Bootcut jeans - YouLookFab Forum

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Bootcut jeans

Maya

Veteran

Is there a particular brand/style of bootcut jeans that just falls straight down from the hips and does not taper at the knee? I would like to have just one pair of fabulous bootcut jeans just for my fashion sneakers and heeled ankle boots, but they all seem to hug my hips and thighs and disrupt the long line I'm seeking. I always hear Mr. Kelly and Ms. London talking about "trouser jeans" but I can never seem to find this mysterious cut of denim. Is that more of what I'm looking for? I'm not sure =\

Dressing

27 replies

Latest reply was from Antje

Ana

(website)

Veteran

BR has some trouser jeans on their site, but they are very dark:

http://www.bananarepublic.com/.....pid=540585

A trouser jean isn't really bootcut, in my opinion. It's somewhere between bootcut and wide leg. It will fit you the same as a dress pant would fit. I really like the trouser cut, I've found it to be more flattering on me than bootcuts, because those seem to emphasize where my knees are and therefore how short my legs are.

If you're looking for something more casual than BR, Express makes a jean that I would consider a sort of "trouser cut," The Eva Full Leg (last jean at the bottom:

http://www.expressfashion.com/.....038;page=2

I have a pair of these (though I tumble dried mine, so they are very faded and worn out). I really like how they fit--they are a bit looser in the thigh and the flare at the bottom isn't too much (I really don't like flare leg jeans). They also come up higher than Express' other jeans (way too low for me). Here's a picture of me wearing them, so you can get an idea:

http://i66.photobucket.com/alb.....0005-9.jpg

I'm probably going to buy a pair to replace the current ones I have. Like I said before, they do tend to be more casual than "smart" casual, even when unfaded.

Bleh. Finding jeans is hard.

Maya

Veteran

I know trouser jeans are different at the leg, but I'm not sure how they fit at the thigh. I guess I should probably steer clear of them since wide legs look pretty bad on me. I just remembered that I tried these on from BR and ended up returning them because they were too wide at the bottom:

http://www.bananarepublic.com/.....pid=548168

These look about right but they're out of my size and the back pockets would probably make my butt look enormous:

http://www.bananarepublic.com/.....pid=547758

I prefer darker washes anyway. The darker, the better.

Those jeans look good on you. I feel like it would be too much fabric for me though. When I posted my jeans pictures, the wide legs were universally disliked. The straighter/skinny cuts seemed to be the favorites, but I prefer a slightly bigger leg opening for fashion sneakers and my ankle boots.

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Maybe you need to find a straight leg that isn't "skinny," but isn't wide either. I tried these on at J. Crew, and liked them pretty well, I just felt like the straight leg wasn't really for me:

http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/p.....=cat301209

Maya

Veteran

Ooh it looks like they're on sale too. http://www.jcrew.com/catalog/p.....=SHPG03629

I think I might have to make a trip to the store to try them on first. Thanks for the tip, Ana.

Ana

(website)

Veteran

No problem! Let us know how they work for you if you get the chance to go try them.

Nicole

Veteran

My favorite jeans are my Tahari Trouser Jeans. I am a bit over 5'4" and I don't wear wide legged pants well, but trouser jeans are different. The leg is wide, but not flared. The pockets are different, which may be why I like them more than traditional jeans. They hide my lower tummy buldge very well. If anything would make you not like them, Maya, it would be the slit pockets. But I don't think those last jeans you guys linked are trouser jeans. I don't think its just the leg that makes them trouser style. I think it has just as much to do with the waist band, pockets and hemming at the bottom. (See how Ana's jeans that she's wearing have a wide hem?)

I think of trouser jeans as a more dressy jean. I wear mine only as smart casual, never with a dressy sneaker.

Ana

(website)

Veteran

The J. Crew jeans aren't trouser jeans. Maya seemed like she wanted more of a straight leg which wasn't wide that she could wear with sneakers and flats, so I suggested those.

I'd be interested in the Tahari Trouser jeans you have, Nicole. Where did you get them? Do you think they would still be available? I prefer a trouser style jean to a straight leg.

