A troubleshooting guide to find the most flattering fit for your body shape

Raise your hand if you ever had a meltdown when a pair of jeans you thought would look “seriously awesome” ended up in “Seriously? Is this how I really look?”.Simply put, they were not made for you! Your body shape shouldn’t stand in the way of you and a great pair of jeans, so it’s crucial to find jeans with the exact DNA for you.Today I am going to show you how to find the best jeans for your body type.

“Why do jeans never look good on me?”

There is a handful of common mistakes that many women make when purchasing jeans. Such as buying jeans that:

• don’t fit their body type
• don’t fit their lifestyle and their current wardrobe
• are the wrong size (Disclaimer: Just managing to button a pair of jeans does not make them the right size :D)
• aren’t of good quality and lose their original shape (check here)
• just shrug off an easy alteration such as getting them hemmed

Read also HOW TO BUY JEANS – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO FIND YOUR DREAM JEANS

On top of that, I have to say that not styling them in the best way is another mistake you might be making. Not to worry, I’ll cover this too.

The golden rules when buying a new pair of jeans

1. Take your time. Resign yourself to the idea you will need to try on several pairs to find the best match for you. Trust me on this. A little time invested at the outset will save you disappointment and money in the future when you will know precisely what you’re looking for.

2. Get your measuring tape out. When buying clothes and especially jeans, it’s essential to know your true measurements. This is particularly true if you buy your clothes online and it will save you a lot of time. With a soft measuring tape you will need to measure:

• around the smallest part of your waist
• your inseam from the crotch down to the bottom of your ankle
• your front rise from your crotch to your belly button.
• additional measurements you might take are around your hips and each thigh if you normally struggle to find good-fitting jeans around those areas.

3. Set a budget. Once you have your measurements in hand, it’s time to think about what is affordable for you. You can find good quality jeans for a reasonable price, though most likely it will mean giving up details like gold stitching or a button-fly. You’ll have to weigh up your priorities and what feels comfortable within your budget. Here you can find more about the cost.

4. Don’t settle for “good for now” jeans. With such a wide variety of brands and styles available, there is no reason to compromise for ‘almost-right’ fitting jeans only to wear them in everyday life and realize that something’s wrong. At which point, you’ll find yourself right back in the dressing room where you started.Do yourself a favor and break the cycle of buying ‘almost-right’ jeans once and for all. You deserve a pair of jeans that not only fit great but are stylish and comfortable, too. A perfect pair of jeans.

5. Tailor your jeans to fit you perfectly. Once you have found a pair of jeans that come as near as possible to the fit you hope to achieve, you can get them to fit you perfectly with a little bit of tailoring. I know that tailoring jeans might sound a bit excessive, but if you live in your jeans as I do, even the smallest details can make a huge difference. Before making any alteration, make sure you wash your jeans. If you are hemming them, take your measurement by wearing the shoes you will wear most often, and ideally, ask your tailor to keep the original hem.

Tip: For ankle-length jeans, the hem should be positioned just above or right on your ankle bone. Skinny jeans should offer a clean ankle-length look, while straight jeans should cover the top of your feet.When having your jeans hemmed, always make sure you or the tailor measures them from the back of the leg to avoid ending up with jeans that are too short.

Trouble-shooting common fit issues

It’s a game of trial and error and to win this game I suggest starting by trying on your current selection of jeans and determining why you don’t like wearing them.

Muffin top? Does your butt look too flat or too big? Do your jeans bag around the crotch or wrinkle around your leg?

Understanding what is wrong is the first step to solving all these issues.Here are a few handy things to keep in mind when looking for jeans that you actually want to wear.

1. The Muffin Top. The waistband of your jeans forms a muffin top when it is too tight or not high enough.
2. The correct jeans don’t ‘smile’. I am talking about the horizontal dragline that forms across your hips and the front crotch area of your jeans. When there isn’t enough room in the hip area, the rise will take the shape of a full smile. Make sure that line only slightly bends…a hint of a smile like the Mona Lisa:)
3. The jeans are digging into your crotch or thighs at the back means that the back of your rise is not long enough. The waistband has to come all the way up to your natural waist on the backside. It is an issue easy to understand as you will feel like the jeans are being pulled downwards.
4. The jeans gape at the back. This is a common problem among women with a rounder booty. Finding jeans that fit at the hips but not at the waist. This doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do about it!
   • Be proud of your booty and:
   • If you are buying a new pair of jeans, look for a brand that designs ‘for curves’. They will have enough room at the back while snugging you around the waist.
   • For jeans that you already own, find a good tailor that can add one or two darts at the back of your jeans. This is a common alteration for workwear trousers, so it’s nothing that a competent tailor can’t do. Alternatively, you can buy a Hip Hugger Strap, which is something similar to suspenders but that clip between the back belt loops to remove the gap at the small of your back. It is great if you wear long tops over your jeans.
5. The jeans crease at the back. A small number of creases (especially for skinny jeans) is normal and it’s due to the spandex which will expand and allow you to bend and sit while wearing them. However, when the creases are more significantly present it might indicate:
6. A thigh width issue. In this case, you will see small straight creases at the back of your leg that dig into your thighs. You might want to try a style with a wider leg that allows more room.
7. A seat width issue. These types of creases are concave, much bigger, and looser. It means there is an excess of material and you need to go for a smaller size or a slimmer style.

