Finding Jeans with Short Inseams: A Petite Buying Guide

No, this is not a problem I have (mine is actually the opposite, and I blogged about where to buy tall jeans last week), but I have numerous petite friends who resort to buying capris and wearing them as full-length pants!  My friend Shellie says she has a 26-inch inseam, while I've heard others say that even finding a 30-inch inseam can be tough.  So, how can a petite woman buy jeans that are short enough? 

First, you need to measure your inseam to know exactly how short of a pant to buy.  You can find your inseam by having your tailor measure it for you, or you can do it yourself.  Here's how to find the length of pants you really need:

1. Begin with a pair of jeans you already have that fit you well - hopefully you have at least ONE pair. :)
2. Lay the pants flat on the floor, back pockets down.
3. Get out your measuring tape, and carefully measure from the crotch seam to the very bottom of one leg. 
4. This number is your inseam and, for shorter gals, will likely be something between 26 inches and 31 inches.  Click here for more tips on inseam measurement, including how to account for shrinkage, high-heeled shoes, and different types of pants.

Now, you are ready to shop!  Here are 6 resources for buying petite jeans:

• Search By Inseam does all the inseam finding for you, saving you time by organizing pants from multiple sellers by inseam length.  The site currently lists pants with inseams from 20 to 38 inches.  You can narrow your shopping criteria by brand name and price range.  You'll find designer brands with short inseams from 7 For All Mankind, Serfontaine, Joe's Jeans, Rich & Skinny, Hudson, Citizens of Humanity, Siwy, Paige Denim, Made in Heaven, Anlo, GoldSign, J Brand, and Antik Denim.  There's also a good selection of less expensive petite jeans from Gap, Eddie Bauer, Liz Claiborne, Paris Blues, Calvin Klein, Truck, Levi's, Lee, Wrangler, Mossimo, dELiA*s, Piper, and Revolt, starting at prices under $25. You can also sign up for notifications when a new pair of pants is added to the site that fits your inseam.
• shopbop.com is the best place I've found for designer fashion.  Many petites are finding that the new ankle skinny jeans are fitting them well as full-length pants, and you can find a lot of those on this site.  Shopbop also carries petite denim from makers like Joe's Jeans, and shipping is free on every order!
• dELiA*s short jeans are typically under $40, and come in 26, 28, and 30-inch inseams.  It's tough to find cute, "normal" jeans in a 26-inch inseam, so if that's what you need, check out this site.  Petite plus jeans are the same price, and it's easy to search by the inseams they sell.   
• Alloy.com carries inseams of 30 and 32 inches.  They do a good job of organizing the site by inseam length, and pants prices are under $50.  Alloy also stocks a large selection of petite plus sizes, though they do charge more for them. 
• CoutureCandy usually has a few designer jeans in their Petite Jeans section.  Lately, I've seen 30-inch inseams from Joe's Provocateur line.  Free priority shipping on all orders! 
• Gap.com offers inseams of 29, 29.5, 30, 30.5, and 31 inches in some of their jeans.  Each pair is different, so be sure to check out the details tab on sizing.  (You can also shop via Search By Inseam and just enter your inseam and Gap as the brand.)

Petite pants from all of these sellers and more are available at Search By Inseam, making it a great site to easily find your inseam and quickly shop multiple sites.