The great pant search continues…and I’ve pretty much resigned myself to the idea of beefing up my denim collection, especially in colors, since non-jean pants have proven so elusive.
Pants are hard to fit on me for several reasons. Not only am I very petite, but I need a really low rise to avoid unfortunate looking crotch issues (such as the jeanis), I have what I lovingly refer to as “toothpick legs”, and a bit of an ample rear end (thanks to my Puerto Rican heritage, no doubt. J.Lo, anyone?). So I need pants that run small, have a microscopic rise, don’t swallow my toothpicky leg line, and yet somehow contain a boo-tay.
I’ve heard a lot about Frankie B. jeans and how small they run over the years. My first encounter with the brand was my senior year of college, when I had an interesting roommate who professed her love for the brand, as she scoured eBay endlessly for discount denim, sustaining herself only on massive bowls of yogurt. She loved the styles with little hearts and rhinestones on the pockets, so I was turned off of the brand for some time. But the name kept coming up. In conversations with sales associates…in blog comments…and everyone kept telling me Frankie B. ran really small. So I finally ordered a pair from Revolve Clothing (free shipping & returns!) to see for myself.
Tip: I love Revolve Clothing for their fit information. They list if items run small, big, or true to size. Sure enough, Revolve lists Frankie B. as running one size small.
Frankie B.’s tend to trick you by looking all normal from the front, but then surprising you with crazy back pockets. Hearts may be great for some girls…but not for me. Luckily, these grey skinnies came in a nice, clean back pocket design. Assuming they ran one size small, I ordered a size 24.
Note how they hug el “toothpick legs”. Extra length is rolled up.
Also note how they contain el “boo-tay”.
It’s true! These do indeed run small, since I can easily wear a size 23 in most denim brands, and even then I’ve swam in some of their generous fits. I would suggest most ladies to size up in this jean, unless you like a skin-tight fit in the leg. There is also a bit of a waist gap on me, which when I did some research into Frankie B. fit, seems to be the norm. Most girls I read suggested wearing them belted, or getting the waist taken in. I’ll also note here that Frankie B.’s also come in size 23, so if you’re smaller than myself, size 23 may work well for you.
I was delighted at how low the front rise is, but the low front rise is not offset by a higher back rise, like my beloved Paige skinnies are (Paige jeans are made with a boo-tay in mind). That means there is fear of showing off more than is desired of the derriere when bending or possibly sitting. Again, the reviews I read suggested belting, or getting the waist taken in. Also, the fabric is not very thick on these, so the front pocket lining is visible from the front. Pretty typical of “jegging” type jeans.
Note: I shopped Paige jeans a lot in the last few years, but I’ve noticed a not-as-small fit from them recently. Even their Verdugo Leggings have fit oafish on me. Has anyone else noticed this too?
Item Measurements: size 24 (laying flat)
Rise: 7″
Back rise: 10.5″
Waist: 12.5″
Hip: 15″
Inseam: 30″
Leg opening: 4″
52% cotton/26% rayon/21% polyester/1% spandex
I’m heavily leaning towards keeping these, since I’ve been day-dreaming about grey skinnies, and not all skinnies can handle the toothpick legs (see examples here and here) while also giving me that low rise I love so much. I have a few more pairs of jeans coming in the mail (J.Brand jeggings and Current Elliot skinnies), so I’ll probably hold off on final decisions until those arrive.
Outfit Details - Ann Taylor cashmere sweater, size xxsp :: Frankie B. My BFF skinny jean, size 24 :: Coach flats, size 5
