If you’re shorter than, say, 5-foot-5, you already know the drill: Hems are pretty much guaranteed to be a foot too long. Shirt sleeves skim your fingers. Necklines dip dangerously low. You’re practically BFFs with your tailor at this point. But that’s just how it goes for shorties, right?
Well, maybe not. Tomorrow, Anthropologie officially opens its very first standalone store for petites, right here in Chevy Chase. (If the address sounds suspiciously familiar, it’s because the new 1,000-square-foot petites space takes the place of Anthro’s accessories boutique.)
“We recognized a lack of options for women 5-foot-3 and under. At best,
they might find a few basic pieces in petite sizes. We believe petite
women deserve a rich selection of apparel that fits perfectly and allows
them to express their personal style,” says Sarah Wagner, the
retailer’s petites buyer. “We want to help our petite customer feel like
herself no matter whether she’s attending a picnic or a dressy dinner
party.”
The chain’s signature whimsy and vintage femininity
remains delightfully intact, with the same style and brand offerings as
the standard Anthropologie selection specially recut and tailored to
suit petite customers. That means properly placed armholes and knees,
shorter sleeves and inseam lengths, and proportional necklines. The
store will stock more than 100 reworked styles from its exclusive
labels, plus petite designs from such contemporary brands as AG, Plenty
by Tracy Reese and Yoana Baraschi. Later, the shop will include one-off
capsule collections, starting with Eva Franco’s first petite line,
slated to debut in September. And beyond the merch, the store boasts a
specially trained staff, on hand to offer styling expertise on petite
dressing.
Good news for you. Bad news for your tailor.
Anthropologie
Petites. 5402 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase; 301-652-1056. Open Monday
through Saturday 10 to 8 and Sunday noon to 7.
