Good jeans for a belly
June 4, 2015 2:43 PM Subscribe
I have finally gained back some much-needed weight, but now my jeans are incredibly uncomfortable. What is a good brand of pants that won't squeeze me to death?
I am very petite - 4'11" - and I weigh 108 pounds. I work out regularly and I eat healthy food. My daily caloric intake is fine and I am becoming more comfortable with my weight (I suffered from an eating disorder and at one point I was down to 88 pounds). Although I would rather weigh 98 pounds, I am fine with weighing 108 and am not actively trying to lose weight.
My problem is pants. I can't seem to find a pair of pants that don't make me feel like a stuffed sausage. The pants that don't make me feel like a sausage are definitely not the right size: they sag and droop in a way that isn't conducive to tailoring; the entire seat would need to be entirely re-shaped, the legs need to be chopped practically in half, etc. I am pear shaped and hold my weight to some extent in my thighs, but mostly it lives in my stomach. I definitely have a bit of a tummy right now, and I feel so uncomfortable in pants that I can barely think straight. A size 2 is much too large for me, but a size 0 is just a touch too small - I can easily zip them and walk around and function just fine, but if I sit down for any length of time I end up feeling awful.
What are some good brands of jeans or other pants that I can try to mitigate this issue? Linen pants look terrible on me; I end up looking dumpy and strange because of my height (I think). I refuse to wear sweatpants or yoga pants around in public. Right now I own skinny jeans from Paige in a 27 and size 0 boot-cut jeans from Madewell. I was instructed never to buy pants that were "roomy" in the fitting room because they stretch, and this has always been my experience, but when I buy jeans that are comfortable for walking around they still end up uncomfortably digging in to my stomach when I sit, which is unacceptable.
If you're a woman who holds her weight in her stomach, I'm eager to hear what brands you wear, and whether there is a particular cut of pant that works best for this body type.
I am very petite - 4'11" - and I weigh 108 pounds. I work out regularly and I eat healthy food. My daily caloric intake is fine and I am becoming more comfortable with my weight (I suffered from an eating disorder and at one point I was down to 88 pounds). Although I would rather weigh 98 pounds, I am fine with weighing 108 and am not actively trying to lose weight.
My problem is pants. I can't seem to find a pair of pants that don't make me feel like a stuffed sausage. The pants that don't make me feel like a sausage are definitely not the right size: they sag and droop in a way that isn't conducive to tailoring; the entire seat would need to be entirely re-shaped, the legs need to be chopped practically in half, etc. I am pear shaped and hold my weight to some extent in my thighs, but mostly it lives in my stomach. I definitely have a bit of a tummy right now, and I feel so uncomfortable in pants that I can barely think straight. A size 2 is much too large for me, but a size 0 is just a touch too small - I can easily zip them and walk around and function just fine, but if I sit down for any length of time I end up feeling awful.
What are some good brands of jeans or other pants that I can try to mitigate this issue? Linen pants look terrible on me; I end up looking dumpy and strange because of my height (I think). I refuse to wear sweatpants or yoga pants around in public. Right now I own skinny jeans from Paige in a 27 and size 0 boot-cut jeans from Madewell. I was instructed never to buy pants that were "roomy" in the fitting room because they stretch, and this has always been my experience, but when I buy jeans that are comfortable for walking around they still end up uncomfortably digging in to my stomach when I sit, which is unacceptable.
If you're a woman who holds her weight in her stomach, I'm eager to hear what brands you wear, and whether there is a particular cut of pant that works best for this body type.
