NOTE: In order to provide readers of my Blog with the most clothing options to choose from, I try out more styles than I’m personally able to buy and keep. I do my best to note which items I have personally bought. Please be aware that items with a “Buy” rating may not be ones I personally own. The “Buy” rating indicates that the clothing item passes my standards for garment fit. Additionally, there are “affiliate links” (i.e. a link with a special tracking code) in this blog post. If you purchase something via “affiliate links” on my blog, I may earn commission.

While sweater shopping is usually challenging for me given my height and body type, I think I finally starting to get the hang of it! Over time I’ve gotten better at identifying which silhouettes will work best for my pear shape and reading the size charts of non-petite brands to determine if a sweater will fit me. However, that doesn’t mean I never guess wrong when ordering styles online. 

In today’s post, I wanted to share a few tips that help me determine if a sweater from the Regular/Missy will fit me before I even order it. Same tips apply if you are shopping in the Plus section as well! The two key measurements I pay attention to are the (1) body length of the sweater and (2) sleeve length of the sweater. Please note that throughout this post I’ll also refer to the body length as the “high point of shoulder to hem measurement”. The body length basically measures how long the front of the sweater is. Generally, I find that a sweater with a body length between 22’’ and 25’’ tends to work best. Sleeve length is fairly self explanatory measurement. However, the way this measurement is taken on a garment laid flat can differ from how you take the measurement on yourself. Sweaters with a sleeve length between 28’’ and 29’’ fit me well.

The last piece of advice I want to give that may come as a surprise — just because a sweater is from the petite section doesn’t mean it will be the perfect fit. In writing this post and others, I came across a few petite styles with sleeves that were too long for me. In summary, don’t feel limited to just shopping in the petite section. Hope these reviews will provide lessons that you can apply to your own shopping trips!

MY MEASUREMENTS

Bust = 34.5’’

Waist = 28’’

Stomach = 31’’

Hip = 40’’

Thigh = 22’’

Calf = 12.25’’

Inseam = 27’’

Bicep = 9.5’’

Miss Selfridge Petite Balloon Sleeve Sweater – Size 6 Petite

What I loved…

• Silhouette – I’m all about some balloon sleeves! They add a little glamour to sweaters in my opinion. 

• Cozy – This sweater is super soft and comfortable! 

What could have been better…

• Slightly baggy – There were some areas of the sweater that looked baggy around the waist and bust, however I don’t think going down a size would help. I might try wearing it tucked in to minimize this. 

Garment measurements:

High point of shoulder to hem = 20.625’’

Bust = 36’’

Waist = 33.5’’

Bottom hem = 28.5’’

Sleeve length = 28.625’’

Center back = 18.5’’

Verdict: Buy! 

Everlane Texture Cotton Cardigan – Size Small

What I loved…

• Quality –  This sweater is a very nice weight and is well made. It reminds me of their texture V-neck sweater from last year, which I own. Another bonus – it’s primarily made of cotton so it’s not itchy! 

• Petite Friendly – Even though Everlane does not offer petite sizes, the sleeve length of the sweater worked well for me. Additionally, the body length of the sweater is perfect for short torsos. 

What could have been better…

V-neckline  – The only thing I didn’t like about this sweater, which was a deal breaker for me is how high the v-neckline is. I wish that it was a deeper v-neck. 

Garment measurements:

High point of shoulder to hem = 19.25’’

Bust = 36.5’’

Waist = 35.75’’

Bottom hem = 31’’

Sleeve length = 27.5’’

Center back = 18’’

Verdict: It’s not my style, but it’s a petite-friendly sweater.

Ann Taylor Petite Balloon Sleeve Cardigan – Size Petite Small 

What I loved…

• Nice quality and weight – I was so impressed by the quality of this sweater. It’s a nice medium weight cardigan. 

• Side slits – One detail that I love about this sweater are the side slits on the bottom hem. Usually, I find that longer sweaters are tight around my hips due to my pear-shape. So this design details gives my hips more room to breathe. 

What could have been better…

• Slightly big – This cardigan seemed to be a bit baggy in places like on the back side of the sweater and the sleeves. Perhaps I needed to go one size down. 

