Skinny, straight-leg, wide-leg, flare—you probably thought you’ve seen it all in terms of the denim trend cycle. After all, how many forms could a pair of jeans possibly take? Well, as it turns out, one more: barrel! In 2024, barrel-leg jeans seemingly came out of nowhere and, despite the debate surrounding their shape, quickly took closets by storm. The unique silhouette, which curves out through the middle of the leg and tapers in at the ankle, essentially creates a bow-legged effect that, for some, can actually be super flattering. (See this former PureWow editor’s review, in which she raved about how the pants balanced her wide hips.) But could the polarizing style work for petites? I, a 5’1” fashionista, set out to find out.
The first time I saw barrel-leg jeans out in the wild, I’ll be honest, I was not a fan. However, the more frequently they appeared on my social feeds, the more I warmed up to them. I liked the way they added drama and structure to otherwise basic ensembles, while still feeling cool and relaxed. The voluminous shape still seemed tricky for a gal of my stature to pull off, but, never one to shy away from a challenge, I bit the bullet and picked up two highly rated pairs from my favorite petite-friendly denim retailers: the Madewell darted barrel jeans ($148) and the Abercrombie & Fitch mid-rise barrel jeans ($90; $68), both of which come in short lengths ideal for my height.
The shape certainly brought me out of my comfort zone, but after a little trial and error, I figured out the best ways to style my barrel jeans as a petite—and now I truly can’t get enough of ‘em. If you’re a fellow shortie looking to give this trend a try, read on for the styling rules I swear by.