While out shopping recently, I encountered several salespeople who tried to convince me that petite sizes and extra small sizes are one and the same.  Here is how the conversations typically went:

Me:  Do you carry petite sizes?                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Salesperson:  No, but we carry Extra Small.

Woe is me.  The controversy and confusion over petite sizing  rages on.  I am more convinced than ever that there exists a huge need for a massive education campaign.   Many designers, manufacturers, and retailers use the terms petite and extra small interchangeably.  For example, a clothing designer who doesn’t even cut their line in petite sizes could label the smallest size they offer as size Petite even though the garment is not remotely  proportioned for a short body frame. 

Yes, some petite women are extra small.  But the reality is that only 8% of all petite customers weigh 100 pounds or less and would be considered tiny.  The rest of us have the same bust and hip measurements as a regular sized customer, but regular sizes don’t fit us because we are short.  Petite sizing is based on height, not weight.  Petite actually refers to an all-over proportioning on the body from head-to-toe, not left-to-right.   

One of my favorite blogs www.about.com/fashion ran a survey recently asking petite women if clothing designers and manufacturers should continue calling clothing for short women petite and drop use of the term petite when it means extra small.   An overwhelming 64% of their readers responded that they should adopt this practice.  What do you think?  Should the clothing industry standardize sizing terminology and quit confusing customers?