Being petite can be a good thing when clothing shopping

I don't really like shopping, but I do love clothing and style. I always feel more confident when I like what I'm wearing. This does not always mean buying something new, but wearing a favorite clothing item that makes me feel good. I focus more on quality rather than quality because of budget contraints, but I do add a few things to my wardrobe every season. And I never invest too much in trends; I love floral prints as much of the next person, but how many floral printed dresses or skirts does one person need? I suspect less than fashion magazines would lead you to think.

Being short and on the petite side, I have a hard time buying certain items I like because of fit. Coats, jackets and pants are particularly difficult. It's why I wear pants that are three, four and five years old because it's such a pain to find pants that fit well without any alteration. I am a dress or skirt-wearing person unless it's cold outside for this same reason. I am a stickler for fit because I hate nothing more than looking like I'm drowning in my clothes because they are too large or fit incorrectly. Learning to sew which is a long-term goal will help me to spend less for tailoring, but until this happens I have one short cut. I shop in the kids section for coats, jackets and blazers to ensure they fit well.

This only works when clothing doesn't have juvenile embelishments like embroidery or anything too shiny; but it works for me most of the time. My latest aquisition that was a blazer from the boys section of Macy's which looks a bit like this one, but mine is navy. So there goes my shopping budget for the month, but a blazer will carry me through the frigid air conditioning that leaves me shivering in almost all public places this time of year to the fall and winter months. I've learned to make my size work for me and still maintain my own sense of personal style. I also spend a little less money on my clothes than people expect because children's clothing is usually cheaper!

Do you have any shopping tricks to use your size to your advantage?