Jeans: Finding Fit without Frustration

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I would dare say that finding the right jeans is one of the biggest shopping challenges we face as women. When I started blogging in November, I knew denim would be one of the first topics I covered. In an early post, I have promised it was coming, and even linked you to the infamous SNL Mom Jeans skit. Since then I have tried on dozens of pair of jeans. I’ve worked with women smaller and larger than myself to get a fair representation of what is out there. It’s taken some time to get the facts. Welcome to my series on denim!

To understand all the options, we first need to explore the cuts. For many years we have had boot-cut. At first, it seemed strange to go back to that wider leg.  However, paired with a higher heel or boot it became a popular, flattering look that personally I loved! Enter straight cut, skinny cut and factor in  the trouser jean that comes/goes and there are more options. In addition, the number of brands out on the marked has increased dramatically with a huge variance in price range.

To get a visual on the cuts follow this link on Banana Republic. It is the best way to see all 3 styles side/side. (We’ll discuss trouser jeans a bit later.) You can also view this video which offers more detail. What’s the best for your body type? Typically boot-cut covers a wide range of  body types. I disagree just a touch with their analysis because I do not think the knee is that tight on boot-cut and believe a wider leg can balance larger thighs.  Straight cut is a great possibility and is very flattering on many women. Some of you will rule out skinny. Don’t be too quick to do so until you have read all my articles. I will say that if your legs are short and a bit heavier, this will be more of a challenge. Want to change your look? Try a new style and brand of jeans.

It’s all in the rise: Many women were and still are upset over the lower rise jeans out there. At the beginning of this trend, stores often named their cuts of pants. For example we had the Marissa: Low rise, Cathy: Mid rise, Ann: High rise. It was a guide to choosing your preference quickly. Now with all the brands and cuts of jeans it is really difficult to know until you get them on. Some indicate rise, some do not. I’m pretty sure the term “muffin top” came about because of the low rise jeans. I do not need to paint a picture any further. I cringed when I heard the term for the first time as it described it TOO perfectly.

I prefer a mid-rise, 8-9 inches. When shopping for jeans, I recommend measuring the rise before even taking them into the dressing room. Granted, this is only ONE indicator. It will at least give you a starting point. ASK FOR HELP  to steer you to the right style and brand. This saves much time and frustration. Speaking from experience there is nothing worse than pulling on a pair of jeans in the dressing room and barely being able to get them up to mid-thigh! Have questions? Let’s start the discussion! (if this post comes directly to your e-mail, click on the title of the article which brings you to the site. To make a comment click on share thoughts/comments in upper right corner of article)

Up Next: Evaluating fit, brands/price and fabric content!