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Pants/shorts are my nemesis- now I know why!

Anonymous

Back to the holding zone- a scientific analysis. Hopefully this will benefit others!

I have 4 pairs of pants in there and 1 pair of cycling shorts.

The pants are: black BR Sloan curvy, teal (not navy as they appear) Loft modern, orange BR sloan- the most stretchy of the lot, and beige Chaus (a good "white to me" color).

The pants all have 9 in front rise and 12 back rise. Inseam 27 in, except black 25. The shorts have 9 in front rise, 11 back rise, and 4 in inseam.

I have always had a problem, no matter my size of pants/shorts pulling at the crotch/camel toe. It's worse when I'm heavier, but still problematic at my smallest. The problem is...my bum! Or rather...that pants are not made, and maybe cannot be made, for people with bigger bums.

To my natural waist, I need 10 in front rise- but (yikes) 15 in back rise. Looking at size charts- even plus size, or worse, maternity- wouldn't give the right proportions, as both rises increase with size increase.

The pants that fit me best are 10 in front 14 in back-with 4 way stretch.
Now you see why I like skirts/dresses and gear!

Think it's time to pass on this lot. Even when they "fit", they just won't work. But- Angie, do/can they even make pants with my proportions, and what brands?

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General

24 replies

Latest reply was from

notsaf

Veteran

I have a high hip-to-waist ratio and find that I always prefer high-waisted styles and that often pants are improved by having the waist taken in at the tailor (an easy fix for most fabrications). I can't wear pants off-the-rack from most retailers for this reason (BR, Ann Taylor, J Crew), and always prefer a little stretch, which makes a higher waist more comfortable. Good luck!

Sisi

Veteran

Wow Suntiger, you are brilliant! Even if generally I have no problems with pants I have loved this interesting analysis.

Runs With Scissors

Veteran

I feel your pain! Less than 15 inches in the back and I *will* be uncomfortable! I don't typically see camel-toe, though -- for me it's wedgies. I used to just size up on pants and wear a belt. But I've found the high-rise trend is my friend, even with regard to waist-to-hip ratio fit. Some of the cropped wide legs available recently from Banana Republic work for me, and for jeans, Levi's Wedgie (mid-rise on me) and Ribcage (actually high rise on me) styles are the best fits I've ever had in pants.

Banana Republic

Slim Wide-Leg Cropped Pant

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Levi's Levi's Wedgie Raw Hem High Waist Straight Leg Jeans (Love Triangle) | Nordstrom

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nemosmom

Veteran

I have the same issue with pants and can think of only two pants that ever fit me off the rack - one had an elastic waist! Most often, if I can fit them in the hip/around my bum, then the waist gaps wide open. I have to have them all tailored. Now, I focus on rise and hip - if those fit, the rest can be fixed.

Anonymous

I'll respond more later, but it's the vertical proportions I'm talking about- front vs back, not horizontal- waist vs hip. High rise is important, but my frontside needs 5 inches less than my backside. Most seem to be a difference of 3 inches or max of 4- no matter the size and no matter the rise. Go forth and measure both your rises!

Waist, hip is problematic too for me of course- but that's alterable.

Roxanna

Veteran

Huh. I never thought of the rise as being as being as issue here. As a proud member of the 'big bum' club, I usually have an issue with gaping waists, but don't have a problem with rises - maybe because I am petite? Maybe that's why I find regular sizes fit me in the rise even though I am 5'4". Thanks for the a ha moment!

LeandraofBleuAvenue

(website)

My problem was always the back pucker. You know that weird way the back sticks out? I go with a mid rise now too and that seems to work well for me. The best jeans for the best price for my body type (Pear shape at any weight) has been Arizona at JC Penney's. But I do have to go in and try them on, I never order jeans online unless I'm familiar with the brand, and even then it's a risk.

Bijou

Veteran

Suntiger, you are on trend! There is a movement to want a larger butt, with the Brazilian butt lift being an increasingly popular surgery option.

Joy

Veteran

I am in Roxana’s camp. I am 5’3” but the rise is too short in petite pants and regular sizes can even be iffy. The high- rise style, no matter how high, always hit below my navel.

JAileen

Veteran

I started searching on curvy fit. Macy’s had quite a few. I personally was looking for cropped pants. See how they describe them.

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nemosmom

Veteran

My vertical measurements are not that different from yours - 11.5" front; 15.5" back (to my natural waist). I wonder if you could have a front rise shortened?

