Petite body type, shape, or petite size is a common word used in the clothing and fashion industry to define body sizes smaller than 5ft 4 inches (163 cm). Petite body frames have different shapes and sizes like other normal body types.

The only major difference between normal body types and petite body is size. Sometimes you may see a petite top and normal bottom or vice versa in a body structure. In such cases, you can mix normal-size items of clothing in your wardrobe. In that case, even if your total height crosses the 163 cm mark, it’s smart to consider yourself petite. To be more specific start referring yourself as top petite or bottom petite.

According to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2018, the average height of American women from age 20 and above is 5ft 4” tall. Also it’s not only the height that puts your body in a petite size. If you are below the 5’ 4” mark and have regular fitting issues with your sleeves, hems, and tops, there are high chances of you having a petite body.

How Many Types Of Petite Body Shapes Are There?

When you hear petite body types the first question which comes to your mind is why you need to categorize body shapes at all. Well, every petite woman’s body shape is unique and beautiful. But it’s not possible to create a fitting dress for every unique body. Thus in the fashion industry, people came up with the idea of finding common features and body frames.

There are multiple theories and methods to represent petite body types. Some use letters like type A, type H, type V, and type X, while others use shape and fruit analogies like rectangles, Inverted triangles, spoons, hourglasses, apples, pears, strawberries, etc. The base idea is the same for every method. Measurement of the bust, waist, and hips is used to identify different body shapes.

The bust, waist, and hip (BWH) ratio works differently for Petites. A 5ft 2inch woman having a 36-24-36 BWH ratio will be different in appearance than a 5ft 8inch tall woman with the same ratio. The petite woman will look curvier than the 5ft 8inch woman. And the taller woman will look thinner than her shorter counterparts.

The moral of the story is the general idea of fashion styling doesn’t always work that well for a petite body.

There are five most common body types. Sometimes same body type is referred to as multiple names due to different analogies.

Petite Rectangle Body Shape

If your shoulder and hips have the same width and there is a lack of waist definition, you have a petite rectangle body shape.

A rectangle body shape allows you to transform your body shape into a triangle or pear shape, hourglass, or inverted triangle shape.

While dressing a petite rectangle body, your first aim should be defining your waist. Belts are your best allies in it. You can also add volume either on your top or bottom, wherever you feel it’s necessary.
A bra can come in handy in defining your bust. You can also add volume to your shoulders with a jacket or a coat. Always avoid oversized clothes, as they tend to make a rectangle body into an apple shape.

Petite Triangle Body Shape

The triangle body shape has two types, Triangle or pear body shape and inverted triangle shape. If your hips are wider than your bust, you fall under a triangle or pear body shape. And if you have broad shoulders and narrow hips with a defined waist, you are an inverted triangle. Sometimes, an Inverted Triangle body is also referred to as a V-shape body.

While dressing a triangle or pear-shaped body, the best way is to lean towards an hourglass body. To do that, you need to take away the attention from your hips and highlight your upper body. Wider necklines like bateau, square, or off-shoulders are the best options for tops. Bootcut, flare, and high-rise trousers or jeans are best for bottoms.

You have to do the exact opposite for an inverted triangle body. The attention should be taken away from your shoulders and bust and drawn toward your waist and hips. Flare skirts and wide-leg, flare, bootcut pants are best for bottoms. V-neck and scoop-neck tops are best for your upper body.

Petite Round Body Shape

If you have broad shoulders and narrow hips or hips are equal to your shoulders. Along with a lack of defined wait, your body shape is round. This body shape is also known as apple or oval body shape.

While dressing a round body shape you must highlight your bust and legs. At the same time, you need to define your waist. High-waisted and pencil skirts are considered best for oval-shaped bodies. Midi dresses which are below the knee that defines your waist are also good options. Straight or wide-leg pants or jeans are good bottoms for a petite round oval-shaped body.

Petite Diamond body shape

If you have small and narrow shoulders and a small bust, a full mid-section, and shapely legs, you are a diamond body shape.

While dressing this body shape you need to highlight your shoulders and legs. You also need to camouflage your midriff section. V-necks, scoop necks, and u-necks are best for highlighting your shoulders. They take off the eye from the heavier part of your body.

Bootcut, flared and wide-leg designs are best for trousers and jeans. Palazzo and mid-rise pants are also good options.

Petite Hourglass Body Shape

If your hips and shoulders have almost equal measurement and you have a well-defined narrow waist, you fall under a petite hourglass shape. It is one of the rarest and most desirable body types. Celebrities hire personal trainers and sweat hours to achieve it. People also use shapewear and even go through cosmetic procedures to get it.

It has two types, top hourglass, and bottom hourglass.

A well-balanced and symmetrical body allows you to wear almost anything and look good in it. It’s a smart choice though to show your curves and elongate your petite body while dressing up.

When it comes to tops, oval, off-shoulder, sweetheart, square, scoop, and V-necklines are considered good. It would help if you avoided wide and high necklines in general. Fitting is important while choosing both your ops and bottoms. Avoid low-rise bottoms as they tend to disturb your waistline.

There are at least 9 body types based on shape analogy which we will list out more in the future.

Petite Body Type Calculator

On a basic level, the shape of your body depends on three things, your bust, waist, and hips.

Petite Body type based on metabolism

Classification of the petite body is done based on multiple parameters. Based on metabolism there are three body type

• Ectomorph
• Mesomorph
• Endomorph

Not everyone should be interested in these things, but if fitness interests you and you plan to change your body type and shape it’s vital information.

I was shocked and happy at the same time when I found out that I could change my body shape with a proper diet and exercise. According to Penn Medicine genetics, lifestyle, gender, and age hold the key to your body shape.

You can’t change genetics, gender, and age but you certainly can control your lifestyle and diet. In even simpler words you can’t change your bone structure but you can control the fat around different parts of the body ultimately changing your body shape.

Ectomorphic Body

An ectomorphic body is typically skinny. Ectomorphs have a lean build, small muscle belly, and long limbs. They have narrow shoulders and hips in comparison to their height. They also have smaller muscles in comparison to bone length.

The natural fast metabolism makes it hard to gain weight. Ectomorphs burn calories faster than other body types. No matter what they eat it affects their body shapeless. It is the most desired body type by models and athletes.

Mesomorphic Body

A mesomorphic body is an athlete’s body. It’s considered the most ideal body or somatotype. Mesomorphs have a medium bone structure where their shoulders are wider than their hips. They have efficient metabolism which makes both gaining and losing mass easy.

Along with wider shoulders, they also have longer limbs and a flat ribcage. They have a muscular body and a modest amount of body fat. They don’t have to control their eating habits much as well. Changing body shapes is easiest for them.

Endomorphic Body

An endomorphic body is usually a curvy body. Endomorphs have broad shoulders, short limbs, and narrow hips. They have medium to large bone structures with a larger midsection. The naturally slow metabolism makes it easy for them to gain mass and hard to lose it.

They have a higher fat percentage in their body because instead of building muscles this somatotype stores the fat. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have strong muscles. They have strong muscles in their arms and legs.