Jamie Allison Sanders is an LA-based copywriter and blogger with 20+ years experience in fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Her work has appeared in InStyle, People, Well+Good and more.
As much as I love dressing up, I also love a good athleisure moment. And some of my favorite celebrity style moments recently have one thing in common: a matching set. Anne Hathaway, Demi Moore, Martha Stewart, and Oprah Winfrey have all sparked my interest -- and after seeing countless celebrities look pulled together in matching sets, I decided it was high time I tried one, too. I've been a whopping 4 feet 11 inches and three-quarters since my 14th birthday, though, which means it was difficult to find a two-piece outfit that actually fit me properly from head to toe. Until now, that is.
While scrolling through Amazon's selection of lounge sets, I came across the Prettygarden knit top and pants matching set. I was immediately intrigued by the top's cropped silhouette and the pants' banded jogger hems. I'd tried so many other matching sets with sleeves that came past my wrists or pants that fell far past my ankles. Could this set finally be the one? I ordered it with a mix of excitement and trepidation and waited anxiously for it to arrive. The moment I slipped the top over my head and pulled the pants over my hips, I gasped aloud -- because it was the exact right fit for my petite frame.
While I've previously found figure-flattering jumpsuits and pretty dresses that are petite-friendly, I honestly never thought I'd strike gold with a matching set. This one gets an A+, mainly due to the fact that it combines two of my favorite petite fashion hacks: choosing a subtly cropped top that hits right at my hips and ankle-length pants with banded hems.
I love that this lounge set has two pieces that complement each other without being exactly the same. The top is designed in ribbed-knit cotton, with a crew neckline, cap sleeves, and a chest patch pocket with rolled trim, while the sweatpants have a high-rise waist, oversized front pockets, and easy, wide legs with front pleated details. The two-piece outfit comes in sizes S-XXL, and I've found that the size L is perfect for my curvy, 5-foot frame. I already own it in light gray, and it comes in 14 additional colors like navy, teal, black, espresso brown, and wine red.
Since I have a short torso, it can be even harder for me to find tops that don't swamp my body and come down past my thighs. That makes the top even more appealing since the cropped fit sits right at the bottom of my hips. The pants also hit right at my ankles so I can show off cute sandals or sneakers without worrying that the hems will drag on the ground while I walk. And even though the two pieces are a sweater and sweatpants they’re lightweight which means I can wear them comfortably throughout the summer.
This matching set has become a major part of my style rotation, due in large part to its versatility. Truth be told, I'm actually wearing it while I type this, so it's a great option for casual workdays. I also frequently pull it out for weekend brunches, adding statement earrings and colorful sandals, and I've worn it to events like weekly trivia nights and friends' birthdays. The pieces look good on their own too, so I've paired the sweater with leggings and boots, or the sweatpants with a patterned blouse or white tee.
As someone who loves reading reviews from fellow petite shoppers, I ran to the comments section before purchasing this set. Luckily, they did not disappoint. A curvy 4-foot-11 shopper said it's "comfortable and dressy," and a 5-foot-2 shopper said they love that "the bottom of [the] pants are pinned." Other short reviewers said the matching set "looks amazing on," the quality is "just outstanding," and the tapered cuffs "make the length great."
Now that I've found the perfect-fitting matching set for my petite frame, there's no going back.