Vix

Veteran

Hi Suntiger —

Pants fit is always an issue for me given my long rise and short waist and I’ve yet to really solve it (tailoring only takes one so far, custom is the real solution!).

Q for you: do you think your fit problem might be a crotch depth as well as crotch length thing? I need the sewists to help me out here, but it seems like where the inseam is placed can affect the whole deal (comfort-wise).

Sadly my hacks are often literal — a triangular wedge in the back waistband which drops things down for comfort, but then you don’t get a great fit in the back.

This is a good explanation re depth vs length, albeit designed for sewists:
http://blog.londasfiles.com/sa.....ring-tool/

SarahD8

Veteran

This totally makes sense to me, suntiger. I have a very short rise, and only wear low-rise pants. But I've noticed that often, if the front rise hits me in the right spot, the back rise is not quite high enough -- and that's with a fairly flat butt.

I'm intrigued by the crotch depth issue that some people are mentioning but I need to think about it some more and do some mental spatial reasoning. Could help explain why some of the pants that I'm buying online that have the correct front rise and waist circumference measurements do not fit.

I hope it is easier for you to find pants that fit now that you've figured out these measurements! Maybe it would even be worth having a pattern made from your best-fitting pants at some point? If you chose fabric carefully, you might be able to get a pair of pants that would fit across a relatively (to other pants -- I know skirts will always be easier) wide weight range. Could be a worthwhile investment.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I have a very long rise and a short waist. And I'm short (at barely 5'4"), but can't wear petite pants because of the rise.

Pants fit has always been difficult for me. It's harder when I am at a higher weight, but tricky at any time. The rise is always the sticking point (ugh, often literally).

It's not my bum, per se -- my bum is round but not particularly large. And my hips are not particularly wide, either.

Off to read Vix's link. But in the meantime, I feel your pain.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Suntiger, have you tried the Talbots, Loft and Anne Taylor curvy fits?

In my experience of dressing women for a living across all sorts of body types - curvier/rounder/wider thighs, bums, hips DO fit into skirts and dresses more easily than tailored pants. But not usually pencil skirts unless the waistbands are taken in. The skirts need to have some fluidity too.

Jeans and Ponte pants are different because of lots of spandex that stretches over the contour of the body.

Joggers and pants like these will fit you well, actually:

Bishop + Young Hammered Satin Cargo Jogger Pants

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Free People Good Juju Jogger Pants

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Billabong Adventure Spirit Print Wrap Front Pants

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FREE PEOPLE FP MOVEMENT Halfzies Pants

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3

LOU & GREY Signaturesoft Plush Wide Leg Pants

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8

Free People Cosmic Ways Wide Leg Pants

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2

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Well I think almost every pant of mine has an elastic waist and this is why! One that doesn’t is my Not Your Daughter’s Jeans pair, and I had to sew some wide elastic into the back waistband to pull those in towards my sway back- that was recommended by the SA at the time. But they are still the least comfy pair I own. One other that doesn’t is a NZ plus size, I’m not really plus but these are NZ made for our figures somehow and it goes in with my sway back.
The elastic ones fit across the sticky- out tummy and sticky-out bum! They all have an 11 inch front rise. Must measure the back!

Anonymous

Thanks all!
Notsaf- High waisted works best for me, and yes to taking waists in!
Thanks Sisi Guess it's time for a science based approach since it looks like online ordering will be the norm.
Runs with Scizzors- looks like both those are 11 front 15 back. Wish all companies would list both rises!
Sounds like a plan Nemosmom! Maybe Firecracker will chime in about shortening front rises.
Roxanna- I think it's a matter of wider from side view or from front view. Guessing the second is what causes the gapping waist.
Leandra- I'll take your "back pucker" and add it to my pants! Maybe you have a short back rise?
Bijou- well I am half Brazillian Maybe I should have my relatives mail me some Brazillian pants! Yet my mom has a flat bum- go figure...
Joy- maybe some of the pants Angie posted would work for you! They look very long in the rise.

Anonymous

J Aileen- I like "more back coverage"!
Vix- good blog! That may be the case- the inner seams definitely need to be many inches forward not center for me. Do you mean seaming like this in back?
Time to go measure Sarah D8! Made to order pants would be a good solution if my body would stay put :/
Suz- guessing it'll be back rise proportions for you too, though you always seem to suit pants to me!
Angie- haven't tried them lately, since I'm off anything with buttons and zippers. Wish they'd post their rises. I swear if it wasn't for spandex I couldn't get dressed!

Those pants look like they have very long overall rises. When it's pants season again I'll look at similar. I do like flowy pants like that
Jenni- yes to elastic waists- but NYDJ has been better than most for me. Wish they'd post their back rises.

