Jan 9, 2012
She’s Curvy? Lord Help Us All
You all know this is not a fashion blog. Some of you know that I can barely dress myself, especially if it means that the clothes have to be free of peanut butter handprints. But this is a blog where I write about whatever I want, so here goes.
I’d really like some non-dress pants that aren’t jeans (maybe some corduroys or something?) so I started bopping around on the old internet to see what’s out there post-Christmas.
I literally laughed out loud when I read the description for this one. This, my friends, is the person chosen to model Gap’s “curvy” jeans.
[break here for general laughter and guffawing]
Even granting the fact that there may have even been some airbrushing to the picture…still not curvy!
And while this woman may be a very nice person, she is definitely not (by any definition) curvy. I suppose she’s curvy in the sense that she’s not completely angular…
I have no problem with a woman who is healthy and skinny. I have a couple friends who are naturally skinny people. And I think they’re beautiful! But if any of them were chosen to model something curvy it would be the funniest thing ever!
So I’m guessing these “curvy” jeans are probably a non-option for me, since I look nothing like the person in this picture.
What brands sell actually curvy jeans? Especially for women who are about 5’4? (that’d be me!)
I would recommend looking at New York & Company. I’ve got hips and a butt and they’re the only store I’ve been able to find pants that look uber cute on my body type. I joke they’re the store built for real women :D
If you live in a corner of the country where there’s a Maurices, I’d recommend them. I’m 5’0″ and curvy and have been able to find pants that fit…some of them without even hemming!
I really do like the gap and I’m 5’3″ and curvy:) Note they fit way better than they appear on waif like model above. I also really like the Loft…their pants fit really well too!
Yes, the Loft seems to have some good options, I agree!
I agree. I’ve always done well with Gap jeans, despite this ridiculous ad.
I am pretty sure my booty and thighs write the handbook on “curvy.” I actually really like Gap’s “Always Skinny” jeans. They come in a shorter length (I’m about 5’4”, too) and will make you look bootylicious.
I’m afraid of anything that says “Always Skinny” but I will try it (maybe). ;)
the majority of my jeans are from Express, tho i have a few cords from Eddie Bauer that i find to be incredibly comfortable. my fave jeans tho are from Target for $10.
I was going to say just what Chelsea said… I’m 5’4″ also and as I’ve fluctuated in size with each post-pregnancy phase, I’ve found Gap’s Curvy jeans as well as their Always Skinny jeans to be great. I currently live in my Almost Skinny jeans and love that they come in regular as well as shorter (“ankle”) lengths. I don’t know if they still sell them, but I got a pair of the Always Skinny pants in a khaki velvet material and love them more than a corduroy option. I never feel like the online models represent the way Gap’s clothes fit me, so I rarely shop online (unless I know exactly what item I need) and instead try to make time to actually try things on in the store. I’m always pleasantly surprised – hope you find something that works! Thanks for the laugh.
Hmmm…. I actually have lots of luck with Gap pants. Even if that model isn’t curvy, I think they do a good job of fitting pants to actual curvy women. That being said, you know I prefer to wear skirts and dresses, so I’m not the best judge of pants…
I agree! And the pants on the model don’t even look like they fit her very well with the way they are pulling.
I like Express jeans…but I also have a hard time finding comfy non-jeans pants for everyday wear.
I don’t spend much on clothes- have only ever purchased one thing from the gap for example… but I have written off old navy because their clothing is just so tight and designed for taller and thinner gals than me. I shop at kohls in the woman’s section. I think my jeans are lee’s or levi’s (I’m currently pregnant so they are packed away!). I always need my pants hemmed though because in order to get pants that fit they are ways too long.
Good luck with your search!
I am 5’2″ and have wide hips and really do like the gap curvy fit but their sexy boot is even better! I even rock their straight leg jeans as my version of a skinny jean :) Old navy’s boyfriend cut is cute and affordable too
p.s. you and your husband’s naming style (Whitsun) is mentioned (and linked to you) on this blog that was published yesterday:
http://nameberry.com/blog/nameberry-nine-the-meaning-matters
I am 5′ 4″ and curvy and I love The Limited’s 917 Skinny jeans. Try one size smaller than your usual size because there’s a little Spandex in them for stretch and they will relax a lot if you get too big a size. I wish they made a flare in the 917 style, but so far all I’ve seen is the skinny style (which I love, but I want variety).
