Find Your Fit

Petite is not a size. It is a proportion. The Petite Standard is cut at a true petite length, made for a petite body. Whether it is yours comes down to your own length, not your height. Here is how to know, in about a minute.

Start here: the length

Every pair is built at a 26.5-inch length, a true petite ankle length, the same on every size from XS to L. The honest test is your own measured length. Measure it in Step 1, and one simple rule tells you if this trouser is made for you.

The 25 to 26.5 rule: if your length measures between 25 and 26.5 inches, this trouser is made for you. Your heel choice fine-tunes exactly where it sits.

Step 1: Measure your length

You need a soft tape measure and 30 seconds.

  1. Stand barefoot against a wall, feet together.
  2. Find the top of your inner leg, where your leg meets your body.
  3. Run the tape straight down the inside of your leg to the bump of your ankle bone.
  4. That number is your length.

Every pair is built at 26.5 inches. If your number lands between 25 and 26.5 inches, it is made for you. If yours falls outside that range, it may not be your fit yet, and we would rather tell you than sell you the wrong pair.

Step 2: Use your heel to place it

Your heel is how one length works across the 25 to 26.5 inch range. The 26.5-inch length is measured for flats, and every half-inch of heel adds about a half-inch back to the length you see.

  • Flats: reads 26.5 inches, for a measured length of 26.5 inches.
  • Half-inch kitten heel: reads 26 inches.
  • One-inch heel: reads 25.5 inches.
  • 1.5-inch heel: reads 25 inches, for a measured length around 25 inches.

Closer to 25 inches, reach for a small heel. At 26.5 inches, wear it flat. Pick the heel height you actually wear most and use that as your guide.

Step 3: Which petite are you?

Petite is not one body. There are three common petite proportions. Stand in flats in front of a mirror and find yours.

Balanced, about 6 in 10 petite women. Your torso and your legs feel evenly matched. Your measured length usually lands in the 25 to 26.5 inch range, so this trouser is made for you and the waist sits right. This is who Season 1 is built for.

Longer body, shorter legs. Your waist feels high and your legs feel shorter for your height, often measuring below 25 inches. On you, Season 1 may sit a little low at the waist and a little long at the hem. It may not be your exact fit yet.

Shorter body, longer legs. Your waist feels low and your legs feel long for your height, often measuring above 26.5 inches. On you, the 26.5-inch length reads short, a cropped ankle. Still wearable, just shorter than a balanced petite would see it.

The gold line marks where the waist sits. These are a simple guide, find the one closest to you.

If you are the first one, this is made for you. If you are the second or third, more of the range is coming.

Your size

The Petite Standard comes in XS, S, M, and L. Petite is a proportion, not a waist size, so every size carries the same 26.5-inch length. You choose your size by your waist and hip, and the length stays made for petite either way. The full waist and hip measurements for each size are on the product page.

Still deciding?

Order with confidence. Returns are open for 30 days from delivery, exchange-first: if the fit or the color is not right, we will help you find the one that is. Questions before you buy? Write to us at hello@thepetitestandard.co.

Ready to stop hemming?