Denim frustrations--long rant - YouLookFab Forum

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Denim frustrations--long rant

Maya

Veteran

Well I was overwhelmed by the number of responses I got in a previous thread inquiring about wider-but-not-too-wide jeans, but after a day of trying on, I have reached the end of my patience. I can't seem to find any jeans that have a comfortable rise. I tried Lucky, Express, J Crew, BR (whose denim collection is so bad this season that I didn't even bother trying anything), and the Gap. After I got home, I browsed through Nordies online and there is nothing. The only jeans in my price range seem to be from the juniors department and therefore ultra low. The rest is all ultra super premium designer denim. I didn't get to try on the boy fit jeans at J Crew (apparently it's online only), but when I read in the description that it was their lowest rise, I figured it's not going to work.

All of my jeans are currently too low and I have a myriad of tricks up my sleeve for preventing any exposure--keeping my coat on the back of my chair, wearing a long shirt, tucking a long tank in under whatever I'm wearing, etc. But I'm tired of having to resort to all these tricks, and some of them won't work once it gets warm out. I am NOT buying low-rise jeans, but that's how they fit me. I was looking forward to the high-waisted trend, but it seems like only the super high end brands are picking up on it. The cheapest high-waisted jean I could find on Nordies is $98. I'd gladly buy the Sohos again if they came in my size, but they don't, and I would love to get a pair of the expensive jeans, but I can't afford it. I'm not sure where else to try or why this is happening in the first place. I'm petite and short-waisted so by all accounts low rise jeans should be great for me, or at least mid rise. I just want jeans that fit across my tummy and keep my bum covered. I can't believe this is such a tall order!

Dressing

25 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

What measurements are you looking for in the front and back rise?

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Maya, it might just be your local J. Crew which doesn't carry the boy fit. I tried them on at my J. Crew and I didn't have any problem with the rise. I would describe it as about 9". The "hipslung" style was also nice with a good rise. I feel your pain though.

Maya

Veteran

I'm estimating the front has to be at least 9 and at least 13 in the back. I know they exist somewhere at a manageable price but I haven't found them yet.

I have several local J Crews, Ana. Maybe it was just the one I checked out. I will try another location Wednesday.

shiny

Veteran

I went through this same quest a few months ago. I understand exactly where you are coming from! I did eventually cave and buy the high-end jeans, with no regrets. I want to stress however that I would never have bought the jeans I did - if they hadn't fit so wonderfully. It wasn't enough that they had the right rise - they had to make my butt look cute too.

I think that the mid-market stores follow the fashions about one year behind - so next fall, if my theory is correct, you'll probably see more high-rise offerings in the stores you checked.

In the meantime, along my quest, I discovered and researched and contemplated ordering custom jeans. I never did order, but I learned so much about what qualities and measurements would comprise my ideal, I figured if I couldn't find them, I'd just order them!!

Try http://www.makeyourownjeans.com. Although I haven't ordered from them, their prices fit your requirements, and I have heard good things about them. My sister ordered jeans from them - she sent in a pair that she loved but had seen better days and they re-created them for her in a new pair.

The only caveat is that you must know ahead of time what style you want, and what measurements. Which means it may make sense to try on more expensive jeans to find that Holy Grail fit you're seeking. Just bring along a tape measure with you and when you find the Holy Grail, take detailed measurements before they boot you out of the dressing room.

Nicole

Veteran

Maya, Have you checked out SmartBargains.Com

I did a quick denim search and found these...

http://www.smartbargains.com/g.....04.prod.23

If these aren't exactly what you're looking for you should check out the whole site. They had alot of high end jeans under $100.

Nicole

Veteran

Ha I just realized "high end" could be taken two ways <snicker>

Ana

(website)

Veteran

Ha ha, Nicole. You crack me up.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I am going through this exact experience and exercise with one of my clients at the moment, but she's a tall size 10. She wants 10 inches in front and 14 and half inches at the back. She is down to a size 6L in Sohos and has gone skinny cut on NYDJ’s. She can afford expensive jeans, but these still fit the best.

I could make loads of suggestions but they are all over $100 at the moment. Have you tried Old Navy, Zara and H&M?

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Have you tried AT or ATL?

Maya

Veteran

Hmm I haven't tried Zara or H&M yet. I guess I was going for something in between cheap and expensive. I guess I associate H&M with ulta low rise pants since that's all I have ever had any experience with, but maybe now that high rises are the height of fashion, that will change.

I have never actually shopped at Old Navy before. Perhaps I should check it out. Their website seems to have lots of rise options and the price is spectacular. Hope it's not too good to be true.

I haven't checked AT yet, but I faced other problems at ATL that were unrelated to the rise (like the narrowing at the knee that I'm trying to avoid, or the leg is too wide).

shiny

Veteran

A few more thoughts, since you said you are petite and short waisted (which I am too):

- have you tried Ralph Lauren jeans (petite department)? Not necessarily the trendiest of jeans, but they are higher rise, and classic cut, with a straight leg. Plus, you can usually find them in places like Marshall's or TJ Maxx. If their smallest size is too big for you...

