A Good Fit is Hard to Find

I don't know about you, but I find it nearly impossible to get a pair of jeans that fit well. I spend small fortunes on those magazines in the checkout aisle who toute articles like "Jeans That Fit & Flatter Every Body Type." I could probably have bought a pair of jeans that fit and flatter with all the money I've wasted on those. They feature 4 body types and assume that you fit neatly into one of them. And they've just solved all your problems. (World hunger will be next.)

Really, come on now. Am I the only one out there with just one body type "disfunction." I am short in stature and short waisted. This presents so many problems. What? I could probably do well in the juniors section? Well, before kids maybe. My hips and thighs are firmly planted in the missus department. I was once told that I'm more matronly now that I'm a mom. If that's not screaming "boy, you put on weight!" nothing does.

My waist band touches my bra band. Well, very nearly at least. There is about a 1" gap. Being short waisted is not all fun and games. I am eternally grateful to the fashion designer who invented low rise jeans. I have opinions that it was some dirty old man just hoping for a glimpse of crack, as it happens too frequently on normal people. But I'm well covered and the band sits at my natural waist. I will be so, so sad when they go out of style. I accidentally purchased a pair of jeans recently that were not low rise. As I was pulling up the zipper I was shocked to realize that it just kept going. I nearly zipped my boobs into my pants. Needless to say, they're not worn very often. I have no idea how I managed to walk around with the body cast thing going on around my middle for all those years.

But that's just one of my problems. Being short in stature makes it hard to find a good fit. What with the longer styles being all hip and in fashion, that makes it even worse. Weirdly, "short" is a hard fit to find. Some brands have this sizing feature and some don't. I need them desperately. And what fits good with shoes on does not fit good to walk around the house in. These long things are always dragging under foot and I have to march just to get them to clear ground with each step. Rolling them up a bit would be a great option, but have you ever rolled flare bottoms? Belling up around your knees is not a good look.

Have you noticed that tapered legs are coming back in style? I was a tiny bit excited about this when I first saw. I guess it was nostalgic flashbacks to pre-kid days or something. When I tried them on I was shocked and appalled. I seriously thought I looked good in them back in the day. Things have changed since then. Like my hips and thighs. I look like a giant blue inverted pear. It's not attractive. From my hips things just keep tapering down. Nothing like accentuating the wide part like that. Who knew I'd love my wide legs so much? (Not mine! The wide leg jeans.) I will never go back! Never! Do you hear me?!

Now, I'm not niave enough to think that I cannot find a pair of jeans that fit and flatter anywhere. There are plenty out there that would do both of those for me, and do it well. They would also contain just enough stretch to fit comfortably. (Don't you love that feature?) But when you throw in the third body type dysfunction, suddenly doors close all around. This is the body type that is cheap. I have never purchased a pair of Levi's at full price for myself in my life. Seriously. And I know they are not a spendy jean compared to most. My price range is $20 or less. See how this seriously narrows the playing field? I would certainly spend money on a good pair if I could be assured they'd fit and flatter. And not just in the dressing room. They've gotta look good from my home mirrors, too. (There's a difference you know.) And they've gotta repeat the performance after being washed. That's a tough test to pass. I just can't take the chance on spending all that money only to find they can't perform to my standards. Like the Aero jeans I picked up for $15. I was IN LOVE. I wore them for a week before washing them. They did everything I needed them to do, and they were lookin' good doing it. But I was forced to wash them, and they've shrunk. Muffin Top can't even begin to describe it. It's just not pretty. I may have to lose 15 pounds to ever get them on again.

So my love affair with jeans is slowly dying. It's strange that I can find capris to fit and flatter so quickly. And it's strange that the extra few inches makes so much difference. I think I'll wear capris all winter. Would they look good with socks?

16 comments:

The Sports Mama said...

OMG... I can totally sympathize with you on this! :) I have a practically non-existent torso. Made pregnancies with large baby boys rather uncomfortable!

Burgh Baby said...

I have the opposite problem with fit--I'm tall and most of it is legs. So regular length jeans make it look like there's a flood, but long jeans are enough too long to be a problem as well. Why can't womens jeans come in a million sizes like mens do?

BTW, don't tell anyone, but jeans are the one thing that I'm willing to spend a little money on. All other things must be super-cheap, but if a pair of jeans really, truly fits, I'll pay the bucks. There's a particular style of Gap jeans that fit well enough and are consistent enough so that I don't even have to try them on at the store. I dare to buy them straight off the rack and will absolutely pay over $50 for the privelege. They were discontinued for a while, but they recently made a comeback. I'm totally buying like five pair in case of a future shortage.

AutoSysGene said...

I'm also willing to spend money on jeans. It's not that I want to, it's because I have to.

