Jeans & Pants
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Jeans & Pants
Aug 2006
I'm hoping I'm not the only one with this problem -- but I
can't seem to find jeans that look good on me. I wear a size
10 in pants mostly because I need the extra room for my thighs -
- but my waist is smaller. Therefore, whenever I've bought low
rise jeans, I end up looking like a plumber (if you know what I
mean). Can anyone recommend some stylish non-low rise jeans
with extra thigh room? I've tried J Jill jeans, and they are
pretty good, but I'd like to try others. Thanks!
In search of the perfect jeans
Try Coldwater Creek. I live in their Classic Fit jeans. thighs R us
After having my daughter, I gained a fair amount of weight and have had the same problem. I
found my solution at Banana Republic. They have started carrying a ''countered'' line. Here
is an example: http://www.bananarepublic.com/browse/product.do?cid=6867&pid=409992. They sit below the waist but aren't too low. They're a little pricey,
but to me worth it!
anon
I had the exact same fit problem with jeans. Go to Nordstrom - check out their house brand
of jeans, ''Caslon.'' I couldn't believe that after 10 years of no jeans, I finally got some
that fit me correctly. They have regular, tall and petite, in both regular and women's
sizes. So keep an open mind with what the size says on the label, try them all on, and I bet
you will find the right fit. I ended up with a ''16 Women's Petite'' and didn't even know
they made such a thing! Everything fit: the waist, the hips, the thighs, and most
importantly, the length. Also, alterations are free at Nordstrom if you purchase the pants
at regular price. Jean Wearing Mom
You have to try Joe's Jeans in the Honey style (they call it their booty cut).I have the
same figure issues as you: size 10 hips and thighs and a size 8 waist. The Honey is
specifically designed for women like us. It is a little low rise (7.5 inch rise), but the
denim and the cut are unbelievable, plus they have a curved waistband so the jeans don't gap
at the back. They are a bit expensive, but I wear mine several times a week, which makes
them worth the money ($158 per pair). I've spent more than that buying jeans after jeans
that aren't quite right then not wearing them. Better to spend more if you can afford it for
the one pair that works.
I bought mine at Anthropologie in Berkeley. I've also seen them at a few Macy's and
Nordstrom stores. Joe's Jeans' website explains all their fits; you can buy online, too.
http://www.joeseshop.com
love my booty jeans
I like Jag jeans. The rise is a little low, but they leave more
room for my ample butt and thighs and the waist is smaller than
most jeans
good luck
I just photographed a woman that started a jean company called ''Little in the Middle''. The
jeans are made for shapely women with smaller waists and bigger thighs and curvy hips. I can
try on 30 pairs of jeans and not find one that fits me right.. The owner brought me two
pairs that both fit me like a glove! Her web site is www.littleinthemiddle.com. The jeans
are really stylish too! Good luck!
Tracey
Try Delicious Curves brand jeans, designed for people who have real curves
-- clothes hog
I have EXACTLY the same problem as you and have recently found an excellent
solution, and I'm SO happy! At Earthly Goods in Berkeley (corner of
Shattuck and
Vine) I found wonderfully helpful employees who recommended the right jeans
immediately, and I ended up buying three pairs (they're expensive, but I
considered
it a thrilling investment!). One brand is Jag, and the other is the NYDJ
Tummy Tuck
Jean (''for real women with real curves''). I look awesome in these
jeans, if I do say so
myself, and I've never felt that way! Both have spandex woven into the
cotton so
they stretch where they're needed in the thighs but remain fitted in the
waist. They
recommended that I buy the jeans one size smaller than I thought I
should since
they would stretch, and they were right. I bought an 8 which seemed
tight but after
only a few days they fit perfectly and they have not continued to
stretch. The NYDJ
were loose in the belly, but since I loved them so much I took them to a
tailor and
had them altered at the waist (excellent tailor in a dry cleaning
business near the
intersection where Tunnel Road, Ashby Ave, and Claremont intersect, on
the Tunnel
Road side on the right, only a few parking spaces, opposite a gas
station). Sometime
when I'm in SF I'm going to check out the Blues Jean Bar
(thebluesjeanbar.com)
where, apparently, there are hundreds of selections and very helpful
employees.
Another BPN jeans posting recommended Viva Diva boutique on College
Avenue in
Rockridge and August at 5410 College Avenue. Brands (found at Nordstroms
and
Macys): Seven for All Mankind, Citizens for Humanity, Lucky Brand Jeans.
- finally, comfy and sexy in blue jeans!
I tried the other jeans that were recommended (Banana Republic,
Joe's Honey Cute, etc.) & found that even THOSE were too tight
in the thigh... The only ones that work for me are Lucky Jeans
in the Easy Rider style ($80-$100 depending on the wash) &
amazingly Old Navy stretch bootcut. Both are mid-rise-- no
butt cleavage, but also not ''mom jeans'' style.
