Madewell Petite Haul! Here's Everything I'm Loving for Summer as a 5'1" Editor

Name: Madewell The Essex Long Baggy Shorts
Brand: Madewell
Price: 88 USD

Jeans, dresses, vests—oh my!

By Stephanie Maida

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Published May 17, 2025

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Madewell Petite Try-On: Collage featuring original photos of editor Stephanie Maida in Madewell summer denim pieces

Original photos by Stephanie Maida/Madewell/Dasha Burobina

As a commerce editor (and millennial), I prefer shopping online—I mean, it’s basically what I do for a living. But as a petite, I know how hard it can be to gauge how certain styles will fit shorter statures. So, as a petite commerce editor, I’m here to save my fellow shorties a trip by showing you how items from your favorite retailers really look on someone who’s not quite model height. After scouring the real-life racks at Abercrombie & Fitch, my next stop was Madewell.

The brand behind one of my favorite jean purchases of the year (none other than these darted barrel jeans) is, of course, beloved for its denim offerings. And thankfully for us short gals, Madewell offers most of its jean styles in petite-specific inseams. However, not everything comes in varying lengths, so it can be trickier shopping for dresses, shorts and even tops. To take some of the guesswork out of your next Madewell haul, I tried on 15 pieces from the brand’s new summer collection and snapped selfies in the eight picks that I thought worked great on my 5’1” frame.

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Madewell Petite Try-On: Original photo of Stephanie Maida in Madewell dressing room wearing a blue floral maxi dress

Original photo by Stephanie Maida/Madewell

1. Madewell Smocked Puff-Sleeve Dress

Madewell

The puff sleeves and pretty floral print immediately caught my eye when I saw this beauty hanging on the rack, but the smocked bodice and square neckline is what really sealed the deal. As you can see, this flowy frock is more of a maxi on me, but I had no complaints. The airy fabric, made of a blend of rayon and viscose, was so light and lovely, I could totally picture myself donning it on a hot summer’s day sans sweat stains. Plus, the stretchy fit made it incredibly comfortable.

Fast Facts

Size Range: 00 to 16

$168 at madewell

Madewell Petite Try-On: Original photo of Stephanie Maida in Madewell dressing room wearing a white eyelet top and jeans

Original photo by Stephanie Maida/Madewell

2. Madewell Embroidered Shirred Top

Madewell

The natural progression of fall and winter’s big boho trend has brought us to a resurgence of all things eyelet this spring and summer. The delicate design has been spotted on cool girls from coast to coast this season, so, in an attempt to be one of them, I made a beeline straight for this top. Despite having a higher neckline and billowy shape (two features that can work against shorter frames), I’m happy to report that it looked just as good on me as it did on the rack (if I do say so myself). I credit the just-right length of that beautiful scalloped hem—and the peekaboo nature of the eyelet fabric, which let just enough skin show through so that my shape didn’t get completely lost. That said, you’ll want to choose your undergarments wisely, and may not want to wear this style to work (unless layered over a cami), but all in all, it’s got my petite stamp of approval.

Fast Facts

Size Range: XXS to XXL

$128 at madewell

Original photo by Stephanie Maida/Madewell

3. Madewell Emmett Wide-Leg Jeans: Let Down Hem Edition

Madewell

To pair with the top above, I tried the Emmett wide-leg jeans, complete with let-down hem detailing and retro patch pockets that went perfectly with the ‘70s look of the eyelet. I’m actually wearing them in the standard inseam here and ended up loving the length, which fell just above my kitten heel (so no dragging). The high waist was comfortable and supportive, and the legs weren’t too wide, so even those of us with shorter ones could pull them off without a ton of style strategizing. And the denim? Sturdy but lived-in—i.e., perfection. Let’s just say my Madewell barrel jeans better watch out.

Fast Facts

Size Range: 23 to 33; standard, petite, tall

~~$138~~; $104 at madewell

Madewell Petite Try-On: Original photo of Stephanie Maida in Madewell dressing room wearing a denim dress

Original photo by Stephanie Maida/Madewell

4. Madewell Circle Mini Dress: Airy Denim Edition

Madewell

Why hello there, miss lady who lunches. Sure, I might be the edgiest girl at tea time at The Plaza, but this prim little A-line number was certainly made for it. Between the shape-enhancing seams and fit-and-flare silhouette, this frock couldn’t be described as anything less than fabulously flattering—even if it did hit a bit lower on my leg than the model’s. As a bonus, the lightweight denim (a mix of cotton and Tencel Lyocell) was so wonderfully soft, I can’t imagine there to be any chafing or scratching to complain of, even after hours of wear.

