This is one of those isn’t it ironic kind of moments. For years, women fought for the right to wear pants. In fact, it wasn’t until 1972 when Title 9 finally passed that girls in public schools could finally wear pants. No more mandatory skirts for gym class.
And it wasn’t until 1993 that the US Senate finally allowed women to wear pants on the Senate floor.
And don’t think it was just the US. Paris banned women from wearing pants until 2013 they were actually required to get permission from the police. Now, granted, it hadn’t been enforced for decades, but still it wasn’t officially repealed until 2013. Which brings to mind all sorts of questions like did you have to leave the house in a dress and then find a police officer and get permission and then go back and change or or what? I have a hard time even imagining it. So look at all that hard work our predecessors went through for the right for us to wear pants, and here we are. Today lamenting how we can’t find pants that fit.
But not you and not 15 minutes from now. Because today we’re going to build on last week’s episode and complete your perfect Petite pant formula with leg shape and the holy grail of Petite pants length.
By the end of this episode, you’ll have your complete personalized perfect pant formula and know exactly what to look for when shopping for pants. Pants that make your butt look great, flatter your shape, and are the right length, and don’t require hemming. Girl, can I get an amen? Or at the risk of sounding like Panic! at the Disco, a hallelujah. I’m Angela, your Petite style coach. And when you’re ready, let’s get this style party started.
Finding your perfect Petite pants is the second step in my S.P.A.R.K. Style method because, after body shape, knowing how to find pants that actually fit makes getting dressed so much easier. Now, it’s a three-step formula that includes rise, leg shape, and length. We covered rise in the last episode. In case you missed it, I’ll be sure to put the link in the show notes so you don’t have to hunt it down.
Choosing the Best Petite Pants Leg Shape
So, now we’re ready to dig into leg shape. And your best leg shapes depend largely on your body shape. So, in case you’re new here and haven’t taken the Petite body shape quiz yet, first, thank you so much. I’m so glad you stopped by. And you’ll want to put me on pause and hop on over and take the quiz.
It’s super quick, only seven questions, and takes about 2 minutes because once you get your results, this episode and all the other episodes will make a whole lot more sense. Now, in case you’re thinking, I’m not going to take it. I already know my body shape. I’m an apple or a pear or a banana or whatever. You may want to reconsider because we look at body shape differently around here. You are not a fruit salad or anything that goes into a fruit salad. You’re also not a circle, a square, or a rectangle because your body is not a geometry problem that we need to fix. Now, the quiz lives full-time at insideepitstyle.com, and I’ll also pop the link in the show notes so you don’t have to search for it. Back to leg shape. Just like rise, there’s a thousand different variations. However, they fall into seven main options.
Skinny, Cigarette, and Tailored Petite Pants
First, we’ll group skinny pants, cigarette pants, and tailored all together because they all have a slim fit from waist all the way to the ankle.
Now, without question, this leg shape is one of the most universally flattering one for Petites, especially if your signature body shape number six, meaning your shoulder and bust measurement is smaller than your hip and thigh measurement. For all those signature body shape number threes out there, tailored pants are perfect. Perfect when you want to wear something with more volume on top, meaning maybe a bulky sweater or a blouse with lots of details, or an oversized blazer. You get the idea. They’re also brilliant if you have a curvier figure because they don’t add volume where you have it naturally. And the good news is that after several seasons of them being on everybody’s too dated to wear list, um they’re making a comeback this fall and will be much easier to find both in store and online.
Straight Leg Petite Pants for a Timeless Wardrobe
The second leg shape is straight. And just the way it sounds, it’s cut straight from the top of the thigh all the way down to the hem. Think like classic Levi’s 501s.
Now, this is a great leg shape if you have a straighter or more athletic figure and want to create the illusion of definition at the waistline. They’re also great if you want to create a more timeless wardrobe. In fact, a client said just that to me last week. She really wanted to put together a closet that she didn’t have to worry about it when she would wear items from season to season or year to year. Straight leg pants are perfect for this because they are so timeless, making them a super smart investment.
How to Style Petite Wide Leg Pants
The next shape is wide-leg. And you and I have talked a lot about wide-leg pants. in the last few seasons.
In fact, episode 3 is all about the best ways for Petites to wear them. So, we won’t rehash all that information again. And in case you missed it, oh, the horror. I’ll add the link to the show notes so you can catch up. Now, just as a reminder, the wide-leg pants is an incredible style for women with signature body shape number four. So, if you’re a number four, definitely keep your eyes open.
Barrel Leg Style Pants
Next, let’s talk about barrel leg pants. And honestly, are you as shocked as I am? I thought this would be a trendy silhouette for one season and then disappear forever, which is clearly why I’m not a style forecaster. But to make sure that we are all on the same page, barrel leg pants are tailored at the waist, then balloon out to about midshin, and then taper back in to the hem. One thing to take note of, just like flare and widelegg, depending upon the brand, some can be very balloonlike and dramatic, while Others are much more subtle.
So, let’s talk about which body shapes they look best on. They look amazing on body shape number three, especially when worn with a tailored or slim fitting top.