I am a much larger woman than you (5'9" 180#) but I put my weight in my gut and have narrow hips. Calvin Klein jeans & pants always fit like a dream. I dont even need to try them on (and you can find them at CostCo for cheap woohoo!!!) maybe they will work better for you.
also try low cut jeans, so they rest at hip instead of waist level?
posted by supermedusa at 2:48 PM on June 4, 2015
also try low cut jeans, so they rest at hip instead of waist level?
posted by supermedusa at 2:48 PM on June 4, 2015
I'm also between a 0 and a 2. The most comfortable jeans I've ever owned are from Buckle. They even alter for free if your pair doesn't fit just right!! Anyway, I LOVE them.
posted by Amalie-Suzette at 3:02 PM on June 4, 2015
posted by Amalie-Suzette at 3:02 PM on June 4, 2015
I am 5'9 and 160lb, most of my weight is in my stomach, though I used to weigh both less and more, and I always find Gap jeans that fit me perfectly. I find that they are very comfortable, made of good material, they look great and they last a lot of wear. I can't recommend a specific style, because it depends on what you like on you, but I personally have two pairs of "Sexy Boyfriend" jeans and I can't wear them enough (I don't roll up the bottoms).
posted by alon at 3:06 PM on June 4, 2015
posted by alon at 3:06 PM on June 4, 2015
I'm a size 2 - 4. I suggest trying the opposite of supermedusa's suggestion - a few weeks ago I decided my little pot belly had taken all the punishment it was going to take in a lifetime and bought myself a pair of un-ashamedly high-waisted jeans (Lucky Brand). I haven't been so comfortable in years. The smallest part of the pants fits around the smallest part of me (my actual waist), nothing is cutting across my poor stomach, the fabric is just roomy enough for the pot belly to do its thing without having to be sucked in.
posted by frobozz at 3:08 PM on June 4, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by frobozz at 3:08 PM on June 4, 2015 [5 favorites]
I think you might want to consider jeggings. There are some that really fit like a skinny/matchstick jean but have some stretch so they will be more comfortable for sitting long periods of time. I don't really wear jeans or jeggings myself but friends have liked the AE jeggings or the ones from Banana Republic. Both start in size 00 and both are available in physical stores if you want to try them on.
posted by kate blank at 3:13 PM on June 4, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by kate blank at 3:13 PM on June 4, 2015 [4 favorites]
I'm 5'2", short-waisted, and apple-shaped. I love Not Your Daughter's Jeans. I also like "jeggings" with plenty of stretch. In general, skinny jeans are flattering to me and don't give me that "diaper butt" look.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 3:33 PM on June 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 3:33 PM on June 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm 5'4" and usually wear a 4-6. I've been wearing Levis 535 jeggings in size 9 (they run small) or 11 if I want them a little baggier. The waist on this style is midrise, so I don't end up all muffin-toppy. I almost always wear a belt with jeans made with stretchier fabric or I'm always hiking up my pants.
posted by biddeford at 3:44 PM on June 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by biddeford at 3:44 PM on June 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
I wear American Eagle Sky High waist jeggings or Abercrombie & Fitch (Alyssa super skinny high rise) jeggings. LOVE them. These are to me what polyester stretch pants were to my mom in the 60s/70s.
posted by janey47 at 3:52 PM on June 4, 2015
posted by janey47 at 3:52 PM on June 4, 2015
You may want to try shopping in juniors, because you can get half sizes (size 1 in your case). A lot of the stuff in juniors will be very high school, but not all of it. Also agree with everyone who says stretch jeans/jeggings. Sometimes I get them in capri length so that they are normal jeans on me.
posted by capricorn at 3:53 PM on June 4, 2015
posted by capricorn at 3:53 PM on June 4, 2015
I wear larger sizes than you, but I have the same problem with the way pants fit. They are expensive, but True Religion jeans are my absolute favorite. You can really feel the difference in the quality of the denim and the cut, and they last forever. I buy a pair every few years and wear them to death. One thing I learned: it's worth it to always hang them dry and never, ever throw them in the dryer. Also, I recommend visiting a store if there is one near you. Their associates are trained to walk you through a really detailed fitting. (I'm not a shill. I tested them when I was working as a secret shopper, and I was impressed with the system.)
