We've had this discussion before...
Apart from the very rude treatment by the sales person, which is another story, I have also been confronted with the fact that petite departments are shrinking or disappearing altogether.A good deal of the female population is under 5' 4" and petite sizes generally go up to 14. I want to scream, what about short people, let alone thin, short people?
My case in point: J Crew stopped selling petite sizes in their stores. They no longer make petite sized sweaters, very few shirts and dresses. Mostly suits.
Banana Republic has special petite concept stores, of which the closest one is 25 miles from my house. There's another BR, not really much closer, that has a teeny petite department. The BR store closest to me has none. And I live in a major metropolitan area.
The Gap only sells petites on line, and I didn't even know this until 2 weeks ago.
Many petite manufacturers start their clothes at size 4 or 6... which would be OK, if those size 4s and 6s were *really* 4s and 6s. I generally wore those sizes since I graduated from HS. until about ten years ago. Now I am a size 2, but in many stores I am a 0 (incredible) and I have to buy a petite extra extra small in a top. I can only buy t shirts at Banana Republic.
I buy most of my clothes at Ann Taylor Loft, because it is 4 miles from my house and they fit me. Still, I get sick of shopping there.
Buying a pair of jeans has become a major production. I love the slim, skinny ones, but cycling thighs prohibit that, even if I go up in size. Besides, even jeans that fit me are about 1-2 inches too long, despite the fact they are petites.
Is the world really getting taller, too?
And what's with clothing companies thinking that all older women want to look like either old ladies or trashy young girls?