Long-Leg Jeans
And the spring jacket I've been waiting months to tell you about.
In last week’s post I asked those of you who wear longer inseams to please raise your hand in the comments and, Wow! So many of you did! Which got me thinking: Although I can’t wear-test jeans for tall people (I’m 5’4”), I can see if a style I love comes with an extra-long option. So here’s a list of jeans I stand behind with 33”-inch+ inseams, along with personal recommendations from stylist and 5’9”-er, Fanny Adams. Long-legged readers, you’ll want to subscribe to her newsletter.
Quick refresher course: The inseam is the measurement from the center crotch seam to the bottom of the hem. It’s how the leg length is measured because the inside seam is straighter and more consistent than the outseam on jeans, which can vary depending on waist height and the curve of the hips.
10 Jeans for Tall People:
✔️ Mother’s Reifler. I wear the petite version of this jean and love the After Midnight wash’s rippy spur bites around the hem (a challenge to preserve if you have to shorten them). The Reifler is a mid-rise with a mellow boot cut and easy top block. The regular version has a 33” inseam.
✔️ Éterne's Chloe and Cash. The new denim capsule from Éterne is practically defined by longer inseams. The Chloe straight leg comes with a 34” and 36” inseam, while the Cash bootcut comes in a whopping 35” or 37”. “It’s one of my biggest pet peeves, when jeans feel too short, especially with a heel,” says Éterne’s co-founder Chloe Bartoli, who is herself 5’9”. Problem solved.
✔️ Buck Mason’s Roper. An excellent bootcut jean with a zipper fly and high rise that comes with a 33” inseam on all sizes. I liken it to a Levi’s 517; it’s in that perfect flare-straight. Size down in this one, it runs big.
✔️ Ayr’s Legend. The long fit of this best-seller has a 33.5” inseam. It’s recommended for women 5’9” and taller. I wore it here and here with the shorter inseam (29.5”) . And last week in the regular inseam (31.5”) with my go-to boots. Here’s Fanny, who is 5’9”, in the longest length:
✔️ Ruadh’s Cecile. The newest, slimmest fit from this cult collection comes in two inseams – 31” and 33”. I love the little slit at the inner ankle.
✔️ Levi’s Japanese Selvedge Plank. Selvedge and on sale! I like the dark wash version of this jean, which goes up to a 34” inseam. If you like high-rise jeans, this Ribcage is also offered with a 34” inseam.
✔️ Paige’s Sasha wide leg. Paige designer Paige Adams Gellar started her career in denim as a fit model, which is explains the masterful proportions on all of her jeans. I have the Ankle version of the Sasha (sadly, no longer available). The full-length version comes with two inseams: 32” and 34.5”.
✔️ Aflalo’s Brontë. A lean lean lean leg with a slight flare at the bottom, Brontë has a 35” inseam and classic top-block measurements (waist band width, J-stitch length, pro-denimhead stuff).
✔️ Reformation’s Val 90s Mid-Rise Straight. For those who want a more relaxed fit, this one does the trick with a 35” inseam on the Long.
✔️ Me+ Em’s Leg Elongator. There must be a proper flare on the list. This one lives up to its name (even on those of us who wear the Short). Long is listed as having an 87cm inseam (approx 34”).
A thing about me and how my clothing business is run: I hate waste. The packaging, the production quantities, even the skus – I like to keep it as close to the bone as possible. This is an ethical choice as much as an economic one.
While taking inventory of all the stuff at the beginning of the year, I came across a roll of my original Japanese jumpsuit fabric – the luscious cotton twill with the teensiest bit of stretch that sold out again and again. It wasn’t much, about a hundred yards, but I couldn’t just toss it. So with it, I made this:
The Ranch Jacket is a limited edition chore coat with a peaked seam in the front and back. I love it. It’s simple and sturdy, and also soft as hell. It has a pocket inside the left chest (below) and a responsive hand feel. (What does that mean? To me, it means that the fabric gives feedback; touch it and it asserts its softness.) Being unlined, it’s great for layering. Honestly, wearing the Ranch feels reminiscent of Jump One (it’s cut from the same cloth, how could it not?!), and that’s sweet. It fits so nicely.
Notice that the covered placket ends mid-waist. The bottom half doesn’t button, which is intentional and signals the Ranch jacket’s adaptability. It’s never shut tight, or closed completely. It lets the breeze, the season, the change pass through it. I’m really happy with how this jacket turned out.
That’s it for today. A huge thanks to Fanny for sharing her glorious height and advice. Next week: T-shirts!! I can’t wait. Hit that heart button if you heart jeans (or anything else in this letter), and thank you for reading. As always, Denim Forever.
Jane
More good things…
Recent purchase: More of this hand cream that I apply before bed because my husband loves the smell as much as I do. (The specific fragrance comes in a gorgeous hand wash, too.)
Last week’s letter was all about button downs. Among them: Ossou’s Ridge, Mother’s Roomie Frenchie, and this one from Ayr. Here’s the whole story.
The Josie jacket in over-dyed Oak – once a trunk show exclusive – is up on the site and still available in sizes S and XL.
What about us really short girls? Petite lengths. Help!
Thank you 😉
I’m 5’11 and long enough pants are always a challenge. Thanks for this wonderful guide! For tall gals who might be on a slightly tighter budget, I just want to give a shoutout to Uniqlo. Many of their styles are available in long sizes online. This is usually a 33 inseam for women, but you can gain an inch or two if you buy those marketed as men’s / unisex. It might not be the most sustainable brand, but, most of the time, their clothes hold up pretty well.