More slim pants - Review: Ann Taylor Capris sz 00P

Many petite favorite retailers are offering slim pants this season and I coudn't be more thrilled. I've always loved slim pants for work, but previously only Theory carried them in small sizes. J.Crew jumped on the bandwagon with the Minnie pant, and now Gap, Ann Taylor, and LOFT each have their versions.

In Boston, most women commute to work in flats, so cropped, slim cut pants are a must-have for me to avoid tripping over long hems. I find them to be more versatile than boot-cut trousers, and much easier to incorporate into weekend casual outfits.

Blouse: Banana Republic 00P

Jacket: Theory Caprine 00P

Pants: Ann Taylor Stretch Twill Capris sz 00P (also comes in black)

Pumps: Ann Taylor Perfect Exotic Pump sz 5

Belt: J.Crew (similar here - love "heather dove")

Even though I just bought a pair of Gap slim crops, I was enticed by Chloe's claim that these pants ran small. They are more like ankle pants on my short 28" inseam legs, which some of you may find asthetically awkward, but I don't mind at all. Continue reading for my review...

Fit: The 00P was very fitted throughout the hips and thigh, but left me with a 1.5" waist gap. Unlike the Gap pair I reviewed, these are side-zip and do not have a trouser front nor belt loops (like the J.Crew Minnies), which is a minus. Under a top, however, the gap isn't too noticeable and the pants stay up fine because the hips are so fitted on me. A trip to the tailor should be able to fix the gap.

Please note that 00P is an online exclusive size for Ann Taylor. This is kind of a bummer since LOFT and BR both carry 00P in stores.

Color: I really love this "cliffside" color...it's like a grayish taupe. All my skinnies are black so this is a welcome change.

Material: 52% cotton, 42% rayon, 6% spandex. This twill feels nice and stretchy and I hope it holds up well after a wash. I asked Chloe beforehand to make sure the material isn't too wrinkle prone, but I did find that it wrinkles at the back of the knee.

Price: At $78 these cost the same as J.Crew's twill Minnies, but there are some pros and cons to each. The Minnies are dry clean only, whereas these are machine washable. The Minnies come in more colors and have nice belt loops, but Ann Taylor has frequent sales and coupons. I got these with the $20 off pants promo, plus another coupon so they came out to be $46.40. Still not cheap for me, but I know I'll get a lot of wear out of 'em.

Verdict: Despite the waist gap, I'm keeping!

The next color on my want list for slim pants is charcoal gray. I'm eying the J.Crew bi-stretch minnies pictured below...oh please, please give us a sale : )

Readers - are you buying in to the slim ankle pant trend? Or do you find it to be too unflattering on shorter legs?