Fast Facts

Size Range: XXS to 3X

$148 at madewell

Madewell Petite Try-On: Original photo of Stephanie Maida in Madewell dressing room wearing a denim vest

Original photo by Stephanie Maida/Madewell

5. Madewell Denim High Crewneck Vest

Madewell

Even if you missed out on tickets to the Cowboy Carter tour, I highly recommend taking a page from Queen Bey and embracing some elevated western wear in your wardrobe this season, starting with this structured vest. Made of 100 percent cotton, the denim is thick and rigid, which ensures that its hourglass shape (and, by extension, the one it gives you) stays perfectly in place. Indeed, its tailoring creates a cinching effect at the waist that I loved so much, I couldn’t help but post this pic as an Instagram story—to which I received a ton of heart-eye emojis and a message from a friend who said she owns this top and can’t get enough of it. Also, shorties need not worry about flashing any midriff where the button placket ends since it lands a little lower on the hip—a plus in my book.

Fast Facts

Size Range: 00 to 16

~~$98~~; $74 at madewell

Madewell Petite Try-On: Original photo of Stephanie Maida in Madewell dressing room wearing a white pinstripe shirtdress

Original photo by Stephanie Maida/Madewell

6. Madewell Bubble-Hem Mini Shirtdress

Madewell

Bubble hems are back on the rise and pinstripes were everywhere at this year’s Met Gala. Put them both together and you’ve got this super fresh take on a work-ready shirtdress. I’ll be honest, I was surprised by how much I actually liked the look of this piece when I put it on, particularly because the loose fit could all too easily overwhelm my figure. But with the help of those thin vertical lines (aka a petite’s best friend) and the drop-waist effect of the flouncy skirt, I felt oh-so long and sleek in it. As you can see, it ends just at the knee on my 5’1” frame, but that’s all the better for wearing to the office. (And, for the record, I think I could have sized down for an even slimmer fit.)

Fast Facts

Size Range: XXS to XXL

~~$138~~; $104 at madewell

Madewell Petite Try-On: Original photo of Stephanie Maida in Madewell dressing room wearing beige crochet tank top and denim jorts

Original photo by Stephanie Maida/Madewell

7. Madewell Open-Stitch Sweater Tank

Madewell

If I could live in one outfit this summer, this would be it—starting with this airy, cotton-knit tank. Don’t let the word “knit” fool you—the open pointelle stitch keeps things super light and breathable, so much so that I could imagine throwing this on over my bikini top at the beach. On that note, the low scoop neck and spaghetti straps were each compatible with my regular bra, and while the design is a touch see-through, it’s hardly anything too scandalous for a casual outing. Speaking as someone who is not trying to show my midriff at every opportunity, however, I did appreciate that the top’s slightly cropped length ended up hitting right at the waist of my bottoms, which brings me to…

Fast Facts

Size Range: XXS to XXL

~~$85~~; $64 at madewell

Original photo by Stephanie Maida/Madewell

8. Madewell The Essex Long Baggy Shorts

Madewell

ICYMI, petites can absolutely pull off the Bermuda shorts trend, and personally, I’ve been obsessed with them lately. During my trip to Madewell, I fell head over heels—well, knees—for this knee-length pair that checks all my boxes (including falling at a flattering length on my short legs). Distressed to just the right degree and slouchy enough to look trendy without verging on Adam Sandler-esque, the jorts felt relaxed and comfortable, and provided plenty of room to move and breathe in. It’s true that the denim lacks any stretch, but the style does run large; I actually sized down one from my regular size and still felt I had a good amount of space at the waist. Like I said, coupled with the top above, I could wear these shorts on repeat ‘til autumn.

Fast Facts

Size Range: 23 to 33

$88 at madewell

Stephanie Maida

Senior Commerce Editor

Oversees PureWow's coverage of sales and deals, celebrity commerce and new launches across categories
Has worked as a writer and editor for 10+ years
Studied journalism at New York University

read full bio

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