Introducing the Barrymore Jeans

I hope you are as excited as I am about the Barrymore jeans! I really wanted to look like the cool girls you see in street style posts, wearing their distressed hem cropped wide leg jeans and looking comfortable and relaxed. Alas, the options available online and in stores just did not look right for my petite frame. I was left with no other option but to make the perfect jeans for us shorties. 

But before I go into the details. I just want to share how I felt in the store bought jeans that I tried. Does anyone remember Steve Urkel from the television sitcom back in the 90’s? Well, that was the look and I was not feeling very cool girl.

via GIPHY

We’ve all heard the news that low rise jeans are “out” as far as 2023 trends go (even if you don't follow trends it means less options in the stores). But as petites, these are the go to jeans because they look like normal rises on us. Now everything is super high and no one is thinking about petites….but I am!

I say the Barrymore jeans are high rise, but high rise doesn’t mean ribcage level for petites. Nope. Won’t work for us. The sweet spot is where the front rise hits at the belly button level. Trust me on this. If the rise is too high, you can’t bend over, and that’s a problem. Not with the Barrymore Jeans. In fact, I also took the engineering a step further to ensure you can get maximum movement, bending and kneeling as though you are wearing your favorite yoga pants.  

Let’s talk legs! Just like high rise doesn’t mean super high, wide legs are not extra wide. They are just wide enough so they look proportional to a petite frame. To an average height person they may be considered straight leg, but for us, they do the trick! Now I know that cropped isn’t everyone's cup of tea. That’s why I have 3 different inseam lengths to choose from- 29, 27, & 25” inseam lengths. If you find that you prefer longer, that’s an easy add on. 

Fabric: 

I went back and forth so much with this, but landed on non-stretch denim. It had the best drape for the look I wanted and was the most readily available. Most of my samples were made with 100% cotton denim 10oz from Joann fabrics. If you want to make it using a stretch denim, I would say size down and do a test to see how it’s going to work for you. 

Most of our wardrobe is stretch these days so a rigid denim may not sound the ideal, but trust me, it’s comfortable. The first wear after making or washing may feel a little snug around the waist, but it then relaxes into a comfy fit. 

Go ahead and think outside the box with the fabric! Corduroy or cotton twill is also a good choice. Yes, these are jeans, but truthfully they are a good overall woven pant.

Special trims: 

Front button- any old button will work, but if you really want the look of jean, you can order jean buttons from Wawak, like I did. They seem a bit intimidating, but I gave it a try to see what I could do without a special press. Here’s how I did it “professionally”- I put my jeans on the carpeted floor, knelt down and positioned the button and then turned it facedown to the carpet. On the inside of the waistband I put the screw in place, grabbed a hammer and gave it a few good whacks- voila! (I also tried it button face up with a fabric scrap for protection and it worked just fine.) There's really nothing to it.

Rivets: You can go this route if you want the entire jean look. I bought them, but have yet to utilize them yet. 

Jean zipper- Metal zippers are the most traditional for jeans and the sturdiest. However, the zipper is not going to be seen so if you can only find a plastic one, that’s fine.  

So what do you think? Are you ready to join me as part of the petite jean revolution? Get your copy to give it a try!