I’ve done a few denim hauls before – a Madewell denim haul, a Gap denim haul, an Old Navy denim haul, and most recently a Talbots denim haul.
Universal Standard is one of the most size-inclusive brands out there, and I’ve found their quality quite excellent. I own several pairs of Universal Standard jeans and have tried new styles over the years and wanted to update this Universal Standard denim haul with all the styles I have tried on my size 14/16 petite frame.
My History with Universal Standard Jeans
Y’all know I am a BIG Universal Standard (US) fan. I have been showcasing the brand since 2017, when I got my first Geneva dress. I love the quality, the edgy yet classic style, and adore the size inclusivity (every single item and color on the site is available in sizes 00-40).
I have struggled with denim most of my adult life (hence me doing so many denim hauls). Even though I am, according to the CDC, the average height and size of a woman in the United States, I rarely find a pair of jeans that fits me right off the rack. Few brands offer petites over a size 10, and sometimes petite is too short in the rise to accommodate my stomach and rear.
When I tried Universal Standard Seine jeans, I became a total convert. They were the first high-quality skinny jeans I had ever tried that fit well, looked good, kept their shape all day, and didn’t require constant hiking up. I have since added other styles of Universal Standard jeans to my wardrobe and have been impressed with the quality, though some styles were clearly only designed for taller bodies.
I wanted to do a petite Universal Standard denim haul so I could show their great jeans on a shorter body, one that is closer to our country’s average height for women. And honestly, I was exhausted from trying pair after pair from brands that were inconsistent with fit, quality, and style. I have always found Universal Standard to be more consistent with sizing and I saw some styles that looked like they may be exactly what was missing from my wardrobe.
Petite Universal Standard Denim Haul
I’ll admit, I’ve tried a lot of pairs of jeans from Universal Standard. This denim haul includes styles I have tried and returned and the ones I own to make it as comprehensive as possible for fellow petite and midsize folk. This haul has been updated for 2025, removing discontinued styles and adding new cuts I’ve tried. And without further ado, my Universal Standard denim haul with styles in alphabetical order:
Universal Standard Bae Boyfriend Crop Jeans
When thinking about the best jeans for petites at Universal Standard, one of the best options is the Bae boyfriend jeans. Such a popular fit, the Bae is now available in a 26″ inseam and a 30″ inseam and a range of washes and colors that change season to season. I haven’t bought any Bae jeans in 2025 so the washes below may not be available at the time you read this, however the fit is still the same.
Made from 91.8% Cotton, 6.8% Polyester, and 1.4% Elastane, these jeans are soft and stretchy, but I find these jeans keep their shape. IMO, the Bae Jeans from Universal Standard run large.
Above, I am wearing the 26″ crops in size 12, and I think I would have been more comfortable in a 10. They don’t stretch larger, but they sat on my hips, and I feel that in the selvedge wash, they would have looked better with a trimmer fit.
I also have a pair of the Bae jeans in a faded wash and they are too a 12. While they seem to be less loose on the waist, I think because they’re distressed, they don’t look or feel as obviously roomy. If in doubt, size down but expect to fall in love with the “boyfriend” fit, stretchy but solid denim, and the deep pockets.
At 5’3″ I find the 26″ inseam of the Bae jeans to be a hair too short to wear with loafers, boots, and sneakers but I do enjoy them in the summer with sandals as seen above. I like the fit enough that if I need new jeans I may try the 30″ inseam, and will size down.
Universal Standard ComfortDenim Drawstring Jean Trouser
I purchased the ComfortDenim Drawstring Jean Trousers as soon as they came out, thinking they looked like a great alternative to joggers that were a bit more refined yet comfy option for weekends and when working from home. I ordered them in a size XS. Lighter weight than traditional denim (74% Cotton, 21% Polyester, 3% Viscose, and 2% Elastane), they are not thin like chambray and have more structure and substance. But I did not like them on me.
