How can I stop my pants from making me look fatter? - YouLookFab Forum

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How can I stop my pants from making me look fatter?

SweaterWeather

Hey!
I recently needed some jeans for an event and it was not a fun shopping trip. My waist circumference is 74 cm but my hips circumference is 110 cm. That's a bit of a difference. Therefore either the waist of the pants is too big or I can't pull it over my hips. In the end, I found a high waisted jeans (size 40) that seemed to fit okay. I got an elastic belt for the back with them and just went on with it.

But to be honest, it doesn't really fit. The legs and hips are perfect but the waist is off. Even with the belt, the waist feels loose. I can still fit two hands in there. I don't have the guts to cut and stitch up the waist because I'm afraid I won't be able to pull the pants over my hips.

The biggest problem is not even the pants 'feeling loose'. They literally bulk up below my belly button. I think it's because my torso is rather short. And because of the smaller waist, there's just too much fabric. It looks like I have a mega pregnant pooch. Don't get me wrong, I do not have a flat stomach. The belly pouch is real. But it's NOT as big as it appears in my jeans. In every pair I own because they all have the same problem! And I even have a feeling that the belts I use just 'cut' me, showing off the excess fabric and the fat I do have. I feel like I always achieve a kind of 'paperbag' look that simply doesn't work for me.

So what can I do or what jeans can I buy to fix this? I'm 1m63 so I don't consider myself as petite, especially because I'm wide. I thought about maybe buying 'mid rise' instead of 'high rise', hoping it would look like a decent 'high rise' on my body. But I'm afraid I would just be pulling my pants constantly. I literally don't know what to do anymore. I only know I feel really bad catching a glimpse of myself in a mirror.

Thanks for helping me!

Dressing

16 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

Jules

Veteran

I would try out curvy fits and consider getting alterations. A good tailor should have an idea whether/how much pants can be taken in and still work. It sounds like sizing down with a bit of stretch in the fabric might also help?
Not sure where you are located but American Eagle has a variety of fits and styles, specifically online, in store won’t have the same range.
https://www.ae.com/ca/en/c/wom.....getype=plp

Ginger

Veteran

I agree that a tailor can provide better advice. I've had jeans taken in a number of times, and after they are fit I can see if I can take them off. Also, a tailor can add additional darts to smooth out the excess material instead of just pinching in at the waistband. But overall it does sound like a mid rise might be better. I need a high rise because my rise is extra long, and need the length to get the waistband over my hip bones.

A bit of history: My mother has a very small waist and comparatively large hips. As a young woman in the late 70s, she took in the waist of all of her pants herself. At that time the waists were "high rise", i.e. natural waist. She was indeed unable to get the jeans over her hips once they were altered down sufficiently. To solve this she inserted a second zipper in the center back seam. It was a lot of work and she doesn't miss those days at all! She had a 25" waist until she was 60, and she's stuck with mid-rise ever since. (Still has to take those in usually, unless they're curvy enough, but with mid rise and stretch there's no need for a second zipper!)

Anonymous

Do you have regular trousers that work well on you? If so, measure the front and back rises on them and look for same for jeans.

That said, I too am very short waisted, but a big difference between hip (well bum especially) and waist. Belts are just uncomfortable when it's a lot of fabric to rein in.
Lysse's pull on jeans work well on my shape. Spendy, but such a difference compared to every other pair I've owned over the years. Loft's modern fit was ok too, for cheaper jeans.

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Lyssé Flared Pull-On Jeans

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3

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

Following because I'm a similar size to you (height, measurements & proportionally) so I have the same issue!

I'll be honest that I usually just cheat with elasticated waistbands instead lol (sometimes with an inner drawstring). Otherwise, I find trousers with side fastenings to be more flattering instead (Seasalt Cornwall has some).

SweaterWeather

Thanks A LOT for the tips!

Just a few thoughts:

It's true that a tailor probably knows best but I kind of feel discouraged to go to one every time I buy new pants. I sometimes find myself needing some kind of pants for a show last minute so I think planning this would be something else. I very much respect the effort your mom put in it, @Ginger. Also, I bought the said pair or jeans in a shop that offers good tailoring. But the shop assistants had different opinions on whether or not I should alter the waist size. I guess the problem is not just the waist circumference of the pants, it's also the excess fabric because of the length of the 'high waist'.

Thanks for the links to the suggested pants. I saw AE on social media but was sceptical. Maybe it's worth a try. I'm not sure about the size in the curvy section though. What would we a logical choice with my measurements?

I'm not very enthusiastic about string, elasticated and pull on waistbands. I've noticed that they either also fall down a bit and create a 'balloon' belly (because the top of the band opens a bit over time and rests on the lower belly) or it looks 'paperbaggy' like with the belt. I just don't like wearing them. I also don't think that the stretch in them is doing me any favours. I do have some pants (not jeans) that work better for me. But even when I have to switch to belts with those, the look just falls apart and shows the belly and the excess fabric.

