The Best Petite Coats and Jackets, According to People Whose Taste We Trust

Anna Lazzarini, a petite content creator, often turns to the Gap for petite pieces. Her most recent purchase is this cinched denim jacket with pleats in the front. She’s especially excited about this item because its more tailored design means it can function as both a jacket and shirt. “As a self-proclaimed outfit repeater, versatility is important to me,” she says, adding that she likes the jacket’s refined silhouette.

Two jackets from the London-based company Aligne were brought up, including this checkered quilted number. Creative consultantVivid Wusays it hits her right above the hips, “creating the illusion of longer legs while keeping proportions in check.” The checked pattern adds sophistication, and she often wears hers with high-waisted trousers or dresses.

If you’re looking for a trench coat that you’re not completely swimming in, Digital entrepreneurAlyssa Coscarellisays Peachy Den’s Mac coat suits her five-foot-one frame perfectly. The U.K.-based brand doesn’t offer petite-specific sizing, but it is a shop she has repeatedly shopped for outerwear. While she owns the jacket in the beige colorway, sizing is limited.Thenavy versionis available in all sizes.

Jess Tran, a photographer and creative consultant, discovered this bomber jacket at L.A.-based shop Things Between. While oversize jackets don’t often work for petites, Tran says the proportions on this are just right on her five-foot-two frame (she has it in a small). She’s able to layer sweaters or cardigans under it without it feeling too tight or like she’s swimming in it.

One of Lazzarini’s new going-out jackets is this Petite Studio NYCfaux-leather one. Despite being oversize, it never looks baggy or slouchy. She says the balloon sleeves give it a more sculptural look, and that it “feels more expensive than its actual price tag.” Her go-to night-out look is this paired with slim bootcut jeans, a tee, and a metallic bag.

For a 100 percent wool coat that’s under $200, Zeroual recommended Quince’s cocoon coat. Like the Madewell jacket she picked above, this has vertical lines (this time around the shoulders and neck) for a lengthening effect. This hits right at mid-thigh, which Zeroual says is an ideal length for petites to elongate their figure.

I’ve personally had little luck with finding a fitted leather jacket, which is why I was very surprised when I put on Quince’s motorcycle jacket. It has a slightly bold shoulder, but isn’t so boxy that it feels dated. The hem hits right at my waist, and the sleeves right at my wrists. I usually wear it over a fitted tee or dresses, but I’ve managed to wear medium-weight sweaters underneath this on days when the temps drop below 50 degrees.

Petite-fashion expertLwanyrecommends Ralph Lauren’s trench, which was recently brought back after being discontinued. She says it’s easily one of the most-complimented pieces in her wardrobe because it’s so well-fitting. She chalks that up to the properly proportioned shoulder fit (something difficult to find in trenches, she says) and the visual weight from the buttons and defined waist. “It sits just right, giving structure without overwhelming my smaller frame,” she says.

“Oversized” is typically a descriptor petites shy away from, but Lazzarini says this Petite Studio coat nails the silhouette. It has a little more room in the shoulders and nowhere else, so it has a boyfriend look without adding too much bulk. She bought it at the beginning of the winter, and it has quickly become her everyday jacket for temps ranging from 20 to 50 degrees. Its material composition — 90 percent wool and 10 percent camel hair — is impressive too. “My fiancé actually got a coat from Golden Goose, and we were comparing the feel of each of our jackets,” she says. “Mine felt so much better and was a fraction of the cost.”

Lazzarini typically steers clear of oversize jackets with a drop waist. This is one of the exceptions though, since it’s “perfectly proportioned, and the drop-waist belt cinches you exactly where you’d want it to.” The sleeves end right past her wrists, so the jacket is great for layering with long-sleeve tees or wrist cuff bracelets. She typically styles hers with straight-leg dark denim and a pointed-toe boot for extra leg elongation.

Madeleine Cohen, founder of petite denim brandNelle Atelier, prefers the brand’s scoop-neck blazer. She picked it up recently ahead of appearing on TV, because she was a fan of the cinched waist, low neckline, and fitted silhouette. “It’s very flattering on a petite frame,” she says. The one thing to note, though, is that she did have to tailor the sleeves to make them hit right at her wrists.

Another brand with petite-specific sizing is Boden. Zeroual likes its Lancaster Belted Mac coat because it’s slightly boxy without adding too much bulk for an effortlessly chic French look. The coat is made entirely of cotton, so it may be better as a transitional piece from winter into spring (or layered with alightweight puffer).

If you prefer a full gingham look, Wu recommends Sézane’s Clyde trench coat. She says it marries both a tailored and relaxed fit with its structured shoulders and classic lapels. She prefers wearing hers with jeans and loafers for a casual look or a miniskirt andknee-high bootsfor something a bit dressed up. And if you aren’t a fan of the all-gingham pattern, it also comes in six other solid color options.