But, before you embark on your denim search, I highly suggest you first find your inseam and keep it handy in your Notes app — this number will be immensely helpful when looking at the size and fit details of a product. To determine your inseam, grab your favorite pair of (non-drop crotch) pants and measure the distance between the crotch and bottom hem. For a true petite style, this likely won’t be any longer than 27″ (most short folks I know have inseams in the 23″–26″ range). With this number, you’ll have the power to find jeans that’ll actually fit your bottom half; add an inch for a longer length or remove an inch for a high-water look. And be sure to flex the classic trick of searching for “cropped” or “ankle” length jeans at any retailer that offers those filters — y’know, the jeans that are cropped on taller folks but are full-length on petites. Consider this an easy hack to quickly sort the short stuff.