I have chatted with a few of you and on Instagram who have and love these denim trousers. All of you I chatted with are taller than I am and have a different body shape (either an athletic or straight shape or more of a pear shape). You like how they are casual but refined. One shared that she had them shortened to a cropped look, and another said she wears them to her smart-casual office with blouses, lightweight sweaters, and flats. So I ordered them again in a different wash.
Second time was not necessarily a charm, but it was a better result. Maybe that’s why this lighter wash is the only one Universal Standard still has. In the XS, this go round, they were more relaxed and the wash looked cooler and not like frumpy pants from a mail-order catalog that also carries matching knit tops embroidered with cats. The rise is surprisingly short making these a great choice for petite folk.
Universal Standard Dakota Denim Skirt
Denim skirts never look right on me. As someone with a soft belly and a butt, they often look more like a lampshade than a garment, snug over the body and flaring out below the rump. I was curious about the Universal Standard Dakota Denim Skirt since US is so good with working with curves.
With the same quality stretch denim as the rest of the collection, this denim skirt is incredibly comfortable, has deep pockets, a slit that isn’t so high it will show something by accident, and works far better with my curves thanks to strategic side panels. I am wearing a 12; it’s snug but not uncomfortable. I am curious how a 14 may work, if it would be a straighter fit or end up too roomy or long.
Universal Standard Donna Jeans
The Donna jean from Universal Standard is a curve-friendly straight leg jean. In fact, the Donna is essentially the Etta jeans featured below, but cut to work better with those who have over a 10″ waist-to-hip difference. With a 27″ inseam, these are a good choice for those who are petite or have longer torsos and shorter legs.
I am not one who fits curve jeans well, but I still tried these so I could be a more valuable resource for those looking for Universal Standard jeans reviews. While these are called straight jeans, they are more of a relaxed fit and have that ’90s jeans vibe that is so hot in 2025. If in doubt, size down with the Donna, as I and many others find these run big.
Universal Standard Etta Jeans
The Universal Standard Etta Jean is a high-waisted straight leg that is deceptively stretchy in all directions while looking like premium denim. Available in an extensive selections of colors and denim washes, the Etta Jean is available in regular (28″) and long (31″) lengths. I am wearing a 12 Regular in Aged Indigo.
If you want a classic 501’s style jean but with stretch and comfort and size inclusivity, the Etta Jean is for you. A high but not too high waist (remember I am 5’3″), a leg that is straight, and two lengths so you can go ankle or full length; this is a really versatile style.
The Etta Jean is one I say if in doubt, size down. Since going through perimenopause and the passing of my mom, my body has been in flux, and the size 12 fits me when my body is larger and is a little loose when I am my most consistent size and shape.
Universal Standard Farrah Jeans
I hesitated to share the Universal Standard Farrah jeans in this haul because the wash I have is discontinued. Two darker washes are still for sale, but these are by far my most worn Universal Standard jeans, so I decided to include them. In fact, especially after seeing Kendrick Lamar’s relaxed flare jeans, I may get another pair in a darker wash!
If you are too short for most flared jeans, you may too fall in love with the Farrah. With a 31″ inseam, for me, they are the perfect alllllmost ground-skimming length with boots and platform sneakers.
I have washed these jeans dozens of times, half of those times in the dryer and they still look and perform great. I have heard the darker washes of the Farrah jeans run a bit more snug; the 12 is perfect for me in the faded but I would consider ordering a size larger if I got another pair in the darker washes.
Universal Standard Joni Jeans
If you are familiar with Universal Standard Seine jeans and just find them a bit too skinny, the Joni is a fantastic alternative. I am wearing the 27″ length; they also come in a 32″ length.
The Joni Jean from Universal Standard is a slim-fit jean designed for curvy figures that have over a 10″ waist to hip difference. With hidden stretch in the premium denim, these are jeans that will move with you without shimmying down or bagging out by the end of the day.
The Universal Standard Joni jeans are available a few different washes/colors, and two inseam lengths of 27″ and 32″. I am wearing the Soft Black color in size 12 with the “regular” inseam.
