Swimming in extra denim? Tips and tricks for short women to step out of the denim puddle. It's hard being short in the world of fashion jeans today and most petite jeans just don't cut it. There are a lot of styles out there that will work for you, including two of the hottest looks right now.
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Struggling to find a great pair of short jeans? When the average woman in America is 5'4, why are all the cool jeans made for those 6' amazons? Really, who has a 35 inseam? It's hard being short in the world of fashion jeans today and most petite jeans just don't cut it. Yes we have staples and masking tape for those quick hem jobs, and yes we could make a quilt with all the hems that we've hacked off, but those are small comforts when you want to look great right off the rack. What is a short girl to do?
Tips for the not so tall
Let's start with style. There are a lot of styles out there that will work for you, including two of the hottest looks right now.
Those great skinny styles you've been seeing everywhere are often shorter in length, a big plus for you. If they're still too long, scrunch them up around the ankle it's the chicest way to wear them.
Straight leg styles are also back with a vengeance, they look great cuffed up and a cuff is the quickest route to a short jean without a visit to a tailor (just be sure that your cuff is not too wide). Pair them with heels or a nice pointy toed flat that will visually extend the length of your leg. Straight is also easy to hem.
Wear your jeans slightly longer; about ? from the ground with your heels on, it will maximize your leg length.
Look for a crease detail on the leg. A vertical fade or crease down the center of the pant leg adds visual length and slimness to your leg.
Look for clean, dark washes, not so hard these days. A uniform color from waist to hem will make your legs look longer and has the added benefit of making you look slimmer.
Avoid super low rises. A mid rise with a slight upward tilt at the back waist is another great leg lengthening trick.
Stay away from wide leg and trouser styles with heavier hem details. They will add bulk to your shape making you look shorter and wider than you really are.
Cut it off
If all else fails or what you love only comes in a long length, pay to get your jeans shortened! It is definitely worth the $10- $15 bucks extra to get a great looking jean.
There are some tricks to choosing a jean style that will shorten well without loosing it's cool.
Choose a flare leg style to start, once you shorten it 2-3 you'll be left with a great looking boot cut.
Pay attention to where the knee breaks. Most designer jeans have placed it fairly high so it will still work with your shorter proportions. If it's lower, you run the risk of it being too low for you, throwing off the proportions of the jean.
The same goes with wash and sandblasting details, make sure that they are not placed too low on the jean. They will look all wrong after you hem. Don't, however, worry about wash and distressing details at the hem. A good tailor will be able to preserve the original hem on your newly shortened jeans.
You can check the proportions when you are trying on the jean by folding up the leg to your desired length (it works best to fold to the inside of the pant), and make sure you have on the right shoes!
Off the rack
Look for brands that do offer shorter length jeans. We're not talking petites jeans here; those are usually the frumpy styles that you wouldn't be caught dead in. Some of our favorite fashion forward brands offer short inseam lengths check out our list below. Since you are an online shopper, that is where you will have the most luck, even if the shorter length is sold out in the store, you will find it easily on the web.
7 For All Mankind
American Eagle
Calvin Klein Jeans
Chadwicks
Diesel
Eddie Bauer
Gap
Gloria Vanderbilt
Jag Jeans
L.L. Bean
La Redoute
Lands End
Lauren by Ralph Lauren
Lee
Levi's
Lucky Brand
Newport News
Not Your Daughters Jeans
Old Navy
Polo Jeans Co.
Riders
Tommy Hilfiger
Victoria's Secret
Wrangler
Finally, revel in your size, it's not so bad. You always have enough leg room on the airplane, you have the greatest selection of shoes (and you can wear them as high as you dare), you get those lovely kisses on the top of your head, and you can demurely ask that cute guy in the grocery store to reach the top shelf for you. Now you can always look great doing it!
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Visit zafu.com to find out which jeans fit you best. The zafu jean finder provides personalized recommendations for your body type. zafu makes jean shopping easy.
About the Author
Ada is a master pattern maker who's worked for designer brands, developed her own line of clothing, Levi's and now with zafu.com for five years. She entertains us with tales of her shopping adventures that have lead to a wild collection of clothes and over one hundred pairs of shoes.
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