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Anonymous

Ha! They do exist And NYDJ has other styles with same rises!
https://shop.nordstrom.com/s/n.....te/5632271

suzieq

I’m petite, but am so very happy that high waist pants are back. They fit me best, as do regular misses pants. I just have to get them gemmed up. Mercifully, a 29” inseam is what I need for low heels, so it’s not too much to hem.

Most petite pants don’t work for me to to both the rise & the inseam being too short.

Vix

Veteran

Hi again Suntiger —

Not sure if I’m answering your question, but what I mean about the hack I’ve done to the back is *similar* to what’s shown below.

There are so many moving parts to pants fit that I stress this is just what my tailor suggested due to my rise + short waist + pelvic structure + leg/hip shape.

[And actually I really want to revisit with the seamstress I switched to a few years ago in case she has other ideas!]

I don’t need this with high-rise pants — which have other issues — but mid-rise waistlines come no where near my actual waist.

So visual = my basic shape, Rectangle, with waist up near BraLand and then quite the journey to my rise haha.

If buy for the best fit in the hips/butt PLUS ye olde crotch depth, mid-rise can be a bit tight in the waist (across my torso) and try to climb up to my waist.

[Going up a size just throws off fit elsewhere; generally with pants and dresses I buy 2 sizes and ask my alterations pro which is the better to alter.]

Adding a wedge to *just* the center of the back waistline (not going down the center back seam as shown) lowers the pants and solves for the too-short depth.

Plus note that since I almost never tuck things in I have also DIY’d this with just cuts, no fabric sewn in, for casual and/or aging pants. It ain’t pretty but it gets the job done.

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Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Suntiger, I'm impressed with the insight you have gained into how to get your best fit in pants. It is true that the front and back crotch lengths are critical to getting a pant to fit and hang well. The link that Vix posted is very informative, especially if you are making your own pants. As you have found, getting the right fit in ready-to-wear can be very difficult. I think most "curvy" cuts are going to be designed for more "back coverage" as well as having a smaller waist-to-hip ratio. So if you need more back coverage, but not the smaller waist, then the wedge addition at the back that Vix is suggesting would be a way to alter some of the curvy fits with otherwise promising crotch lengths.

Shortening the front crotch length can be done, but it is MUCH easier to do on the pattern, before the pants are made. I have done this on patterns, and it has made a huge difference in the fit. (For me, it has removed excess fabric from the front of the pants that created a puffy look.) Personally I would attempt this alteration only on a ready-made pant that does NOT have a front fly or front pockets that begin at the waist line. Either of those features are going to be in your way if you are removing fabric horizontally from the center front at the waist line.

Working at OSKA, I have seen the cuts there work on many different body types, and they are pretty generous on the backside. (They are not especially great on truly petite figures, i.e., with short rises, especially petites with flat derrieres.) They might be worth a try for you. OSKA pants usually have elastic in the back waist, which makes them easy to alter. You can let out elastic if need be, to get the pants to relax enough to give a little more length in the crotch. Often I am between sizes in OSKA pants, so I either let out the elastic in my smaller size or add darts in back on my larger size.

And a caveat: pants fitting isn't a forte of mine. I don't make a lot of pants for myself, and generally I make unstructured clothes that don't require very precise fitting. I am a bit of a lazy sewist in this regard, or I guess I know what I enjoy, and a detailed fitting process is not my favorite part of sewing.

Sal

Veteran

Thanks for sharing Suntiger. I can see why pants are tricky. I find with jeans and pants I like to go to a store with a good range and try lots of pairs on. That way 1/12 will work. But when you love dresses and skirts maybe there is no need to worry.

Culottes are a good option for me too. Pretty easy to fit and almost like a skirt!!

Anonymous

SuzieQ yes I'd be considered petite too at my height, but have long limbs (inseam 30) so rarely buy petites. Sleeveless tops is about it.
Thanks Vix and Firecracker! I wish I could sew, I tried with easy things, but pants I'd leave to the pros! My waist, at last check, is 13 in smaller than my hips- besides the Brazillian backside. Oska sadly is way beyond my budget, saw similar on Artful Home though.
Sal-my normal routine has been similar, but I'm trying to reform it. I'd try on about 18 pairs of pants. Size up or down in the ones I hate least and grab another few pairs I didn't try in the first round. Repeat. Buy accessories instead. I have worn culottes but they have limited wear for me, since our mild weather is so short. It's normally 90s or 30s here- or seems like it!