Finding the Right Jeans For You 

I pretty much live in jeans. I literally wear jeans five days per week. I also used to dress dozens of women when I worked as a wardrobe stylist so I can safely say that when it comes to denim, I know my stuff. I also know how overwhelming it can be to find the perfect jeans for your body. There are SO many options! But, do not worry. If you follow these 10 key tips, I know you will find the perfect jeans that will fit and flatter your body shape. 

If you are interested in listening to this information, you can check out the podcast episode here. And the video version here.

 #1 | Know Your Rise

There are three categories when it comes to the rise of jeans.

– Low Rise – 7”: like the Lucky Brand Lolita low rise jeans pictured above, low rise jeans sit beneath your belly button and have a shorter zipper. I stopped wearing this style of jeans after I became a mom. Bending over in Costco or the grocery store to pick up toys and showing the world your behind…is not a good look.

– Mid Rise – 8-9”: these black jeans that I got from Sofia Vergara’s Walmart line last year are still the perfect mid-rise jeans! They sit at your hips and just beneath your belly button so you are always comfortable.

– High Rise – 9″+: high rise jeans sit at your belly button or higher just like these Levi Mile High Super Skinny Jeans do! The benefit of wearing them is that they conceal any extra skin or pounds you don’t want to show. High rise jeans can help you eliminate the muffin top! Yay!  

Most online retailers will let you know the rise of the jeans in the product name or description. When shopping for a pair of jeans, be sure to take an extra minute to find out so you don’t have to waste time returning things.

#2 | Inseam Length

Whether you’re petite, or tall… knowing your inseam is important when picking out a pair of jeans. It’s difficult to measure your own inseam, so I recommend getting someone to help you with this. For an accurate measurement, measure from the bottom of your crotch to the bottom of your hem.

You can always cuff a pair of jeans that are too long, but if you purchase specific cuts of jeans such as ankle, boot cut, straight, or flared, I recommend that you measure for each of these lengths. You also want to factor in your shoe height.

#3 | Small & High Back Pockets

This is one of the areas that we don’t pay much attention to when searching for a pair of jeans. This style tip can be broken into two categories: 

– High Pockets: if your pockets are high on your butt, it will appear more lifted. And don’t we all want that (see evidence below)! Gravity is not our friend. 😉  

– Small Pockets: not only do you want the pockets to be high on your butt, but you want them to be small. Big, long pockets make your butt look bigger.  The pockets should be about  2-3 inches from the smile of your butt (that’s the bottom of your behind where it meets your legs).

#4 | Pocket Placement

With the wrong pair of jeans, excess space between the pockets can make your butt appear wider. A smaller amount of space between the pockets makes your butt look small yet round. Think 2 to 3 inches between pockets.

#5 | Zipper Quality

The industry standard for jean zippers is the “YKK” zipper. You can look at your pants and jeans and see if it says “YKK.” This may not be a deal-breaker when it comes to purchasing your jeans, but just something to keep this in mind as you shop. If a pair of jeans does not have the YKK zipper, the zipper is likely not the best quality.

#6 | Quality Stitching

When purchasing a new pair of jeans, be sure to turn the jeans inside out and take note of the stitching quality. The flat felled stitch is used most commonly with jeans. It resembles two railroad tracks on both ends of a seam. If a pair of jeans only has one row of stitching, the seam is more likely to come apart and they will not retain their shape as well.

#7 | Zipper Length

I got this next style tip from another YouTuber, Alexandra’s Girly Talk. When you have a pair of jeans and the zipper length is short (i.e., there’s a lot of space between the bottom of the zipper and the crotch of the jeans), that creates a wedgie effect or camel toe. I think we are all familiar with that dreaded style mishap. To avoid this, go with a pair of jeans that has a long zipper length with little space between the end of the zipper and the crotch of the jeans.

#8 | Fading Placement

Fading is when one part of the denim is lighter than another part. Sometimes fading at the front of the jeans may look like cat whiskers. In this case, the fading will make that particular area of your body appear larger. But, when you have a lighter, faded strip down the middle of your legs, for example…and a darker strip of denim outlining it on both legs, that fading can actually make your legs look tinier. The key is… use your fading strategically. Look at the placement. Is it placed in a way that will flatter your body or the opposite… exaggerating a problem area?

Always remember that fading should maximize your assets (pun intended 😉). 

#9 | Dark Wash is Slimming

This point is worth repeating because it’s SO important! When looking for a versatile pair of jeans that you can wear all the time, you want to look for: 

– A dark wash

– minimal fading

– Minimal details, if any 

– No contrasting stitching 

– No embroidery

– Free of embellishments

You want a clean, classic dark wash pair of jeans that elongates your limbs and slims your body. All of us should have a pair of these in our closets or drawers.

#10 | Fit and Flatter Your Body

You must understand what silhouette works best for your body type. Knowing what accentuates your body is the key! Don’t be a slave to the trends. Stick with what works for your body shape. For example, if skinny jeans aren’t your thing because you have a bigger butt, wider hips, and thighs, then you do not have to wear them. Maybe opt for straight, boot-cut or flared leg instead. It’s important to understand your body so you can dress in the most flattering way.

BONUS TIP | Find the Brand for Your Body Type

There are particular designers and brands that design jeans for certain body shapes and lengths. Here are links to blog posts I did where I share my favorite brands for tall, curvy, and petite jeans.

BRANDS BY BODY TYPES 

TALL
CURVY
PETITE

Although pricing matters when making your denim purchases, that shouldn’t be the only factor. Be sure to think about this top 10 list to ensure you find the perfect jeans for YOU.  If you want to watch or listen to this top 10 list, here is the video:

 

What is your favorite denim line?? I love Mother, Rag & Bone, and Moussy. Please share in the comments below. 

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Thank you for stopping by!