Shopping for clothes can be a daunting task for women, especially when it comes to searching for the best fitting jeans. Petite jeans are sometimes too long, and you end up feeling like you’re cutting off half of that expensive material you’re paying for. While other times, long jeans can be too short. And if you can’t find what you want in petites and have to resort to the regular sizes, the proportions are all wrong. Not to worry, though – your frame can rock the right look. Just watch out for these deal-breakers that can doom an otherwise lovely pair of jeans.
The Guide to Finding The Best Fitting Jeans For Your Petite Frame
Fit
Finding the best fitting jeans that fits perfectly is the holy grail of shopping, no matter what your shape or height. But petite women have to work just a little harder to find the best fitting jeans for their smaller frame.
Let’s talk about the basics first. Petite jeans offer the best fit. But, just like no two petite women are alike, no two pair of petite jeans are alike, either. Just because they’re in the petite section doesn’t mean they’ll fit perfectly. Don’t settle – if they’re too long, resist the temptation to roll them up; that makes your legs look shorter. Instead, have them hemmed.
If your jeans are too big in the waist, you’ll show off your goodies. Jeans that are too big in the seat are even worse – nobody likes a saggy backside (which, by the way, also makes you look shorter). The waist is the easiest part to alter, so buy jeans to fit your hips and have the waist taken in if you need to.
Cut and style
Now let’s talk about rise. Low-rise jeans are popular, but they can make your legs look even shorter. And high-rise jeans can make your torso look shorter, as well. Opting for mid-rise jeans that hit at your natural waistline will be the best fitting jeans for you.
Almost all websites that advise petite women on buying jeans agree that straight-cut jeans, which provide a straight line from the knee to the floor, are the most flattering choice for petite women. A strong vertical line creates the illusion of longer legs. Plus, you don’t lose the character of the jeans when you have them hemmed, like you do with boot-cut or flared jeans. Trouser styles, which create a vertical line from the widest part of the hip straight to the floor, work well, too, for the same reasons. And while we’re talking about line, avoid cuffs. They interrupt that vertical line, making you look even shorter. Wide hem lines do the same thing.
You can’t talk about fit and style without talking about cropped jeans. While they shorten your legs, they’re very popular. If you want to wear cropped jeans, “How Stuff Works” on TLC suggests pairing them with a shoe of the same color to keep the line going. And don’t forget that heels are a petite woman’s best friend!
Color and Pattern
Solids and dark colors make your legs look longer, so dark-wash denim is usually the most flattering choice. But, colored and patterned jeans are hugely popular, and you shouldn’t have to pass them by when scouting out the best fitting jeans. Just remember that darker colors elongate, so choose this season’s “it” color of turquoise over pastels, for instance. When it comes to patterns, remember that the pattern should have room to repeat. Otherwise, it will look like your jeans are engulfing you. A good rule of thumb is that the biggest element of the pattern should be no bigger than your fist.
Details and Embellishments
When you just can’t help but shop in the regular sizes, watch out for the details. Jeans that are too long can be hemmed, but fading in the wrong place can’t easily be fixed. Fading on the thighs, for example, should stop mid-knee, not halfway down your shin. And stay away from embellishments that will be cut off or cropped at an awkward place when you have the pants hemmed.
Pockets are another detail petites have to worry about. Pockets that are too big or that drift down below your buttocks make you look like you’ve swiped your big sister’s jeans. Too high, and they make your rear look flat. The most flattering placement is just above mid-cheek.
Women of all shapes, sizes and heights can find the best fitting jeans that make them look amazing. Petite women may have to work a little harder, but your perfect jeans are out there. Just remember the details that are “deal breakers”, and refuse to settle until you find the best fitting jeans that make you look and feel gorgeous.
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