For those who are, or are around, five feet tall, finding clothes that are proportional to the body can be a challenge. Oftentimes, lengths of sleeves, pants, and dresses are too long, and finding something that fits well and looks modern or trendy can be that much more difficult if you don’t know where to look.
Not all designers carry petite sizes, and those who do sometimes bear only a small sample of styles, compared to what’s offered in regular sizing. “There is a huge gap in the market when it comes to designer labels for petites," says Vanessa Youshaei, founder and CEO of Petite Ave. Only a handful of the top designers focus on the petite market unless they’ve made exclusive pieces for major department stores, she points out.
Youshaei launched Petite Ave, a personal shopping subscription box, to cater to people 5 feet, 4 inches and under by sourcing petite clothing from an assortment of brands. From our research and conversation with Youshaei, we discovered that the best way to describe the petite market is small but sufficient, so long as you know where to look.
In compiling this list of stores, we took into account how large the selection of designs is and how stylish the pieces are, among other things. (Does the brand have an aesthetic niche? Is it expensive?)
Scroll for the best petite clothing stores right now, as well as some insights from Youshaei on how to procure the best petite pieces.
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Petite Studio
Petite Studio NYC
New York-based Petite Studio considers itself an expert in petite clothing, as it caters to petite customers only. The brand offers a mix of trendy and timeless pieces with pretty fair pricing. (The most expensive pieces are priced at around $300). Everything is ethically made, with sustainability in mind, so you can feel all-around satisfied with your purchase.
Size Range: XXS-L
Old Navy
Old Navy (owned by Gap Inc., a parent company that has integrated petite and tall sizing into all of its subsidiaries) is the perfect destination for petites who are looking to shop at lower price points. With a wide selection of activewear and ready-to-wear pieces, the brand can satisfy most needs.
Size Range: XS-XXL
Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren
All-American fashion designer Ralph Lauren makes many of his effortlessly elegant ready-to-wear designs in petite sizes, in a collection called “Lauren Petite.” A size chart on the brand’s website outlines precise measurements for petite sizes 0 to 14.
Size Range: 0-14
ASOS
Over the years, ASOS has made a name for itself by carrying a long list of labels and catering to all body types. Here, you can find everything from athleisure to eveningwear when you filter for “Petite.”
Size Range: 00-20
Reformation
Reformation
Los Angeles-based Reformation has curated a petite section with the brand’s signature pieces in proportions that work for smaller frames. While starting prices are higher than any other number on this list, we believe the supreme quality of its cashmere, tailoring, and evening wear account for their value.
Size Range: 0-31
Banana Republic
Banana Republic
With seals of approval from A-listers like Meghan Markle and Olivia Palermo, this ready-to-wear brand is your best source for timeless pieces that also have an effortlessly chic appeal. Shop from the several hundreds of items offered in petite sizing to freshen up your office attire, loungewear collection, and weekend wardrobe.
Size Range: XXS-L
Universal Standard
Courtesy of Universal Standard
Universal Standard is a brand that takes great pride in its inclusivity of regular, plus, and petite sizes. After all, it’s in the brand’s DNA. According to The Wall Street Journal, Polina Veksler and Alexandra Waldman launched it in 2015 after being faced with a similar dilemma to that of Youshaei; the friends had tried to shop together and had grappled with how limited the options were for Waldman, who wears a size 20. Universal Standard’s sizing spans from 4XS, or 0-00, to 4XL, or 38-40, in petite sizing, so many body types can wear its minimalist designs.
Size Range: 4XS-4XL, 00-40
Boden
UK-based clothing retailer Boden values a perfect fit, which is why the brand offers sizes 2 to 22 in petite, regular, and long fits. We love its selection of dresses in particular, which includes an assortment of wrap, shirt, midi, and maxi dresses.
Size Range: 2-20/22
Outdoor Voices
Nordstrom
Instagram-famous activewear brand Outdoor Voices makes shopping for leggings simple by offering three lengths: seven-eighths, three-fourths, and full length. The latter wears best on under-5-foot, 5-inch frames, though you can decide for yourself by scanning the reviews, which include the wearers’ height, weight, and purchased size.
Size Range: 3/4, 7/8, and Full Length
Anthropologie
Anthropologie
Anthropologie’s petite section is full of effervescent designs that include everything from patterned dresses to bold, billowy blouses and trousers. One of Youshaei’s top shopping destinations, the store’s selection runs the gamut, with many denim, knitwear, and cocktail dress options as well.