LA face with an Oakland booty
Nov 2005
I have finally managed to lose the pregnancy weight, and then some, and am finding
that the old clothes I have longed for years to fit back into are no longer cool! In
particular, I have trouble with jeans. Can anyone recommend a brand of jeans that
is hip and reasonably comfortable? (e.g. not super low on the hips: despite my
weight loss, I'll never get that flat belly back...plus I do need to bend over every
once in a while!) I am willing to pay $$ as I am only planning to buy myself one cool
pair of jeans, but I'm not even sure where to start looking--I am so out of the
fashion world.
recovering hipness...
I just bought a great pair of post-baby jeans at Viva Diva
boutique on College Avenue in Rockridge. The brand is citizens
for humanity (made by Seven, I think) and they are fabulous!
Not too low, but not too high (you can even wear a belt with
them) and you can definitely bend down to pick up the kids in
them. A great wash, too.
dmstern
It's hard to say what style of jeans will best suit your body
type, but *the* place to go for a wide variety of hip styles
and fits is the Blue Jeans Bar in San Francisco. You sidle up,
give them the rundown on your body shape, and styles you're
looking for and they hand over a stack of jeans for you to try.
I think it's really important for all new moms to have a pair
of jeans that make them feel great and hip!
http://www.thebluesjeanbar.com/
jean
try jjill (walnut creek or emeryville or online) or
surprisingly, express has ''cool'' jeans as well. i normally, at
this stage in my life, would not step foot into express. good
luck.
My relatively hip though not cutting edge jeans are from J.Jill-
-stores in SF and WC plus web and catalog--and Janeville--store
in Burlingame.
kw
Just did the same thing recently after having a baby last
March - it's good stuff! One brand of jeans to check out is
Seven for all Mankind. Seven Jeans look great on many
different body types and that's why you see them so often.
They have a lot of stretch in them so you can bend down to pick
a little one, etc. You will find Sevens at boutique stores,
but also good a selection of them at Macy's and Nordstrom.
Prices range from aprox. $120 and up. Lucky Brand Jeans are
great too and are available at their stand alone stores and
department stores.
If you're short on time you may want to consider a Nordstrom
personal shopper. It's a free service and you can tell the p.
shopper your scenario/desires and she'll pull different brands
and styles for you, have them waiting in a dressing room when
you arrive, and you can be in and out in less than an hour
with your new cool jeans. I did a this before returning to
work in July and I have to say it's hard to beat. Have fun and
good luck with it!
East Bay Mom
My friend recently opened up a high-end jeans shop on College -
the store name is AUGUST...given what I have seen, I have no
doubt that you will find ''hip'' stuff, but it is a bit spendy.
However, it is worth a look as that is their main focus - all
things denim (and cashmere too). It is all about hip and trendy
- that urban look. Check it out: August 5410 College Avenue
Oakland, CA
Good Luck. There is nothing like a great pair of jeans.
Shahana
Lucky makes cool jeans for different body types, and with
different waist lengths. They're a bit spendy, but they usually
have a sale right after the holidays...
-very prego & missing my Luckys
I searched for a pair of comfortable yet nice looking jeans for
a few YEARS after my last child was born. Seemed liked every
pair I tried on had a gaping waist and too tight thighs.
However I recently bought a pair of jeans at j. jill that fit
great and they come in different shades. I bought a pair of dark
blue ones and that has a slimming effect as well. They are also
reasonable: $29.
anon
I love Seven for All Mankind, they are expensive though, at the
low end about $130, but since I wear them every day I think
they are worth it. Go to Nordstrom or for more selection the
Macy's in Walnut Creek, if I can find them I buy at Nordstrom
since their return policy is so amazing, I recently returned a
pair that just didn't fit right after a year, I am really picky
about my jeans.
Levis are good too, try Slash just off College in Elmwood.
love my jeans
Nov 2005
I'm 5'10'' and have trouble finding pants that are long enough--
i'm looking for casual pants and sweat pants, as well as things
to wear to work. Any suggestions of stores or brands that
carry ''tall'' sizes for women?
thanks
Try JC Penneys, in particular their online shopping at
http://jcpenney.com. They have Tall Sizes for Women and I have
received excellent service from ordering online.
Jeanne
I'm nearly 6' tall, and understand the problem all too well. Most of the
pants I wear come from mail order/internet clothing companies that offer
pants in tall sizes. When they offer a tall size, that means the rise will be
longer, as well as the actual pant leg. That makes a huge difference in
comfort. My favorites, in no particular order are Eddie Bauer, Lands
End, L.L.Bean, and sometimes J.Jill. Most of these have locally where
you can go in and try things on. But remember that an actual tall size
will fit differently in the hip and waist because there's an extra inch or
more in the rise, and since few of the brick and morter stores carry the
talls, you may not get an acurate fit. I find it's worth the expense of
shipping charges to get pants that fit better.
