Colombian jeans come in six cuts (skinny, flare, capri, shorts, cargo, and bermuda), and finding your right size comes down to two measurements: waist and hip. Use our size chart tool to enter both, and it will tell you which size to order. Size up if you are between sizes, especially in the waist. Both Nicolette and Colombiana Jeans use the same sizing.
In This Article · 6 min read
If you are new to Colombian jeans, the sizing can feel unfamiliar at first. American junior sizes work one way, and Colombian sizing works another. Here is the simple version: measure your waist and hips, use the size chart, and if you are between sizes, size up. That is 90% of what you need to know.
This guide walks through the seven cuts we carry, when each one works best, how our sizing translates from US sizing, and the fit tips that come from over a decade of fitting Colombian jeans in person at our New Jersey store since 2012.
Step 1: Find Your Size
Every Colombian jean we sell (both Nicolette and Colombiana brands) uses the same size chart. To find your size, measure your natural waist (the narrowest point above your belly button) and your hips (the fullest part around the widest point of your seat).
Then use our interactive size chart tool, which lets you enter your measurements in inches or centimeters and tells you your recommended size. It also handles the common case where your waist and hip measurements point to different sizes: we recommend the larger of the two for a comfortable fit.
The most important sizing tip: if you are between sizes, size up. Colombian denim is engineered with directional stretch (more horizontal give than vertical), so a jean that feels snug at the waist on day one will roll down and get uncomfortable by hour three. A jean that fits comfortably at the waist wears well for the life of the garment.
Step 2: Choose Your Cut
The cut is your leg silhouette. All seven of our cuts feature the same butt-lifting construction (heart-shaped stitching, wide pockets, or no pockets depending on the pair), so the cut choice is about how the jean falls from your hips down.
Skinny
The classic Colombian silhouette: hugs your legs from waist to ankle with a slim inseam that shows off your leg line. The 28-inch inseam works for most heights. This is the cut that started it all, and still the top-selling silhouette across both brands. Best for everyday wear, date night, boots, and anything you want to layer with a fitted top.
Flare
Full-length flare that opens dramatically from the knee down to a 32-inch inseam. Reads as more polished than a bootcut and pairs well with heels or platform sandals. Best for date nights, dinners, and anytime you want that seventies-inspired long-line silhouette.
Capri
Slim through the leg with an inseam that stops between the mid-calf and just above the ankle. Best for warm weather, casual weekends, and pairing with flats or sandals. Sizing runs the same as skinny.
Shorts
Short inseam with the full Colombian butt-lifting construction. Great for summer, festivals, and warm-weather outings. Shorts are cut just below the knee and fit closer to the body than most US-cut shorts.
Cargo
The newest addition to our lineup: butt-lifting cargo jeans with the utility pockets you would expect from cargos, engineered with the same lift construction as our other cuts. Best for a relaxed, streetwear-inspired look that still shows off your shape.
Bermuda Shorts
Longer than our standard shorts, ending just above or at the knee. More coverage, more polished, more office-friendly. Best for smart-casual settings and anyone who wants shorts without the shortness.
Choose Your Cut
The easiest step, pick the silhouette that fits how you want to wear them.
Flares run in a less stretchy fabric, go up one size when ordering.
Step 3: Which Brand Is Right?
We carry two Colombian denim brands, both designed by Colombiana Boutique: Nicolette Jeans and Colombiana Jeans. Both use the same size chart, so once you know your Colombian size, it applies to either brand.
The difference between them is style aesthetic, not fit. Currently, our best-selling jeans across the catalog are Nicolette jeans, both because of style preference and because we have deeper stock in that line. If you like the look of a specific jean in either brand, order in your US size and it will fit consistently.
How Colombian Sizing Compares to US Sizing
The sizes on our website (01, 03, 05, 07, 09, 11, 13) are US junior sizes, not Colombian brand sizes. The manufacturers in Colombia use different numbers (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18), but we translate to US sizing on the site so you can shop by the numbers you already know.
The best approach is not to convert your usual US size in your head at all. Just measure your waist and hips, plug them into the size chart tool, and trust the number it gives you. If you have never measured yourself before, take one minute to do it once and you will know your size for good.
Fit Tips for Between Sizes
Waist and hips different sizes?
Go with the larger. You can style a fitted top over a slightly loose waistband, but you cannot style your way around jeans that will not close.
Between two sizes?
Size up. Colombian denim molds to your body within the first two or three wears. A snug waistband gets more comfortable; a too-tight one does not.
Ordering flare specifically?
Size up one from your usual Colombian size. The bootcut fabric has less stretch than skinny jeans, so it fits closer to the body at the same size number.
Ordering shorts or bermuda?
Same size as your skinny fit. The construction is consistent across those cuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Colombian jeans sizes translate to US sizes?
The sizes shown on our website (01, 03, 05, 07, 09, 11, 13) are US junior sizes. Colombian brand sizing uses different numbers (6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18), so if you have heard someone refer to a "size 8 Colombian jean," that maps to a US size 03 on our site. Rather than converting between systems, we recommend measuring your waist and hips and using our size chart tool, which gives you the right US size directly.
What if my waist and hips are different sizes?
Order the larger of the two sizes. The Lycra-woven Colombian denim has enough stretch to accommodate a slightly looser waist without bagging, but a jean that will not close at the hips is not something you can style around.
Are Nicolette and Colombiana Jeans sizes different?
No. Both are Colombiana Boutique brands that use the same size chart. Once you know your Colombian size, it applies to any of our jeans across either brand.
Should I size up or down if I am between sizes?
Size up. Colombian denim is designed with strong horizontal stretch but a firm vertical fit at the waist. A jean that feels comfortable at the waist on day one will fit better and wear longer than one you have to squeeze into. The exception is if you specifically want a tighter, more compressive fit — in which case, sizing down works.
What if the jeans do not fit when they arrive?
Reach out to us by chat or email and we will help you exchange for the right size. Since we fit jeans in person at our New Jersey stores every day, we know that first-time buyers occasionally get the size wrong. That is what exchanges are for.
Ready to find your pair? Browse the full Colombian jeans collection sorted by cut and style. Use the interactive size chart to find your size before adding to cart. If you are still unsure, chat with us and we will fit you online the same way we do in our New Jersey stores.