I’m 5ft, These are My Top 10 Favorite Petite Jeans

Fashion

May 31

Written By Nicole

Are you under 5’4” and struggle finding the perfect jeans for short legs? You’re in luck because I finally found the best place to shop for petite jeans! I’m sharing my favorite petite jeans for women that perfectly fit and flatter your frame—no hemming or tailoring required! Get ready to find the best petite-friendly jeans for everyday wear, date night, and more!

10 Best Petite Jeans for Short Women Under 5'3" | Petite Fashion

Wondering where to buy jeans if you’re short?

At 5 feet, I know all too well the struggles of trying to find jeans for petite women that are also trendy and stylish.

The unfortunate truth is, the fashion world does not cater to petites, so finding trendy jeans for short women is no easy feat.

Which is why so many of us women under 5’4” just end up buying regular length jeans out of frustration (iykyk).

Yes, you could hem your jeans or take them to a tailor for a perfect fit—but hemming can be a hassle, and tailoring every pair gets expensive, especially when you're already investing in quality denim.

But why should us short girls be forced to waste our time and money trying to get our jeans to fit properly?

I’ll be honest, I’ve personally spent (aka wasted haha) so much money buying tons of regular sized jeans over the years, promising myself I’ll eventually get them tailored to fit my petite frame, only to end up with a closet filled with ill-fitting denim that I’ll never wear.

So after having one to many of my “I have nothing to wear” breakdowns, I accepted the fact that I needed to get rid of them and finally build a collection of petite jeans to my capsule wardrobe that actually fit me.

Petite-friendly denim brands actually do exist.

But let me tell you though, it was not an easy task finding the best petite-friendly jeans.

After tons of shopping sprees and countless returns, I’m happy to report that I finally found the best jeans for petite women!

From trendy wide leg and relaxed, to ankle and straight leg styles I’ve rounded up the best collection of petite jeans for short women that you’re going to want to add to cart ASAP!

10 best petite jeans for short women

As I mentioned earlier, I’m a 5 foot petite woman, so finding petite-friendly jeans has not been easy for me.

After shopping tons of different petite jeans brands, Abercrombie has been the best place to shop for petite jeans!

Abercrombie’s petite and curve love styles have become the go-to jeans for short women that actually fit. With shorter inseams and extra room in the hips, these jeans flatter petite body types without sacrificing style.

Simply put, Abercrombie jeans are perfect for women under 5’4” who want trendy denim that doesn’t require tailoring which is why they’re my #1 favorite brands to shop for petite jeans!

I’ve rounded up my top 10 favorite petite jeans for women perfect for everyday wear, date night, and more!

10 Best Petite Jeans for Short Women — BODYSUIT | JEANS (wearing size 24/00 Short)

Abercrombie Ultra High Rise Ankle Straight Jeans - Medium wash short

Ankle straight jeans are perfect for everyday wear, especially when styled with flats, sandals, heels, and boots! I personally don’t love the look of these jeans with sneakers on me unless they’re cropped (I would opt for X-Short length if you want cropped look as a 5ft girl) so I don’t typically style these jeans with sneakers.

Abercrombie Ultra High Rise Ankle Straight Jeans - Dark wash short

These straight ankle jeans are also a must in dark wash—perfect for date night, fall outfits, and winter outfits!

Abercrombie Ultra High Rise Ankle Straight Jeans - White wash short

These white ankle straight jeans are perfect for spring outfits and summer outfits! They pair perfectly with sandals and open heels.

Abercrombie High Rise Vintage Flare Jean - Light wash

I love styling these light wash flared jeans with heels in the spring, which is why I opted for a length that hits at my toes instead of my ankles (again I’m 5ft for reference). The waist-cinching high rise and a-line pant leg combined with the longer hem and heels elongates my legs even more.

Abercrombie High Rise 90s Relaxed Jean - Medium wash short

These medium wash relaxed jeans from Abercrombie are my absolute favorite! They have the look of a wide leg jean without being too wide or too straight. I love how form fitting they are around the thighs without being tight—these just flatter you everywhere from waist to leg!

They’re super versatile for year-round everyday wear from casual outfits to elevated casual. Honestly I wish I got these in short length instead of x-short so they would be a little longer with sneakers, but they were out of that length when I bought them (my weird workaround is to stretch the pant legs when I take them out of the wash in order to lengthen them a little haha).

They also come in a low rise option if that’s more your style! And if you have wider hips they also have a Curve Love option!

Abercrombie High Rise 90s Relaxed Jean - Light wash short

These light wash relaxed jeans are a must-have in your spring capsule wardrobe!

