Being a small person is always a fashion challenge. I've lovingly refer to my shopping woes as #PetiteProblems. I used to buy clothes that were too long or too big on me and just went to the tailor to get them fitted. But that was an expensive habit. Thankfully, lots of stores now have entire sections dedicated to petite women. And since I'm short all over —short arms, short torso and short legs —I have discovered which stores are best for a new pair of jeans versus a pretty new blouse. 1. Dresses First of all, I have to say that the sales staff at the Loft are so knowledgeable about how clothes should fit. I love going there because as soon as I come out of the change room, they will point out how well or how not well something is fitting. Now back to their excellent petites section, where I love shopping for dresses. The problem with being petite and buying regular size dresses is they are often too long, which is a problem when you want an above the knee-dress and all regular dresses hit you below the knee. This often leaves us petite women looking stumpy. Regular dresses are also too big in the shoulders —no one wants to  look broad-shouldered when they're not. Thankfully, the Loft's dresses are perfect for a petite lady. The shoulders are tapered to fit and the dresses hit at just the right part of your leg. 2. Blouses and collared shirts All petite women can relate to this problem: you go to buy a classic white collared shirt and the arms on every single shirt fall to halfway down your hand. A classic blouse should look tailored, not like you're a child wearing your mom's shirt. That is why I shop at Ann Taylor, where they have a petite section with blouses that fit. The shirt sleeves end at your wrist- —hallelujah —and they also fit perfectly to a shorter torso. I often find blouses are a bit too long on me, which can be fine in some shirts, but in others can look bulky. Ann Taylor petites is a lifesaver when you've got a big meeting and need a well-tailored shirt. 3. Pants For short women, pants can be the bane of your existence. They're always too long. Sometimes I resort to buying capris because capris for long-legged women are regular pants for me. Thank goodness for the Gap and their "short" pants, they fit like a dream. No trip to the tailor for me. I also find that Gap pants fit nicely in my bottom area. I'm not sure if regular sized pants have a bigger bum than short pants, but I always find Gap's short pants fit snuggly to my bum rather than drooping. A saggy bottom is not flattering for any woman. I highly recommend the Gap's 1969 jeans, they have a bit of stretch in them, which nicely molds to your body and doesn't sag after multiple wears. Where's your favourite place to shop if you're petite?