Tip: The two fingers rule. Try to fit two fingers down the back of the waist. If you can easily fit more than that, they are too loose, less than that, too tight.The waist needs to feel like a gentle hug around your waist, so they aren’t sliding down and also aren’t cutting into you whether you’re standing up or sitting down.

How to choose jeans that make your butt look good

Passing the back-look mirror test is what makes or breaks the jeans. There is an old Italian saying: “I’ve got the solution in my pockets”, and it’s never been as true as in this case.Indeed, the placement and shape of the back pockets play a huge role in how your butt will look when you do the ‘back look in the mirror.

Let’s try to break it down one trouble at a time!

• For a flat booty. First of all, I would probably recommend going for a snug-fit style like skinny or slim jeans that will snug and lift your butt rather than a relaxed fit that can make your butt look flatter. Secondly, try to pick a pair of jeans with details like contrast stitching, embroidery, etc., on the back pockets. Ideally, you’re looking for smaller-sized pockets. They will help your butt look rounder and perkier.
• For a generous booty. If you wish to create the illusion of a smaller butt you should look exactly for the opposite I stated above: avoid any details that will draw attention. High-waisted jeans without a yoke can make your bottom look longer. Look for styles with a yoke if this is a concern. See the image below for what a yoke (the stitching or line above the pockets) is.

How to find the right jeans for your body shape

Find your fit

Top tips to find the most flattering jeans for an apple shape

top tips to find the most flattering jeans for an hourglass shape

Top tips to find the most flattering jeans for a pear shape

Top tips to find the most flattering jeans for an inverted triangle shape

Top tips to find the most flattering jeans for a rectangular shape

Find your rise

Find your style

Skinny jeans are one of my wardrobe staples! Click here to discover all the 21 timeless wardrobe essentials.

Extra note: what is the difference between boyfriend and mom jeans?

Extra note: What Is the Difference Between Bootcut and Flare Jeans?

The top troubleshooting questions I came across during my fashion career

What jeans are best if you have a curvy bottom body shape?

Straight-leg jeans are said to be the most flattering for anyone with a pear figure as they can balance the body proportions. Ideally, choose a pair with a moderately low-rise and in a dark wash.

The expert tip: Avoid jeans with pockets having contrast-colored stitching and other details such as embroideries, sequins, or flaps. Curved pockets? No, thank you! They bring the eye to that area where you want the least attention. Instead, choose pockets that sit lower at the back! Also, a higher waist at the back will be a better fit.

What jeans are best if you have a top-heavy body figure?

Bootcut jeans are best for an inverted triangle body shape as they will balance the figure. If you choose a light-colored pair, that will help to add volume to the lower part of the body.

What jeans are best if you want to look curvier?

Slim-fit jeans and skinny jeans can help give you a curvy look. Opt for stretch jeans with a %-age of lycra in them as these styles are better than looser models like baggy jeans/boyfriend jeans.

Prefer high-waisted jeans to low-waist models. Whisker marks along the hips and thighs can help emphasize curves. Choose jeans with curved pockets that sit on the lower part of your bottom.Light colors are better for making you look curvier. Alternatively, distressed jeans with fading around the thighs can emphasize those areas and make you look curvy.

What jeans are best if you have a flat bottom?

Buy jeans with some embellishments on the pockets, and sit on the higher part of your bottom. Low-rise is better to emphasize your butt, especially on stretchy and skinny jeans.

What jeans are best if you want to conceal your tummy?

Here, I would rather tell you what not to do first! The worst thing is to buy low-rise jeans. Mid-rise or high-rise jeans help to conceal a big tummy. An 8 1/2-inch rise or higher is ideal. Keep an eye out for ‘Tummy Control’ models.

What jeans are best if you want to look taller?

Full-length straight-leg jeans or skinny jeans are the right choices if you want to elongate the legs. High-waisted skinny jeans can make you look taller. Low-rise jeans will have the opposite effect. Avoid tapered leg styles and cuffs.Dark-colored jeans will help you look even taller. With long jeans, the hem should be no more than 1 inch off the floor and graze the top of your shoes – this will lengthen your legs. While for skinny jeans, the right length is below the ankle bone. Wear them with heels to go the extra mile!

Conclusion

Now, you are equipped to make better choices while happily shopping for your denim! But make sure you also read How to buy jeans – Everything you need to know to find your dream jeans, where you will learn all about quality and how to spot the best jeans on the market.