Carolyn
I am 6'1'' and I've had great luck with tall pants from Eddie Bauer. The talls are only
available on line and through the catalog--not at the stores. I also like the
Faconnable brand available at Nordstrom. They are not marked as talls but they run
very long. J.Jill also carries some of their pants in tall sizes but the quality is very
inconsistent--sometimes the pants are wonderful and other times they wear out
quickly.
anon
I'm 6'1'' and all leg, so I'm pretty savvy on the tall clothes
thing. I get most of my jeans at Gap online. They have longs and
(for me) x-longs. The other places with tall pants/jeans are
JJill (order online from instore and its only a flat shipping
rate of 5$) and Eddie Bauer (rip off shipping and handling fees
though). Old Navy also carries longs (which aren't long enough
for me but may be for you). Then there are some tall stores like
Long and Elegant Legs (I think that's the name; its a catalog),
though I don't tend to have much luck with them). Hope this was
helpful.
Hilary
Patagonia's ''rhythm'' yoga/climbing pants run large and long.
Great for maternity wear, too.
Yoga pants mom
I'm 6'2'' so I could write a book about the travails of the non-
short woman! Women's clothing is getting better though. Eddie
Bauer has not only pants, but sweaters, jackets, shirts in tall
sizes (good if you have orangutan arms like me.) The Gap
recently added long lengths for their pants, not all styles
available though. Old Navy tends to be a bit shorter than Gap,
but their jeans come in tall(or long?) J Crew also has tall
sizes online -- the best yoga pants I ever bought were from
them. I don't really like Lands End for me (great for my boys
though!), but you can order pants hemmed to length. I find
their styles to high-waisted and frumpy for me -- even though
I'm not that fashionable. I met a tall woman once who was
wearing gorgeous pants. We struck up a conversation and her
pants all came from Amsterdam!! I hope to shop there one day.
Good luck.
Tall Mama
My tall friends swear by the J. Jill catalog.
Height challenged
I'm not sure that your inseam is, but as someone with a 33''
inseam, I've found clothes at the following places:
Gap online and some at stores--many sizes in ''long'' and many
with very long inseams because of the new high-heals with pants
styles
Old Navy online and some in stores--''long''
Eddie Bauer online--''tall'' sizes
Vistoria's Secret online--''tall'' size is often 34'' inseam
You can also do a web search for tall women's clothing, but
most of the ones I found tend to be very expensive.
Good luck...been there many a time!
Pants for tall women? Try AUGUST on College Avenue. The address
is 5410 College. The woman who owns the store has an incredible
eye for fashion and is extremely helpful! The extra money is
worth it because of the quality.
Amy
I am also 5'10'' and find Newport News and Land's End has tall
pants, both dressy and casual. I go to their website and shop
every now and then. There is also a great shop for tall women in
Oakland, near the Grand Theater called Newfangles. It is at 474
Santa Clara Avenue, the phone number is 839-0457. They have
great clothes and sometimes even their clothes are too long
(what a novelty)!
Tora
For value and selection, JC Penney is a great place to buy
casual and dress pants for tall women. You can also buy them
on-line. Other on-line places to buy pants for tall women
include Chadwicks.com, lerner.com, Nordstrom.com.
ara
Go to www.tallmagazine.com. They have a ''Tall Mall'' section on
their website that has links to retailers who specialize in
products for tall people. Also try the Eddie Bauer and LLBean
web sites - I think they make women's pants in tall sizes. I've
also found tall sizes at Old Navy, but I didn't think they were
especially long. I'm 5'10'', but a lot of my height is my torso,
so I can often get away with wearing regular women's pants.
another tall woman
I am about your height and always buy my pants online, which is I
guess equivalent to catalog shopping. Many stores like Gap and
Eddie Bauer carry Tall and even Extra Tall pants online but not
in their stores. The pants are cut a little different than
regular length but I have pretty good luck trying on Regular
length pants in the store and ordering Tall online. Also, if
it's a place like Gap or Eddie Bauer, I just order a bunch of
pants and then return them to their retail stores (which doesn't
cost anything as opposed to mailing them back). There's not the
greatest selection but I can always get jeans and khakis. I
usually find the Extra Tall to be too long, which continues to
amuse me after spending 20 years trying on pants which are too short.
Another Tall Person
May 2005
I desperately need to update my wardrobe for work and am looking
for a recommendation on where to buy pants! I need pants
appropriate for work (no crop pants or hip-huggers!) Post baby,
I am still a few pounds overweight, and wear a size 12. I use
to love to shop but just don't have the time anymore!
Recommendations for either stores in the area, or
online/catalogs for great pants that are both gentle on the
figure and on the budget would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Post-babies I buy all of my professional clothes and casual
pants at Nordstrom (Corte Madera) in the Caslon department.
