I Tried On Loads of Petite Jeans—These Are the 9 Pairs I Loved
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@emilyjdawesI'm wearing Zara's cropped straight-leg jeans here.
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@emilyjdawesThe Verdict: Everlane's Way-High Jeans really, really impressed me. They have a high rise (but still hit my waist on my short torso), and they're made with organic cotton with a touch of stretch. They're comfy, but they still have that classic vintage-denim feel that you just know will last and last. Although not specifically "petite," I'm wearing these in the 25.5-inch leg. It's the shortest of three lengths offered, and they hit my ankle perfectly—not too cropped, not too long. I love that Everlane offers these up to a size 35 waist as well, which, according to its sizing guide, is the equivalent of a UK dress size 22. These were, hands down, my favourite all-around jeans that I tried, and I just know I'd pull them out time and again to wear with boots or sandals.
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@emilyjdawesThe Verdict: Boden has recently revamped its denim collection, adding a range of different shapes and, most importantly, fits. This is the wide-leg, mid-rise style (which still came up pretty high-waisted on me), and I got these in a 28 waist (my usual) and the shortest (28-inch) length that it offers, as I wanted a cropped wide-leg style. They fit the bill perfectly. If you're looking for a full-length wide leg, you can go longer in the leg, but I loved how these sat just over my sandals for summer.
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@emilyjdawesThe Verdict: Whistles has just launched a dedicated petite range (hooray!), meaning its pretty, easy dresses and chic workwear pieces are now much more wearable for us short girls. Included in that range are a couple of pairs of jeans, so I was desperate to put these to the test. The best thing is that all its denim is low impact, made with less water, less energy and fewer chemicals. I went for my usual size (28), and they came up snug (as is sometimes the case with petite collections), so perhaps you'd want to size up if you're in between sizes, especially since it's quite stiff denim. These were a perfect straight-leg cropped style, but I found they were even a little too cropped for me. If you're under 5'2" and looking for a genuinely cropped pair of jeans, you're in luck.
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@emilyjdawesThe Verdict: This is Boden's wide-leg, ultra-high-rise style in size 28 with a 30-inch leg, so they sat really nicely just above the floor. With the shorter leg, they do feel more like flares than a typical straight, wide leg, but I'm quite into that. They have a really nice stretch to them, so they felt comfy to wear all day, too.
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@emilyjdawesThe Verdict: Let me start by saying I'm so into these jeans. As a petite person, I find it much easier to find straight-leg pairs, especially cropped styles. But finding the full-length, looser styles that are so on-trend at the moment has been really difficult—with "baggy" styles often overwhelming my figure and the "full length" always dragging inches on the floor. River Island to the rescue. I sized up in these to a 12XS, which meant they felt a little cooler and more low-slung, sitting just above my sandals perfectly. But the key winning factor for me is that they didn't sag in the bum, something I often find when trying on standard loose or wide-leg jeans. I loved them so much that I immediately went out and bought myself a couple of pairs.
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@emilyjdawesThe Verdict: I loved these jeans so much I had to try on the white pair, too, and yes, I kept these on for the rest of the day. For this pair, I tried my usual size—10—and they still fit perfectly, just with a slightly higher rise and less relaxed fit. They were probably half an inch shorter than the 12 as well, so there's no risk of getting filthy hems on my London commute. The best thing is that these are available up to a size 16, which not a lot of petite ranges do (although we'd like to see an even more diverse range of sizes).
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@emilyjdawesThe Verdict: If you're after a smarter pair of denim that works for the office or for dressing up in the evenings, these were a great option. The denim doesn't feel quite as high-end or hard-wearing as, say, the more expensive Everlane pair, but with denim especially, you get what you pay for. And the elevated darker denim certainly does a good job of fooling people into thinking they're more premium than they are. If you're in between sizes, I'd recommend sizing up for a more relaxed fit. (I'm wearing a 10 petite here.)
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@emilyjdawesThe Verdict: I've heard good things about H&M's jeans for petite people, so I thought I'd give its Vintage Mom style a try. The key for us short girls is to opt for an "ankle" style, meaning they'll be slightly cropped. As you can see, on me these hit below the ankle, but I actually really liked the longer length that sat just over my trainers. These are a size 10 and felt comfy, but as I've said before, you get what you pay for with denim, and I wasn't super impressed with the quality (but I was with the price). All in all, these are a great affordable basic to have in your arsenal.
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@emilyjdawesThe Verdict: I've heard such amazing things from editors and influencers alike about Zara's Marine jeans, and I was beginning to feel a little left out. I saw fellow petite princess Monikh wearing them recently, and she told me she just cut the bottoms off hers to hit at the ankle since they're a frayed hem anyway. Genius! Of course, I had to try for myself, and all the great reviews I'd heard weren't wrong. They felt super soft and flattering, hugging in all the right places. This is their full length in a size 10, but once I decided I was keeping them, I chopped the ends off to make them a cropped flare, hitting the ankle like on the model.
