K/R:Not really boyfriend jeans+a coin slot conundrum ETA: length ? - YouLookFab Forum

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K/R:Not really boyfriend jeans+a coin slot conundrum ETA: length ?

Diana

Veteran

These jeans from 6pm were waiting for me when I got back from NYC this evening. They are from a premium brand I've never heard of called MEK. I ordered them to try because I have been looking for non-stretch jeans. These are a linen/cotton blend and the fabric is perfect. They are super distressed, which I like although I know it is not everyone's cup of tea. I also like that they are full length. They are sold as boyfriend jeans although on me they are more like a straight leg style but this is fine.

Here is my issue. They are very low-slung, in fact they actually do the hip-slung thing that I want in a boyfriend jean. The waist is pretty loose even at that point on my hip. I love how low-slung they are in the front, but in the back they definitely do the coin slot thing when I sit down. In the rear view photo, my butt crack is just covered even when I am standing. I am perplexed by this because I measured the back rise and it is the same as on my midrise jeans which are fine. Belting seemed to mitigate this a bit but not enough, but I used a skinny belt because hilariously most of my belts (which are meant for midrise or high rise pants/skirts) are too small for these.

Does this happen because they are stretchless and too big in the waist? Is there an easy way to fix this? Or am I just doomed to failure with low rise jeans because of my pear shape?

Just to be clear, I would never wear these so people could see the coin slot! (Even though I'm sure I did inadvertently back in the early 00's when the super low rise jeans were all the rage). I'd make sure to wear a long or tucked in top this time around. Even still, is this a dealbreaker?

PS - for anyone who doesn't get the coin slot reference....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCF8ZOYVXF8

ETA: So I think I fixed the coin slot issue, at least to a degree that's acceptable to me. Added a couple more pics with the two legs rolled at different lengths. What do you think of these rolled lengths? I am not willing to chop these, as I want them full length to wear with booties in the fall.

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25 replies

Latest reply was from

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Wow, this is a pickle Diana. I love these jeans from the front - I'm a fan of the distressing, the colouring and the rise. But I do think the back is too low - at least it would be for me and my comfort level.

Jonesy

Veteran

I think they look great! As long as a belt does the trick and you don't plan to wear any midriff-baring tops with them, you should be good to go :).

qpswan

Thanks for the video clip - very helpful!

I vote return because they are not fitting you properly.

Anonymous

From the front they are great, but the straight waist is hard at the back, I agree. Most jeans I have tried lately have a contoured waistband where it comes up just a little higher at te back. I have one pair of jeans that keep surviving closet purges, but every time I put them on and go and do stuff I get annoyed because they ride down at the back. I think you will find the same, even belted.

Mine are ok at best if I am just standing and walking, but if I am sitting and getting up I always have to hitch them up, and even having a longer shirt over them to stop any inadvertent flashing doesn't help the annoyance factor.

Diana

Veteran

Thanks for your opinions, everyone.

I had a thought that I might try darting the waist in an inch or so. I can do it pretty easily by hand and then see if that helps. Like I said above, the back rise length *should* be fine so I wonder if it's just because the waist is too big. I sized up as I always do with stretchless jeans, and I can tell that my regular size would not fit in the hips and thighs. Because these have no spandex, the waist doesn't hug my curves quite the same way stretch jeans do.

Ceit, it is weirdly not uncomfortable. There is actually a huge difference between front and back rise. I think because the waist is big enough that they slide down when I sit but move right back up when I stand up. I remember with the old super low rise super tight jeans, when you stood back up the jeans stayed low and you would have to hitch them back up every time.

I really want to try to make these work. I love everything about them except for the butt crack issue! I just tried rolling them to ankle length and pairing with my platform sandals, and I loved the look.

ETA: If I keep these I definitely have to buy a larger sized belt! The only ones I have that fit this waistband are super skinny and don't work with the jeans at all.

Anonymous

Hey, if the back doesn't stay low, then go for it!

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Can you pin the jeans the way you would put in a dart and see if it works? It's definitely worth a try Diana 'cause I love the look otherwise.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I get this issue all the darn time, so I feel ya. For me I've decided that it's a deal breaker, because I don't want to have to always be pulling my shirt down if it rides up or feeling self-conscious. I will put up with and alter/wear a belt with pants that gape in the back, but not pants that don't have a long enough back rise.

There is a trick I've learned where you thread elastic through the back waistband, stitching it down behind the belt loops so the alteration doesn't show. For me it works better than a dart in denim which tends to a) be a pain to sew because of all the layers and b) pull out upon wear.

Diana

Veteran

Ooh, thanks for the tip, Laura! I will definitely try with the elastic. I think that might work better than a dart anyway because it should make the entire waistband hug the back more closely.

Shannon, I'll probably just put in a rough dart to test, since it's pretty easy to do, although I don't have the right color thread right now.

ManidipaM

Veteran

I love these and hope they work out with or without alterations too.

This 'coin slot' issue is the bane of my jeans hunts too. So another BIG Thank You to Laura for the alteration idea --- I find it a pain to take in denim waistbands by hand, because it needs a carpet needle, which is a palaver anyway to get through fabric, and then ends up looking kinda obvious.

Jjsloane

Veteran

I like them. I have a pair that do the same thing, but I like them too much to not wear them. Get a belt to fit, nip in the waist and wear a tucked cami to further alleviate and coin slot issues.

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

Diana, without reading other responses I'd say pass. Personally, I'm very uncomfortable with low rise so that may cloud my judgment in this case, but even without that I'd expect premium quality item to tick if not all then at least the critical boxes in order to keep them. And for me, not feeling self contentious in my (post)YLF clothes is a criteria above all others. One thing I'd say is that the right piece will cross your path, you may need to wait a bit longer but it will. Patience *always* pays off when it comes to searching for the right clothes.

