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Pants, PPL, peri pooch (and a ridiculous day)

Helena

Veteran

Hi friends, I am having THE most ridiculous day today. Nothing awful, just every silly thing that can go wrong is doing so. *sigh*

So of course it makes sense that I found perfectly fitting pants this morning, and then tried them on this afternoon and they are slightly too snug around the waist. Blame perimenopause for the fact that I can change a full size within a 4 hour timeframe *sigh again* I did try on the size up but they looked too baggy this a.m. ... but would prob be fine nowm at least at the waist (they'll prob still be too baggy in the backside) *triple sigh*

So here's my question:

- do I size up? or slap on some spanx when I'm bloated and suck it up (literally lol)? or give up on these pants that I otherwise really like?
- and if they are keepers, help me with PPP - prioritizing the right length with heels as they are more for dressy wear

Sorry about the filthy dusty mirror. I daren't try taking photos again with it cleaned lest the pants fall apart at the seams at the rate I'm going lol!

Thanks for any thoughts and help! xx

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26 replies

Latest reply was from Helena

kellygirl

Veteran

These look fantastic with the sneakers! It’s so annoying when pants feel snug but it seems to come with the peri-territory. In my experience, I’d just wear them and bet that they will loosen up by the end of the day. That usually seems to be the case for me! These are such a great cut in you and look equally good with the dressier top and shoes.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

*waving at my t-shirt twin*

The pants look KILLER great in the pics, Helena! Not too tight. And what Kelly said. They will loosen up when you wear them. Don't size up! All good

As for the length - too long for these sneakers. A bit of a tripping hazard. Great length with the dressy shoes! You either have to commit to a heel height, or shorten them a bit.

Good luck with the rest of the day. Sending good vibes and calm.......

namaste

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Runcarla

Veteran

Please share the provenance of those fabulous trousers! Are those lilac Coms I spy? Are we Converse twins?

Helena

Veteran

Thank you Kelly!!

Angie, bought the shirt on your recommendation ... One for me, one for DD. Thanks for the feedback ... I will wear them as is for the Xmas party season with heels and then shorten them to wear with sneakers after. And thank you and namaste xx

Carla, these are from Dynamite ... I'll create a find when I have a moment on my laptop. I forget which name they are under ... The Gisele maybe? (Eta - nope they are called the Yasmin!) And not quite twins, more cousins ... These are blush high tops

kkards

Veteran

100% what Kelly said!
YLF, the pants look fab!

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I think they look great! Will you be comfortable in them, do you think? Maybe wear around the house for a few hours before you cut the tags, just to be sure.

Helena

Veteran

Thank you kkards!

Jenn that's a great idea .. I'll do that tomorrow!

BTW I also tried on a really good pair at HM that were very similar to the J Crew Kate style ... I'll do a find later, sadly they didn't have my size but I'll keep them in mind too.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

The trousers look fantastic! Yay! Glad you are set for length and now have dressy-ish but extremely versatile pants.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Agree they look great and not to size up - I hope they pass the walk around test!

LJP

Veteran

Ok - this is hilarious . I have spent way more time today than I care to admit reading through a certain IG acct I love and am more convinced than ever that despite owning a huge number of black pants , I would like to try a full cut longer trouser with some ease and flow . I logged on here a minute ago to find your thread about dressier pants - and then you post this !! Off to see what they look like on Dynamite’s site .

They look GREAT on you , and the length seems good for your dressier heels . And as to the perimenopause issue - yuck , I get it .

ETA - crap , they have pleats . I can’t conceive of wearing pleats with this body but I know we’re not supposed to think that way . Tell me they are not poufy ?

Helena

Veteran

Thanks Suz and Jaime!

Lisa, NOT poufy ... I wouldn't even describe them as a true pleat really ... A faux pleat maybe. Worth a try! Damn Instagram

Sal

Veteran

These look great Helena! A win - and I get it re size changes....

Lisa - I would try the pleated pants on, although as per my recent post, pleats can be tricky...

SarahD8

Veteran

The pants LOOK great on you!
I am dealing with similar body issues and it's a real struggle. YMMV but what I've noticed about myself is that if I am getting dressed for an ~event~ I really want to feel physically comfortable and feel confident that I'll feel physically comfortable. So, I will always pick something with a little give over something that technically fits but on any given day (or hour) might be fussy and distracting. If it were me I'd be looking for a stretch waistband much as I hate to say it.

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

So it’s not just me with the waist thing? Honestly it makes it so hard to decide whether pants fit or not! It changes every 5 minutes!

You look great though

Anonymous

Those look great! I'm with you though, re: pants being fine in the am and awful later :/ That's why elastic is where it's at for me now.

RobinF

Veteran

Oh boy can I relate to this! I can't stand anything tight on my waist so always have to size up and then they are baggy everywhere else. Not really the look I am going for.

These do look really nice on you. I like Jenn's idea to wear them for a while with the tags on. That should help you know whether they will have enough give or not. Sometimes a button can be moved over a little bit and give you just enough ease (believe me, I know all the tricks!).

rachylou

Veteran

These look great!

I hate pants, though, for this reason. Shopping for pants seems to make me bloat in and of itself; or pants magically expand a couple sizes the second I walk through my front door. Or they shrink. In my world, each pair of pants has a designated time of day for wearing, lol

Helena

Veteran

Rachy lol!

I am trying a stretching technique ... will update on success or failure of attempt!

ETA - Success with slightly dampening the top of the waistband and then hanging it on a hanger that's slightly too small, inserting the hanger into the waistband (think tension rod) ... it's given me probably 1/8 to 1/4 inch which is really all I needed just on the very top (it's mainly that the very top seam tapers in slightly) ... I'm going to hang it again on the "tension rod" and then steam it to see if it will relax a little more, it's mainly a rayon/poly blend so not much give but there is a small amount of spandex that I'm hoping will be just enough to get another mm or two for those bloated moments

Jp

They look great and comfortable wouldn't mind them myself

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

Ooh interesting technique! Trying to imagine what you mean by 'inserting' the hanger 'into' the waistband - like the hanger is 'wearing' the waistband, stretching it out?

Glad to hear it's been successful though, however you managed it lol! But I'm with @suntiger - elasticated waistbands for this reason (or belt loops on looser stiff trousers, so I can cinch them accordingly).

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Sympathy on the ever changing waistline.l have to take clothes off come the evening that have fitted perfectly fine all day.l seem to swell up like a puffer fish ,You ve got to be tough to be a mid life woman!Anyways you look rather nice in these wide legs,nice change from the skinny jeans.l like!

Dana

(website)

Veteran

Oh, those trousers are gorgeous on you: elegant with the shoe and fun with the sneakers! That's a great tip for making the waistband bigger. Pants can fit me perfectly but always a bit small in the waist.

Helena

Veteran

Zaeobi, yes that's it ... with the hanger being just slightly too big to "wear" the pants, so it was a struggle to get them on. I can confirm I made it through dinner wearing these with nary a waist-pinch, so that extra couple of mms was all that was needed, phew! Now to hem them so I can wear with sneakers

Sally

Veteran

Those look fab on you and I can see them being really dressy as well as dressed down with the sneakers.
I like all these new wide leg pants but not sure how they would go on my apple shape.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

Good on you for bossing the trousers around (instead of the other way round)!

I have a similar pair of trousers from Uniqlo (do yours also have a slightly satin finish?) and can confirm they look great with creamy trainers (though mine are slip-ons)

Helena

Veteran

Zaeobi, the finish on these is definitely more of a 'matte' - but I imagine a satiny finish on a similar pair would look fab!