Shout out to the short plus size girls.

I am 5'3" and a 16/18 XL or XXL and it is really hard to find tops that fit right! The tops seem to either be way way too long or short like a crop top. I just want a regular length top! I have a lot of luck with Maurices. I like their styles and the prices aren't too bad the quality can be a little hit or miss at times though.

I’m short too but I like my shirts longer so they don’t ride up if I have to bend over or reach up for something. I have more issues with shirts that shrink too much in the body length. Maybe try the Croft & Barrow line at Kohl’s for shirts. I love the pretty prints and nice colors but they are shorter in the body length than I like so maybe they’ll be perfect for you.

I'm a 14-16 and barely 5'2". Old Navy for pants. I'm having the opposite problem with tops lately seems like everything is a crop top these days, but cheap graphic tshirts from target are a good length on me after they're washed a time or two - I usually inherit DH's because once they shrink they make him "look like a toddler".

A friend is barely 5'2" and wears plus sizes. She gets a lot of her clothes at Talbots. They have Petites Plus (used to be called Womens Petite).

QVC women’s clothing (and maybe HSN, too, I don’t remember) comes in regular, petite, and tall ranges, and runs up into plus sizes, even in petites.

They're spendy, but J Jill has petite tops and sweaters. Their sizes run large...I'm usually an XL or XXL in other brands but in J Jill I wear a large. I really love their tees and light cardigans, they're very soft and wear really well. They have some very comfy petite pants, too. Again I wear a large but am usually XL/18 in other brands of pants.

I try to catch sales or buy used on Ebay.

You said shirts are your main problem, but I thought I'd mention Land's End for pants. Pants are the bane of my existence. Their Starfish line is comfy.

I've bought button-down shirts at Talbots that are petite-plus. It's so nice to have a button-down where the sleeve actually ends at my wrist! I'm not crazy about their tees but sometimes they have very nice petite-plus things.

I have found some shirts I like at Lane Bryant. They have a lot of things I wouldn’t wear but I like their workout stuff and I’ve gotten some dressier shirts Inlike.

J Jill, Talbots, Coldwater Creek, Christopher and Banks, and Lands End all have petite sizes. Shop online for the best selection. I think shopping is hard, no matter what your size. I just resign myself to ordering and trying things on.