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Wearing crops as full-length? ETA to add pics

K.M.

Veteran

I realize this is a hard question without a photo, but in any case here it goes:

What are your thoughts on wearing cropped pants as full-length if your height allows for it?

I'm 5'3" and often ankle or cropped pants will hit me below the ankle as if they were full-length slim pants. I often end up not hemming because I suffer from cold ankles so I like the coverage...
But I imagine it changes the fit of the pant since the pant leg should supposedly match the anatomy of legs, calves, etc.
Is this a no-no because the fit looks obviously off?
I'll try to take pics of my own examples tomorrow. For now I'm posting two pairs I just saw at Banana Republic that look lovely, but which I would prefer to wear full-length because of the cold ankle issue.

Banana Republic

Sloan-Fit Sailor Pant

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Top Pick

2

Banana Republic

Sloan-Fit Plaid Zip-Pocket Pant

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2

Dressing

30 replies

Latest reply was from K.M.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I am the same height as you and I often wear crops as ankle pants because, well, that's where they fall. It all depends on how the fit works on you so try on is essential.

K.M.

Veteran

shevia, glad to know I'm not the only one doing this! I've spent so long wearing full-length pants (on the long side) that I never quite learned how to figure out PPL for ankle, crop, etc. Tomorrow I'll try to take some pics with daylight for feedback (though it wouldn't be about these two BR pants since I just spotted them online). Thanks

Laura G

Veteran

I'm the same height and also wearing ankle pants as full length. I think they're a little narrower at the bottom, so they look barer than regular pants would at the same length. I find I have to wear higher-vamp shoes (like gladiators) to fill in that gap and make it look right.

Christina F.

Veteran

I do this all the time with ankle length skinny or straight leg jeans. I'm just short enough that it usually hits the top of my foot.

Deborah

Veteran

I do this too! I'm 5ft2 and this is how I get my perfect length lol xx

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I am just under 5 foot 2. My best ever pants were crops which were full length on me. They were olive from 2013 and worn so much they died by 2016, had a beautiful gold ankle zip. I'm still sad They looked fine, proportionately.

kkards

Veteran

i've done it....as is so often the case, its all about getting the rest of the outfits proportions right.

cindysmith

Veteran

I'm 5'7", so I don't have this problem. However, I know several petite women who wear crops as full length pants because it is a simple solution. I've never thought that they looked "off" on my friends

Lata Martinez

Member

You can't say that fit pants looks odd. Today, most of the pants come with tight fitting that looks cool when wore with blazer. I would recommend to wear the second one banana republic the sloan fit plaid.
I recommend this because the color is sober and looks awesome when wore with some dark color shirt.

Anonymous

Count me another one who does this pretty frequently. As you say, you do have to evaluate each individual pair for proper proportions, and especially to make sure they really are long enough, but more than half the time it work out for me.

Anonymous

Yes, I will use cropped skinnies as full-length skinnies.

Conversely, I'll buy full-length skinnies (32" inseam) and hack those to ankle length to create a straight leg ankle pant.

Thirkellgirl

Veteran

My daughter is 5'1" and was overjoyed to find jeans that didn't need to be hemmed or rolled. Turns out they were misses' crops.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I do it with cropped skinnies or very slim pants. Wouldn't do it with wider ones. It's all about the proportion, though. On me, they tend not to be "full length" but more like ankle pants. Which I actually like.

Murph11

Veteran

I'm 5'8" and have purchased slim ankle pants in long/tall to wear them as full-length. They worked well for me!

citygirldc

(website)

Veteran

You are definitely not alone. I do it all the time since I feel the petite cropped are too short for me.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm VERY pedantic about lengths so I'd need to see examples. In my experience, the pants are usually still too short to be full length. Neither here nor there, unless you are 4 ft 11.

Suzanne (ambergreen)

Veteran

I used to do this all the time before petites were more available, but I take Angie's point in that they were not technically "full length"--they were at the bottom of the ankle or top of the shoe. I agree with others who say you have to test and see if the proportions work for you.