- INC brand at Macy's - they come in petites. These tend to fit me pretty well, and they do have rises that come up just below the belly button. But I admit I don't own any... I just try them on, but usually pass them up.

- Jeanstar at macy's - mentioned on another thread. These aren't that bad, they look trendy with good fit in the thighs and butt, and they come in petites. They have higher rises. I know because I own a pair, from a few seasons back. My only gripes are that the fabric is too heavy for my liking, and I don't like the detailing on the pockets. (I like plain pockets best). I also like the seam threads to match the fabric - no orange threads for me.

- Levi's. Do you have a Levi's store near you? Even if you can't afford them from the Levi's store, if you find a style you like, do some surfing, because they are probably available all over ebay, or online, or maybe at Sears. They do have higher rise styles - I have tried them on. They were a tad too tight on the waist for me though, and the denim was a bit lighter than what i wanted. But probably if I'd bought them, they'd have loosened up and worked just fine. They were flattering.

- Ann Taylor LOFT. Did you try this store yet? It's true that most of their jeans are low rise, but they do have a high-rise trouser cut version right now. It's more like a dress pant with full leg (goes straight down from the hip), but in denim. Actually kind of cute! I own these.

- I think you already mentioned DNKY Soho? I like these too, and these were my go-to jeans - sooooo comfy - except they bagged out to soon (partly because they were too long in the back rise - or so my amateur analysis has determined!!). And they were way too short.

Heh... I told you I spent a lot of time on the Quest for Perfect Jeans!

Maya

Veteran

Nicole, I have never tried that site before. Good tip! And yes, high end does have a double meaning! Maybe that's why most high end jeans are high end. Sigh.

Shiny, petite inseams are too short for me so I tend to avoid them. Ralph Lauren in particular is ULTRA petite. I couldn't believe how small they were when I saw them! I take a 31" inseam so I usually have to hem.

Isn't it funny how I no longer even associate Levi's with jeans anymore? I'm sure there's a store somewhere in NY. I will have to investigate further.

shiny

Veteran

Old Navy = realizing I'm just barely in their size 0 (and not because I'm all that thin - just short), I've tried all of them on and there's always just something kinda OFF about the fit of their pants for me! Your mileage may vary, of course - so it is definetly worth a try on.

Also bear in mind they're owned by the GAP, so their fits are going to be similar.

But if you are very short (I'm 5'0), DO try on their children's sized jeans too! I actually fit better in their childrens size 14 pants than their woman's size 0. (I know because my DD13 was in that size only last year... and now she's taller than me, thank goodness.)

Also don't forget Target.

emilykate

I'd like to give props to Old Navy ... they're my 2nd favourite jeans. I buy low rise so I can't say much about the rise, but in my experience they fit fairly consistently and wear well if you treat 'em nice.

Maya

Veteran

These look almost perfect but for one concern

http://www.bodenusa.com/col.as.....38;col=DAR

I like the idea of a GENTLE bootcut, and they seem pretty relaxed around the thigh and hip. I may not even have to hem them! And according to the garment measurements, the rise is quite high. However, the measurements for a size 8 (in UK sizes, mind you) are a 28.3" waist and 37" hips. Since it sits at the natural waist, I was expecting the waist measurement to be pretty close to mine. Both the waist and hips are about 2" bigger than my measurements. I know they need to be a bit bigger obviously, but 2" sounds like a lot. I'm not a seamstress though so I don't know.

Tanya

Veteran

One more thought: If you don't mind ordering online, have you considered Bluefly? I can deeply recommend Joe's "Muse" (high end, I know), they are basically bootcuts with high rise, and they are around $80 on Bluefly:
http://www.bluefly.com/pages/p.....allpartial

If you're willing to try,I would first go to a real store to try them on for size. They would require hemming tough.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

How much are you willing to spend Maya? I am trying to get you to pay less for a higher end pair of jeans.

The Boden jeans are tricky. Their sizes run big. You could be a UK size 8, but with jeans, that’s anyone’s guess. They could be great with waist adjustment. Get yourself to AT first. Ralph Lauren make a classic boot cut which is high in the rise but the fabric grows as much as the Soho.

Maya

Veteran

My limit is around $75. I have a 10% off coupon for Boden which is why I checked there. I also have a $10 and $15 off coupon for BR, but their denim collection is terrible right now. They have really gone overboard with the wide leg look. Even their boot cut and trouser jeans are wide leg, whether they admit it or not.

I think these jeans are perfect aside from needing to get them hemmed, which is expected. http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/29.....6&P=1

I'm willing to save my pennies for them, but by the time I do, they will probably be sold out. This brand seems to have higher rises though so perhaps I should look for discounts.

Antje

Veteran

Hi Maya,

I have a pair of Christopher Blue denims from Nordstrom. It actually sounds that even though we have very different sizes and bodies, we navigate to the same style of jeans (we both like the fit of the Soho, and are looking for higher rise). So I thought I'd comment.