Oops…you wanted non-jeans pants suggestions, not jeans. :)
While I don’t buy Talbot’s jeans at full price, I do travel an hour out of my way a couple times a year to buy them at the Talbot’s outlet in KY. Not sure if there’s one near where you live, but it’s worth checking out. I’m curvy and their jeans fit really well. Last time I was there, I bought three pairs of jean for under $10 each! They are regularly ~$100.
I love Gap’s curvy jeans. The model is definitely not curvy, but their jeans work for me and I’m 5’3 1/2″.
I’ve had good success with LLBean’s Curvy Fit twill pants. I just bought some more after Christmas from their sale catalog, so they may not have them in stock now. The waist:hip proportion is bigger (in the hips), which is what I need.
For the past 10+ years, the only pants I had bought that fit me were Liz Claiborne at thrift stores. I was never able to find them in stores, though.
I will definitely be reading the comments to get some hints & tips. Great topic!
i don’t know, those are some awfully curvy knee caps.
That was my exact thought, Melissa! Molly, Eddie Bauer has great cords with give in the hips and thighs and that come in short. I’ve also had some good luck at Kohl’s with cords and not-super-dressy pants (that should totally be a descriptor for pants, right?).
I’m soooo glad you posted about this. I have had a horrible time trying to find jeans that fit my post-baby body. Glad for all the tips here :)
Old Navy “The Dreamer” jeans (and other pants) are wonderful for curvy ladies. I’m definitely curvy, and also 5’4″ and they fit like a dream.
Yep– just tried a hand-me-down pair of Gap Curvy Straight Leg jeans– they’re fabulous– look great with everything and fit well.
Talbots, Christopher and Banks, and Coldwater Creek. Only when on sale or with coupons. I am definitely short and curvy, having given birth to 5 children!
I’m the same height as you with ACTUAL curves, & I like Eddie Bauer for curvy corduroys & jeans, in a petite. I’m always afraid of most companies versions of petite, but EB understands I can be curvy & petite!! Good luck……
I have fantastic luck (no pun intended) with Lucky brand jeans. Never found anything else that fits me better…the only hard part is finding them on sale. Or even better, at the thrift/consignment shop!
“I suppose she’s curvy in the sense that she’s not completely angular…”
Awe. Some.
No, she is NOT curvy. Bless her heart…and hand her a biscuit.
I am 5’1″ with wide hips and I love pants (jeans, cords, khakis) from Eddie Bauer. My favorite jeans are their curvy, almost boot cut, short.
I’m thinking that if the Curvy jeans fit that model then the Always Skinny jeans should fit me. Not.
While it’s been a few years, I know that Banana Republic had a curvy fit that was super nice. I looked it up and it’s now called the Jackson fit. I’ve also had good luck with Gap jeans. Lastly, I’ve been told that if you go to The Buckle they are great at helping you find some jeans that are truly flattering on you. Just be prepared to drop $90 on a pair. Someday when I get by body and wallet back (whatever that even means…)I’ll let you know if the rumors are true. :)
I like the ANA brand at JcPenney. They fit me well and they aren’t over the top expensive. Good luck! Buying jeans is always stressful to me.
I am not curvy (I have boy hips and a muffin top), and I’ve found Gap’s curvy jeans to have too much room in the hips, so you might try them anyway. Despite the waif in the ad, I think the pants ARE actually curvy. Some of the reviews say the material is a little thin and the sizes run small.
I also recommend a store with a petite section, like Loft or Macy’s.
Buying jeans is so stressful. I have been putting it off forever even though I really need new jeans post-pregnancy.
I’m not sure that I’d exactly qualify for *curvy*, but I’m definitely more curvy than the Gap model… I have good success with Maurices and American Eagle pants. Both brands make pants that actually seem to be designed with a human in mind. ; )
I definitely have some curves, so when Gap first came out with their Curvy fit a decade or so ago, I was very excited- but they fit me TERRIBLY!! A few years ago another curvy friend suggested Gap Long and Lean jeans and I laughed in her face. I am anything but Long and Lean!! But then last summer I found a really cute pair of Long and Leans in a thrift store for $3 so I figured why not try them on. . . and they are AMAZING!! Someone told me that the Curvy jeans are to give non-curvy women some shape, and the L&Ls are designed to make curvy women look leaner, and I believe it. They are the most flattering and comfortable jeans I have ever worn. I now own 3 pair of L&L jeans and one pair of cords. LOVE them and won’t buy any other pants anymore. They are relatively pricey at the Gap but I can generally find them on eBay or in thrift stores for under $10/pair. Give them a try!
