Ask Angie: Should Baggy Pants Still Fit?

OK, Angie, I need help here. First, let me state that I like loose-fitting pants and I am happy that they are now a fashion alternative. And I will agree that boyfriend jeans and dropped crotch pants and jodhpurs are an entirely different category when it comes to fitting issues.

But my question is-- do loose-fitting dress pants still have to fit to look good? As a former seamstress, I was always taught that the "bagginess" in the rear should come from either a lower crotch seam or an increase in the amount of fabric between the center back seam and the side seam. Fitting a woman's curves in the rear was always a bit tricky since both these areas often needed adjusting to keep the side seam hanging straight. Otherwise you would end up with creasing and wrinkling under the buttocks and/or pulling at the side seam around the thigh area.

I guess when I think of "baggy" pants, I think of the fuller style that was so much a part of the thirties and forties fashion scene. Even pegged, the flat-front style worn by Katherine Hepburn and others in that era still fit nicely over the high hip area without wrinkling or creasing around the thigh area. Are today's baggy pants different?

11 years ago

Anonymous

Oooo, this is a good question. I remember having some extremely baggy dress pants in the 80's but they still fit perfectly in the waist and hips. I'm staying tuned to this thread!

I firmly believe they should. Unless, of course, you WANT to look like Charlie Chaplin??

But then I'm biased because in France we still have a real problem with 'baggy' jeans. They're too redolent of sloppy dressing and sweatpants! I love loose trousers and palazzo pants, which like Katharine Hepburn's iconic look fitted her well at the waist and hips. To me they are in a different league altogether to an excess of an unyielding fibre like denim over my butt or hips. I think it will take a lot of persuading to get me to go there!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Gaylene, I'd love to help you

At the end of the day, it really depends on "the look" you are going for. Modern fits are a lot baggier these days - but baggy fits have to look INTENTIONAL, and structured in just the right places in order for them to work and look somewhat attractive.

Let me try to explain things this way:

1. When the waistband falls in an over-sized garment, the crotch point drops automatically. This has become *a look* - a la BF jeans. I wear my husband jeans this way just for fun. It's a trendy fashion statement at the moment, and I like it!

2. A waistband can be fitted and low. The seat fits too. The crotch point is not all that dropped, but the rest of the trousers are still slouchy and roomy. I think that's the fit you are after. The best way I can show this fit at the moment is with my outfit in the purple jumper below.

3. Tailored trousers should fit your curves but not be too tight. The seat, waist and crotch point are all very tailored. See my outfit with the red trousers. That's how I like tailored trousers to fit.

Here are the guidelines on how to fit regular dress pants:

http://youlookfab.com/2010/03/.....ess-pants/

I hope this makes sense!

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Making notes!

Gaylene

Veteran

Thanks Angie, those pictures really help clarify the look that I'd be aiming for when I try on looser fitting pants. It looks like the side seam of your pants falls in a nice straight line without any tightness on the thigh or lower seat area. And it makes sense that a low-slung, larger-size pant would have a dropped crotch which would give it the slouchy, boyfriend jean look.

Would it be fair to say that a very curvy figure could have more difficulty getting the look of your grey pants in most ready-to-wear lines? My sister and I were arguing this point this weekend. She also likes the looser fit, but, because she is a very curvy hourglass with quite a bit more booty than my flatter IT shape, she claims it would be VERY hard to find a slouchy pant that looks good on her. Does the slouchy/baggy pant fit work better for some shapes than for others, in your experience?

And LF, I'm totally with you in adoring the Kate Hepburn pant look while not being so impressed by the boyfriend look. While the BF jean may look OK from the front, it's the "droopy drawers" look from the rear that gets me every time. Maybe it's because I'm getting to the age where the thought of looking like I'm wearing diapers makes me cringe

You have a point, Gaylene. Although slouchy styles with fitted higher waist bands work really well on curved bottom bodies. Forum members Diana and Sveta are proof of this fact

Sveta

Gaylene, I can attest to all your concerns with slouchy jeans and trousers especially for curvier bottoms because this was how I felt.
I was very skeptical about BF jeans because I was not sure how to get it look intentional rather than ill-fitting. I think Angie is right and you have to experiment with the look to find the one which is right for you. I was lucky that the first pair of BF jeans I tried on worked for me. As much as I was skeptical before now I am excited about this style and have a lot of fun to discover new ways of wearing them which feel like me.
I find my KUT jeans work well for my curves because they are still fitted in the hips, butt and tummy (but not snug) but looser in the thigh which gives that relaxed but still tailored look I like and which work well with my style - not to mention the comfort!

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