J.Crew Factory and Banana Republic Factory are two of my go-to brands for petite-friendly pieces that strike a great balance between quality and price. I’ve loved several styles of jeans from J.Crew Factory over the years, and I’ve recommended the wide-leg jeans from Banana Republic Factory time and time again.
In today’s post, I’m putting two styles from J.Crew Factory and the wide-leg jeans from Banana Republic Factory to a wash and wear test to answer your most common questions—do they shrink? do they bag out? how do they fit?
Read on for all the details.
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J.Crew Factory and Banana Republic Factory Jeans Review: Fit, Shrinkage & Wear Test
My Sizing: I’m 4’10”, and my bust, waist, and hip measurements are 32″, 24″, and 36″. My inseam is 25″ (the measurement from the inside of my leg to my ankle bone). The clothes shown are unaltered and show how they fit me right from the store. I list my sizing beside each item to help you compare when shopping online. When referencing my true size, that is often the smallest option available at a brand or petite xxs/00/24. I wear a size 5 shoe.
What Styles Did I Test?
For this test, I focused on three petite-friendly styles—two from J.Crew Factory and one from Banana Republic Factory:
- J.Crew Factory ’90s Vintage Baggy Jeans in petite
- J.Crew Factory Wide Leg Cropped Jeans in classic
- Banana Republic Factory Wide-Leg Jeans in petite
Do They Shrink in the Wash?
For this test, I washed all of the jeans in cold water and tumbled them dry on low. For the cropped wide-leg pair, which has a raw hem, I hung them to dry instead.
Here’s what I found:
- All three pairs shrank slightly in length (½”)
- There was no noticeable change in rise or overall fit
Wash & Wear Test
Here’s a look at how all three styles held up through the wash and wear test. You’ll find before photos and videos with the jeans shown brand new on the left, and after washing and wearing on the right.
J.Crew Factory ’90s Baggy Jeans in Blue Alps Wash
- Rise: 10″
- Inseam: 25.5″ in petite – shrank to 25″
- True to size
- 100% cotton
The ‘90s Baggy Jeans from J.Crew Factory have a vintage relaxed fit. They’re 100% cotton, no stretch, with thick, rigid denim. These jeans have a relaxed fit. I’m wearing them in my true size, petite 24. There is room at the waist, dropping the fit slightly, but they are snug on my hips. They have a slim tapered leg. I found these jeans to shrink 1/2″ in the wash. Since they’re 100% cotton, you can expect them to shrink more in high heat, so avoid that if you want to preserve the fit. They loosened with wear, which added to the relaxed, loose fit of this style. If you don’t like a baggy fit, this style isn’t for you, but I personally love it.
Below the photos on top are brand new and on the bottom the jeans are shown washed and worn. You can see slight shrinkage in length (1/2″) and relaxing with wear but not totally losing shape
Jeans Petite 24 in Blue Alps | T-Shirt XS | Flats tts | Similar Flats
J.Crew Factory Wide-Leg Cropped Jeans in Spring Storm Wash
- Rise: 10″
- Inseam: 26.5″ in classic – shrank to 26″ | 24.5″ in petite (I’m wearing classic)
- True to size
- 99% cotton/1% elastane
The Wide-Leg Cropped Jeans in Spring Storm Wash are a slim wide leg in a light spring ready wash. They’re 99% cotton with a little added stretch. These jeans have a closer fit than the ’90s baggy jeans, I consider them true to size. They’re very comfortable and loosen slightly with wear, but don’t bag out. I wanted to preserve the raw hem on these jeans so I hung them to dry. I noted they shrank 1/2″ and of course, frayed a little, but there was no rolling of the hem with hanging to dry or noticable shrinkage in overall fit or rise.
I chose the jeans in classic length for the longer inseam. I prefer a cropped wide-leg to come to the top of my foot, rather than show my ankle, but they also come in petite, which has a 24.5″ inseam. The length of the jeans works well styled with shoes that show the top of your foot, like sandals and ballet flats.
Below the photos on top are brand new, and on the bottom, the jeans are shown washed and worn. You can see slight shrinkage in length (1/2″) and relaxing with wear but not totally losing shape. There is some fraying of the hem.
Jeans 24 Classic in spring storm wash | T-Shirt XS | Flats tts | Similar Flats
Banana Republic Factory Wide-Leg High Rise Jean in White
- Rise: 10″
- Inseam: 27.5″ in petite (shrank to 27″ in the wash)
- True to size
- 83% cotton, 8% modal, 7% polyester, 2% elastane spandex
The Wide-Leg Jeans from Banana Republic Factory are a style I’ve recommended many times over the years. They’re well-priced and have a great fit for petites. With a 27.5″ inseam in petite, they’re one of the shortest full-length wide-leg options I’ve found across brands. They’re also available in a cropped version if you need an even shorter length.
These jeans come in several colors and washes, and the fabric content varies slightly between them. In past reviews, I’ve noted that some washes can stretch out with wear and recommended sizing down if you’re between sizes. However, that doesn’t apply to the white pair (apologies for misrepresenting that in past reviews).
The white version has a higher cotton content and fits true to size. In the wash test, they shrank about ½” in length and tightened slightly in the dryer. With wear, they relaxed a bit but didn’t bag out, so there’s no need to size down.
They’re not see-through, but I do find that wearing nude underwear close to your skin tone gives the best coverage.
In the photos below the jeans are shown new in the top photos and washed and worn in the bottom photos. You can see the slight (1/2″) shrinkage in the length and light loosening with wear, but the jeans held their shape well.
Jeans Petite 24 | T-Shirt XS | Flats tts | Similar Flats
Which One Is My Favorite?
In this post, the Wide-Leg Cropped Jeans from J.Crew Factory are my favorite. I love the wash, the fit, and I’ve already been reaching for them with the warmer weather we’ve been having.
Final Thoughts
All three pairs of jeans in this post passed my test. They’re great options if you’re looking for a baggy style, a cropped slim wide-leg, or a full-length slim wide-leg for a petite frame. Both brands run sales often, which makes them an even better value.
If you’d like to see more wash and wear tests, be sure to check out my posts on Quince jeans and linen pants.
