Update Consent

Best Activewear For Petites

These Activewear Brands Cater to Petite Women, and We're Jumping for Joy!

As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. If you buy a product we have recommended, we may receive affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work.

Where my little ladies at? As a 5'2" fitness addict who is currently wearing a size 23 petite pair of jeans (that almost needed hemming), I feel your struggle when it comes to finding the perfect pair of running tights that don't need to be cuffed four or five times or a long-sleeved active tee that doesn't swallow you whole and make you look like you're wearing a neon pink potato sack.

Fortunately, there are some really incredible brands making tiny clothes for tiny people like you and me. With shorter inseams, customizable lengths, dedicated petite sections, and free tailoring, these brands are the ultimate destination for an activewear-loving petite shopper. Find what you need for any activity, any class, anytime.

Additional reporting by India Yaffe

Lululemon

It's pretty well-known that Lulu's sizing skews particularly small. With a size two equating to an XXS, everything seems to be well-tailored to a petite frame. Even the svelte, tall models on its website wear a size six, meaning sizes two and four are really, really small. My favourite finds? The 7/8-length pants (I own these, and they're great!), which hit perfectly at the top of my feet as full-length pants. The brand also offers free hemming on all its products, including tops, so you can adjust to the right length.

High Times 7/8 Pant ($98)

High Times 7/8 Pant
$98
from shop.lululemon.com
Buy Now

Align Pant ($98)

Align Pant
$98
from shop.lululemon.com
Buy Now

On The Fly Pant ($98)

On The Fly Pant
$98
from shop.lululemon.com
Buy Now

Free to Be Bra ($48)

Free to Be Bra
$48
from shop.lululemon.com
Buy Now

Watch This!

Pop Quiz

Watch the Cast of Fear Street Play a Creepy Game of Horror Movie "Would You Rather"

Outdoor Voices

Another brand with a great 7/8 pants is Outdoor Voices. But the great part about its pants? They're already a bit smaller to begin with. The average women's pants inseam is 32 inches, but OV offers full-length leggings with a standard 28-inch inseam and 7/8 pants with a 26-inch inseam. Its XS sizing is quite snug, and I would equate it to a size 23 or 24 fit.

7/8 Two-Tone Legging ($85)

7/8 Two-Tone Legging
$85
from outdoorvoices.com
Buy Now

7/8 Springs Legging ($85)

7/8 Springs Legging
$85
from outdoorvoices.com
Buy Now

Athleta

With petite sizing offerings, Athleta is a dream for short shoppers, especially with a 23-inch inseam on 7/8 pants. Its petite-specific products extend into tops as well, which is great for all of us with a particularly small torso.

Cloudlight Asym Side Tie Tank ($49)

Cloudlight Asym Side Tie Tank
$49
from athleta.gap.com
Buy Now

Colourblock Contender 7/8 Tight ($89)

Colourblock Contender 7/8 Tight
$89
from athleta.gap.com
Buy Now

Old Navy

Did you know that OldNavy.com has a dedicated category page for petite activewear? Bless them. You can get the "it was tailored for me" feeling without the "it was tailored for me" price — and that, friends, is a beautiful thing.

Relaxed Mesh-Back Fly-Away Tank ($20)

Relaxed Mesh-Back Fly-Away Tank
$20
from oldnavy.gap.com
Buy Now

High-Rise 7/8-Length Colour-Block Compression Leggings ($33)

High-Rise 7/8-Length Colour-Block Compression Leggings
$33
from oldnavy.gap.com
Buy Now

Alala

Alala active is another brand that I've found to have particularly small sizing — the XS in both tops and bottoms is quite snug, and the leggings at full length have a 27.5-inch inseam. It's also got plenty of light-support sports bras for those who are petite up top, too. Bonus: its aesthetic is so fashion forward and stylish.

Mirage Sports Bra ($75)

Mirage Sports Bra
$75
from shop.nordstrom.com
Buy Now

Captain Ankle Tight ($110)

Captain Ankle Tight
$110
from alalastyle.com
Buy Now

Nike

Nike was the first activewear brand I ever tried, and it's worked for my small frame for years. It too offers a shorter inseam for leggings (27.5 inches, typically), and its XS products skew small (I've even sized up to an S in some items, which is super rare for me!). This comes in handy for long-sleeved tees with those convenient little thumb holes for running — you don't have to bunch up the arms to get the right fit. Like Lululemon, Nike offers free pant hemming in-store.

Nike Therma Sphere Element Women's Running Top ($75)

Nike Therma Sphere Element Women's Running Top
$75
from shop.nordstrom.com
Buy Now

Nike Power Epic Lux Crop Running Tights ($85)

Nike Power Epic Lux Crop Running Tights
$85
from shop.nordstrom.com
Buy Now

Nike Sportswear Women's Leggings ($50)

Nike Sportswear Women's Leggings
$50
from shop.nordstrom.com
Buy Now

Nike Pro Indy Logo Sports Bra ($40)

Nike Pro Indy Logo Sports Bra
$40
from shop.nordstrom.com
Buy Now

Nordstrom

Nordstrom is a haven for fit petite shoppers for reasons beyond its own active brand (Zella, which offers a 29-inch inseam on full-length pants). Not only does it offer brands like Nike, Outdoor Voices, and a myriad of top activewear lines, but it also offers free tailoring (not just hemming) on any product you buy from Nordstrom. Seriously. Just pick any brand you love, and let the Nordstrom tailors custom-fit the product to your body. FO FREE.

Zella Live In Leggings ($54)

Zella Live In Leggings
$54
from shop.nordstrom.com
Buy Now

Zella Vinyasa Sports Bra

Zella Vinyasa Sports Bra ($49)

Zella Vinyasa Sports Bra
$49
from shop.nordstrom.com
Buy Now

Forever 21

My 4'11" best friend loves her Forever 21 active pants. While the 28-inch inseam still bunches at the ankles for her, it's still four whole inches shorter than the average pant inseam. Its XS is true to size, and the price is extremely low compared to other brands.

Active Stretch-Knit Leggings ($20)

Active Stretch-Knit Leggings
$20
from forever21.com
Buy Now

Active Rainbow-Striped Zip-Up Hoodie ($20)

Active Rainbow-Striped Zip-Up Hoodie
$20
from forever21.com
Buy Now

Want More?

POPSUGAR Would Like To Send You Push Notifications.