you like jeans with a bigger back pocket, or simply don't mind them, then you have to try these out! Also, make sure to try the 10" skinny jean, because I also tried on the 12" pencil jean, which was not as fitted or flattering.

My New Project...

Searching for interesting fashion and fashion industry related news articles and blog posts has become my pastime in recent years. Usually the recipient of my "fun fashion news" is my boyfriend who is under contractual obligation to agree that, "yes, it's very interesting that Karl Lagerfeld sent gun shoes down the Chanel runway"...poor guy.

Well, a very tech savvy friend has set me up with my own outlet for bringing interesting fashion related news to the masses (ok, maybe not the masses, but I like to think that someone might find it fun to check out). So if you're tired of doing the usual rounds from site to blog to site and back for your fashion news, then check out my fashion content compilation pet project... Style Current!

www.stylecurrent.com

And if you like the concept of this site, then check out the original site set up by a very creative and tech savvy friend at The Photo Stream!

www.thephotostream.com