If you’re around my age, you may have some less than positive feelings about wearing faded black jeans, having done them before. But I think that because these are free of distressing, don’t have any creative wash or hardware, they look modern. I wear them with almost everything I wear with a traditional blue-tinted jean.
Years later, these jeans are still in my closet and worn regularly. I also got a pair in a dark wash, which you see above (stretchy yet a good fit!). Even as my body changes and my size fluctuates, I still find them comfortable.
Universal Standard Perfect Jeans
How could I resist trying a pair of jeans that were called perfect? Made from 90% Cotton, 8% Polyester, and 2% Elastane, the Universal Standard Perfect Jean is a high-rise slim leg jean with special darts at the back and a yoke to work with the curve of one’s rear. With a 30″ inseam, I thought these jeans might work for my petite self, especially when paired with heeled boots.
They did not. With a 12″ rise for a size 12, the US Perfect Jeans’ waistband practically touched my bra, the 30″ inseam puddled, and in general, these are NOT petite-friendly jeans. However, I did like the denim, which was a bit heavier than other US jeans I own, but still as stretchy. They look elevated and like expensive jeans.
I took mirror selfies of myself in the jeans, but at the time of writing this, I cannot find them! However, I did find these detail photos showing the darts and details for the Universal Standard Perfect Jeans. Based on the reviews on the product page, they do seem pretty perfect for those who are taller than 5’3″.
Universal Standard Seine Skinny Jeans
The Seine skinny jean is the first denim Universal Standard created and has been a bestseller ever since. Now available in two rises (high and mid), three inseams plus a petite version, a straight-leg option, and a bunch of different colors and washes, the Seine is the only skinny jeans I have felt comfortable and confident in and continue to wear and love.
I have tried both rises of the skinny Seine, size 12 and size 10, the petite and the regular inseam options, and several different washes. The Midrise (seen on me in the photo above) hits right at the curve of my belly button in a way that the waistband folds over and I get muffin top.
The petite high rise Seine fits as though they were custom designed for me, but the length is too short for my personal style. Those are the jeans I am wearing in the photo above. Honestly, I struggled to find the right shoes to wear with them. I ended up donating them when I realized I only wore them under tall boots.
In the GIF above, I am wearing the size 30″ High Rise Seine skinny jeans in size 10. While I have owned a few pairs over the years, these are the ones I have kept in my closet, even when I started transitioning to looser fits of denim.
While I am a size 12 usually in Universal Standard jeans, I like the Seine jeans on me in size 10. For reference, the photo above is the same jeans but in size 12. After an hour or two, I could have pulled them off without unbuttoning. And nope, these jeans don’t shrink in the dryer (I recommend you line dry them so they last longer).
I know some of you have dealt with your Seine jeans wearing out at the thigh or doing weird things with the Elastane. I have to say I think some washes hold up better than others. While I have some pairs that are years old and have gone through the dryer and still look new, others have started to show wear even when line dried.
In general, I find the skinny Seines to be more durable than other brands of skinny jeans this stretchy and I find they have better bounceback (AKA no saggy bum or waist).
I’ve often discussed that skinny jeans are no longer the default denim silhouette, but that doesn’t mean you need to toss what you own or that you shouldn’t buy more. In fact, I think skinny jeans can still be chic and offer several ways to style skinny jeans in 2025. And my favorite continue to be the Seine skinny jean.
If you love a skinny jean, rock the heck out of it. And if you’re looking for a great fitting skinny jean, the Seine, in my opinion, is one of the best out there.
I hope you found this petite Universal Standard denim haul helpful. Luckily, Universal Standard is the kind of brand that keeps several styles for more than one season, so be sure to bookmark this article for the next time you go jeans shopping!
If you have tried any of these styles of Universal Standard jeans and have more feedback that will help readers, do share in the comments. And if you think there are any styles of Universal Standard denim not seen here that are worth checking out, please share those as well! Your comments help make this an even more valuable resource for those looking for a great pair of denim!