girls: let's talk about clothes. anyone have recommendations for places to shop (online or off) for petite sizes, or brands that would fit me well and be flattering? i'm 5'3" and quite small from the waist up (narrow shoulders, 32-A bra). sorta curvy legs and a good butt.

for starters, i need to find jackets that will not swallow me up and pants that don't gap at the waist.

gap pants usually are too big in the waist (or too tight in the ass, if i go a size smaller). but maybe i've just been picking the wrong styles, i don't know.

@Sharon: do they have anything other than jeans? i need stuff i can wear to work. i'm usually a size 2 in pants, or sometimes a 4 in brands that run smaller.

I once got a pair of gap black pants from my coworker who was giving them away. They were skinny leg, but they looked surprisingly slender and hugged my curves at the same time.

I wear a size eight. I am also 5'3" and slightly curvy.

My other preferred brand is Lucky. Sometimes they have a good deal at costco where i can buy some size 29 jeans for 20 bucks.

@Sharon: anthropologie is good, for shirts and dresses anyway. i've never tried their pants but i should, there's one about a half hour from me.

@lady oracle: i like lucky jeans a lot. i wish they made trousers.

@be secret: what right-wing nut?! not cool... :( i haven't heard of zara before; will check it out.

so, i am experimenting with ebay. so far i've bought two belts and a jacket, but no pants. i think pants probably need to be tried on.