More recently, I bought these slightly more affordable Guess jeans from Macy's and I really like the way they fit my midsection, too.
posted by juliplease at 4:48 PM on June 4, 2015
More recently, I bought these slightly more affordable Guess jeans from Macy's and I really like the way they fit my midsection, too.
posted by juliplease at 4:48 PM on June 4, 2015
I am a different size than you, but a similar shaped: pear shaped with hips and a tummy.
I strongly recommend you try a few pairs of high-waisted jeans. They are HEAVENLY. The waistband should sit near your natural waist, and let your tummy do its thing softly ensconced in a single layer of denim instead of being hacked in half by a thick waistband.
Good luck!
posted by waterisfinite at 5:32 PM on June 4, 2015
I strongly recommend you try a few pairs of high-waisted jeans. They are HEAVENLY. The waistband should sit near your natural waist, and let your tummy do its thing softly ensconced in a single layer of denim instead of being hacked in half by a thick waistband.
Good luck!
posted by waterisfinite at 5:32 PM on June 4, 2015
Yeah, popped in to suggest Not Your Daughter's Jeans. You can try them on at Nordstrom's but if you have a coupon for Northstyle that tends to be the best price.
posted by Mizu at 7:55 PM on June 4, 2015
posted by Mizu at 7:55 PM on June 4, 2015
I have one of those little pouches of belly fat right under my belly button and wear skinny jeans with a high waist, because most other cuts just do not sit well with that. Added bonus: they make my legs look a little bit longer.
posted by kinddieserzeit at 8:54 PM on June 4, 2015
posted by kinddieserzeit at 8:54 PM on June 4, 2015
Best answer: What kind of jeans you should look for will ENTIRELY depend on your body type and shape. The advice for pear shapes is diametrically opposed to the advice for true apple shapes (large waist, small butt/thighs/hips), as is the advice for rectangle shapes tending apple instead of tending hourglass (rectangular shape overall from the front, but undefined vs. defined waist).
So, strip down to as little clothing as you're comfortable with and stand in front of a full-length mirror. Look at your proportions:
- Where does your waist fall in relation to your bust and hips? Is it high (closer to your bust) or more in the middle or low (closer to your hipbones)? You can find your natural waist by bending sideways and looking to see where your side naturally creases.
- Feel your hipbones and look at the proportion of your hips to the rest of your body, specifically your waist and your legs. Are they visibly wider from side to side, or do they appear to blend into a more-or-less straight line from torso to leg? Do you have athletic or skinny thighs (where does your body appear to start tapering inwards)?
- Turn to the side profile view and look at your rear. Is it curvy or flatter? This is mostly important for jeans fitting rather than overall body type.
As for jeans--the different fits boil down to rise (how far up from your crotch the jeans end) and waist/hip ratio ("curvy" fit jeans will be cut with a proportionately smaller waist). The two aspects should be treated as independent fit variables, because whether you want a smaller or larger waist measurement will likely change depending on how high the rise is. I'm not going to enumerate all of the possible combinations because this answer is already too long.
For example, if you have curvy hips and a curvy rear, you'll probably want jeans with a smaller waist. Whether you also want a higher rise depends on where you carry weight (in your hips/low stomach or in your waist/high stomach) and whether you have a defined waist (natural waist is visibly narrower from the front than your hips). Keeping in mind that lower rise jeans tend to have larger actual waist measurements for the same size, you want to fit jeans to where YOUR body is larger or smaller.
So if you're a classic pear shape with larger hips/thighs and a small waist, you'll probably like jeans with a high enough rise to reach your natural waist (wherever that is) and a curvy fit so that the waist is proportionately smaller. On this type of figure, low rise jeans will cut the flab in half and create muffin top.
On the other hand, if you're more of a rectangle shape with flab in your upper stomach which hides your waist, then high waisted jeans will be a disaster because the cut expects that your waist will curve in where it doesn't. Instead, go for low-rise jeans that sit on your hipbones (where you probably carry less fat since it's genetically destined for your waist instead) and actually minimize muffin top.
Mid-rise jeans are often hailed as the perfect in-between, but here the particular cut (waist/hip ratio) matters a ton and I haven't found any significant correlations.