Size Range:XXS-XL
J.Crew
J. Crew
View On Jcrew.com
J.Crew offers inclusive sizing for much of its no-frills prep wear. Filter for “Petite," then explore the site’s hyper-detailed product pages when you find what you like. On them, you can see the garments’ sizes and fit stats based on reviews by selecting a body type (there are seven) and height that most closely represent you.
Size Range: 00-12
Gap
Gap
View On Gap.com
Great basics are the cornerstones of all of the best outfits. For those great pieces, you need not look further than Gap. Browse through the array of T-shirts, sweatshirts, button-downs, and jeans, and if you stumble across one of the brand’s frequent promotions, consider stocking up, as you can never have too many of the essentials.
Size Range: XXS-XXL
Ann Taylor
Ann Taylor
For classic, office-appropriate pieces, Ann Taylor has you covered. It offers structured items, like blazers, trousers, and button-down shirts, as well as more relaxed and detailed garments, like frilly blouses, printed dresses, and midi skirts that hit the legs just where they should.
Size Range: XXS-XL
Rent The Runway
View On Renttherunway.com
Evening wear can get very expensive, very fast. If you find it difficult to commit to such an investment, or if you have a season full of special events ahead of you and want to keep things fresh, consider the subscription service Rent The Runway. Its selection of evening wear certainly fits the bill for petites. Just filter by body type to view its selection of petite formalwear. For even more insight, filter for your size, and build in the reviews section of any given product page.
Size Range: Varies based on designer
Athleta
Athleta
Yes, you can get your activewear and athleisure in petites so that your leggings won’t scrunch at the bottom, and your flared pants won’t brush the floor—Athleta has made sure of it. Per Gap Inc., most styles from Athleta are offered in petite sizing. Just look for the “Petite” tab on the product page or filter for it when shopping for tops, bottoms, dresses, or jackets.
Size Range:0-14, XXS-L
Hunza G
Hunza G
This brand was originally launched in 1984 under the name “Hunza” and became famous for a cutout mini dress that Julia Roberts wore in Pretty Woman. Decades later, it staged a relaunch under Creative Director Georgiana Huddart, hence the amended name, Hunza G. It’s since become known for its inclusive and sustainable swimwear in a wide range of colors and styles. Made in one size only, the suits are extremely popular, not only for their chic aesthetic but also for their ability to work for any figure.
Size Range: OS
Lands’ End
View On Landsend.com
Find loungewear that fits in Lands’ End’s extensive petite section, which is chock-full of fleece pullovers, flannel button-downs, utility pants, and Supima cotton tees. Click “Petite” from the dropdown menu to scan the full selection, and note that there’s also a “Petite Plus” category, which goes up to size 26, should you need to size up.
Size Range: XS-3X. 2-26
Madewell
Madewell
By the looks of its robust denim selection for petite figures, Madewell knows that ill-fitting denim isn’t a good look. Choose from a wide selection of this cool-girl brand’s cuts and rises to meet your every need, and rest assured that they’ll provide a perfect fit.
Size Range:23-33
Meet the Expert
Vanessa Youshaei is the founder and CEO of Petite Ave.
What to Look for When Shopping for Petite Clothing
Range of sizes
The best petite brands have a large range of sizes and a wide selection of clothing, and not just the basics. For the widest variety at any given retailer, Youshaei recommends shopping online. “The selection is much bigger than what you’d find in-store,” she says.
Reviews
For extra guidance on finding the perfectly fitting pieces, look for brutally honest reviewers who give plenty of details on their experience with a given garment. Some websites make tracking these stats easy by providing a filter for height, weight, and build, so be sure to look for that feature when shopping for petite clothes.
"Petite" refers to height, not weight, which means that everything from sleeves to inseam will be shorter in length. Other important adjustments—like higher armholes and waistlines, more narrow shoulders, and placement of details—are also made to ensure a proper fit.
Short-pants just have a shorter inseam, while petite pants have a shorter inseam and a proportionate rise, Youshaei explains. "Also, the knee placement will be moved up to suit someone with shorter legs.”
Why Trust buuk.top
Hayley Prokos is a Los Angeles-based writer and editor focused on fashion and lifestyle. She contributes regularly to buuk.top’s commerce section and has a passion for sourcing chic, practical, and well-fitted pieces. After hours of researching and chatting with our expert, she’s gathered enough insight to determine the best places to shop for petite clothing.
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