Spring Denim Outfits + Sézane jeans review

My transitional spring uniform has been these straight jeans with flats (either a ballet or Sambas), a sweater or blouse, and a long jacket layer over. You can get such range with this formula from “athleisure chic” to a little more feminine and polished like pictured above!

This post features a few elevated, organic cotton pieces that will mix and match well into spring and summer. I’ve shared this cotton lace blouse many times and it remains one of my most petite-friendly Sézane finds! I usually wear it just with a skin-tone bra, or you can do a cami for more coverage (note: blouse is made of non-stretch cotton lace). I finally got my hands on the Scott trench in a size 0 (as a press gift) – you can see a more clear fit photo here of the size 2 on me.

A crisp blue shirt always feels quintessentially spring for me. This is the Tomboy style (reviewed here last summer) which I like for a slightly oversized, “borrowed from the boys” fit. If you’re considering either this or the Max shirt, I found the Max to be much too oversized for my frame. These sandals and tote bag are also great practical yet elevated pieces, and traveled with me on the kids’ spring break recently!

Petite Friendly Sézane Denim

In my experience Sézane bottoms typically are not very petite-friendly, but I did try on two denim styles that were surprisingly flattering, albeit very small fitting at the waist! I’m not sure how a size up would fit, though – if you own Sézane denim, let us know in the comments if they stretch out with wear or shrink in the wash! And if you typically size up in their jeans from the US sizes…do you do 1 or 2 sizes up?

1. L’Iconique Droit Trouser Jeans – These are a “7/8 length” style that is a nice full length on my 5 feet tall frame. The size US 0 I’m trying on below felt 1 to 2 sizes smaller than US brands and fit quite snug on my 25″ waist.

Size 0 / FR 32 measures 12″ across the waist, 10.5″ rise, 27″ inseam. Material is a medium weight, non stretch denim with straight leg. Feels comparable to a size 23 or a small 24 in American denim brands.

Compared to my frequently worn Levi’s ribcage jeans, these Trouser Jeans are: 1) cut more nipped in at the waist, 2) have a slightly lower rise, 3) zipper fly instead of button, 4) half inch longer in length, 5) slightly thicker denim, and 6) different back pocket and fit with a lower back rise.

2. I also tried the Sezane Le Crop Denim in blue which is in a thicker weight denim, straight fit and ever so slightly flared leg. Consistent with other jeans I’ve tried from the brand, it also fit very snug at the waist on me. A size 0 / FR 32 measured a tiny 11.75″ across the waist, 11″ rise, and 26″ inseam. Will take & upload a fit photo shortly!

I know some petites find the Ribcage jeans I wear often to be too high rise, so another nice lower-rise alternative with a similar cut are the J.Crew slim wide jeans (3 more washes here).

In the Slim Wide jeans, I get Petite for a cropped fit, or Classic for full length. This style runs a little big at the waist for me, so I take my usual denim size 24 for a looser comfy waist fit or could size down to 23 for a snug waist fit. The classic fit sim-wide jeans in size 23 measures 12.25″ across the waist, 10.5″ rise, and 26″ inseam. The Petite fit size 23 measures 12.25″ across the waist, 10.25″ rise and 24″ inseam.