To all those average height people,

I come from a family of small women. As a small, petite woman I hear a lot of negative comments. For every negative comment I hear I also tend to hear a positive. Some of these comments feel super imposed and generalizations for all small women. Here’s an open piece about what it’s really like to be a 00 petite woman.

One of the biggest things I hear is you must shop in the girls department. Ok, first of all, this is a major pet peeve. Thank-you for stating the obvious that I’m small and it’s hard to find clothes. And yes, sometimes I do shop in the girls department. But I don’t buy my whole wardrobe there. Being a 00 petite primarily affects my waistline and my height. So yes, I do proudly shop in the girls department for my jeans. Everything else I shop juniors. On the upside to this comment, I get some of the cutest clothes for half the price others might pay.

Another thing that gets on my nerves is being asked how much I eat and “You look anorexic.” No I don’t run to the bathroom after every meal and throw up. No, I don’t starve myself. I have a high metabolism, so I burn off food fairly quickly. So to answer that question as to whether I eat, yes! I eat quite frequently and consume generally as much as the average person. The pro to this is that I can generally eat whatever I want without gaining a pound.

Here’s a big pet peeve for any woman: how old are you? Being a 00 petite, can be even worse. We generally look younger than we actually are. Often I hear that I look about 12 or 13. Yeah, try adding about ten more years to that, I’m actually 25. Going to a bar or a club can be a real pain. I’ve had to argue once or twice that my I.D is not fake and that I really can buy alcohol. On the other hand, I can see that being advantageous down the line. I’ve won some cash prizes with this lie every female tells, but I wasn’t lying then. Anytime I go to a fair and they want to put money on guessing my age I’ll bite. I win every time. I could be 25 for the next ten plus years.

This one is actually kind of funny, most of the time. Often I like to go out shopping with my best friend. Now being small, everyone is taller and bigger than me. The two of can’t go anywhere without someone making a comment about my size to my friend. Often that comment is about how cute I am and she must be so proud of her daughter. Of something strange and to that effect. Often times I just have to sit back and laugh at these comments. My friend is only a year older than I am and I’m the one with the car. We’ve actually been out and another shopper around was shocked when I pulled out the keys and went to the driver’s side. We just laughed about that one. Yes, the daughter is driving the car. I’ve had similar instances with my mother. We’re both small women and have been mistaken as sisters when we’re out and about.

So being a 00 petite has it’s days. Some days I laugh, some days I’m annoyed, but most days it’s just routine and life. So my size really doesn’t say much about who I am. This small, 00 petite woman still has a lot to offer. I wear my heart on my sleeve most of the time and I’m an open book. I love writing and reading most, but that doesn’t mean I’m antisocial. I still like to go out and have a drink or a good time.

Best to all from a 00 petite.