I still remember when Quince came on the scene promising luxury for less under the name Last Brand. I’ve tried my fair share of Quince items with mixed results. So I thought I’d share my personal hits and misses. This is all from the perspective of an (almost) 5’4″ petite, pear-shaped person.

(An aside: It appears that the formula for modeling Quince clothing is to put your right arm behind you or in a pocket). OK, let’s start with the misses first before we move on to the good stuff.

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This post contains affiliate links and most of these items were gifted to me by Quince, which I indicate with c/o. If you shop through my links, I may earn a commission. As always, I decide what to write about and all opinions are my own.

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The Misses

Bella Stretch Straight Jeans

I’ve been looking for a pair of gray jeans and these were moderately priced at $50 and offered in different inseams, so I ordered the 26″. (As a short person, it’s always exciting when I don’t have to get something hemmed.) While I like the color (greyed out), I’m not in love with the material, which is 65% cotton, 18% recycled polyester, and other materials. First, it feels thin, which makes me worry about durability. It’s stretchy, but maybe too stretchy because these jeans don’t stay in place. They slide down, so wearing a belt with these is a must.

Also, the first time I wore these, I spilled water on myself, and when it dried it left a stain. While the stain came out in the wash, I’ve never experienced jeans staining before just from water. Even though I’m still wearing these for now because they’re here, I consider this a miss because I wouldn’t re-buy them. Most of the other colors have a higher cotton content. I wonder if those keep their shape better.

Lightweight Down Packable Puffer

The packable down puffer jacket is such a useful piece. So warm, but so light! The quality of this Quince down puffer seems fine and it fits true to size. However, I found the fit strange. One could argue that all packable puffers are kind of unflattering, but this one is especially so, at least on me. It’s boxy, but not in a good way.

This jacket looks like a dupe of Patagonia’s Down Sweater (which is a jacket, not a sweater, despite the name). I wonder if the much pricier Patagonia one looks this unflattering too. At this price point, I’d rather get the Uniqlo version, which is more attractive than the Quince once.

Washable Stretch Silk Tee

I’m in that phase of life where I’m getting hot flashes, so I’m trying to wear more silk to keep cool. I was worried this tee would be too long for my petite frame, and while it’s longer than I’d like, it’s not bad. Like other Quince silk items, the fabric feels smooth and is lightweight but not see-through (at least in black). The keyhole on the back is an elegant touch. However, the cut is not quite right. The fabric puckers out on the sides above my chest. There’s also a dart that runs on the side of each boob. The one good thing about the cut, though, is that it falls away from the body in a way that doesn’t show my little belly pooch. I’m wearing my regular size of small here, but perhaps a size up would solve the puckering problem.

Lightweight Cotton Cashmere Cardigan

I don’t know what I was thinking when I ordered this mostly cotton cardigan with a touch of cashmere. I probably thought, oh lightweight, without remembering that I used to own cardigans like this from J.Crew and then got rid of them. Shopping fail! The length is meh on 5’4″ me, cutting me in half. And because it’s thin, it rumples quite a bit and just doesn’t look great. Fits true to size. The quality is probably fine. I’ve found that most cotton items from Quince hold up well.

100% European Linen Tank

I went into detail about this linen tank in a review of some of Quince’s linen items, but this was a fail. Quince’s sizing is inconsistent, and my usual size ran large with overly big armholes. It’s not a petite-friendly length. The linen also felt scratchy to my sensitive skin.

The Hits

100% Organic Cotton Poplin Pull On Shorts

I almost didn’t order these poplin shorts because I was worried about the wide waistband. At 2.5″ the waistband seemed like it might be uncomfortable. But my fears were unfounded. They’re comfortable if quite secure. The scalloped side hems remind me of running shorts or gym shorts, but the poplin fabric and on-seam pockets elevate these shorts. I’ve only worn these for one season, but so far, so good. Fits true to size. They appear to be out of stock and aren’t even on the website anymore. I hope Quince brings it back!

100% Organic Cotton Waffle Cropped Sweater Tank

The word “cropped” always gets my attention since I’m short. I’ve never owned a sweater tank before, but the texture of this appealed to me. I’ve only worn this a handful of times, so can’t comment on longevity yet, but I can report that washing it (on cold) didn’t cause shrinkage. I sized up to a medium. It runs small — the medium measures about 17″ across pit to pit — though there is some give due to it being a knit. I’m still figuring out how to style this since the knit is on the thick side but it’s sleeveless. That makes for an interesting combination, but perhaps one that can only be worn in certain temperatures.

100% Organic Cotton Poplin Boxy Short Sleeve Shirt

This is another item that was described as cropped. The poplin is smooth and crisp, and the oversized and boxy shape feels modern. It’s chic while being comfortable. The only downside to it is that it requires ironing (which of course is expected of poplin, but I really hate ironing.) There’s only one color in stock right now, a light blue stripe. If you’re looking for something similar in white, indie brand Meg makes the Petite Chemise with an oversized shape and interesting details like a big pocket.

Oversized Wool Blazer

Even though I didn’t end up keeping this because I found the wool too scratchy for my sensitive skin, it is one of the better made items I’ve ever tried from Quince. If your skin isn’t as picky as mine, it will likely be fine. For the longest time, it only came in two colors, black and brown, but I saw they recently added a Glen Plaid. (They no longer offer the gray herringbone that I’m wearing.) Personally, I ended up thrifting a similar Everlane blazer, which this Quince blazer seems to be a copy of. (For a more detailed comparison, see this review). But this Quince blazer is impressive and feels way more expensive than its $100 price tag. (And yes, you can totally rock an oversized blazer even if you’re petite.)

Organic Cotton Scoop Bralette

I normally don’t go for shelf bras as I’m not a fan of pulling a bra on over my head. But I decided to search for a cotton bra for breathability reasons and a two-pack of these scoop bralettes was only $29.90, so I gave them a try. I’m glad I did as I was pleasantly surprised! This simple bralette is comfy and does a decent job at light support. (I’m a D cup, but not large chested, so YMMV.) I’ve worn these frequently over the past 1.5 years and throw them in the washing machine (but never the dryer). So far, so good.

Comfort Stretch Mac Coat

I’ve been eyeing Sézane’s Clyde Coat, so when I saw this dupe on Quince, I couldn’t help but order it. It’s a little long on petite me, but I do appreciate that I can just fold up the sleeves to my desired length and show off the lining (which looks identical to the Sezanne lining.) Whereas the Clyde appears to have a more oversized fit, the Quince version seems slimmer. I think I need to visit Sézane store so I can see the Clyde in person and do a proper comparison. But first impressions of this Quince version is that it looks pretty great and seems well-made. For $100, I have no complaints! Comes in three colors: khaki, navy, and the olive green I’m wearing (which is currently out of stock.) I’m wearing my regular size of small.

A Note About Quince’s Ethics

As I blog about making more ethical choices as a consumer, I’d be remiss not to bring up Quince’s claims of ethical and sustainable production. Quince does use some more sustainable materials like organic cotton. But as of December 2023, they get a “not good enough’ from Good on You for scant information about their labor and environmental practices. Quince seems to trace their supply chain in the final stages, but not earlier in the process. Some of their products come from WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production) certified factories, which have undergone audits to show that they don’t use forced labor and pay the minimum required by law, among other principles. But as we know, minimum wage is often not a living wage. I’d like to see more information from Quince about working conditions.

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