I love my crops and wear warmer footwear/hosiery to handle any chill issues, but for those I pretty much *only* shop petites. However...I must confess that I made exceptions for a few pairs of jeans that didn't come in petite but do fall into the general cropped category. They still read as cropped on me but at a lower point. At some point I'm going to do WIWs with them and see if anyone can tell that they were all supposed to be a lot shorter...

DonnaF

Veteran

I'm 5' 1" but probably with the leg length of someone 4' 11" so regular crops/ankle pants are full length or longer on me. I've done this a number of times with jeans. Dress pants tend to be cut fuller through the thighs, so I've never tried this with cropped regular pants but mostly because I tend not to wear dress slacks so have stopped buying them other than the lemming Halogen cropped flares (which will keep their tags on until the first wear).

Mainelady

Veteran

I have done this before and been very happy with the results, but I think having the right footwear was a key component to the success. I can not say that every pair of cropped , or ankle length pants I thought would fit me as full length worked out. I am really fussy about length and the overall look.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I'm more likely to have the opposite problem--I'm on the tall side (but not super tall), so pants intended to be full-length have always fit me as ankle pants. Now that pants intended to stop at the ankles are out there, they fit me as capris or pedal pushers. It's a big part of why I don't like the way those styles look on me, even when they do fit properly and are the right length. From my perspective, it seems nice to have the option to hem them short or wear them long.

K.M.

Veteran

Thanks for all the answers! I had a busy, hectic day and could only read them all now--right before going to bed. I will post pictures tomorrow (I took the pics, just need to send them from my phone) and add an ETA so you can see what they look like. As Angie said, there's at least one pair that looks perhaps a little too short to be read as full-length, and a little too long to be read as ankle-length.
I smiled reading all the answers here and learning that I'm not alone! fashiontern, thanks for providing the complementary perspective of having the opposite problem. And thanks everyone for sharing. I'll update tomorrow (probably in the evening).

bridgie

Veteran

I am looking forward to the pics and reading more about this.

K.M.

Veteran

Finally got some time at the end of the day to upload pictures of my pants. Apologies for the terrible quality of the pics--my mirror is in a spot without good natural light, and my phone camera is awful...

Pics 1, 2, 3, are Zara pants from a couple years ago, I don't know if they were technically ankle or cropped pants. You will notice the lengths are off between the legs. This is because I am asymmetrical--my spine is a bit curved, my hips uneven, and so my legs of unequal length. I never realized it until I got some pants hemmed and the tailor said I should hem them differently.

Pics 4, 5, 6 are a pair of H&M pants from many years ago. The pic made me realize there is a weird discoloration in the bikini line area!!! I had noticed it before but didn't realize it was so clearly visible until I saw these pics. I think it must be the friction where the fabric folds when I sit down. Never had this happen before and probably means I should say goodbye to this pair of pants, but they are here to illustrate the more general question of length and fit.

I do wonder sometimes if I should make the Zara pair shorter. But as I said I get cold ankles. Or, if it's warm enough, then I get hot legs and need a skirt or breezier pants like linen or widelegs.

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Jenni NZ

Veteran

I can't see any issue with the overall lengths and could not tell they were "supposed" to be cropped on someone taller. I prefer full length too unless proper summer. Although bought my first pair of cropped jeans ever this March thanks to YLF influence. And now I find they may be going out again!!

K.M.

Veteran

Jenni NZ, that's good to hear! The light-colored ones especially make me wonder because they are such a light color and material that screams "summer" and therefore more in line with a cropped length. That's how the model on the Zara site wore them.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Thanks for the pics, K.M. To my eye, NOT full length - as I expected. About an inch to an inch and a half short of full length. (I am Queen Pedantic About Lengths).

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Pictures are so useful! I'm with Angie on the lengths here -- the first pair may qualify as ankle pants but not full length, to my eye. The second pair are moot now anyway!

K.M.

Veteran

Angie, I super appreciate your sharp eye for length--not pedantic at all (also I have an OCD/nerdy inclination towards everything so I love precision and perfection, and love to be always learning too).

So, Angie and Suz, I'm kind of wondering if your comments mean I should get the first pair (Zara paisley print) hemmed to be decisively cropped/ankle (right now they seem to be indecisive...)?

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

At that length I would go up to cropped length as you suggest.

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