I'm a 5'0" Fashion Editor—These Are the Pants and Jeans I Never Have to Hem

By Swedan MargenJuly 17, 2025

Shopping as a petite fashion enthusiast isn't always easy. I stand at a proud 5'0" with curves, soshopping in person and online used to be a disappointing experience. Over time, though, I've figured out the brands and specific styles that work on my small stature. While trying out trends is fun, getting to a point where you know what works for you is the best feeling. Pants used to be my main shopping challenge. I would buy gorgeous pairs of trousers and bring them to a tailor in hopes of wearing them to specific events and outings. After, I would pick them up from the tailor, and they would look nothing like how I'd hoped. The pants would be too wide and too short, which is ironic.

After a stunning pair of pants that I thrifted was ruined due to shoddy tailoring, I made it my mission to find the perfect pants that I never have to hem. Trust me—the tips and silhouettes I'm about to share will save you time and money. You'll have peace of mind knowing that you have one less trip to the tailor and won't have to risk possibly ruining a pair of pants you like. If you're a short fashion enthusiast like me, keep scrolling to find a pair of pants or jeans that you never have to hem from the brands I swear by.

Gap's Petite Section

My memories at Gap were always with my mom during the weeks leading up to the start of the school year. It never occurred to me to check the brand out again for my bottoms until last year. I tried on a pair of wide-leg jeans, and the hemline-to-shoe ratio was so good I gasped. I used to never buy jeans in stores and only thrifted them so that I wouldn't feel bad for cutting the bottom hem myself. While raw hemlines are cool, that's not always the look I want to go for. I bought those Gap jeans and never looked back. I've since sought out morepetite-friendly bottoms and found a slew of other jeans and trousers that fit like a glove.

A woman wearing a striped shirt, a tan trench coat, and blue jeans in NYC.

Shop Gap Petite Pants and Jeans

Gap

Mid Rise Ultrasoft Baggy Jeans

Gap

Mid Rise Ultrasoft Baggy Jeans

Gap

Mid Rise Barrel Parachute Pants

Gap

High Rise Stride Wide-Leg Ankle Jeans

Gap

365 High Rise Linen-Blend Trousers

Madewell's Petite Section

When I first moved to NYC, Madewell was one of the first stores I decided to browse. I stepped in and saw it had a petite section. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it also had a petite curvy section. I have wider hips and thicker thighs, so finding pants that fit my body exactly the way I want was challenging until I found this section. Now, I'm always browsing the website to see new styles, and I currently have my eye on the barrel-leg jeans.

A woman wearing a red sweater and red pants.

Shop Madewell Petite Jeans

Madewell

The Darted Barrel-Leg Jeans

MW, The Petite Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg Jean

Madewell

The Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg Jeans

Madewell

Superwide-Leg Jeans: Airy Denim Edition

Madewell

The Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg Jeans

Madewell

The Dean Easy Straight Jeans

Cordera

While scrolling through the Ssense sale last year, I came across the brand Cordera. A pair of curved jeans caught my eye, and the picture of the model told me everything I needed to know: These pants would fit me perfectly. How did I know? I noticed that the pants were too short on the model. They fell right above her ankle, so I took a chance with the only size left, and I ordered them in hopes that I would have a new go-to pair of jeans. Luckily for me, my hopes came true.

Telsha Anderson wearing black pants and a tan jacket in NYC.

Shop Cordera Pants and Jeans

Cordera

Blue Seam Curved Jeans

Cordera

Gray Classic Striped Trousers

Cordera

Gray Tailoring Masculine Trousers

Cordera

Black Cotton Knitted Lounge Pants

Cordera

Brown Seam Trousers

J.Crew's Petite Section

J.Crew was another brand that just didn't come to mind until I was out and saw a cool girl around my height wearing a pair of pleated trousers that fit her to the T. I speed-walked over to her to ask her where they were from, and she happily said, "J.Crew." I immediately went to the brand's site on my phone, scrolled to find the exact pants, and ended up finding other amazing bottoms that don't need to be hemmed at all.