With spring right around the corner, I’ve been on the hunt for light-wash denim to pair with all the bright spring colors. In today’s post, I’m rounding up a few different styles—from mid- and high-rise options that I prefer to wear with a low heel, to airy ultra wide-leg styles, and cropped pairs that work perfectly with flats, sneakers, and sandals.
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Light Wash Jeans for Petites
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.
Madewell The Wide-Leg Jean
- 10 3/4″ rise, 21″ leg opening, 30″ inseam in standard / 28″ inseam in short
- 91% cotton/6% recycled polyester/3% elastane
Over the winter, I tried on my first pair of Madewell’s Wide-Leg Jeans and quickly fell in love. They have a slim, wide-leg silhouette with a high rise that cinches the waist. I’m wearing the standard length here because this wash wasn’t initially available in petite or short, and I was able to wear my other wide-leg jeans in the standard length after washing and drying. (You may remember my beloved Pattson Wash jeans).
Since ordering, I’ve noticed they’re now offered in short, which has a 28″ inseam and would work well with flats, so I will probably go back for those. The standard length has a 30″ inseam, which I shrank to about 29″ in the dryer and can wear them with a low heel. The jeans are lightweight with comfortable stretch, making them ideal for spring and summer. Both the standard and short lengths have a high 10¾” rise.
Short lengths are a new offering at Madewell. The short lengths are 2″ shorter than standard, but will have the same rise as the standard jeans. Their petite jeans will have a shorter inseam and a shorter rise. If you prefer or need a higher rise, short jeans are worth a try. If you need both a shorter inseam and a shorter rise, choose petite.
Jeans 24 Standard they are also offered in short | Top XXS | Boots
Quince Luna Wide-Leg Jeans
- 9″ Rise /29.5″ Inseam /8.5″ Leg Opening (Size 24) – shrinks in the wash, mine shrunk to 28.5″
- 94% Organic Cotton/ 2% Elastane
The Luna Wide-Leg Jeans have a 29.5″ inseam, which is too long for me—even with heels. That said, because the denim is mostly organic cotton, it does shrink in the wash. After one wash, my pair shrank just under an inch, leaving me with an inseam a little over 28.5″, which I can wear comfortably with a low heel. Unlike the Bella Wide-Leg Jeans the Luna Wide-Leg Jeans only come in one inseam option. The Bella Jeans come in a 28″ inseam option and also offered in light washes.
These jeans have a 9″ mid-rise and the stretchy denim Quince is known for. I’m wearing them here in Atlantic Blue, a great medium-light wash.
Quince Bella Relaxed Straight Jeans
- 10.5″ Rise / 28″ Inseam (other options available / 7.5″ Leg Opening (Size 24 x 28″)
- 72% Organic Cotton / 26.5% Lyocell / 1.5% Spandex
The Bella Relaxed Straight Jeans at Quince offer light support without feeling restrictive, and provide a subtle lift in the back without riding up. This style also starts at a 26″ inseam, making it a great option if you need an even shorter length. To note, the jeans shrink in the wash; most of mine have shrunk about an inch over time. The pair I’m wearing here in atlantic blue wash, has not yet been washed and dried.
Jeans 24 x 28″ in atlantic blue | Top XXS | Shoes in tawny khaki
Madewell The Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg Crop Jean
- 10 3/8″ rise, 18″ leg opening, 25″ inseam in petite
- 96% cotton/3% elastomultiester (EME)/1% elastane
The Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg Crop Jeans have the same slim wide-leg fit as the full-length Perfect Vintage wide-leg, just in a spring-ready cropped length. The denim is a medium weight that holds you in and keeps its shape throughout the day. Of all the denim Madewell offers, this weight and feel is my personal favorite—some styles run thinner, others more rigid, and while they’re all great, these feel just right.
I’m wearing the petite version here, which has a 10⅜” rise and a 25″ inseam. As I mentioned above, I noticed that Madewell has started offering short lengths in some styles. In this pair, the short length has the same 25″ inseam, but a slightly higher 10⅞” rise—the same rise as the standard length.
Jeans Petite 24 | Top XXS | Shoes in tawny khaki
Madewell The Ultimate Wide-Leg Jean in Airy Denim
- 10 1/4″ rise, 22 1/2″ leg opening, 28″ inseam in petite
- 61% cotton/39% TENCEL™ Lyocell
I searched everywhere last year for a pair of drapey drawstring jeans and couldn’t find one that fit quite right. While last season felt like a miss, this year I finally found what I was looking for with the Ultimate Wide-Leg Jean in Airy Denim from Madewell. They’re exactly the relaxed, drapey style I had in mind.
The denim is a lightweight cotton and TENCEL™ blend with no stretch. The fit runs a bit snug through the hips, so I sized up for a more comfortable fit. I’ve noticed they do relax slightly with wear, which only adds to the loose, laid-back feel. In petite, they have a 10¼” rise and a 28″ inseam.
Jeans Petite 25 sized up | Top XXS | Shoes in tawny khaki
Whenever I post a denim round-up I’m often asked which one is my favorite. In this post my personal favorite are the Bella Relaxed Straight Jeans from Quince. Once they shrink a little in the washer and dryer they are perfect for me and I find myself wearing them the most. Second would be the Wide-Leg from Madewell, but I want to go back for the short length so I can get more wear out of them with flats and not be limited to heels.
If you’re looking for more denim reviews, check out the petite pants and jeans section of my blog here.