Patience

Veteran

If this is the style you want I think you should keep trying trouser jeans. I have thighs like yours and the BR trouser jeans don't work for me either. One of my favorite pair of jeans is a trouser jean from White House Black Market that I got last fall. They are on the casual side but they are so comfy and look great. I actually probably could have gotten them a size smaller but I decided to keep them easy through the thigh and ended up having the waist taken in. Keep in mind that if you really want them cut straight from the hip, the opening at the bottom will have to be at least as large as the largest part of your thigh. This ends up making the pant a wide leg style which is definitely a different look from skinnies, straight legs or even bootlegs. I don't think I would go any wider but it can work.

Maya

Veteran

I think I'm battling with the fact that I have heavy thighs (and hips, to some degree), but I'm also petite, so while most women can remedy that problem with a wider leg opening, I have to be careful that it doesn't overpower me. I also can't wear heels, which further complicates things. I guess I can't wear pants that fall exactly straight from my thighs, as 21" would be way too big. So I'm not sure what to do, other than get slimmer thighs!

Ana

(website)

Veteran

I really don't like shopping for jeans. I've heard bootcut "slims and elongates" the leg, but whenever I put them on I feel like my thighs look big if the bottom isn't flared enough to balance it out, but it can't be "too flared" or else that makes you look shorter (and risk looking like a "Bratz" doll), etc, etc. I'm not sure what I should really be looking for either, so I feel your pain. I have yet to find a pair of jeans that I feel fabulous in while wearing flats. I was hoping you would find some so I could live vicariously.

Maya

Veteran

My straight jeans seem to work with flats, but somehow when I'm in sneakers they seem awkward and clumsy looking. I can't really rationalize why, but I find it really unflattering. And since the boots I have have such low heels, they just look goofy with straight legs. I'm sure a higher heel would look great (but of course then the length would be wrong).

I love the BR "skinny" jeans I have (they're just straight leg jeans pretending to be skinny) and my J Crew matchstick jeans. If I could just find that one pair of wider jeans, I'll be set.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I suppose you've tried Lucky and Express?

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Umm....Me?

I haven't ever tried Lucky brand jeans, but I used to work at Express, so I've tried all their jeans. My favorites are the curvy fit trouser jeans (which I own and only wear with 2" heels). Alas, these are being clearanced out, so Express will no longer carry them--I'll have to look elsewhere in the future. I don't fancy that style for flats though, because I feel like it's too flared and makes me look sort of stumpy. The other issue I have with Express' jeans is that they are all low rise (except the curvy fit) and that just doesn't work for me. My little belly I have hangs over the top (even when everything fits perfectly--no muffin top except in the front). And don't even get me started about what hangs out the back.

Maya

Veteran

I have never tried Lucky before at all. I've browsed their website before and the rise on their jeans seems really short...too short for me. Their mid-rise jeans are 8" which is like a low rise for me.

I don't really like Express, so I have not even thought about it, but I'm not even sure what kind of jeans they have or what to look for. Judging by what Ana just wrote, I doubt they'd be suitable for me. I really liked the rise on my DKNY Sohos. In fact I liked everything about them, except for the fact that they run huge and there is no size 0

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Maya actually!

Ana, which brands of jeans do you wear?

Nicole

Veteran

Ana, I actually lucked out and found my Tahari jeans at Marshalls. Sorry, that's not much help for you, I know.

Ana

(website)

Veteran

I used to work at Express so I wore basically only Express jeans, but as I wrote in my previous entry, the rise is just too low for me. I need at least a 9" rise to cover my belly. Not to mention that low rise jeans make my legs look short. So I don't really have a brand of jeans. I'm currently searching for some good jeans I can wear with flats, like Maya is, but I'm not sure what shape to look for with my short legs and height--straight leg, bootcut (which makes me feel like my thighs are really big), etc.....

Nicole, no problem! I should shop Marshall's more often, a lot of people I know seem to get great stuff there.

shiny

Veteran

Hi Maya, I'm also petite. My suggestion is to try on petite jeans - you may find that makes all the difference!!

Both Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft carry trouser jeans styles in petite. I have a pair from Ann Taylor that have slit side pockets and they are wide but not -too- wide in the leg, with a slight flare at the bottom. And I have a pair from Ann Taylor Loft that also have slit side pockets but drop straight down from the hip, so you get that wide look but it's proportioned to your petite frame. Tip: Hem these really long - practically touching the ground - for the best look.