(OPTIONAL) Abercrombie High Rise 90s Relaxed Jean - Light wash regular

I loved these jeans so much I got them in a longer length to style them with a cuffed hem! These jeans are optional for you since they are on the longer side for petites, but the cuffed hem denim is a fun trend and easy to style. Abercrombie did have a style that was pre-cuffed but I prefer to cuff my own hem to a specific length based on my shoe choice.

Jean cuffing hack: If you have a pair of long jeans that you want to style cuffed with flats, flip the hem up to your preferred length and use safety pins on both sides of the bottom of the hem to keep them from rolling back down or bunching up later (make sure not to poke all the way through to the outside of the jean or else you’ll see the metal pin).

Abercrombie High Rise 90s Relaxed Jean - Dark wash short

Dark wash denim is a must have for date night and fall capsule wardrobe!

Abercrombie High Rise 90s Relaxed Jean - Black wash short

Black wash denim is a must have for date night, fall capsule wardrobe, and winter capsule wardrobe!

Abercrombie High Rise 90s Relaxed Jean - White wash short

These white wash jeans are perfect for everyday wear, brunch, and spring capsule wardrobe!

(OPTIONAL) Abercrombie High Rise Wide Leg Jean - Dark wash regular

Typically wide-leg denim is not the most flattering on petite frames, however, if you have a regular or long torso, give these high rise wide-leg jeans a try! These look super chic styled in longer length (just above or at the floor) with heels or boots for winter or fall date night!

(OPTIONAL) Abercrombie High Rise Wide Leg Jean - Medium wash regular

I loved these wide leg jeans so much I had to get them in a lighter wash for spring and summer! If the longer length isn’t working for you, try their cropped version!

As a petite woman under 5’3”, I highly recommend adding these trendy, petite-friendly Abercrombie jeans to your capsule wardrobe to help you effortlessly create stylish outfits for any season!

But if you were to ask me to only choose only one out of them all, it would definitely be the Abercrombie High Rise 90s Relaxed Jean in medium wash! It’s the most versatile pair of jeans!

Tips for shopping jeans as a petite

Shopping jeans for petite women can feel like a never-ending struggle.

Whether you're 5ft tall like me or under 5’4”, finding denim that fits without overwhelming your frame or requiring tailoring isn’t always easy.

But if you know what to look for, you can find jeans that flatter your petite body, elongate your legs, and feel like they were made just for you.

Here are my go-to tips for shopping the best petite jeans that actually fit short women:

Look for short or petite inseams
Stick to inseams between 25"–28" for the best ankle or full-length fit. Regular-length jeans often bunch at the bottom and throw off proportions.
Opt for high-rise styles
High-rise jeans help visually elongate your legs and define your waist, which adds balance to a petite frame.
Avoid excess fabric at the hem
Skip styles that require heavy cuffing or hemming. Stick to cropped petite jeans or ankle length jeans. For longer styles, opt for hems that graze the top of your shoe or fall just above the floor without dragging.
Opt for slim or straight leg cuts
Slim, skinny, or straight-leg cuts tend to be more flattering on petites. Wide-leg and baggy jeans can sometimes overwhelm short frames unless they’re specifically designed for petites or styled in a way that works with your frame. Personally, I’m a 5ft petite who loves wide-leg jeans, but only if they’re high-rise, which helps to elongate my legs!
Pay attention to pocket placement
Back pockets that sit too low can make your legs appear shorter. Look for pockets placed higher and closer together to visually lift and elongate.
Try petite-specific brands
Brands that offer petite-specific denim design proportions with your height in mind—so you’re not just sizing down from regular. Skip to the next section for my list of brands that offer petite-friendly denim!
Know your rise preference
If you're under 5'3”, you'll likely find high-rise and mid-rise jeans the most flattering. Try different rises to figure out what makes you feel confident and comfortable. Wondering how to find out which high rise fits your petite frame best? High rise jeans are perfect for petites with short legs and/or long torsos, apple shapes or hourglass figures, and petite women who want to elongate their legs. Mid-rise jeans are best for petites with a short torso, straight or athletic frames, and petites who want a balanced rise without bunching. Low-rise jeans are great for petites with a very short torso and long legs, or those who prefer a Y2K or laid-back, casual fit.
Buy different jean lengths based on your shoe preference
I personally learned this the hard way when I only bought extra short inseam jeans for a year. When it came to wearing different sneakers and heeled shoes, every pair of jeans I had were too cropped (#facepalm). Before deciding to buy or keep a pair of jeans, try them on with every pair of shoe you own to make sure the length works for you and that shoe type!

Where to buy petite jeans

Wondering what brands sell petite jeans? It’s not easy to find where shop for jeans if you’re short. I did the research so you don’t have to, here’s my list of 8 best petite-friendly jeans brands for women under 5’4”!