size it up: Grane low-rise flares for shorties

   I don't know whether this is purely a Hawaii thing (since we have so many petite women), but there is a certain type of woman I often spot in the juniors section at Macy's. She's 40-plus and often holding up some itty-bitty camisole or very short skirt to herself to see how it looks in the mirror. I'd like to believe that she's buying for a similarly-sized niece or daughter, but I don't think that's always the case. By that age, I'd like to believe that I'll have "graduated" to coveting Tahari, Eileen Fisher, or Ralph Lauren, instead of skimpy things made out of so-so material and sized to fit 15-year-olds.
     You'll be pleased to know that I've just eaten my words for breakfast. (Whew, that was one filling paragraph). Having turned 34 in December, I've cut down on my browsing in the junior section. I find that the dresses run too short to be work-appropriate, and while I may pick up a tee or two on occasion, that's been the extent of my shopping. Then I came across this pair of Grane jeans in the Ross juniors section. I've never owned a pair of flares before (I'm pretty sure they're on the don't-wear list for petites), but the fit was very persuasive.

FIT: I found these in a 5 short. The low rise means no weird bunching in the crotch, which is always a problem if you're short-waisted like me. There is just a hint of a waist gap, which is kind of amazing (usually pants that fit my hips and thighs leave me with a large and unflattering gap). The length is perfect for a shoe with a heel  (necessary for balancing out the flare).

MATERIAL: The tag says 54% ramie (?), 27% polyester, 18% cotton and 1% spandex. Good ol' Wikipedia informs me that ramie is made from the fibers of a nettle plant found in East Asia.

DETAILS: Like most juniors jeans, there is more detail to the back pockets than I'd like, but nothing deal-breaking. I actually like the vintage-looking silver button. The light whiskering on the front is OK.

     The one thing I'm a bit iffy about is the weird fading on the rear. I know they're trying to make them look well-worn and loved, but really, Grane? You had to put it right there? You can get an idea of what I'm talking about by checking out the side view below.

     WARDROBE VALUE? I don't own any flares, so I think this would be something fun to add to my jeans rotation. For $11.99, this is a fashion risk I can afford.  I am also excited about the fit. I would balance out the junior-ish elements of these jeans by pairing it with more sophisticated items, like the silk top shown above.