For me the Christopher Blues were not worth the money. While they fit fine, I like the rise (good coverage in the back), and are very comfortable, they somehow look more casual than "sleek", which is what I was looking for. I think they are generally looser (in the butt, on the legs) than the Sohos or similar styles. I wear my Christopher Blues as my "weekend jeans" in more casual ways. They don't really make it into my smart-casual outfits. And for a casual pair of jeans, I sure wouldn't have paid that much money... So I treat this as a "denim mistake" that I hope not to repeat again. Indeed I'll keep looking for that Soho equivalent in great denim that stays snug

Your mileage might vary, but that's been my experience with the Christopher Blues.

Antje

shiny

Veteran

If you liked the Sohos (which were my go-to jeans except the size 2p are too loose, plus they bag out with wear, and they shrunk terribly so also too short), and you are willing to go up in price, then I recommend giving Citizens Hutton in Dark Paris a try. These are just as comfy as the Sohos - but far more flattering:

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/29.....ordinating

The Huttons come in a variety of washes and denims, and in my experience, they don't all fit the same. The Dark Paris is a different denim -it's called Japanese denim so it's very dark, and a tad lighter in weight. It feels very nice on your skin. There is some stretch but it doesn't bag out terribly. (I get 5 wears before I need to wash - and I only put them in the dryer at the very beginning, before I had them hemmed). And the thread is the same color as the jean, which is my own personal preference.

These fit very nice on the butt, go up to just a tad below the belly button, hug the thighs, but do have a flare at the bottom that gives it more of a trouser-ish feel.

I admit I bought two pairs, but I have worn these jeans at least 4 times a week for the past three months. So cost per wear is already down to... $3.20 a wear. And I'm just getting started!

What I would suggest is that you go try on a variety of premium jeans, figure out what style and brand you like the best, ask the store to hold them for 24 hours, then meanwhile check ebay or froogle.google.com to see if you can get a deal.

Antje

Veteran

I'm gonna try these. From all I've read on this and related threads in the past few days, it seems worth it to pay a premium for good jeans (and hey, I took that plunge already with the Christopher Blues a couple years ago, it just didn't work out), so I'll give it another stab. THanks shiny.

Maya

Veteran

I can't go up too much in price, only by about $25 or so. The higher rise is only the beginning of my denim woes. How they fit on the thigh is crucial--they can't be too snug and they can't taper in at the knee. I know I sound picky but I already have several pairs of almost-but-not-quite-right jeans and I would like just one pair that works perfectly for me. Maybe it's true that to find the perfect jeans, I will need to splurge, but when you don't have the money, you just don't have it and there isn't any amount of reasoning and logic that can change that. The Hutton is a beautiful jean but it's way too wide for me since I won't be wearing heels, and jeans that hug the thigh do me no favors.

Antje, are all CB's like that or just the ones you have? I thought these looked pretty smart: http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/29.....rchresults

But I have not seen them in person so I can't say for sure. I can't pay that amount for them anyway, so I'm mainly bargain hunting at this point.

I do appreciate everyone's input, btw, so please don't feel like I'm dismissing any ideas. I think we all know how frustrating denim shopping can be though.

Antje

Veteran

Maya, do go to Nordy's and try on some of the Christopher Blue's. I had tried on a few different styles when I bought mine (but that was at least 2 years ago) and while they definitely had different models in terms of the kind of denim, color, and styling, I didn't find any of them more "snug" fitting on the top (around the butt, without much gaping in the back, etc.) or more sleek in the legs. Personally I like mine relatively snug on the thighs. I have thick thighs, but don't find them looking slimmer in a wider style, so generally I'm looking for more rather than less snugless above the knee if that makes sense. And somehow it seems like the CBs are wider. Maybe that's good for you then! Try then on - if they don't fit well, you can rest happy that you don't have to save for that amount of money, and if they do fit well, then start saving up and/or do the ebay thing

Nicole

Veteran

Re: Old Navy jeans...I own a few pair. If you can find them w/out lycra they don't grow. They do have a wide selection of styles and sizes..but they do run big.

I think a higher rise will help the need to keep pulling the pants up. I don't think that is just due from the denim growing--I think the lower rise jeans tend to slide down more than higher rise.

I seem to remember Gloria Vanderbilt jeans having an unusually high rise.

I have found designer jeans at Marshalls and TJ Maxx for $50-$75. You probably wont walk into one and find what you're looking for on your first visit. But if you can go weekly and check the new arrivals, you may hit paydirt.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I still say go try both Lindsay cuts at Ann Taylor (not the Loft) in petite and regular. The first style is on sale.

http://www.anntaylor.com/catal.....ory=Petite

http://www.anntaylor.com/catal.....ory=Misses

Hutton jeans are best on rectangular body shapes, or on women who are straighter on the thigh area. Have a bash anyway, Maya. You never know.