Shopping for Pants: The Neverending Battle
I have a theme song for pants shopping because it is the worst adventure in rejection. Every pair points out or creates new flaws, pinches fat, rides up, rides down, falls too long or too short, doesn't button even when you go a size up, or just plain refuses to fit. In order to survive the horror I have to get my Destiny's Child on and tell those pants "I don't think you're ready for this 'cause my body's too bootylicious for ya, babe." As silly as it may be, it really does help to tell the pants off using my inner Sasha Fierce.Here are a few tips I've found helpful in pants shopping:
- If you have a problem with pants gapping at the back, hold the pants up by the side seams on the waist band. If the back is higher than the front, they have a better chance of fitting.
- Be adventurous. Try new styles, new rises and new stores.
- Look for fits that say they solve your specific problems instead of trying on every fit in the store. Trying on every fit just makes you tired and cranky.
- Try other sections of department stores. Don't afraid to try the juniors or misses departments.
- Blame the pants not your body.
- Look for someone with a similar body shape to see what pants look good on them.
- Be on the lookout for good fits all the time so you aren't waiting to find pants until yours have fallen apart.
- If you have the money and time, get tailor.
- Shop with friends so they can offer support and talk you out of a bad purchase.
- If you find quality pants that fit, buy every color/wash. Variety may be the spice of life, but a stockpile of great pants is the foundation of easier dressing.
- "Kind of fits" is not that same as "fits". Only buy pants that fit.
- Try a theme song. Yes, it's silly. Yes, store attendants will think you're weird if you sing to the pants in the dressing room. But keeping things silly keeps me from getting frustrated when I really need to find pants.
- If all else fails, buy a killer dress. It will make you feel better.
How do you survive pants shopping? What problems do you have with fit? Where do you get your favorite pants?
Comments
However, I have the opposite problem it seems: my legs are a size 14 and my stomach an 18. I am thinking of trying on pregnancy 14 sized pants, but I am only 22 and I thin it will make me feel bad.
Anyway, thanks for the support!
Also, give skinny jeans/pants a try. They tend to be tight in the legs, but some have a larger waist.
Another trick: button extenders to give you a little more room in the waist.
Thanks for all your tips! I will make sure to go to the Fashion Bug and ask help from a sale's assistant.
I have tried the skinny jeans, I really like this style, but I am afraid I still have the same problem.
As for button extenders they unfortunately make my zip go down...
But thanks a lot!
Gaëlle
This button extender has a small hook on the back to hold the zipper up. A friend told me about it. She says it can make the waistband roll when she sits sometimes, but it does keep zipper up.
Have you tried Calvin Klein or Express?
(Calvin Klein is not cheap, but they do have 30% off email regularly, and on rare occasions, you can get their jeans at Sam's Club or Costco...
Express have the $15 off $30 or $30 off $75 coupon emails regularly in addition to the jeans discounts.)