They are also a super clever choice for Petites with curves and for signature body shape number fours because they add volume exactly where you want it and don’t have it naturally.
A bonus tip, especially for number fours, have fun playing around with the volume. The more voluptuous you are on top and the stronger your shoulders, the more dramatic the barrel you are able to pull off successfully.
And don’t worry if you’re a body shape number six. Barrel leg pants are great for you too, especially when paired with a cropped and a little bit bulkier top. So, for example, a chunky sweater or a boxy blazer, or even a stiffer, more structured button-down.
The last thing I’ll say about barrel pants before moving on is that it’s super helpful to look for them on a Petite website or a brand that shows them on a Petite model, because this is one of those styles that looks so much different on a woman who’s 6 feet tall than they do on us.
Boyfriend and Girlfriend Petite Jeans: Rise and Fit
Now, while boyfriend and girlfriend pants aren’t technically a leg shape, this really felt like the best place to talk about them. Boyfriend jeans are cut looser in the waist, so they rest close to or right at your hipbones. They have more room in the hip and bum area. area, which, if you’ve ever seen a picture of Ashley or Mary Kate Olsen leaving the airport, you will absolutely recognize that relaxed, cool girl vibe. Now, girlfriend jeans are similar, but are a bit more tailored through the waist, hip, and bum area, because they often come in a higher rise, like mid or high.
Now, there’s a couple things to keep in mind when shopping or styling either of these styles, and that’s to be super aware of where the waistband rests on you. We want to avoid them falling right at the widest part of our midsection because that will draw the eye right there and give the impression that we’re wider than what we actually are.
Now, out of all of those, is there a specific leg shape that resonates best with you? Is there one that you haven’t tried before, but now you’re really considering it? If so, make sure to hop on over to insideep petitestyle.com, tap the voicemail button on the right, and share all of the juicy details.
Petite Pants Length and Inseam Explained
Now, we’re ready for the last part of your perfect Petite pant formula, and that is length or inseam. First of all, though, what is inseam? It’s simply the measurement from the crotch to the hem of the pants. And these days, pants come in every imaginable length.
So, we have no reason to settle for pants that are too long or need to be hemmed, unless we just love our tailor and like to support small businesses.
All Petites have two ideal inseams. One is for ankle-length pants, and the second is for full-length pants where the hem grazes your toes.
Just like with rise, the easiest way to know your ideal inseam is to find a pair of pants that you already have in your closet and you like where the hem hits you. As a reminder, you don’t have to love everything about the pants, just the length.
Ankle Length vs. Full Length Petite Pants Inseam
Now, ankle length is great for skinny, cigarette, tailored joggers, and barrel leg pants. This is the perfect length for Petites who love to wear flats or sneakers, or even like a low kitten heel.
Full-length or toe grazing inseams are just like they sound. The bottom of the hem should graze your toes in your chosen shoes. And they are best with straight, boot cut, wide, and flared leg shapes.
And by far the most flattering length for Petites because it does a brilliant job creating the illusion of length and making your legs look like they go on and on and on. on. If you take a look at any picture of Victoria Beckham in pants, you’ll see exactly what I mean.
Now, for Petites who adore wearing high heels, please be sure to tack on your favorite heel height to the inseam because there’s few things that look more awkward than when the hem hits the arch of your foot versus your toes.
Should Petite Women Wear Cropped Pants?
No conversation about pants would be complete without at least mentioning cropped pants. Now, we don’t spend a ton of time talking about them because they’re not the easiest length for Petites to wear. Well, that’s not to say we can’t do it, but we’ll definitely need to make some other style choices to compensate for the fact that we’re chopping off our vertical line prematurely, which oftentimes makes us look shorter and wider.
Now, for those of you who love crop pants, shoot for a hem that lands at the mid-calf or below. And please, if you’re ever tempted to buy a pair of crop pants in a regular size because the length hits at your ankle bone or below, because they’re designed for regular-sized women, you’ll want to listen to episode number eight, where you and I do a deep dive into all the differences between Petite and regular-sized clothes. And of course, I will add that link to the episode in the show notes so you don’t have to hunt it down.
Your Complete Petite Pant Formula Style Challenge
Are you ready for a Petite style challenge? In case you didn’t have a chance last week, you’ll want to find your most flattering and comfortable rise.
Then narrow down your two to three best leg shapes based on your Petite body shape quiz results.
And finally, nail down the perfect length for both ankle and toe grazing pants. And be sure to jot the numbers down because you know what happens.
We always think we’ll remember until we’re having a glass of wine on the couch and online shopping, and we can’t bloom and remember what we discovered. So avoid all the nonsense.
Congratulations, my friend. You now have the information that you need to create your very own perfect Petite pant formula, which is going to make finding pants that fit and do not need to be altered so much easier.
Be sure to come back Friday for a Petite Style Diaries episode where I share a question from a member of the Petite Revolution community and the solution that we came up with.
Thank you so much for hanging out, and we will chat soon. Until then, have fun and stay stylish.
- Hide Comments