I Can’t Stop Thinking About Meghan Markle’s Date Night Pants. But Can I—at 5’2”—Pull Them Off?

Appearance: 18/20
Comfort: 20/20
Fit: 18/20
Value: 18/20
Quality: 20/20
TOTAL: 94/100

The pics of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stepping out for dinner at San Vicente Bungalows in West Hollywood dropped nearly the same time the world found out they were being booted from their U.K. home at Frogmore Cottage. A big deal, yes, but I was somehow focused on something else: Meghan’s date night pants.

They were confirmed to be this cropped style from Veronica Beard—the Maera skinny jean made from vegan leather. Markle paired the look with a neutral cape coat and pair of black pumps. So effortless, so chic.

Leather (and faux leather) pants are of course on trend for 2023, but as showcased by Markle, they’re also timelessly chic. Still, I’m 5’2” and have curvier hips and thighs—what were the chances I could pull them off?

High, apparently! Much to my surprise, these pants actually fit like a glove and feature just the right amount of figure-flattering flexible stretch for comfort and style. As a mom pressed for time—which, let’s face it, I imagine Markle is, too—I loved the simplicity of these pants, which could easily fit into a capsule wardrobe. Paired with a blouse or button-down, even a light sweater, they felt as universal as my favorite pair of jeans and a style I could lean on to create numerous looks.

One note: The hem of the Maera style was just a bit on the longer side for my 5’2” self. But because vegan leather holds its shape rather well, I was able to simply tuck it inside the pant and apply fashion tape. (There are other ways to modify the length, but I’ll likely consult my tailor just to get it right.) This style also happens to come in more than one colorway—the emerald pair (pictured on the left) was on sale and almost sold out, so I test drove both.

More than anything I was blown away by how this style seemed to mold to my body and feel as effortless as the Duchess of Sussex made it look on her own date night out.

As an experiment, I test drove two other styles of leather pants—this Vegan Leather Skinny Pant from Abercrombie & Fitch (on the left) and the Melina Pant from Aritzia (on the right). Both are also vegan—and very chic. The pair from Abercrombie had the exact right crop for my 5’2” frame; the Melina was on the longer side, but I loved the weight and structure of the leather.

Bottom line: My experiment with leather pants served as proof—this style isn’t just for tall women. I can look as effortless as Meghan Markle on her date night…and feel that way, too.