I’ve been leaning heavily into wide-leg pants and jeans this season and sharing them often, but many of you have been asking for slimmer options. So today, I’m delivering with two slim pairs of pants that are perfect for work and four ways you can wear them.
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Slim Work Pants 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.
Kaya Pants
Starting with the Kaya Pants from J.Crew—these are a stretch style with a subtle cropped flare. In petite, they have a 10″ rise and a 25.5″ inseam. While I love the slim silhouette, I find they run quite small, especially through the hips and thighs. I sized up one size, but honestly could size up two for a more comfortable fit. For reference, I typically wear Petite 00, but Petite 2 would likely be my best fit in this style. I couldn’t tell you if the pair I received is a fluke or it’s just a me thing because the two reviews the pants have both say true to size, but they run significantly small for me.
I styled them here with both flats and heels.
Pants Petite 0 recommend petite 2 | Navy Top XXS | Similar Scarf | Tan Shoes | Black Cardigan XXS | Black Heels tts | Earrings
Kate Pants
The Kate Pants from J.Crew are a classic straight-leg style. They’re made from the same stretch fabric as the Kaya Pants but don’t run quite as small. In petite, they have a 10.5″ rise and a 26″ inseam. I recommend sizing up one size for a bit more room through the hips and thighs—especially if you’re curvier on the bottom like I am.
Pants Petite 0 | Sweater XXS | Similar Scarf | Earrings | Cardigan XS | Blazer Petite 00 | Shoes tts
Pairing Slim Pants with Boots
If you want to pair slim pants with boots, I recommend a pair with a slim shaft like this pair. If I’m honest, I have a hard time pairing a slim-cropped style of pants with boots on my frame. I’m curvy on the bottom, and I find it visually shortens my legs and widens my hips overall. So if I’m going for boots, I prefer full-length, wide, or flared pants. Here is a side-by-side of two cuts of pants and boots as an example:
So, while I love slim ankle pants, they are a mild-weather style for me. I prefer to wear them with something that shows a little skin, like a ballet flat, a pointed-toe flat, a sleek loafer, or heels. If I’m taking it a step further, a light, neutral tone is my top pick. If you scroll to the top, you can see the difference between a light shoe and a black shoe and how I look taller/my legs look longer in the lighter shoes.
If you’ve been looking for slimmer work pants to balance out all the wide-leg styles this season, both of these options are worth considering. The Kaya Pants offer a more fitted, cropped silhouette, while the Kate Pants provide a classic straight-leg fit with a bit more ease. I’ll continue sharing a mix of silhouettes so you can find the workwear pieces that fit both your style and your frame.
