Image Courtesy of PriceGrabberThere are many options in bootcut jeans for petites, so it pays to check the fit of different brands to find out the ones that are just right for you. Short, curvy women are often advised to wear bootcut jeans to balance hips, but it often works better to create the illusion of balance at the shoulders rather than at the ankles. However, many short women love bootcut jeans, and they certainly go better with boots and some other shoe styles, such as booties, than skinny or straight-leg jeans. If you opt for bootcut jeans, go for a slight bootcut rather than a wide bootcut because it will help to create the illusion of a longer, leaner appearance.
Image Courtesy of PriceGrabberSkinny is "in." Unfortunately few petites can wear skinny jeans successfully, and there aren't as many styles available in petites. 7 for All Mankind doesn't even often skinny jeans in petites, but some other major brands, such as True Religion, are now offering skinny jeans for petites. There are a couple of problems petites face when considering skinny jeans. The first is that most petite women won't look good in them. However, petites who have slender legs and wear an extra-small size will be able to wear skinny jeans. The second problem is finding skinny jeans to fit a shorter frame. Sometimes the inseams of the petites are fairly long--as much as 31.5 inches in some cases. So short women may need to hem petite skinny jeans.
Image Courtesy of PriceGrabberBoyfriend jeans continue to be popular with young Hollywood stars, and as long as that's the case, we're going to find more of these styles available. Strictly for casual wear, boyfriend jeans should never be worn to work, even on casual Friday. Of course, if you don't want to spend the money for pricey distressed boyfriend jeans, you can always style your own. Grab your boyfriend's or husband's jeans or find men's jeans at the thrift store, poke holes, bleach, rip, and roll up the cuffs. I've heard that Drew Barrymore lets her dog chew on her jeans for a distressed look.
Image Courtesy of PriceGrabberDark wash jeans are winners for petites because the dark color makes us look thinner and taller. If you're able to wear jeans on casual Fridays at work, dark wash jeans give a more professional appearance than lighter washes.
Image Courtesy of PriceGrabberStretch can be a good thing in jeans as long as there's not too much stretch material, such as Lycra, blended into the cotton denim fabric. Look for stretch panels placed strategically to minimize hips or a tummy. These types of styles are available from Not Your Daughter's Jeans (
Buy Direct from Nordstrom) as well as budget jean lines, such as Newport News (
Vendor's Site) jeans.
Image Courtesy of PriceGrabberShort women who wear petite plus sizes can find jeans that are well proportioned for them. Trouser style jeans that have a wider leg than other jeans styles work well, but there are plenty of other options available for the petite plus woman, including bootcut, straight-leg, and skinny styles.