I also second the recommendation for Tahari pants. I don't own the jeans but I have tried them on - the fabric is very lightweight which I think works best for petite frames because it adds no additional bulk. Otherwise, I have THREE pairs of Tahari slacks (white, tan, and a khaki green) that I got at Marshall's. I can't wear them now that I lost weight, but they were my go-to-pants 20 lbs ago because they are soooo flattering. Not just in the legs, in the butt!! They will make you look very sleek and even TALL.

Finally, on the higher end, check out Citizens *Hutton* jeans. Not petite, but they work on my 5'0" frame. Had to have them hemmed though. These are not necessarily trouser cut - more like a flare cut. Still, they work nicely and are my current favorites.

However, if you want a true trouser cut jean, my first recommendation is to check out Ann Taylor petites. Good luck!

Tanya

Veteran

I know this is a cliche but have you tried Seven's classic bootcut jeans:
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/.....=EverGreen

They are pricey but I find them very durable and comfortable ( the denim is very soft) and they are the only jeans I keep returning to no matter what the current trends are. They stretch as they are being worn so one should get them as tight as possible. I actually own two pairs: one hemmed for heels and one for flats.
They are not snug at the knee, although I am not sure if they really are straight from the hip to the knee.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Brands tend to change their styles and cuts EVERY season. My suggestion is that you do not leave a stone unturned Maya, especially when it comes to jeans. AT actually makes super petite jeans with higher rises. Try Lucky too. And if you can face Express and the Limited, try there too.

Maya

Veteran

Petite inseams are too short for me, so I will have to pass on that, and Seven is way out of my budget. I'll try the rest. Are there any cuts or styles I should be looking for? I prefer to have some direction when jeans shopping.

shiny

Veteran

On Ann Taylor - Margo Straight Leg Trouser denim:

http://www.anntaylor.com/catal.....ses#ATLtop

On Ann Taylor Loft - Denim Flare Leg jean (these are the ones I own - the flare is not that bad... )

http://www.anntaylorloft.com/c.....ory=Misses

Also from ATL, these have a higher waist:
http://www.anntaylorloft.com/c.....ses#ATLtop

And here are the Citizens Hutton jeans I mentioned. I wouldn't call these a trouser jean though. These are slightly higher waist - if you have any jiggle in the mid-section, these hit just below the belly button to "lock and load" you. And the denim is just wonderful:

http://www.revolveclothing.com.....CITI-WJ227

I agree with Angie, trying on numerous pairs is the best way to go. Do you have a National Jeans Company where you live? That's where I went. I went early in the day, when I was the only customer. I had three salespersons bringing jeans to me. They knew their stuff!! Or try a better department store on a quiet day when you can have help.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Try AT regular, Maya. Sevens are tricky. They don't look great on me and I am not hard to fit.

Nice strategy Shiny!

Tanya

Veteran

I don't know where you live, but in case your city has a TJ Maxx/Filene's basement type of store, that's where I got my Sevens, they are around $80 there.
It's a hit or miss tough, depending on what the store has available, but I'm patient and go there often and sometimes I'm lucky ( I could never afford them at full price either). I agree with Angie that they can be tricky, but they have a lot of different cuts and some might work well for you ( their A-pocket cut looks awful on me, but the classic bootcut is much better, and they are both technically bootcut).

If you're looking for a trouser style jean, I love Express editors ( bottom of the paige):
http://expressfashion.com/prod.....groupid=18
I have never had luck with their jeans, but these fit me like a glove.

Shiny, I have recently bought those Citizens Hutton ones, tough mine are dark navy cotton light weight twill, I like them a lot, and they'll probably be my go-to jeans for the summer!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Editors are great on some body types and I am sure that they work for you Tanya. Those side entry can be swine though. Be sure to be mindful of that Maya.

Nicole

Veteran

Maya, Have you tried demi-bootcut? I have not tried them yet, but I like the concept. I happened upon these at the Gap on sale.

http://www.gap.com/browse/prod.....pid=498501

Antje

Veteran

Interesting concept indeed. Of course, at this point we should all say collectively "but these jeans are too short on the model". Sorry, couldn't help it