K/R Legging Jeans - YouLookFab Forum

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K/R Legging Jeans

Sam

So, this pair of jeans. They look good to me when worn with tall boots (not pictured), but I'm questioning the utility of keeping them because they're not quite long enough for my legs when worn with flats or booties. I tried them on with a pair of ankle boots and was pretty ambivalent about what I saw.

They're a darker wash than pictured; I had to lighten them a fair bit in post processing to get them to show up well.

Should I keep them, or let them go and keep shopping? (Or perhaps my body shape just isn't suited for skinnyish jeans?) I'm leaning towards returning them, but my partner is advocating keeping them even if they only look good with tall boots.

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25 replies

Latest reply was from Suz

Deborah

Veteran

I think it really depends Sam. I recall you saying your bootcuts are your only pair of jeans at the moment so the question is can you afford (wardrobe wise) to have a pair of jeans (jeggings) that only work with Long boots? If it were me, I would keep. They look good on you and in winter, jeggings tucked into long boots can be a bit of a uniform for me... is it for you? My other suggestion is that the jeggings could be rolled a little to get that correct cropped length with flats and oxfords for Autumn and Spring.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Sam, are you tall? (I think you are, but can't remember if you've told us your height.) If so, and you want full length jeggings, it is tough pickings right now. But some of our other tall members might have suggestions.

In the meantime, I see what Deborah sees. These would look great on you tucked into boots. If they are comfortable and fill a need and the price point is reasonable, then maybe they could be placeholders, with a use in summer (rolling up).

I also understand your reservations. While to my eye these work on you, I feel similar reservations about my own body shape and jeggings. "Calf-sucking," in Janet's memorable phrase -- those of us with muscular legs get this sort of look. And I have more tolerance for it on others than on myself! So I think I know what you feel.

Meli

(website)

Can you get these in a longer inseam? I also roll my skinnies to get more use value, but they are long enough for flats which is important to me. I think rolling is a good option, but I tend to try to hold out for perfect (well after hemming/minor alterations) because there always are more clothes for sale that I will love. Is the was versatile enough for you? I tend to do a deep blue which is a softer neutral than black and 'goes' with more things in my wardrobe.

Meli

(website)

Oh and re: body, you look great in them. Please don't assume you can't wear them, even if these are not the perfect ones!

Sam

Deborah, hmm, good point. It's been kind of frustrating to only have black leggings to tuck into tall boots and it would be nice to have another option. Denver's got plenty of winter to go around for months and months yet, too.

Suz, I'm 5'11" with a 35 inch inseam for flat shoes and 37ish for 3-4" heels. As you say, it is really tough pickings for full length leggings (or any kind of trousers/pants, really) right now. NYDJ does some "tall" jeans, but I didn't care for the overall fit on those and wound up returning them. This style fits well over waist/hips/thighs, but cuts me off at an awkward spot on the ankle.

The price point is pretty reasonable, I think. I managed to snag them for about $75ish, which is about half what I generally expect to spend on jeans.

Also, "calf-sucking" is perfect! (Mildly related: I get so frustrated when designers and retailers use "athletic" as a synonym for "thin". I run five hours a week and do strength/flexibility workouts for another three, and this is the body I have to show for it.)

Meli, alas no, they don't offer this style in a longer inseam.

Diana

Veteran

I think you need a longer length if you want to wear them with booties. A little scrunch does wonders for balancing the calf suckingness of jeggings. Otherwise I think these would be fine tucked into boots of any height, assuming they do not pop out when you walk around. Do you have mid calf boots or ankle boots that come up a little higher on the leg (like moto boots or combat boots)? I think that would also work with these.

I guess the other question is how often do you think you will want to wear jeans tucked into boots. Here on the East Coast, that's pretty much all I wear during the winter when there is snow and slush on the ground, so I don't mind at all buying jeans that will only work tucked into boots.

