Review: REI OC Granite pants

[Jolt]

Hemming is just too much trouble and never looks exactly right when I do it. And the smallest "regular" size LL Bean pants is probably too large for me in the hips (Petite sizes are cut slimmer through the waist/hips and have less rise). So I just make sure to buy my pants at places where I can be sure the inseam is long enough (29") or try them on in person.

What LL Bean hasn't yet "gotten" is that most of us prefer a longer inseam for boot-cut or flared pants (esp. if you wear a shoe with any heel at all) than for straight legs with flats. All their petites pants have a 28.5" inseam no matter what the cut of the leg. That inseam works for me in straight legs, but I like boot-cut pants, and they're just too short for that if there is any shrinkage at all (and there often is as they sell a lot of cotton). I've emailed them to mention this, but they haven't made any changes.

I hear you about hemming being a bit of a pain. I didn't know about petite sizes being cut differently--interesting. I usually wear regular length (even though I'm only an inch taller than you are, petites are usually a little short on me), so I haven't had the opportunity to notice that I guess. The x-small regular pants from L. L. Bean might actually be OK for you in the hips--they fit me really well and I'm pretty skinny too (108 lbs). It's hard when you can't try things on though--I'm always a little hesitant about buying clothes online unless I know the brand.

[KnottedYet]

Beware the incredible shrinking inseam!

After several weeks of washing and drying and wearing, the inseams on these pants have quite clearly SHRUNK.

The waist/hips/thighs are still amazingly wonderful, but the legs are waaaaay too short now.

I'd recommend buying the next inseam up. They may be too long at first, but after a couple months of steady shrinking, you'll be glad you did.

(my next pair will be 34 inseam... cuz I already have enough too-short pants.)