As many of you are probably aware at this point, I am on the shorter side (5’3”) and I have really short legs! My waist, hips, and thighs are all proportioned for different sized jeans. Before I found the jeans I wear now, I was constantly having that weird gap on the back of my waist where there was extra fabric. Since testing out many many brands and cuts of jeans I have found my tried and true faves at all price points which is what I’m sharing today!

Here are some starting pointers that really helped me find jeans once I was over the age of 20. First, it’s probably time to shop in the womens’ department for your jeans. Sometimes the juniors department will still have great jeans. Although, for those of us with hips the women’s department will have jeans that are cut for a woman’s body. Second, make sure you’re looking at the length. If you’re short, head for the petite jeans, if you’re tall there’s usual long cuts, and regular lengths if you’re in between. Lastly, don’t get stuck on a number. Most of my jeans are different sizes because brands fluctuate in sizing and in alot of the petite cuts you may have to size up in some places.

LOFT was the first place that I found great jeans for my frame at a great price. They have petite jeans which are what I buy and the length is perfect. I have a few different pairs in different washes and styles. My favorite to start with is their Modern Skinny. I get the petite in one size bigger than my regular size. They have many different washes that this style comes in too. So, if you love it, buy it in many colors! They are currently on sale for 50% off, but usually range from $70-80 full price. These fall at the top of my ankle bone for reference. The styles that are thinner fabric will wear in between the thighs if your thighs touch. Typically, mine will last about 1-1.5 years wearing them weekly, which is still great for the price! You can get about 2-4 wears out of them before they will have to get washed and dried to suck them back in (maybe for cleanliness too).

J. Crew Factory has great jeans! The trick to finding them is knowing what inseam works for you. I have the 26” inseam with 8” rise and they fall right at my ankle. A lot of their denim has 29”-30” inseams which I would be swimming in. The “Midrise Skinny” that I have will run you $50-$80 which is a great price. They have a good stretch to them, but will suck you in. I would say they’re more durable than the LOFT jeans I’ve had and are very similar to the BlankNYC ones but have a little more give to them. I own them in multiple colors and I will say if you buy them in white go up a size. Otherwise they run true to size.

BLANK NYC are seriously great jeans for $88. They feel and look very designer to me. My favorite cut is “The Bond Skinny” which comes in regular hem or raw hem (sold out on Nordstrom, but linked the exact same pair elsewhere) which I own two pairs of. These are the longest of all my jeans and they fall a little bit past my ankle bone. I mostly prefer cropped jeans, but these are great for boot season because they can tuck into boots. I would call these the align leggings of jeans. They have a decently high rise and do a really nice job of holding everything in smoothly without being suffocating. They are super durable and so far I haven’t experienced any wear in between the thighs on them. I’ve had them for about a year and I sized up on these. They don’t lose their hold as fast as the LOFT ones, but will need to be washed probably every 3-4 wears.

AG JEANS are like BLANK NYC’s older sister. Very similar, have a little bit more stretch to them, but come at a higher price point. There are so many styles and cuts that you can’t go wrong with this brand. AG Jeans are very flattering on curves and comfortable to wear. A full price pair of these will run you $180-250 depending on the style, but they do go on sale. I personally have The Farrah and The Legging Ankle (currently on sale) cuts and they run true to size. Like I said, with this brand you can’t go wrong. Their quality is very consistent and they have so many styles so see what works best for you! These lose their hold after about 2-3 wears which I think is due to how stretchy mine are.

MOTHER Denim will run you anywhere from $95-$240 depending on which pair you buy and what retailer you’re buying them from. These jeans are amazing quality, super comfortable, have a good amount of stretch but maintain elasticity through about 4-5 wears (don’t think I’m gross!!). I had to size up in MOTHER Denim and I have found that their styles are not consistent in sizing. The pair I have are “The Looker Fray” which are a light wash, raw hem, and fall around the top of my ankle bone which makes them on the shorter side. I don’t want anyone to get salty with me for having expensive jeans, because I did not pay anywhere near full price for these! My advice would be to wait until these high end items go on sale! I just got these recently so I cannot speak to the longevity, but so far I highly recommend them!

L’AGENCE are the jeans I get the most DMs about when I wear them on Instagram. I have the “El Matador” style which are so incredibly flattering, great hold, look perfect on petite frames, and have amazing color and cut. But as much as I love these $255 jeans I must share my one con about them. When I first bought them I washed and dried them before I wore them. Then the first time I wore them they were dropping these little clumps of lint from the inside. It was so embarrassing that I was leaving a trail of lint behind, but also for that price they should not be shedding lint from the interior! It took about 3-4 washes and dries before the lint subsided which I think is ridiculous. It could’ve been a total fluke and I got a linty pair, I only own one pair so I have no clue. They hold their elasticity super well and are insanely soft so I love them otherwise especially the length. They pair so well with mules and golden goose sneakers! So these jeans are gorgeous and you will get many compliments on them, but the lint factor is annoying. There’s a sparkly version on sale here.

My jeans are surprisingly something I get DMs about weekly so I figured a whole post would be helpful! There are so many great jeans out there at all different price points that look great on petite frames (of all sizes). So if you’re still buying regular length jeans that are four inches too long for you and cuffing them… STOP! I used to do that too and I am so much happier now, seriously! Also, I know a lot of people will try to sell you on Old Navy jeans especially if you’re short. I figured I’d mention my thoughts on them as well. I don’t currently own any right now, but their rockstar and diva styles were the first jeans I bought when I realized I shouldn’t be shopping in the juniors department anymore for pants. They work when you are in a bind, but the quality is so poor on them that it’s not worth your money. They don’t last very long, the sizing is inconsistent, they’re thin, and they hug me in all the wrong ways. I don’t know if things have changed since I was there last, but I remember bringing a bunch of the same size and style jeans to the dressing room and they were all different widths. They were all marked the same size, but they were literally all different sizes. So it messes with your head and you don’t need that negativity in your life. I’m not opposed to shopping at Old Navy at all, they have some great wardrobe basics and cute pieces. In my own opinion, just don’t buy your jeans there. Instead, go to a sale at LOFT or J. Crew Factory, you’re much better off!

If any of you find jeans from this post that are your new faves make sure you tag me! I love to see what you guys buy! Xo Sara