Gigi

Veteran

I think Diana has good advice. Do you see yourself wanting to wear these jeans a lot with tall boots? If so, maybe they would be a nice placeholder until you find a longer pair. But if you really wanted a pair of jeans to wear with booties, I would return these and keep looking. It will bug you to walk around in ankle booties and constantly have the hem come out of the bootie.

Other than the length, I think these look great! I don't have many curves, so I really appreciate them on others. I think your calves look great.

I hadn't noticed "athletic" as a synonym for "thin," but you're exactly right--they mean completely different things. I am thin from weight loss due to health issues, which creates a very different body from someone who exercises a lot. Wake up and smell the coffee, retailers!!

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

They would look great in tall boots but are too short for the booties here, so it is really a question of whether you can find one pair of jeans that will meet all of your needs. You definitely can wear skinnies!

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I think these are a good choice for the money. I would keep them, given all of your considerations and your height. Also, I tuck my leggings into my booties. If that's possible for you. Then they will scrunch just a tiny bit above the boot and look good.

My final thought is to try them in a size or two bigger, that sometimes delivers a bit more length because of the looser fit.

A few legging type jeans with longer inseams:
http://www.shopbop.com/skinny-.....m=other-sh
http://www.shopbop.com/ten-ski.....&fm=o
http://www.shopbop.com/straigh.....#038;fm=ot
http://www.shopbop.com/lexy-lo.....98&fm

I had to link those last ones, even though they're not skinny, because they have a 35" inseam!

Greyscale

Veteran

I think they look great on you. I love your calves (truly athletic, like you said) in those jeans.

As for the length, I have one pair of jeans that I can only wear with tall boots, and it seems silly for me to keep them (but they were thrifted and have other problems). In your case, with such long legs, it might be worth it if you rarely find jeans long enough. But I'd probably keep looking and see if you can find something as awesome but longer.

Do you ever wear flat mid-calf boots? These would also work tucked into moto boots, I think.

Scarlet

Veteran

If you can get a lot of wear out of these with tucking inside a taller boot, I would keep them because they look good besides the length and the price is not too bad. Another idea would be to play around with cuffing the bottom to make it look deliberately short. I sometimes cuff my jeggings at the top of my ankle boot because they don't fit inside and they don't fit over them well either. I don't know if that would make these completely too short, but you could try it and see if it works to your eye.

crfeather

I am new and cannot see photos yet, so this may be un-helpful. With my moto-boots, I have been wearing a pair of thicker socks. Black leggings, dark grey thick socks (showing about an inch), black moto-boots. Could you do this to bridge a gap?

Saw a cute look that I complimented while waiting in line. Young lady laughed and said she was wearing capri leggings and needed to bridge the gap for her mid-calf boots -- she had cut off the sleeves from an old sweater for faux leg warmers that were not overly thick. I wish I had taken a picture! Tan leggings, beige "leg warmers", brown boots.

Debra

Veteran

Well I think they look great and seem to fit well other than length.
I,d keep and wear with tall boots if your happy with the fit.

Karie

(website)

Veteran

I have this problem all the time. I'm 5/8" which is usually slightly too short for regular lengths. I usually go by the price of the pants - if they were inexpensive I don't mind keeping them to wear with tall boots only (where I live it's cold enough for boots 3/4 of the year). I'll do this with one or two pairs because I don't want to end up with a closet full of pants that I can only wear with tall boots. Then I keep looking for pants that are long enough to wear with my short boots.
Gap and Old Navy make jeans in both long and tall sizes, as does J.Crew. Have you tried those?

Missey

Veteran

I say keep. I'm 5'10 and have the same problem, so I am accustomed to relegating some of my skinnies to tall boots. If you are looking for lower cost options to try out, American Eagle and GAP carry talls. J Crew has very generous length tall pants.

Sam

After reading all the advice here and sleeping on it, I've decided to keep the jeans. Thank you all so much!

I don't currently own any mid-calf or moto boots, but it sounds like a good purchase to plan for.

Diana, I very much agree: a little scrunch goes a long way to help even things out.