Anonymous

I like them. As long as you wear long enough tops, I think these are a keep. I really like the fit everywhere else. Do you feel uncomfortable in them?

Janet

(website)

Veteran

First of all, I LOLed when I saw the title of the post because that SNL skit cracks me up! Er, no pun intended.... (and then I see how cute and healthy Lindsay Lohan looked then and it makes me sad)

This is a tough one. I would try whatever tricks you can (belting, elastic, etc.) if you love the jeans, but if I feel too much breeze on the backside when I'm trying on jeans, I have to pass. In fact, some of the boyfriend jeans i tried on the other day had this issue in a very big way. One thing I hate about belting large-waisted jeans is that the extra waistband fabric actually bunches down and out of the belt in the back, creating lumps and bulges, and I still end up having to tug and adjust my waistband!

However, my niece just wears longer tops (a tucked layering tank, or a more tunic-y length shirt) with her lower jeans. We all have different comfort levels. I do have some jeans I must only wear with slightly longer tops. Experiment and see how it goes. But comfort is key -- you have to feel good in them!

rae

(website)

Veteran

In my experience, jeans that are hipslung are hipslung. They ride low in the front as well as the back, because your hips are low. As you wear them, they may soften up in the seat and ride down less when you sit. Wearing a wide, mannish belt will help keep them up and also help them conform to your backside a bit. And if your shirt is long, no one has to see any of it, anyway.

I really like the jeans (MEK is an offshoot of Miss Me, I believe). Hope you can make them work!

Jem

Veteran

I hope you can make these work because they look great! Jeans can be so tricky!

ETA: btw, when I read the title I thought you had an issue with loafers and putting a coin in the slot... lol!!!

Scarlet

Veteran

I really like wearing low-rise, which means I often have to take care to either tuck in a long cami or be sure to wear a long top. This is not a deal breaker for me because I find it so much more comfortable and more flattering than a higher rise. The jeans look great on you! While we are at it, I really like that tank top too...

ETA: I have noticed on the jeans that I bought lately that they are cut markedly higher in the back to avoid this issue. You could also keep shopping around, but like I said, not a deal-breaker in my book.

kellygirl

Veteran

I think these look great. I haven't had the best experience with this kind of cut. I have a pair of Aero jeans like this and they require constant hitching up. They drive me crazy. I'll be curious if the elastic does the trick!

Diana

Veteran

Oh, wow, lots of opinions! I have to admit I thought that there would be no love for the coin slot look but apparently people are more forgiving of it as long as it's comfortable and not visible to the world! I am going to try a few fixes (darts, elastic, big belt, plus I think Rae might be right about them softening and conforming with wear) but am leaning towards keeping. The thing is that I have not seen anything else like these with the exception of the 100% cotton TR Camerons, which even on sale cost 3 times as much and are way out of my budget.

catgirl

Veteran

Diana, these look fine to me, and there are obviously solutions to the coin slot issue.

That said, i got rid of all my jeans that had this problem (which was a lot, considering how low-rise ruled for the last several years), because my hips would not hold them up and I got sick of having to style outfits around a belt holding my pants up. To me it falls into the same category as having to tug on a shirt all the time to keep it down - if it's going to be fidgety, I'm not going to wear it.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I just searched to try to find any tutorials that describe the elastic through the jeans waistband trick, but I couldn't find any. I totally stole it from someone, I didn't think of it myself, but it results in such a better looking back waist.

Here's my awkward written description: most jeans are made with a two-layer waistband, and no center back seam on the waistband. What you basically are aiming for is to insert a piece of elastic in between the waistband layers from one side back belt loop location to the other.

First, try your jeans on, pinch out the needed gap, and measure it. Then measure the distance between one side belt loop to another, subtract the amount of the gap, and that's how long your elastic needs to be, plus a little bit extra to grab on to while stitching. OK, now the tricky part to describe - you want to cut open the waistband, but only on the inside, and create a slit wide enough for your piece of elastic to fit through. Do this behind the belt loops on both sides. Take the elastic and thread it through the waistband from one end to the other (pin a safety pin on the end to make it easier). Pin temporarily. Now what you need to do is to wide zigzag stitch the ends of the elastic down, which also closes up the hole that you've made in the inside. Since you're stitching behind where the belt loops will fall, the stitching shouldn't show when you're wearing the jeans. Sometimes I'm able to pin the belt loop out of the way and stitch, but sometimes I have to undo the stitching on one end of the belt loop temporarily to be able to get to the right place, and then stitch it back after my elastic is secure.

Clear as mud? It's a lot easier to do than it is to explain!

Diana

Veteran

Update: So I think I fixed the coin slot issue by tightening up the waistband. Turns out that there are two belt loops very close together at the sides so I just tied them together. No carpet needles necessary! (Credit for this idea goes to the fiance, who at one point lost a bunch of weight and ended up having to keep his jeans up by clamping two of the belt loops together with a carabiner!) It still slides a little when I sit down but not to an unacceptable degree, and there is no longer a big gap at the back. A belt does the rest. I may also add an elastic as per Laura's excellent suggestion just to keep it even more secure.

Added a couple more photos up top with different rolled lengths. Any length preferences? The belt I am wearing in those photos is slightly too small for this waistband; as mentioned, I need to go buy a bigger belt!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I prefer the shorter length! These are sweet jeans, Diana! Not baggy BF's, but fab on you nonetheless

Anonymous

Yes shorter length looks great!

Anonymous

I love the shorter length, but yes, do not chop!