Garment measurements:

High point of shoulder to hem = 29.5’’

Bust = 38”

Waist = 37.25’’

Bottom hem = 38.5’’ 

Sleeve length = 28.25’’

Center back = 28.5’’

Verdict: Buy, but also order one size down.

Ann Taylor Petite Crew Neck Sweater – Size Petite Small

What I loved…

• Super soft – Soooo comfortable! This is definitely one of those sweaters you feel excited to put on because it’s very soft. 

• Fit – Crewneck sweaters can be very hit or miss for me. Generally, I find that crewnecks can be baggy in the waist due to my body type. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this sweater fit me so well. 

What could have been better…

• Slightly big – While the sweater seemed a little big on the back side, it wasn’t a deal breaker for me. 

Garment measurements:

High point of shoulder to hem = 22.75’’

Bust = 34’’

Waist = 31.5’’

Bottom hem = 27.5’’ 

Sleeve length = 27.5’’

Center back = 22’’

Verdict: Buy!

GAP Merino Crewneck Sweater – Petite Small

What could have been better…

• Fabric – The fabric was itchy and thin. It was not as soft as the Ann Taylor sweater. However, some of the itchiness is due to this sweater being made of wool versus synthetic fibers. (So it’s not an apples to apples comparison)

• Fit – Also compared to the Ann Taylor sweater, this sweater was much baggier in the waist are on the front side. Overall it did not fit as well. 

Garment measurements:

High point of shoulder to hem = 23.75’’

Bust = 36”

Waist = 35’’

Bottom hem = 32’’ 

Sleeve length = 28’’

Center back = 22.25’’

Verdict: Don’t buy! 

GAP Textured Cardigan – Size Petite Small

What I loved…

• Design – Compared to the Everlane cardigan above, I definitely preferred this GAP one because the v-neck was deeper. 

• Soft – Since this sweater is 100% cotton, it’s very comfy and not itchy at all. 

What could have been better…

• Color options –  Sadly, most of the other color options have sold out so the basic colors like white and black are gone. 

• Slightly baggy – The cardigan was a little big in back, but I’m willing to overlook that since the front side fit so well. 

Garment measurements:

High point of shoulder to hem = 21.875’’

Bust = 39’’

Waist = 39’’

Bottom hem = 30’’

Sleeve length = 28’’

Center back = 21.75’’

Verdict: Buy!

Vero Moda Petite Sweater with High Neck – Petite UK 8-10

What I loved…

• Style – Compared to the mock neck sweater I tried from Ann Taylor I thought this one fit much better. 

What could have been better…

• Neckline – It’s hard to see in these photos because my hair is down, but the collar of the sweater had a weird fit on the back side around my neck. It was a deal breaker for me. 

Garment measurements:

High point of shoulder to hem = 21.25’’

Bust = 43’’

Waist = 42.5’’

Bottom hem = 32’’

Sleeve length = 31.25’’

Center back = 20.75’’

Verdict: Don’t buy! 

Ann Taylor Petite Mock Neck Sweater – Size Petite Small

What I loved…

• Style – I’ve been seeing this mock neck style sweater at a bunch of brands and love it. It’s a simple and versatile silhouette!

What could have been better…

• Baggy –  The length and sleeves were perfect, but the width of the sweater seemed big for me. Therefore, I noticed the sweater looked baggy under my armpits and on the back side of the sweater. 

Garment measurements:

High point of shoulder to hem = 20.375’’

Bust = 46’’

Waist = 40’’

Bottom hem = 32’’ 

Sleeve length = 28.75’’

Center back = 19’’

Verdict: Don’t buy! 

Everlane Oversize Alpaca Crew – Size Small

What could have been better…

• See through – This sweater is definitely thin so if you buy a lighter color sweater like (white or gray) I’d recommend wearing a tank top underneath it. Otherwise your bra may show through a bit. 

• Sleeves too long – When I read the size chart for this sweater, the sleeve length sounded promising. However, once I tried it on I had to fold up the sleeves so they didn’t go past my wrists. 

• Baggy –  Perhaps I need to go down a size because this sweater seemed baggy in places around the waist and bottom hem.

Garment measurements:

High point of shoulder to hem = 24.325’’

Bust = 45’’

Waist = 41’’

Bottom hem = 35.25’’

Sleeve length = 31.25’’

Center back = 22.5’’

Verdict: Don’t buy!