Just a few weeks ago I wrote a very similar post to yours about my saga to find a pair of good fitting jeans.

I sure would love to know where you find tapered jeans. Unattractive or not, its just what I'm used to. I know, Melissa the 80's are calling, they want their jeans back...

Unknown said...

I wish more places sold something other than regular length. You need short and I need tall!! They are just as hard to find as short. I think a good pair of jeans is soo worth the money. Once you find them be willing to pay the cash.

I remeber the taper leg jeans. I really miss the zipper on the outside of the ankle. If only one could still "peg" their pants. You gotta love the 80's looks.

Christina

Kellan said...

I am just like you - short waisted and I do not like jeans for that reason. I too am glad about the low riser jeans - they are better for me. Now, those straight legged ones coming back - I hate those and won't wear them! I stay away from jeans - I don't find them comfortable and they are just too much trouble - take care. Kellan

Andrea said...

My name is Andrea and I am jean obsessed! I think I have like 80 some pairs!! I might only have five shirts but jeans....oh I love them. I have a strange body too, I have a large waist and bird legs. It's hard to find jeans like that. You should try Express jeans. Those are the best!! The "boyfriend" style is my favorite. But beware I will spend $100 dollars on one pair, hey if they look right and fell right, then why not!!

Andrea said...

OH, I forgot, Cruel Girl jeans are the best "cowgirl" jean ever!!

Anonymous said...

The best pair of jeans I ever had was a $4 pair from Old Navy. And then I had kids. I have not stepped into another pair of jeans since. Should I ever happen to find a pair that I like, I a willing to spend a little more than I normally would, but as I've been looking for well over two years without success, I think the money is safe in the bank.

Capri pants are God's gift to mothers. The saddest thing about moving from San Diego to Denver was the fact that I now have to wear full length pants for several months out of the year.

Madame Queen said...

I'm on the eternal jean search, too. I found a great pair at Talbot's on sale right after baby #2, but now they're just slightly too big in the waste and too short in the leg. If I could find a decent pair I would willingly pay dearly for them.

I have a pair of Ralph Lauren jeans, size 8, that I refuse to part with. They were gorgeous on me. Now? Not so much.

As We Sail... said...

Hi Melissa, I was pleasantly surprised to see me on your blog roll, thanks. I haven't been blogging very long.
As for jeans, I haven't worn them since my first child. Didn't feel like the searching and trying on was worth it. I'm short-waisted and short legs.
In summer it's Bermuda shorts or capri's. Winter, it's anything with an elastic waist and no shirt tucked in so you can't tell, or sweaters. An untucked top is usually too long for me so I hem it, I also ALWAYS have to hem all my slacks even if I find Petite ones in a large size. I also have to buy them for a large waist so I have to do a little tailoring on the legs so I don't float in them.

Oh, I do have some elastic waist demin slacks that don't look too bad after I get done altering them here & there. I know "granny jeans". At least at my age now people overlook a lot. I just need some grandkids to go along with it.

OHmommy said...

Jeans are my guilty pleasure. I bought a pair at TJMaxx for $100.00 and have washed them 100 times and worn then 1000 times and they still look as good as they did the first day. They have paid off.

Cecily R said...

Amen! There is SO a difference in mirrors!! Not that I ever try anything on in the store anyway. It makes me depressed and I hate crying in public.

Muffin top...heh. This is why I love my sweats and why jeans are "the good clothes". I just don't have more than a pair at a time (if that) that I feel okay in and I'd hate to waste them on something lame like going to the store!

Leanne said...

Yep, I wear jeans. I have no idea what they look like though as I REFUSE to look in a mirror theses days at myself. I am so pathetic.

What is short waisted anyway?

Jennifer said...

I have a problem with jeans too. I am tall, so finding ones long enough is very hard, plus since I am fat, when I find a pair that fit in length and waist, they dont fit in the legs. I could fit my whole body in one of the legs.

And when I do find a pair that fit nice, they usually cost $100+ PER pair, and with 7 kids, that $100 can buy so many other things.

~Jennifer

Zoe said...

ugg the dreaded jean shopping. i have 1 pair right now. sad huh when you consider ava judge has 15. i find the gap ones fit the best. they are just $$

Shellie said...

I'm also short and short waisted. If my torso matched the rest of my body proportionally, I'd be 3 inches taller. My ribs just about meet my hip bones. So when waistlines dropped I also began to live, but the ones that are just below the waistline, as they continue to drop down to our thighs, I find the back end hanging out. Especially frustrating for me is that the stretchy denim slides right off my non-existant hips. When waitslines go back to belly buttons and above again I will die. Except, since I'm cheap and don't have time to shop, I mostly live off my daughter's hand me down jeans and I have to pour myself into them because having twins left my abdomen out of shape, so I wear a lot more sweats now!