This is why there's conflicting advice above: women can carry weight in their belly in very different ways with different body proportions, and your particular distribution makes a huge difference. For high-rise jeans, Not Your Mother's Jeans is a good brand to try, as is Levi's Curve Id (especially for flat rears). For low-to-mid-rise jeans, both with and without booty, I've found Lucky Brand to be a great mid-priced premium denim brand. In more expensive premium brands, your best bet is to find a "denim bar" boutique that sells multiple labels and has knowledgeable personnel.
The most important thing is that you MUST TRY ON tons of jeans until you find ones that fit. FWIW, I'm a size 2 rectangle shape with apple tendencies and a curvy rear, and you will pry my low-rise jeans from my dead hands. I really like the Lucky Brand Lolita fit because it has a higher back rise with good coverage while keeping a low front rise that gives my belly room to breathe.
posted by serelliya at 9:26 PM on June 4, 2015 [8 favorites]
So, strip down to as little clothing as you're comfortable with and stand in front of a full-length mirror. Look at your proportions:
- Where does your waist fall in relation to your bust and hips? Is it high (closer to your bust) or more in the middle or low (closer to your hipbones)? You can find your natural waist by bending sideways and looking to see where your side naturally creases.
- Feel your hipbones and look at the proportion of your hips to the rest of your body, specifically your waist and your legs. Are they visibly wider from side to side, or do they appear to blend into a more-or-less straight line from torso to leg? Do you have athletic or skinny thighs (where does your body appear to start tapering inwards)?
- Turn to the side profile view and look at your rear. Is it curvy or flatter? This is mostly important for jeans fitting rather than overall body type.
As for jeans--the different fits boil down to rise (how far up from your crotch the jeans end) and waist/hip ratio ("curvy" fit jeans will be cut with a proportionately smaller waist). The two aspects should be treated as independent fit variables, because whether you want a smaller or larger waist measurement will likely change depending on how high the rise is. I'm not going to enumerate all of the possible combinations because this answer is already too long.
For example, if you have curvy hips and a curvy rear, you'll probably want jeans with a smaller waist. Whether you also want a higher rise depends on where you carry weight (in your hips/low stomach or in your waist/high stomach) and whether you have a defined waist (natural waist is visibly narrower from the front than your hips). Keeping in mind that lower rise jeans tend to have larger actual waist measurements for the same size, you want to fit jeans to where YOUR body is larger or smaller.
So if you're a classic pear shape with larger hips/thighs and a small waist, you'll probably like jeans with a high enough rise to reach your natural waist (wherever that is) and a curvy fit so that the waist is proportionately smaller. On this type of figure, low rise jeans will cut the flab in half and create muffin top.
On the other hand, if you're more of a rectangle shape with flab in your upper stomach which hides your waist, then high waisted jeans will be a disaster because the cut expects that your waist will curve in where it doesn't. Instead, go for low-rise jeans that sit on your hipbones (where you probably carry less fat since it's genetically destined for your waist instead) and actually minimize muffin top.
Mid-rise jeans are often hailed as the perfect in-between, but here the particular cut (waist/hip ratio) matters a ton and I haven't found any significant correlations.
This is why there's conflicting advice above: women can carry weight in their belly in very different ways with different body proportions, and your particular distribution makes a huge difference. For high-rise jeans, Not Your Mother's Jeans is a good brand to try, as is Levi's Curve Id (especially for flat rears). For low-to-mid-rise jeans, both with and without booty, I've found Lucky Brand to be a great mid-priced premium denim brand. In more expensive premium brands, your best bet is to find a "denim bar" boutique that sells multiple labels and has knowledgeable personnel.
