Petite in Paris

Petite or Not Petite? That is the Question!

You may be wondering about your dress size in Paris, France.

There are definitely differences between how people are perceived and categorized in North America versus France or most other western European countries.

In North America ladies under 5,4" (163 cm) are usually considered Petite regardless of their weight! So you can be a large petite or a small petite. The reason may be that there are many people around 5,8" or even taller in North America.

Once you get to Paris, you will notice that most people are very slim and not very tall. Being a 5,4" in Paris is very average, and you won't feel like the short girl. As the result, the size of the dresses do not necessarily reflect the height but rather the size. So you are Petite in France if you are very slim may be size 2-4, which translates to about 32-34. If you are larger in size (14+), you will have a harder time finding clothes to fit you.

So just remember that it is the size that matters and not the height.