It's also nice to hear that there are women out there with a similar frame and struggle. I had to buy the said pants for a show with a choir. Everyone needed to wear black jeans. Most of the women already owned a perfect pair or found one pretty easily. I was just so against it because I'm the only one with my frame and I knew my struggles. So thanks for the reminder that I look perfectly fine and humanlike!

cat2

Veteran

I have found Talbots curvy jeans, the wider legged NYDJ jeans and Code Bleu at Dillards to work for a small waist and wider hips. For work pants like trousers, the Tahari brands and the wide leg pants at Express work.

kkards

Veteran

1st Welcome!
2nd please remember that people of all sizes can and do struggle to fit into "off the rack" clothing. it helps to repeat to your self what i think of as one the YLF mantras "its the clothes, its not you"
yes to alterations if you have the time, but also to looking for not denim jeans, ie something that is jeans like/jeans adjacent but not something that's actual denim
this is an example of what i was thinking of
https://www.landsend.com/produ.....ns/id_3735
or if you can find something like this, which is really just a french terry pant with a picture of denim layered on it (really really looks like denim thought)

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lyn67

Veteran

I have a long torso and not that big of a difference between waist and hips--but I rarely love wearing jeans exactly for the same reason of bulking up below my belly button and the 'paperbag' look they can give on me, too. SO, why forcing gods of fashion?

There are so many other kind of pants in the world! I love my wool pants, twill, linen, or fabrics with some lycra or elastan! I love straight or wide legs, culotte, or slimmer cuts like cigarette and baby flares.

Still, I have some white/cream jeans, which I love (usually in a barrel cut or wide legs) I don't love blue jeans for me. Have some black coated straights and skinnies , too -but they have to be thinnest possible (usually achieved when they have some poliester content and elastane , too)-and I wear them exclusivelly for casual.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

You've had lots of good suggestions here. Given your responses, I'd suggest going for trousers vs. jeans -- just forget about jeans if you can, LOL. You can get a pair of ponte pants in black (if you need black) that fit better and don't present the difficulties. I am sure they would "pass" as jeans for a performance if necessary -- when standing in a singing group, it's what's up top (and your voice) that counts. I second the idea of side zip trousers with a mid-rise. They might be difficult to find but they fit well on a curvy body, as a rule.

SweaterWeather

I love how the conversation went from 'alter them' to 'buy these different jeans' to 'forget about jeans'

I don't think I really 'need' new pants right now so I will try fixing those I have. I'll definitely look at the options you all gave me, save them for later and maybe be tempted enough to buy some type of jeans or other trousers (oh well!). I must admit I notice now that I know very little about the different shapes and fabrics out there. So thanks for the support!

Sal

Veteran

Jeans can be the best and the worst! Jeans with stretch can be the easier option.

For your choir needs I think you will find other black pants. But I don't think you have to give up on jeans - but it might take a few attempts to get the right pair - and potentially could be more expensive either in tailoring or in time or in the upfront cost of the denim.

I buy my denim from specialist denim shops where there is a range of sizes and a range of brands and someone to help fit them. Maybe a department store would be the best for this in the USA (I am in NZ). I find online shopping for denim too time consuming - I like the one hour devoted to trying on several pairs and coming up with one option.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

Haha since I have a similar shape, the collective wisdom isn't wrong here - I've given up on all but 2 pairs of jeans that I wear only in the depths of winter lol!

If it helps, I've found vintage Lee jeans fit my body shape well (from personal experience, I'd say to forget Levi's lol)! I totally hear you on the issues with elastic, but I have these Lee jeans that are elasticated *only* at the sides so I can get them over my hips but still with a 'proper' button fly closure- see photo.

Could something like that work for you? If so, try Etsy! (Look for sellers that list the garment's measurements in the description)

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Jules

Veteran

If it were me I would order a bunch of pants in different sizes from a brand with curvy sizes, and approach it as a try-on learning session with a lot of returns to be made, not a guaranteed successful purchase. Because most brands have more specialty sizing available on line, so going in store is just more frustrating in the end. for me. Good luck with your search!

BrieN

Veteran

The struggle is real. I have tried on a LOT of jeans this year trying to decode what works for my petite-ish, short torso, curvy hourglass body.

For me, at least as a starting point, it's all about the rise. Any rise at or above 12 inches and I get a fabric bunch up like you describe. 11" front rise is what I shoot for with a "high rise" jeans. I don't buy jeans with hidden buttons (instead of a zipper), although I have a pair with the exposed buttons that works. I try to be careful with the fit at the hip as well; in the past I've ignored that and gone too big just to realize how much extra fabric that is.

That said different denim compositions impact it as well - you may find more stretch means less bunching. I use my rise and waist combinations as a starting point but it's still trial and error.

edit: I just looked at a few denim retailers that I thought might work for you but I note that their waists would be too big for your hip measurement - as you've described. You may keep your eyes out for specialty denim companies - like Peachay that might suit your body type.

SweaterWeather

Thanks for the extra tips! It will indeed be a long trial and error journey with lots of measuring en fitting.

To the person suggesting Peachay, WOW! I am obsessed! For the first time, I found one size that fits all my measurements in once: I'm a daisy. But sadly, I live in Belgium and they don't ship to Belgium that's so sad. I live +/- 40 minutes away from the Dutch border so I'm seriously considering searching for friends who live there because they do ship to the Netherlands. So much effort for the perfect pair of jeans haha!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Sweater Weather, please don't feel discouraged about having pants and jeans altered. It's wonderful to be able to create a customized fit for the shape of our bodies. Empowering!

Excellent suggestions from my forum members! Peachay looks great.