how to style jeans that are too short_revelle

6 Ways To Style Jeans That Are Just A *Tad* Too Short

Style tips and outfit ideas for all our tall ladies out there!

Our tall friends are likely all-too-familiar with the struggle of finding jeans that actually fit and don’t cut off above the ankles for an unintentional capris look — a struggle that leads many to divorce their relationship with jeans altogether because it’s just TOO difficult to find a decent pair. 

But for Revelle founder JoAnna Hartzmark, no beautiful body shape should get in the way of that perfect pair of jeans.

“Let’s be honest,” she writes, in an article rounding up the six best jeans for tall women. “While we might try to convince ourselves that we are at peace with our broken relationships with jeans, the reality is — we’re not. Regardless of our body type — whether we’re tall and curvy or skew more towards an hourglass shape — we all need (and deserve) our Madonna jean moment.”

^^RETWEET

But what if you’re stuck with a pair of jeans that’s just too short but you don’t want to part with them? What’s a girl to do? Here are six go-to options:

01 Cuff 'em!

Rolling up — aka “cuffing” jeans at the leg opening — is an easy way to transform your too-short jeans into a laid-back pair of capris. All you have to do is fold the pant leg outwards and up about 2 inches above the hem. Keep in mind that loose-fit jeans can generally stand a larger cuff while skinny jeans should have a smaller, tighter cut.

02 Tuck your jeans into knee-high boots

Come winter, knee-high boots are where it’s at. Because they rise higher up on the leg, they have the double benefit of keeping you warm while also preventing rain and snow from creeping inside.

03 Or ankle boots

Skinny jeans are a no-brainer here since they hug your body from hips to thighs to knees to calves to ankles. As the most snug of all the types of jeans out there, they’re often made with material that has some stretch to it. Depending on fit, straight leg jeans, bootcut jeans, wide-leg jeans, and baggy boyfriend jeans could also work here. 

If your skinny jeans fall to the right spot on your ankles, you don’t necessarily need to roll them. And for straight leg jeans, they should end around the top of the boot anyway, so you don’t need to roll or go cuffing in order to create that extra space.

Interested in a DIY project? Use a seam ripper to rip out the hem of your jeans. This’ll give you at least one extra inch of excess fabric to work with, which for some is just the right length. From there, you can either retain the original hem for a raw, unfinished look or use a sewing machine to stitch the edge and make your pair of pants look more polished.

We laid out a step-by-step tutorial with five ways to stretch out your jeans, and while this is mostly targeted towards denim that’s too tight, it could work for denim that’s too short as well. Worth giving it a go if you’re feelin’ crafty.

If you know your jeans are going to be a bit too short, whip out the fun patterned socks! This way, the pattern will peek out when you sit down and even when you’re walking for the perfect easy accessory.

Another option — and a favorite of Madison Whittaker (Revelle’s VERY tall social media intern) — is to pair jeans with sneakers and a low-cut or quarter-length sock. “This decreases the amount of skin showing and tricks the eye into thinking the pants are longer,” explains Madison.

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