The most important thing is that you MUST TRY ON tons of jeans until you find ones that fit. FWIW, I'm a size 2 rectangle shape with apple tendencies and a curvy rear, and you will pry my low-rise jeans from my dead hands. I really like the Lucky Brand Lolita fit because it has a higher back rise with good coverage while keeping a low front rise that gives my belly room to breathe.
posted by serelliya at 9:26 PM on June 4, 2015 [8 favorites]
BODEN jeans are nicely cut and rise a little higher. I have some post baby muffin top, and these are super comfy!
posted by jrobin276 at 1:53 AM on June 5, 2015
posted by jrobin276 at 1:53 AM on June 5, 2015
I am 5"5' and 125 with what sounds like a similarish body type (some weight in the thighs and but a significant belly pouch). I just want to nth jeggings (I thought these would be gross and look gross but they don't - I have some from Uni-qlo in a size M but should probably wear S as they are sorta loose) and high-waisted skinny jeans - I have a few pairs of Gap ones in size 26 and they are amazing. They flatten my tummy, I don't feel like I need to constantly pull them up and they look good. And no more stupid muffin top.
posted by peanut butter milkshake at 5:16 AM on June 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by peanut butter milkshake at 5:16 AM on June 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Custom-built jeans to your measurements: MakeYourOwnJeans.com. Bonus: they're based in India, where they probably understand the less-tall physique better than in the US or western Europe.
posted by amtho at 7:16 AM on June 5, 2015
posted by amtho at 7:16 AM on June 5, 2015
Response by poster: I might just not be a jeans person unless I'm super skinny. I have a waist that sits very high but is very short. High waisted jeans were the answer, but they look absolutely hilarious on me. The NYDJ that I tried on were ok but made me look like I didn't know how to clothes. With a tank top over them they were obviously super high up. My waist (which is actually very small) starts only an inch or so below my bustline so it's just a weird look.
I got a nice pair of black linen pants in my size at banana republic that have a semi-elastic waist and called it a day. They are pretty cute and I feel good in them. I just think my body shape is not cut out for denim. I'm an intense hourglass, but I'm also super short, so I was just gifted a difficult-to-dress meat sack. Oh well!
posted by sockermom at 11:45 AM on June 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
I got a nice pair of black linen pants in my size at banana republic that have a semi-elastic waist and called it a day. They are pretty cute and I feel good in them. I just think my body shape is not cut out for denim. I'm an intense hourglass, but I'm also super short, so I was just gifted a difficult-to-dress meat sack. Oh well!
posted by sockermom at 11:45 AM on June 6, 2015 [1 favorite]
NYDJ are definitely not the right proportions for you!!!
Apologies if this was covered above - but are you trying on petite sizes and styles? I think that might help with sizing and proportions.
I think you'll do better in slightly higher end jeans, or jeans with a good amount of stretch in them.
Is there a Nordstrom near you? They have many brands in one place, and usually very helpful salespeople.
posted by barnone at 2:44 PM on June 9, 2015
Apologies if this was covered above - but are you trying on petite sizes and styles? I think that might help with sizing and proportions.
I think you'll do better in slightly higher end jeans, or jeans with a good amount of stretch in them.
Is there a Nordstrom near you? They have many brands in one place, and usually very helpful salespeople.
posted by barnone at 2:44 PM on June 9, 2015
I'm almost exactly your size at the moment, and besides the suggestion to try size 1 jeans, would you consider large kids' sizes? For some reason, although adult sizing/shaping seems all over the place from brand to brand and styles within a brand (size 2P, size 1, size 0, size 00P are some of the jeans in my drawer), I seem to have a more relatively consistent experience and comfort-over-sexiness fit in size 16/14/XL girls.
If you happen to lose weight, some of them also have the elastic waists with buttons to let you cinch the waist in slightly and wear the same pants over fluctuating sizes. I've never seen this feature on adult clothes. Also: cheap!
posted by spelunkingplato at 7:27 PM on June 11, 2015
If you happen to lose weight, some of them also have the elastic waists with buttons to let you cinch the waist in slightly and wear the same pants over fluctuating sizes. I've never seen this feature on adult clothes. Also: cheap!
posted by spelunkingplato at 7:27 PM on June 11, 2015
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posted by Ms Vegetable at 2:46 PM on June 4, 2015