The difference between skinnies, straights, and boyfriends...

Runcarla

...and some advice needed after a frustrating weekend shopping for 'skinnies' for my muscular legs. The fullest part (upper thigh) measures 22 inches, and my calf measures 14.5 inches. I can't seem to get 'skinnies' that I can get past my calves! All my jeans (5 pair) with the exception of the boot cuts, have 16 inch leg openings to just above the knee, then taper out to 22 inches just before the crotch. I believe these are called 'straight' legs?

3 of the jeans have inseams that are too short, so I roll them up and pretend they are 'boyfriend' jeans...but are they really?

Angie, or anyone else out there with an understanding of pant fits, can you explain the subtleties of pants widths when it comes to skinnies, straights, and boyfriends? and is a knit pant a legging? Or can it be a skinny? Is there a skinny out there for me, or should I be content with what I have (whatever they are!)

Pic #1 how my jeans fit (4 pair are the same make/model)
Pic #2 faking a 'boyfriend' by rolling a short inseam!

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8 years ago

Body Type

11 replies

Latest reply was from Elizabeth P

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

As one "muscular calf" gal to another I feel for you Carla! I gave up on skinnies almost completely now and look for straight legs. My calves are 15.5 and most of straight legs fit me like skinnies on the calves. The only difference is that the leg opening is a bit wider but I actually prefer that because proportions seems better that way.
I had a good luck with Madewell and JCrew straight jeans.

Boyfriends are usually cut looser on the thigh and calf than the straight leg and maybe a good option for bigger calves.

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8 years ago

Diana

Veteran

The gap girlfriend jeans I just got fit me like skinnies. (Although the leg opening is a little wider when unrolled, so technically slim straights, I guess. To me the difference between a skinny and a slim straight is the leg opening.) Even on the model for the blue one below, they look pretty skinny. So a GF/slim BF jean might be what you want to look for as well.

(I have to admit I'm not really clear on what a "girlfriend" jean is actually supposed to be though. Is it a slim boyfriend? A rolled up skinny? A relaxed skinny?)

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Gap

1969 girlfriend jeans

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8 years ago

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Runcarla, I am like you, in that some skinnies I have tried on would not even budge over my calves. I mean, who knows if they would fit my hips--they never got that far! So I have worn "straight" cuts as my skinnies. Recently I have found some actual skinnies that I really like, and I prefer them to my straight fake-skinnies, because they taper at the ankle. This is an aha! moment for me, because I have rather short ankles (bordering on not there), so I love the ability to create a faux slim-ankle look. The new skinnies I like are the Mothers below and Lucky Lolita skinnies. I also have some Eileen Fisher skinnies, from last year I think, that work for me. All of these stretch over my calves just fine.
And just a note: I do not try to wear my knee-high stockings with them. I will stick with ankle stockings or footies, if I want foot coverage in my shoes.

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Zappos

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8 years ago

always trying

Veteran

This is certainly less confusing than the capri, crop thing. I always look for the ones that look like what Angie calls the relaxed skinnies-the non sausage casing look.

8 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

What is it with hectically narrow calf fits on jeans these days? I have a 13 inch calf and fits can be tight on ME. Ridiculous.

You might find these explanations on straight legs useful:

http://youlookfab.com/2015/03/.....-legs-101/

Skinnies are tight all the way down to the ankle. Straight legs vary - see above post. BF's are more relaxed - but are available in degrees of bagginess. A relaxed skinny is a streamlined BF. Rolled at the hems.

Super cute outfits.

8 years ago

Marilyn

Veteran

"Girlfriend" fit is intended to be more relaxed than a straight leg but not as slouchy as a boyfriend fit. I have this Gap pair and while they fit snuggly, like on the model, when you first put them on they quickly stretch/relax and definitely do not fit like a skinny. They are quite relaxed through the thighs and straight all the way down.

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8 years ago

Elizabeth P

Veteran

"Girlfriend" fit is intended to be more relaxed than a straight leg but not as slouchy as a boyfriend fit.

What I don't understand about this, is isn't the amount of slouch largely determined by if you size up or not? Or if they fit you a certain way or not? Rather than the actual style of the jean itself?
My AG Nikki's - "relaxed skinnies" fit me like BF's. I think.

Carla - I also have big calves. I got a pair of Gap Always Skinny Jeans last fall, and they fit well. I've also had luck with skinnies from Costco. Oh, and I have a pair from Jag as well which I really like. Or would like without that pesky 8 lbs... But my calves like them!

8 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yup. My calves are about 13.5 and skinnies are often calf-sucking on me!! If they are super stretchy I can get them on, but I don't always care for the look. Of course it makes them great to tuck into calf-high or knee-high boots.

Angie has often said that for many, straights will be your skinny.

The older skinny styles were a bit looser on the calf -- the Kut from the Kloth Diana might work for you (it works on me). (Find 1, Photo 1) The Mias are cut differently. I sized up on those for a looser fit. (Find 2, Photo 2 -- mine fit much more loosely than on the model.) And I sized down on them in another fabrication for a sleeker (and calf-sucking) fit (like the model's, Find 3, Photo 3). Go figure.

I agree with what Sharan says about the taper. The reason to look for skinnies or a slim BF (Find 4, Photo 4) as opposed to straights, for me, is the shape -- on my proportions I prefer a taper to a jean that has no taper. But I do wear one pair of GAP straights rolled up as BF. I sized up one size in these. (Find 5, Photo 5)

The Gap Girlfriend was an absolute disaster on my fairly rectangular daughter. Did not fit at all. We both burst into laughter at it. Way too loose in the top/hips, drop crotched in a peculiar way, but snug in other parts -- it was just revolting on her.

Elizabeth, I think what this illustrates is that the cut and the body type will make the jean fit differently on different people. Sizing up works for some jeans and some body types but not others. It probably works pretty well for you as a slim hipped IT. For others, it just creates a mess. As a slim hourglass, I find it sometimes works for me (i.e. with certain jeans) and doesn't work at all with others. It works best when the fabrication is cotton rich and not super stretchy. Super stretchy just means the jeans have extra fabric but no extra room.

Love your outfits, Carla, by the way.

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8 years ago

Marilyn

Veteran

"What I don't understand about this, is isn't the amount of slouch
largely determined by if you size up or not? Or if they fit you a
certain way or not? Rather than the actual style of the jean itself?"

This is getting complicated. LOL I would say yes and no. Any jean will be more or less slouchy depending on the size. Many people size down with boyfriends because they don't want the more extreme slouch of a true boyfriend fit. This is why Angie suggests sizing up in straight legs or skinnies for a "boyfriend light" jean. I would also think this is why Gap introduced the Girlfriend fit.....still a bit of slouch but a more feminine fit.
BUT, actual Boyfriend and Girlfriend jeans are cut differently so you should have a certain amount of slouch even if you size down. I went down a size in the Gap Girlfriends and they are still slouchy. The bum, thighs and legs are not cut the same as my Always Skinnys.

Also, body type is going to factor into how ANY jean fits. If you have larger/smaller thighs, calves, waist or whatever you may get a different look than on the fit model.

8 years ago

Anonymous

You've had lots of wise words about the jeans fit etc already, so I'm just chiming in to say that you look great in those pics. Fab outfits. Long time no see Carla!

8 years ago

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Just to clarify, my comment was about the difference between GF and BF's. I was getting the impression that the GF's were just less slouchy than the BF's. So I was wondering if a GF could just be a snugger BF - ie dealt with sizing down or a different style/brand. Marketing ploy!!

8 years ago

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