Just right: 12 winter coats cut for petite women
Cute coats that will look more tailored on you — without the tailoring
Years ago, I had a trusted tailor shorten the hem and sleeves of a down coat for me, because it was nearly impossible find a warm, polished looking parka that fit petite frames properly. She did a great job, but it was a time-consuming and expensive process (it's very challenging to remove and redistribute down filling properly) which I wouldn't recommend, even if you have a talented seamstress friend.
Luckily, in recent years the number of fashionable outerwear options for those of us who are 5'4 or under have greatly expanded — although in some cases you might still have to try the straight-size style on in store and then order the petite-size item online. Imagine: a coat where the shoulders fit properly, the sleeves don't fully cover your hands (mid-palm or at the third knuckle is ideal for an overcoat), and the length ends as designed (and not 3-6 inches lower).
Available in both regular and petite cuts, this cozy coat with a pretty floral pattern adds a bit of beauty to your everyday routine.
If By Sea Winter Roses Coat, about $206 CAD, anthropologie.com
Super-shiny puffers are trending this season, and this relaxed-fit one is made with 100% recycled fill.
ColdControl High Shine Puffer Jacket, $189.95, gapcanada.ca
Available in size XXS and up, Ann Taylor's classic shawl-collar wrap coat is perfect for both the work day and evening engagements.
Petite Wool Blend Wrap Coat, $270.76, anntaylor.com
J. Crew's popular wool parka is available in a rainbow of colours and, if you can take advantage of one of their frequent site-wide promotions, can be found for a great price.
Chateau Parka in Italian Stadium-Cloth Wool, $467, jcrew.com
Technically, this knee-length, 550 fill-down jacket is youth-sized, but size 14 should fit someone up to 5'4.5" in height!
Reima Leena Down Jacket, $194, mec.ca
A relatively new introduction, Canada Goose's "Fusion Fit" is designed for smaller frames: shorter sleeve and hem lengths, narrower chests and smaller hoods. Fusion might not work for all petite women (the sizing was developed using key body measurements and 16,000 scans of individuals from Korea, China and Japan), but it's definitely a development worth checking out.
Lorette Parka Fusion Fit, $995, canadagoose.com
It's tricky to find a mid-calf length coat that looks proportional on a petite frame; this Asos Design puffer is fitted through the arms and shoulders, but still has that desirable extra-long hem.
Petite Longline Puffer Jacket, $136.76, asos.com
Stand out from the crowds in this tailored, mustard-coloured coat that's also machine-washable!
Petite Boucle Coat, about $136 CAD, topshop.com
This black down coat has a flattering silhouette and features a neat box-quilt finish.
Cole Haan Bib Insert Down & Feather Fill Coat, $245.86, nordstrom.com
If you've been looking to add more patterns and menswear-inspired fabrics into your seasonal wardrobe, an Italian-wool plaid coat might just be the answer to your sartorial desires.
Petite Plaid Single-Breasted Topcoat, $478, jcrew.com
Banana Republic's structured wool trench has stylish oversized lapels and would look as good with jeans as with your best skirt suit.
Petite Italian Melton Wool Blend Trench Coat, $310, bananarepublic.gapcanada.ca
If the women's Mackage coats don't fit you properly, an option is to try their larger kid-sized parkas, many of which look identical to the adult styles but will have shorter arm and hem lengths.
LEELEE-X Winter Down Coat, $550, mackage.com
Truc Nguyen is a Toronto-based writer, editor and stylist. Follow her at @trucnguyen.