Crops & Capris on Short Legs?

[ShelbyMay]

I'm a SAHM in my late twenties, and lately have been feeling that my Old Navy shorts don't really cut it in the fashion department. :rolleyes: A lot of the other moms I've seen wear cropped pants or capris. I'm not sure I can pull off this look, since I am only 5'1" and 10-15 lbs over my ideal weight. Any opinions on this? Anything in particular I should look for?

[jennylou]

If they aren't hitting right, have them altered.

[chocolate_truffle]

Hi ShelbyMay-

My mom is 5'2 and approximately 145 pounds. I'm 5'4 and carrying some extra weight since my daughter was born in August 2005. My mom and I wear capris/crops all the time, and we have short inseams to boot!

The key to successfully wearing capris or crops on a petite frame is to keep it simple. Opt for a classic silhouette with a tailored look and avoid the skinny-leg and wide-leg trends like the plague -- especially the wide-leg varieties (like gauchos or anything of the like). On a petite frame, a capri/crop with a wide leg will make you look like you are as wide as you are tall, which is a particularly unflattering look. :-)

Also, going monochromatic helps give the illusion that you are taller/slimmer. Personally, I'm a big fan of the all black look, even in summer. :-)

Good luck with your capri/crop shopping.

[Eric's Wife]

Have you looked at the cropped/capri pants at Ann Taylor Loft? They carry a variety of pants in petite lengths.

[wendalah]

Sure you can pull it off. Tailoring is a great idea; it's cheap to get pants shortened, if they fall too low on you. Your local dry cleaner can do it for probably about 10 bucks.

Also, wear any color you like, just make sure they fit cleanly. I think you could wear narrow capris if your legs are in decent shape--they don't have to be stick-thin, just reasonably proportionate. Give yourself a lift with wedge espadrilles which are comfy and summery.

[Sophia]

I'm under 5' and I've worn petite length ones from AT and AT Loft that look nice and are proportionate. Aside from getting the proper length, it's important to find ones that fit close to the body without being too tight or too baggy.

[Maggie8202]

I am also short and agree AT Loft has some great ones right now. I sometimes feel more confident in these types of shorts/pant when I throw on a pair of shoes with some sort of heel. I also think espadrilles I think work great.

[maybebaby]

I'm 5'4 and I heart the black capris from AT Loft. They are actually great for a SAHM in my book because some of my other pants drag on the ground now that I don't wear heels as often. And if you're not taking a long walk to the playground, they're really cute with sandals or wedges.

[lil_geek]

So long as you find something that fits nicely through your butt and hips..... just have them shortened. I always need to shorten my pants by 2-3" so I figure capris are the same!

[greenbunny]

I have such short legs that I've bought a few pairs of cropped pants and worn them as regular ones. :rolleyes: I agree with PP about getting them tailored.

[tenofcups]

I dunno--I'm only 5 feet tall and I wear capris all the time and I've never had to get them shortened. I don't think there's really a standard length for them and the ones I have always seem to hit in a flattering place without a problem. I like to wear them with a bit of a heel and that seems to make the look work better for me than flats --lately I've been wearing cork wedges with them a lot. I've had good luck with some from Old Navy and even Target.

[ShelbyMay]

Thanks for the tips -- I got a couple pairs at Ann Taylor Loft the other day and LOVE them. :D

[Sin Nombre]

Interestingly, I just skimmed an article in a fashion magazine (sorry; can’t remember which one) which said that the secret for short/short-legged/petite people looking good in capris is for them to wear them longer than would be worn by taller, larger people, to provide an illusion of length. Capris on short people look best when then hit an inch or two above the ankle, and not mid-calf, which chops already short legs virtually in half. And, as a shorty myself, I agree that this longer length capri looks better on me.

[orchid]

I am short too so if I take fashion advice, I wouldn't wear capris. But my legs are very scary after having kids so I prefer capris in the summer. If they don't look good on me, I dont care!

[kate's mom]

Bumping this up-
I was watching Tim Gunn's Guide to Style and he was doing a makeover on a mom. He said something to the effect that short/petite woman should not wear capris. I only 1/2 heard what he said.
Just curious if anyone saw it and remembers exactly what he said and why they shouldn't wear them.

Thanks