I completely agree!! I used to buy the curvy ones too and my sister told me about the Long and Lean and I laughed too–I am neither long nor lean, but they don’t sit too low or too high on the hips and are pretty much perfect! So…..if they have a “long and lean” pair of pants, snatch them up!
This made me laugh out loud! Personally, I like Eddie Bauer. I think they have nice jeans and dress pants, and their clothes are designed for curves generally.
I’ll add the vote for Talbots. It is a rather matronly store, but for pants, jeans and the occasional wardrobe staple, they’re good. I’ve had good luck with the Heritage fit. I have a 10″+ difference between waist and hip measurements. My only advice is buy the jeans snug because they stretch.
I am super duper curvy (I’m pregnant with #5 right now…..you catch my drift)…..and love to shop at LOFT. They always have super cute stuff that seems to fit well.
Macy’s style & co. First curvy pant with a crack free waist band. Need I say more?!
The picture, and your title, made me laugh out loud. Lord help us all, indeed. I will say that I do like Gap jeans, though–especially the trouser-style pair I have, which are fairly dressy (but still jeans, of course), and which I think are the most flattering. Haven’t tried the curvy, but the “skinny” options I have are just trim, not super tight.
No one has mentioned these so far (I don’t think), but I really like the Natural Fit Boot Cut jeans from Eddie Bauer. I have several pairs of pants from LOFT, but I seldom wear them because I feel like the rise is too low and leads to the dreaded muffin top. I like the Natural Fit jeans from Eddie Bauer because the rise is higher (but not in a Mom Jean kind of way!) so that I feel like they follow the curve of my body nicely.
love this one.
:)
Not Your Daughter’s Jeans fit great. Pricey, but if they really work for you, maybe worth it, and sometimes you can find them on sale. . Available at Macy’s and Nordstrom’s and probably lots of other places online.
I like J. Jill jeans and their more tailored pants a lot – they cover the tummy without looking mom-jeanish and fit well through the bum and hips. If you can find them on sale (’tis the season!), it’s a good deal; if not, it’s worth waiting.
Hi! I’m actually quite curvy, and Gap Curvy Jeans are my FAVORITE. The woman in their advertising is very un-curvy, yes, but their curvy jeans are some of the only ones I’ve found that I don’t have to worry about looking a bit too much like a plummer, if you know what I mean. my ratings: advertising, 0 out of 10, curvy fit jeans, 9 out of 10 (because what jean is ever perfect?)
oh, an PS, I’m 5’4 too, if that helps.
yes, weird picture! i think the jeans are meant to be curvy themselves, like more flare and shape, as opposed to straight leg or skinny jeans; not necessarily for curvy people vs uncurvy people. i have a pair and they’re more like what i’m saying, it just must not look like it on the model because she’s so little. she’s probably wearing a size 2 (or something tiny) and so there’s not much curve in those jeans, proportion-wise. if that makes sense. good luck! i went searching for a good new pair of jeans after christmas and ended up with curvy gap jeans:)
My personal FAV is Gap’s Long and Lean. It is important to note, I am neither long nor lean (actually more like short and stumpy) but these jeans have the absolutely right proportions to make anyone LOOK long and lean. They have a nice boot cut at the bottom and a comfortable rise (about two fingerlengths below my belly button). I vote Long and Lean all the way!
Her knees do sort of curve in….
and my sister really likes Gap curvy jeans
I didn’t see anyone mention Coldwater Creek, but I have had really good success with them. They are a bit pricey but things come down well in their clearances.
Ummm, her knees look kinda curvy. ;-)
Yes, I think that’s what the ad meant! =)
Levi’s! They now carry three different cuts for varying sizes of, ahem, derriere. I go for the Bold Curve myself. :-)
P.S. I laughed out loud at your title too. Love it.
Jesus Christ! I’m from Brasil… so all I can do is laugh. Or else I’ll have to get myself killed! ;)
Curvy? May God help us!