Stunning Petite Sportswear From Avo Activewear
We Take A Closer Look At Petite Sportwear Brand Avo Activewear With Founder Ally Sevier
Ally Sevier, Founder of Avo Activewear
Finding the right sportswear as a petite woman can be a challenging experience, not just when trying to find sportswear that fits properly - who hasn’t had to roll up their leggings at the ankles multiple times? But also in finding affordable petite sportswear that is available in gorgeous fun designs and styles. Because while finding sportswear that does the job is important, we also want to feel good wearing it, and we want to have the same options that are available in regular size styles from well known brands.
And that is exactly what Ally Sevier has brought us with her petite sportswear brand Avo Activewear.
Ally founded Avo back in 2017 after years of frustration with the lack of sportswear on the market that was right for her 5ft 1 frame. Ally is putting the fun back into workouts for petite women and honestly we can’t get enough of Avo!
The days of gazing longingly at a pair of beautiful leggings, that we know won’t fit, are behind us. Avo Activewear has some absolutely stunning designs including petite leggings, petite sports bras and petite crop tops, all designed for women 5’4 and under and all designed to make you feel your best when you’re working out.
We take a closer look at what Avo Activewear has to offer with founder Ally Sevier
Tell us a bit about Avo and why you started it.
A: I’m a 5’1” female in my late 20s and for years I have, much like many other petite women, put up with rolling my leggings or tailoring tops which didn’t fit. There had been too many times that I would find the most gorgeous pair of leggings only for them to be far too long, and even when I rolled the bottom up they still wouldn’t look right! With no business or fashion degree I was certainly out of my depth creating Avo. Initially I was just making the sample leggings for my own use, just out of pure interest to see if I could make them or have them manufactured by a professional, but the samples turned out so perfectly I just couldn’t keep them to myself! There was a huge gap in the clothing market needing to be filled and hence Avo, the UK’s 1st activewear brand to design a range of activewear specifically for petite women, was created.
“It’s so heart-warming when you have women in their 50s & 60s contact you to say they’ve been waiting for these their whole life”
What has been the reaction to Avo?
A: We’ve received an incredible amount of support since starting from the petite community! So many women have reached out to thank us for starting up the brand. It’s so heart-warming especially when you have women in their 50s & 60s contact you to say they’ve been waiting for these their whole life. We are also so grateful to have been recommended in magazines such as Women’s Health, Heat and Woman & Home where we have been listed among the best petite activewear brands.
There’s a great range of prints and colours available at Avo and the petite sports bras are some of the loveliest we’ve seen, that are made specifically for petite women. What are your favourite products from the line?
A: Oh that’s a tricky question! I would have to say our Matcha Green Senara leggings are my favourite colour and I love the adjustability of our Gemini sports bras.
It’s great to see that you have petite women of all shapes and sizes wearing your petite lines.
A: Petite representation is essential in all shapes, sizes, abilities & ethnicities. I still find myself reminding people that ‘petite’ doesn’t mean small & dainty, but I can see how this stereotype is pursued as many petite brands show models in the smaller sizing ranges. At Avo we currently offer a sizing range of XXS to XL (UK sizes 4 to 16) but in future our aim is to expand this further to be more size inclusive.
What does a day in the life look like for you?
A: When I started Avo I kept my full-time job which meant that every penny of profit would be re-invested into the business. 3 years down the line I now take one day a week to work from home and focus on Avo. This jam-packed day is typically full of packing orders, working on upcoming designs & launches, creating graphics for our website, social media & other marketing purposes, and working on other exciting projects! My spare time around work and on weekends is also spent on the above; it’s said you don’t ever stop when you own your own business… and I’d say that’s right!
The pandemic has had a huge impact on our healths and many people will be looking at ways to improve their fitness or get back on track. What would your advice be to women who want to become more active but don’t know where to start or feel intimidated?
A: Try out your local gyms and decide which one you like the feel of. If you can, I would recommend a few sessions with a personal trainer who can show you the ropes so that you can gain confidence when you’re working out alone, or alternatively write/purchase a gym plan so that you keep yourself accountable. You could even take a friend along with you. Remember – no one is looking at you, they’re almost always looking at themselves!
When you’re not working or wearing Avo, what is your personal style?
A: If you asked my friends they would probably tell you a crop top! I would say as a petite woman I usually try to elongate my legs by wearing something high on the waist, e.g. jeans or a skirt, which I would then pair with a crop top or something I can tuck in. At this time of year I love to wear roll neck jumpers tucked into a mini skirt with tights & my Dr. Martens boots paired with a long (petite!) coat and scarf.
Do you have any favourite petite friendly brands or tips you swear by?
A: If you find a piece of clothing you love but it doesn’t fit right, invest in having it tailored. It will make the item slightly more expensive but until the petite fashion industry catches up this can be a game-changer. Or even better, learn to sew yourself! Some of my favourite petite friendly brands are Miss Selfridge & ASOS. I recently purchased a caramel brown jumper dress from ASOS Petite, perfect for those cooler Autumn/Winter days out!
What’s coming up next for Avo?
A: Hopefully we will also see some new product launches in 2022! We’re also very excited to currently be working with a local videography company and will hopefully have some fun new content to share soon.
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Disclaimer: Please note, as with all clothing, fit is personal to the individual and not everything promoted through this site will necessarily be a perfect fit for you. Please always check the size guide before making a purchase to ensure a product is right for you. If a product on our site is listed as ‘Petite’ this means that the brand or designer has created the item specifically for Petite women who are 5’3” or under. All other products on our site have been deemed
Petite-friendly by Friday Petite and not the brand or designer. Petite-friendly products should fit most women who are 5’3” and under but may not be suitable for everyone. For more information please read our full terms & conditions.
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