Trouser Lab | Petite Edit
At the top of our customer FAQs stands anything to do with petite dressing: how the length hits, the best styles to invest in, styling tips. Especially when it comes to finding the perfect trousers, it’s easy to – if you’ll excuse the pun – fall short.
Who better then to serve advice in this arena than a few of ME+EM’s most petite team members? Coming in between 5’2” and 5’3”, we asked Steph, Audrey and Thu to share the styles from the new collection that flatter their height and complement their personal style.
Audrey 5'3" - Selfridges Exchange Manager
The Track Pant
Full-length, wide-leg styles are not off-limits for those under 5’5”. In these instances, size down so that you can wear the trouser higher on the waist to navigate that extra length. Plus, a shoe with a little bit of a platform sole doesn’t hurt to gain some height.
The cuff is designed with a zip-up hem vent – leave it open so that any extra fabric at the bottom of the leg simply flows over the shoe rather than bunching up around the ankle; it serves to visually elongate your legs.
Audrey is wearing:
Fashion First Aid Long Sleeve Polo Top
Silk Sporty Zip Front Top
Satin Wide-Leg Track Pant
The Jogger
Turn up the cuffs and tuck in your tee to make sure you’re giving your legs all the length they deserve. The tapered silhouette is cut to be slightly wider at the hips for comfort, slimming down towards the ankle to create the most flattering look.
Audrey is wearing:
Organic Cotton Distressed Tee
Woven Trim Tapered Jogger
Thu 5'3" - Selfridges London Sales Assistant
The Barrel-Leg
An elasticated panel at the back and adjustable tabs at the side of the waistband guarantee the perfect fit for smaller frames.
This cotton-blend trouser is designed with a deep cuff, so you can take inches off the length just by turning it up once or twice.
Thu is wearing:
Silk Sporty Zip Front Top
Cotton-Blend Slim Barrel-Leg Trouser
Leather Trainer
The Jogger
This super luxe silk jogger is designed for a cropped length, which means if you’re shorter, it will simply act as a full-length trouser. Elasticated cuffs at the ankle are also adjustable, so you can choose to bring the fit in even more if you need to.
Thu is wearing:
Merino Cashmere Box Cardigan
Organic Cotton Distressed Tee
Lofty Silk Crop Jogger
Leather Trainer
Steph 5'2" - Creative Project Manager
The Jean
Crafted in Italy from organic cotton, this colourful jean is already designed for a cropped length which is ideal if you’re shorter, as it will simply act as a full-length style. But, if you need, you can also turn it up at the cuffs to shorten the leg length for your height.
A tapered cut offers a bit more volume across the hips and narrows towards the ankle, with a seam detail at the front of the leg that helps draw in the silhouette.
Steph is wearing:
Merino Cashmere Box Cardigan
Organic Cotton Distressed Tee
Easy Tapered Crop Denim Jean
The Jumpsuit
Not strictly a trouser but close enough, a jumpsuit can raise a red flag for those who think it could never work on their smaller frame.
Turn up cuffs at the ankle will shorten the length and won’t just fall back down, as can often be the case with soft fabrics. The same goes for the sleeve cuffs, which can also be turned back to achieve the perfect length for your arm. A removable belt also gives you the option to pull up the fit, creating a relaxed shape on top.
Steph is wearing:
Fluid Zip Up Jumpsuit
Leather Trainer
The Jogger
An elasticated waist gives you the option to wear a trouser higher up on the waist, navigating that extra length.
These cotton joggers are designed with a deep cuff that can be turned up once to instantly shorten the length by a few inches, and then twice for a few more inches.
Steph is wearing:
Organic Cotton Distressed Tee
Distressed Long Sleeve Sweatshirt
Woven Trim Tapered Jogger