Cocolion, thank you so much for those links! I don't see any I could reasonably fit into right now, but it's good information to have for the future. (I'm currently sitting between size 14 and 16, with a 34-35 inch waist.)

Karie, I have indeed tried the jeans at Gap and Old Navy and ran into the same issue with both: way too loose in the waist and hips (to the point that no fabric is in contact with my body there, and the area is so loose that the fabric can't hold itself up) and too tight in the thighs, usually with not a long enough rise for me. I've been too large for JCrew so far, although I think I'm starting to approach their size 14 territory (for whatever reason, they don't offer their tall lengths in 16). I haven't tried BR jeans yet, but I should, since I've liked trousers and pants I've bought from them in tall lengths.

NYDJ often offers me a good fit in the waist/hip/thigh and their tall lengths are usually long enough; the problem in this case was that I didn't like their tall skinnies, and the pair I did like they don't make in a tall length. I've had some luck with Coldwater Creek's long lengths, but their fabrics often don't feel sturdy enough to me. I've also tried CJ by Cookie Johnson with success. (Including this for other women who may run into the same issues I do.)

I'm still too big for most premium denim brands, but getting ever closer to the point that I'll fit into their size ranges and suddenly have much more choice.

Man, I should make a spreadsheet of brands I've tried and the fit issues I've had with each and in what sizes. (I probably still have all my fit notes from the last time I did a massive denim purchase for this exact purpose.)

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

I think you look great in this style! I like the photos taken from the side. From the front, though, I feel something is wanting - probably some length and just a bit of scrunch.

I am with the other gals, because these would be/already are, a uniform for me with tall, flat boots.

Anonymous

Sam - I do put all of my denim issues into a spreadsheet. It is easy for me to forget what was wrong and reorder the same brand of jeans even though I know the rise will be too long for me.

I am glad you are keeping the jeans!

rae

(website)

Veteran

I'm glad you're keeping! If those are NYDJ, they have a pretty specific fit; it is hard to find another jean that fits the same way in the waist/hips (I have tried at the request of a couple customers). Jag is sort of similar, but I haven't heard about those coming in tall, either.

RE: the length, I would roll the cuff when wearing with booties.

Karie

(website)

Veteran

Just came back to say I like Rae's suggestion to roll them. I do that all spring and summer with my slightly-too-short jeans.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Sam, you are singing my tune. I think these look nice on you, but I definitely share your concerns about length. I have a couple of pairs of skinnies sitting in my ebay pile to sell because the short length bugs me so much. Lengths are SO hard, and I'm only 5'7" but all my height is in my legs.

I did find two long jeans lately:

- a pair of COH Elson midrise straights -- I actually have to roll them a little to wear with booties! That never happens. They run small though, so size up from your usual size if you try them.

- Level 99 Lily skinny straights at Athro -- again, long enough to have some scrunch at the ankle, which is a rarity for me. Stretchy and comfortable.

Kristin L

Veteran

I haven't read through all of the replies, so please forgive me if I repeat what others have said.

I think they look great on you, but they are a bit short to wear over booties. would you consider saving them for warmer weather and wearing them with flats? Or cuffing them to go with a more retro vibe?

I'm not sure what your body type is, but I've recently discovered the joy of straight leg pants. So far, they hug my hips and thighs similar to my demin leggings, but they are a little looser at the ankle. And they are talls, so they should be long enough to wear with my booties.I think they'll do well in my tall boots as well as cuffed with flats.

unfrumped

Veteran

Agree with keeping even if only for tucking, given your long boot season. Not too many items can be worn 12 mos of the year in 4 season zones. Plus all jeans fit a little differently, and more so depending on whether rolled, scrunched, tucked--so a true one pair- multi- purpose jean that looks just right in all seasons and with all footwear is pretty hard to find.

In My Joi

(website)

Veteran

I'm glad you decied to keep them Sam- the fit looks fabulous!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Cookie Johnson has worked for Sveta, who is also very tall, so that is a great brand to keep in mind. I'm glad you're keeping these. I think they look great and you have suggestions for other ways to wear them to get your value from them.