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Jun
20
Wanna screw with a little old lady? Then you better watch out. Not only will you get a headache from a bashing with an oversized tote and a poke from a cane, you’ll also be prodded to flip-flop – and get loved for doing so.
This New York Times article says it all.
Even though I’m not ready to cede being old enough to be a little old lady, I’m most definitely going to admit to being little. And, when I’m not pursuing my interest in M&Ms and potato chips, I’m a perfect 4P – as in petite. In fact, I am a Petite Snob and shop primarily in stores that carry clothes for women under 5 foot 4. Otherwise, I have to add time and/or money onto every piece of clothing I purchase or consider purchasing because it will most likely need alterations.
Disclaimer: if you don’t want to hear a woman who knows how lucky she is that this should even be a problem for her whine about clothes, then I say to you, ever so politely, buh- bye. Otherwise, for a good laugh at my expense, read on.
And so, about three years ago, when the Saks at Beachwood Place dismantled its Petites section and placed all the Petites in with the regularly sized items, I felt thoroughly disenfranchised. I moaned every time I found myself in there, after I’d failed to find something at the other (few) shops I frequent when looking. [I'm not a retail therapy type of person - see above re: M&Ms and chips, so I don't actually frequent shops very often for starters.]
Why, why, why my face and posture would say to the sales folks, did you do this to us? Do you really not think we have enough buying power? Are you trying to make us feel smaller than we already are? Diminish our worth? Downsize our importance?
Oh, the tragedy of it all.
And then, a few months ago, Saks ceased to carry any petites at all, “because of poor sales,” according to the NYT article.
HARRUMPH.
Little Women united, however and the results speak for all us Whoville-sized women.
The decision, a victory for millions of women shorter than 5-foot-4, came after Saks received scores of letters from smaller shoppers who complained that they could no longer find clothing that fit and that they felt alienated in a store that had dressed them for decades….
Andrew Jennings, president of Saks, said that the retailer “had heard loud and clear the expression of concern from shoppers” about the elimination of the petite department….
For weeks, Ms. Buchman [designer Dana Buchman] said, she has been quietly telling loyal customers that Saks would once again carry the smaller sizes, after being told the decision was imminent. “When I do, I feel like a heroine,” she said. “People are thrilled.”
Ms. Buchman said she had spent the last few months consoling women who wanted to know why they could not find petite versions of her clothing at Saks, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale’s.
“My mission as a designer is to dress the women of America,” she said. “If I am not making clothes for women 5-foot-4 or smaller I am not succeeding.”
Howard Rosenberger, the president of Ellen Tracy, said the re-establishment of the department at Saks “allows us an opportunity to go back into the business.”
“Saks was a major factor in the petite business,” he said, and “when it decided not to do petites, that pushed us over the edge.”
But all is not perfect in the petite department.
In the last year, Bloomingdale’s has cut the size of its petite department by half in many stores, and Neiman Marcus, which now carries petite clothing in 8 of its 36 stores, will soon stock it in just 2.
And there are no signs that either will reverse that decision. Spokesmen for both retailers did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Longtime Saks shoppers expressed relief — and, in some cases, euphoria — after learning yesterday that the retailer had reversed its ban on petites.
“It is just great news,” said Laurel Bernstein, a 5-foot-1 New Jersey resident who had shopped at Saks for decades before she discovered this spring that the company had dropped petite sizes. Since then, she has bought her petites at specialty chains like Talbots.
“I missed Saks,” she said, adding, “I am definitely going back.”
Go ahead. Just try and treat us like Randy Newman.
You’ll be sarrrr-reeee.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 5:26 pm June 20th, 2006 in Politics
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Hmm…I often fit better in petites as well, but I was in a Sax just recently, and based on the ticket prices, I think we’re talking about rich petite women. Glad the small and wealthy are no longer roaming naked:)
Greta, you are very right. But the outlets mall has an Off Saks fifth or something – it’s not TOO bad, and I get a lot of notices for sales (that I never go to). Really – it’s more a win on principle than practical. The last pieces of clothing I bought all came from the twofer tables at Old Navy.
Greta –
How right you are! But even I, who balk at paying full price at Banana Republic, am more than happy that the rich little ol’ ladies are getting their way. After all, if companies complain that it’s not even profitable selling to the rich short women, how will they ever think it’s worth it to make clothes for little me (4’10″)?
And if anyone wants to see real suffering for clothing, check out my blog. Sometimes I feel subhuman (as well as subpetite!)
Amy
store reviews and petite grumblings at:
Some Small Sense
Hey Amy! Thanks for reading and commenting. I look forward to checking out your blog.
You are absolutely right, and if you read the NYT article, that’s pretty much what a lot of the industry people imply: it’s a domino effect. If the stores won’t carry it, it’s harder to get the product to the buyer, unless they stick to the Internet or catalogues, which of course might not be a bad thing, but you still have to be able to FIND that someone sells the stuff.
[...] by citizens: Carole tells of an effort to bring back double coupons to Giant Eagle. Carole, if petite women can make Saks start carrying miniature sized clothing again, I have great faith in the double coupon [...]
[...] when Saks shutdown its petites sections, only to be forced by little old ladies to re-open them? Given my current back problems, I may be closer to little old lady than I like to [...]