This is their store brand. There other store brands are great
too but I love Caslon b/c the fits are kind, the cuts are modern
enough so you don't look like a fuddy duddy yet not trendy
enough that they are out of style in a season, and they keep
the same color fabrics from year to year-- so your black pants
from one year will coordinate with the black jacket from the
next year. Plus, the sales clerks know the line and can help
you to find the right pieces for your shape. Also, the clothes
are reasonably priced for the quality. I have several pairs
of ''the perfect pants'' from Nordstrom.
Elizabeth
I am overwieght and wear size 14 pants. I only buy my pants
form Talbots. I like the way the fit and they are great.
worked for me.
I'm also a size 12 (last year 14, but probably will never make it to 10
again) and have had good luck at the Gap and Eddie Bauer. A friend
convinced me that pants that hit below the waist and naval are indeed
flattering even for a 40-plus-year-old flabby cellulite stomach like mine
(who wears their shirts tucked in anyway?).
Pants that sit at the waist can make one look too pear-shaped. I feel
more stylish without looking like I'm dressing too young.
Pricewise - everything at the Gap goes on sale eventually. If possible, try
things on at the store, then bookmark the website and check it in a few
weeks. Or buy ''too much'' online and return it without shipping at a store
location. If you get the Gap credit card, you get free shipping and other
regular discounts.
Eddie Bauer also regularly offers sale prices or internet/catalog only
specials.
I find Old Navy size 12 a bit too tight, and Banana Republic too
expensive. J. Crew - very hit and miss, LL Bean too ''fuddy duddy''.
Not a Fashion Maven
You've pretty much described me (except that I never loved to shop) --
same figure, same need for clothes (no outrageous styles, no over-the-
top prices), same lack of time. I buy pretty much my whole wardrobe
online or via catalogs from the following:
Eddie Bauer
Land's End
LL Bean
Coldwater Creek
You can find any of their websites by typing the obvious
(www.NameOfStoreAsOneWord.com) into the address bar.
Karen
It's not cheap, but I'm a recent convert to J.Jill (there's one
on Bay St. in Emeryville, and you can of course also order
online). Their clothes manage to ride that thin line between too
young 'n' trendy and hopelessly frumpy. They have what I'd call
''updated classics'', mostly in natural fibers. Best of all, their
cuts are forgiving to those of us who are not anorexic teenagers.
I have several pairs of pants from them that are so flattering
and comfortable. Note that their sizes run bigger than most
stores. They carry sizes from 2 up to women's, and many styles
are available in petites.
A J. Jill fan
I'd definitely try J.Jill for pants if you wear a size 12 and
don't want your pants fitting too snugly. Very comfortable in
cut yet fashionable. Not the cheapest, but if you are limited
on time, we all know time is money and $10 here or there in the
wardrobe dept really doesn't kill. I'd suggest visiting J.
Jill online first then visiting their store in either Walnut
Creek or Emeryville, if what you find is pleasing to you. And
secondly, try Ann Taylor Loft (also located in Walnut Creek and
Emeryville) for a slightly more form fitting pant.
Another mom with minimal time on her hands
I found some nice work appropriate post-pregnancy pants at J Jill
(either the Bay Street in Emeryville or Walnut Creek by the
fountain). Their waistlines are much more forgiving than other
stores that target our age group.
Kim
Try landsend.com
I was amazed at how accurate their model thing is -- you put in your specifications
and it suggests clothes, sizes, etc. I ordered clothes and they fit perfectly.
Talbot's has pants that I believe may be called ''the perfect
pants.'' They can be dressed up or down, have just a enough
stretch to they're really comfortable but don't look like
stretch pants, etc. Clean lines, side zip, very flattering.
They are about $80, but I've had some for 3 years now and they
are holding up better than any others I've purchased and I wear
them a lot.
Alison
Does anyone know where to buy Levi 501's in non-even sizes. In particular we
are looking for size 35/36. All we can seem to find is 34/36 or 36/36.
Websites would be especially appreciated. Thanks!
levis company makes custom fitted jeans and will
take measurments at one of their san francisco locations. call levis for
details
Sara
The only place I was able to find those rare 35s is the Levi's store in
Union Square. Call first to make sure they have exactly what you want and
have them put it on hold.
"Kitty
A couple of years ago, I was in search of Levis in a specific style number and color.~
After an exhaustive search which yielded nothing, I called Levis directly.~ They were
able to tell me which stores carried the specific style and colors for which I was looking.~
I think it's worth a phone call to see if they can aid you in your search for specific sizes.
Hope this helps.
Daphne
I work for Levi Strauss and, according to our records, we shipped 2 size 35x36 501's to Sears at
the Hilltop Mall on 9/21. You may want to call before going to see if they have them on their
floor yet.
Cathy
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