Where do you shop?

[Crankin]

I forgot Athleta; they are selling more "regular" casual clothes and they have lots of petite sizes. I really like their stuff.
I still buy most of my regular clothes, as opposed to cycling stuff in stores, although anything I get from J Crew is on line, since they quit selling petites in store quite awhile ago.
The size thing... well we've had this discussion before. I have a 26 inch waist, too and I am a size 0 or 2, like Shootingstar, even though, I know she weighs less than me! The Loft is getting crazy with size creep and I have to get an xxsmall petite in their tops. Yea, I am flat chested and short, but I have very broad shoulders for someone my size.
When I got married and weighed about the same as I do now, I wore a size 6. After I had my first kid, I started exercising seriously and they started making petite clothes around this time, I could still wear junior sizes... usually a 5 or 7, sometimes a 3. Then, I lost more weight (too much). I wore a 2 or 4 petite, but I had a lot of trouble finding stores that carried those sizes, so I still ended up buying junior sizes. That was fine into my early thirties, but eventually, I had to start dressing like a grown up. I did wear suits to work at that point and remember shopping at Petite Sophisticates. Now those clothes seem cheaply made to me. Anyway, I bet if I tried on those size 2s and 4s from the 80's, they would be tight on me because of the way sizing has changed.
Truthfully, I struggle with making sure I am not dressing too "young." I don't feel old and I am thin enough to wear some of the styles that are not OK for an old lady. So, I stick to classic styles that are a bit updated.
My close friend from college just had her first grandchild, so this old/young thing is on my mind. She is a year younger than me and her kids are the same age as my kids. I saw her picture on Facebook and she looks, well, like a dumpy, middle aged person. This was someone who was model-gorgeous and fit. Part of it was the way she was dressed; she looked like her mother did when we were in school! I know this is really shallow, but it made me feel old to see her looking so old.

[sfa]

I like Eddie Bauer for business casual--nice machine washable dress pants that look professional, fit nicely and are comfortable. I've started to shop more from Boden and J. Jill but can't afford everything I'd like to get! I used to shop at Coldwater Creek for work clothes, but I haven't liked their style in the last few years. I still shop with them for dressier things. Size creep is a problem, though--back when I was in college and 120 pounds I easily wore a size 10, as I had since I hit puberty. Now I'm 20 years older and 20 pounds heavier and I STILL wear a size 10. Something is very wrong there.

Sarah

[Eden]

indeed size creep is crazy these days. Ann Taylor (which I like and often fits me) is down to a 00 for the smallest sizes... what's next? I'm only 5 feet tall and relatively thin as well, so I'm almost always on the lowest edge of fitting into anything, even petites (I'm already relegated to kids jeans, not even Gap fits me anymore and hardly anyone else goes even close to small enough). If sizes creep much more I won't be able to find anything that fits. The funny thing is that Ann Taylor goes out of their way to talk about how if a size fits you in the spring line, the same one will fit in the fall line... ummm yeah right, that's why stuff I have from a few years ago, the smallest size was a 2?

[Crankin]

Petite pants, especially jeans, now generally have 30" inseams . I am a 28.5. That's why I like Athleta; their pants have 28.5 or 29 inch inseams.
I am about to give up on jeans. I am wearing a pair that is 5 years old and worn out. My new ones can only be worn with heels. It seems crazy to hem jeans (I cannot sew and have to pay for this), but I might have to. I don't think I could fit into kid's jeans, though I have thought about it. My mom used to buy shoes in the kid's department, since she wore a size 4.

[Veronica]

It use to be that regular pants had a 30 inch inseam. Those fit me great.

I've tried a few petites but the rise isn't long enough for me. I'm just under 5'5", so I'm not really a petite. Again I think it's clothing manufacturers wanting the public to be happy with their size. They don't seem to realize that average height of women in the US is 63.8 inches. I think they are making their clothes to suit their models' average height.

Veronica

[Kano]

Veronica --

I'm a bit heavier than you, but I think from photos, we have a similar body type, so I'm going to suggest Cristopher & Banks if you have one handy. Prices are reasonable, and jeans are decent. I've always had the problem of the gapping waistband, but not with their pants.

Some of the tops are annoyingly cutesy for anyone who's not into "theme" garments (y'know, holiday shirts/sweaters, for example), and I've found that on the "jeans style" non-jeans, I've got some pair that have been off-grain, so not come through laundering real well, so I'm wary of those, but like I say, prices. Often you can buy a pair of pants for around $25 there. -- and you're a teacher. Special sales for teachers occasionally AND you're not paid near enough for the work you do. Every price bargain is worth looking into!

(besides, then you can spend the real money on bike stuff)

Karen in Boise

[GLC1968]

Petite pants, especially jeans, now generally have 30" inseams . I am a 28.5. That's why I like Athleta; their pants have 28.5 or 29 inch inseams.
I am about to give up on jeans. I am wearing a pair that is 5 years old and worn out. My new ones can only be worn with heels. It seems crazy to hem jeans (I cannot sew and have to pay for this), but I might have to. I don't think I could fit into kid's jeans, though I have thought about it. My mom used to buy shoes in the kid's department, since she wore a size 4.

I have this problem too (with length). I'm 5'4" but have a 28.5 inseam. Dress pants are no biggie because I can always hem them, but jeans are a pain. And forget buying jackets or dresses - I need petite in length, but misses in the body or the waist hits me at my armpits. Ugh!

I buy kids shoes all the time (particularly Keens which are much cheaper in the kids and yet are pretty much the same styles!).

[Kelly728]

I'm a big AT Loft and Target fan too, over half of my wardrobe is from both of those stores. RE: the sizing issue...I'm a bit bigger but I still think the whole "vanity sizing" thing is obnoxious. I have everything from a 6 to a 10 in my closet depending on where I purchased it. 29" waist and 40" inch hips should not EVER fit in a 6!

[sundial]

I'm 5'6" with a curvy, athletic build and Eddie Bauer fits me well. They also have a choice of cuts that fit higher or lower on the waist. I also like J Jill. Do you have one of those stores near you?