I have been a LONG time wearer of LLbean black jeans and was VERY disappointed a few years ago when they changed the cut and fabric. BUT happy again that the fabric was once again black on black. Purchased 2 pairs. I am only 5' tall and a petite 28" which has / should fit is short and had to be exchanged for regular fit 30" length. Slightly tighter too all around. Still great jeans and hard wearing yet dressy but fit and length seems weird.
These are a good pair of jeans for working in the yard and around the farm plenty of room to move in and bend. The waist is a bit larger than the sizing chart indicates but with a belt it is fine for the work I do.
I tried the women's relaxed fit with elastic waistband (crotch too lengthy), the petite straight fit (crotch too short), and now the petite classic fit (still too tight a fit). Still looking for an old-fashioned, easy, loose fitting jean with the waist at the waist -- forget the low-rise tight fit with the belly button showing for those of us with a mature (but reasonably slim) figure. Why have we had to put up with this teeny bopper abomination for the last ten-plus years? In a country with an aging baby boomer population? Almost nobody including today's teenage girl looks good in these. So my next and fourth try will probably be the natural fit which appears in the new LL Bean catalog. I just want a loose fitting jean I can belt at the waist that doesn't look baggy or frumpy. Too much to ask?
