At 5'2.5", jeans shopping can be both difficult and frustrating. Inseams that are 32" long, "ankle length" that winds up being full length on me instead, extra money spent on hems and tailoring. If you also fall within the petite height range, you likely know exactly what I'm talking about. Finding jeans that actually fit as intended feels like making the search for the proverbial needle in a haystack, so I'm sharing some of my favorites in case you'd like to try them out.
Madewell: Hello, Petite Inseams!
I absolutely love that Madewell offers petite inseams for most, if not all, of their jeans. Unlike brands where the closest I'll get to perfect is choosing an ankle-length jean and settling for the pair working as a full-length jean, Madewell's petite inseams are usually somewhere in the 23"-24" range, ensuring that the jeans fit on petite women as the design was intended. You want true ankle length jeans? Just order them in the petite inseam and they'll actually be ankle length.
There are a number of pairs where I didn't even need to buy the petite inseam, because the regular inseam hit exactly where I wanted it to. This happened with the High-Rise Slim Boyjean, Classic Straight, and the Cali Demi-Boot Jeans in Dory Wash. However, I did find that I needed the petite inseam in the High-Rise Skinny Jeans, Cali Demi-Boot Jeans in Fleetwood Wash, and the Momjean. Having the option of the petite inseam is so refreshing, and my decision to go with the regular versus petite (or vice-versa) was simply a matter of preference regarding fit. My only criticism of Madewell is that they don't carry petite jeans in-store, which is frustrating because it means an additional wait for the item in the mail (and an additional cost if you're not an Insider) as opposed to the convenience of being able to drop into your nearest store to quickly grab what you want.
Gripe aside, Madewell jeans are my go-to recommendation when asked about my favorite petite-friendly jeans.
Levi's: The One Wedgie You'll Actually Want
While Levi's is a bit hit-and-miss when it comes to petite-friendly hems, their Wedgie and Wedgie Straight fits work so consistently well (and are so flattering) that I now have an embarrassing number of them in my wardrobe.
The washes that feature raw hems are a petite girl's best friend because they're easily customizable with a sharp pair of scissors. Just measure how many inches you need to cut off, mark a line where you'll trim and make sure it's level, and cut. Free, fast hemming. And even if your line isn't perfect, it's alright because the hems are going to fray and no one will notice (though you should still aim to cut as straight as possible). The pair I'm wearing in this photo is the only pair of raw hem Wedgies that I didn't have to trim after buying, but because the process is so fast and easy, I don't mind.
If you'd prefer a finished hem, the Wedgies feature a 26" inseam, which is about the longest inseam length I can work with before things start looking too long on me. For taller women this will look like more of an ankle-length fit, but for petite women this will be more of a full-length inseam. The tapered leg is flattering and pays homage to vintage fits, and coupled with a rise that's nearly 11", this pair gives the illusion of longer legs. Of the pairs I have with a finished hem, my favorite wash is These Dreams.
Everlane: Not the Best, but Getting Better
While Everlane does offer some cropped pants, they absolutely have room for improvement in terms of their petite offerings. Everlane doesn't currently have petite sizes or inseams; those of us in the 5'4" and under crowd are best served by their pants that are offered in the "short" inseam. However, despite not being specifically designed for petites, I really love my cropped Everlane pants.
The Slim Leg Crop Pant in the short inseam (24.5") is perfect because it actually hits at the ankle and looks cropped on my short frame. They're also incredibly soft, with deep pockets and a high-rise waist. I got them in Sandstone and Brass and can't recommend them enough. They look good when you try to get a little dressier with them (like I did in the photo to the left) and are great with a pair of Vans and a denim jacket.
The Straight Leg Crop is essentially the same pant (same inseam, too), just with a straight leg rather than a slim leg. I have them in Bone and love them for a more relaxed fit.
This brings me to Everlane's jeans, which I have mixed feelings on. I own three pairs of their 90s Cheeky Straight Ankle Jeans (26.5" inseam) -- Medium Blue, Vintage Dark Wash, and Vintage Sunbleached Blue -- and one pair of their Authentic Stretch Mid-Rise Skinny Jean in Deep Indigo (26.5" inseam). The inseam on the skinny jeans are more forgiving because of the cut and look totally fine, but the 90s Cheeky Straight look better, in my opinion, when I'm wearing them with a shoe with some sort of heel. When I try to wear them with sneakers I think they look too long. On the plus side, wearing them with pumps or booties gives you that "90s off-duty model" look, but it sucks that when I want to wear them with a flat shoe, I don't think they look the greatest.
I still count the 90s Cheeky Straight as some of my favorite jeans in my wardrobe because the overall fit is really flattering, the rise is pretty high, and as I mentioned, wearing them with a heeled shoe looks really good. But Everlane needs to step up their petite offerings when it comes to their jeans.
The Search Can Be Tiresome, but Don't Get Discouraged
It's completely understandable to feel frustrated by what feels like limited jeans and pants offerings for petites. But slowly but surely, more brands are rolling out petite-friendly options, and some have had options for a while. For example, for years I've been turning to Aritzia and OAK + FORT for dressier pants that I can wear to a nice event or dress down with a pair of sneakers (like Aritzia's Conan Pant), because their standard inseams work for me more often than not.
If you're tired of spending money on a tailor on top of the cost of a pair of jeans or pants, check out some of the options I've listed here. I'd also love to hear about your favorites -- let me know in the comments below!
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