Ask Angie: Jeans and flats for a pear?

NaturalEve

Hi Angie,
I just discovered your blog and I must say, it's been eyeopening! I'm a college student and looking for ways to dress more fashionably, but comfortably as i'll be walking around a lot. I was just wondering, what would you suggest as jeans for someone usually on the go who prefers wearing flats? I have a pear shaped figure and relatively long legs, and though I'm not big, I always feel like my butt looks very large in whatever jeans I'm wearing (especially flats!) and that makes me a bit self-conscious. I read your "Dressing a pear-shaped body" but I was just hoping for a bit more clarification with the whole, jeans and flat shoes style. Thank you!

9 years ago

Body Type

9 replies

Latest reply was from kdj

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I'm not Angie, but I can tell you that you might want to look up some threads by our forum mate Ornella in the archives.

Ornella is a gorgeous, taller pretty pear, and she wears jeans with flats to perfection. She wears them with all types of jeans -- skinnies (sometimes tucked into boots, sometimes not); straights; and boot cuts. And her flats include ballet-style (usually a bit more built up on the sole than the absolutely flat kind, I believe) and oxfords, and boots/ booties. Plus sandals.

Sometimes she wears a longer cardigan. .But increasingly she is wearing shorter jackets or tops and not trying to hide her pear shaped figure but celebrating it. And she looks terrific!

A slim straight leg jean might be the way to go, if you can find it.

9 years ago

unfrumped

Veteran

Hi--hope you enjoy having fun with fashion!

I'm not sure I have an approved method, but for jeans I like kinda straight, not skinny and worn longer, scrunched over the top of the flat.(I'm assuming flat shoes like loafers, slip-on sneakers, ballet flats, not boots or booties). Otherwise I can look like an ice-cream cone.

The other style that works is the BF jean in a slim BF, rolled above ankle. Again, the BF style gives more of a straight leg line.

Then there different styles of tops that help shift the proportions. hard to advise there as it so depends on the individual as to what types of necklines. sleeves, and top lengths work with a specific pair of jeans.

My torso is long relative to legs, though, so if you have long legs you may find that mitigates the pear issues more, and you can wear skinnies well and tolerate a lot more taper, or for BF jeans can tolerate more roominess without shortening leg line as much as on me.

Also I think young ladies can wear lots of things I find hard to pull off--closer fitting jeans and so on.

9 years ago

Style Fan

Veteran

Well you are way younger than me but we both have similar body types. I wear straight leg jeans (Citizens of Humanity) and relaxed skinnies (Fidelity). I also have boyfriend jeans (Silver Sams -- not made anymore). I keep the action on my upper half. I wear tighter tops, scarves, necklaces, etc. My shoes are always flat.

9 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Straight legs rolled at the hems and slim-fit BF's are best for pear shapes imo. Pear shapes also rock bootcuts and flares - but they look best with heels.

Try a partial tuck on top to lengthen the leg line even further.

Try low contrast flats (laceless oxfords, loafers, booties) and styles with a pointy or almond toe.

Does that make sense?

9 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Everyone else has covered it, pretty much, but my thoughts: bootcuts balance the hips the most, but they do seem to need a shoe with a bit more height or visual weight to it - either a shoe with some heel or chunkier boots. IMO they don't look the best with something visually small like flat sandals or ballet flats. I prefer straight legs or skinnies with most flats. I am a size 14 so if I wear skinnies I tend to pair them with a longer top, which I think makes the proportions work better as well. Skinnies work well with ballet flats because of the low vamp; I prefer oxfords or any higher vamp shoe paired with more of a straight leg, or for the trendy take, with rolled ala boyfriend style legs.

9 years ago

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

An un-adorned bootie like the Sam Edelman Petty is a great shoe to wear with jeans. It goes with skinnies or straights, especially if the footwear matches the pants. Or, it goes with boot cuts or rolled boyfriend jeans. At 1.5" in the heels, it's not exactly flat but wears like a flat shoe. I have no problem wearing a heel this height all day but everyone is different.

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9 years ago

Lisa

Veteran

I'm a short pear shape and sport straight leg jeans as my 'skinny' jean with a ballet flat. Or I sport a less than 1 inch heel on a boot or wedge with a bootcut jean. My favorite brands are:
Gap-always straight and sexy boot
Lucky Brand-Sweet n straight and sweet n low
Banana Republic-Always skinny
Joe's-Petite Provocateur
J Brand-I forgot the name but this brand has also worked for me.
Good luck!

9 years ago

Jules

Veteran

Good tips here! If you have existing skinnies that don't look quite right with flats, try rolling them up to a few inches above the ankle. I like the roll a bit bulky ie/ several folds (vs the big single fold some people were doing for a while). The slightly bulky roll helps balance my figure better. Pointy-toed ballet flats are better than round-toe, and the heeled shoe options already mentioned work too. For one of my FFBOs (fast fall back outfit), I wear rolled skinnies, pointy-toed ballet flats, and patterned, looser BF cut button-down or popover shirt. Sleeves rolled GAP or J Crew style. This helped me make some too-skinny/no scrunch jeans I bought pre-YLF work with my pearish hips and thighs.

9 years ago

kdj

(website)

Active Member

I'm a short pear and didn't think I could swing skinny jeans and flats.The first challenge was finding flats that fit - with a size 5.5 to 6 I tend to step out of most flats (especially those in European sizing 36). I took a chance and bought a pair of Tieks in red and they're fantastic! Comfortable, a pop color and held up for a week of hoofing around NYC for work. With flats in place, I discovered that by exposing a little ankle, I felt much better about the look.

9 years ago

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