Brands and cuts to try

Ann Ruthenburg
SEVEN for all mankind! This is my favourite brand and one I have found to fit me well nearly universally. Obviously you won’t see me rocking any Roxanne skinnies (or the Kates, which run way too big in the waist), but the bootcuts, flares, straights, Flynts (possibly my favourite), Dojos, Gingers, Jaggers, Mias, most Kimmies, and just about any of the older cuts (tan or white paper content tags) are a guaranteed fit.

True Religion – the Joeys fit me perfectly every time, though you may not desire the extra booty boost the flap pockets give. You might like the Rachel bootcut (higher rise, no flap pockets) or the Johnny straights. The original Sammys will also look really good on you, much to the envy of most of your denim forum friends.

Citizens of Humanity – these provide similar fits to 7FAM’s jeans, but the pockets are plainer in design, which will draw your butt more into proportion with the rest of you.

Their tendency towards wide pocket placement, while a problem for many, might not be as noticeable on you, and you may like the higher-rise cuts like the Amber, Hutton, and Elson.

Joe’s Jeans – while I don’t own any of these, the ones I’ve tried on tend to have a nice, curvy fit, with plenty of thigh room. They also make the “Honey” cut, which is intentionally smaller in the waist and bigger in the hips. The “Provocateur” petite cut may also save you the need to hem.

Paige Premium Denim’s Hidden Hills and Rising Glen cuts – while most Paige won’t work on our shape, I really love these two. The thicker waistband on the Hidden Hills adds to the rise without giving the “mom jeans” look, and they’re cut way more generously in the hips and thighs than Paiges usually are.

(Also, the pear might be the only one of the 12 body types who can really, really rock the Rising Glen-thanks to your Gumby-like torso, even the crazy-high rise should still miss your belly button by a few inches, and your butt is big enough to avoid high-rise pancake-butt!)

Group 2: “Well, I’ve got a belly, so that makes me an Apple, right?”

Maybe, but not always! You could also be an athletic Brick or a well-endowed Goblet. In any case, you probably find jeans shopping super-frustrating, but I’m here to help! 🙂

The Brick

Yes, I know, the name isn’t all that flattering . . . but it does portray how strong and athletic you probably are. Most gymnasts are petite Bricks, and when you’re in shape, you’re a muscle machine! Especially if you’ve recently stopped athletic training, you may feel rather masculine in your shape at times, with your broad shoulders, narrow hips and generous thighs, but there are plenty of brands and cuts that flatter this very common type. Read on!

Features to look for:

◆ Thick, stttrrreeeeetch fabric! Your athletic thighs won’t be tamed by rigids, and you don’t want to suffer from the “saggy butt” effect either.
◆ Cuts that run generously in the waist compared to the hips
◆ Fun, funky pockets – flaps, crystals, crazy stitching – nothing is off-limits when you’re not trying your darndest to disguise a fat behind!
◆ Twisted seams, if you can find them, will add curves to your shape.
◆ A higher rise – these are doubly flattering on you, both lengthening your rather short legs and containing any belly pooch.
◆ Bootcut, wideleg, and some skinny cuts – yes, I said both wideleg and skinny! Widelegs will fit your thighs and lengthen the leg (as long as you hem them for heels!), and skinnies will give you curvier hips.

With skinnies you’ll want to be careful about the fit of the thighs and calves (both of which are generous on you), so go with a really stretchy fabric and a clean, dark wash, perhaps also pairing them with big boots.

Brands and Cuts to Try

◆ Paige Premium Denim – many of her jeans run bigger in the waist than in the hips. You’ll want to try on several, though, due to her tendency to cut jeans small in the thighs.

◆ William Rast – these tend to run big in the waist and thighs, and many styles come with interesting pockets (you might really like the Belle flap-pocket flare).
◆ Adriano Goldschmied’s Bergman trousers may work nicely, since they have fold-under details at the hips, which will add some curves.
◆ J Brand – these also tend to run bigger in the waist than in the hips – sometimes with a difference of up to 2 sizes – and their sleek washes will slim your legs as well. (Just avoid the Blue Label line, which is specifically cut for extreme curves, and make sure the J Brands you pick aren’t equally slender in the thighs).

If you’re not feeling the skinny trend, try the 818 Mid-Rise Bootcut in Ink, which runs 2 sizes smaller in the hips and will lengthen your legs with the slightly higher rise.

◆ True Religion – if you can find some that don’t run huge in the hips. If you can find some narrow-hipped Joeys or slightly higher-rise Becky bootcuts, they’ll make your butt look amazing. (I sold some Beckys in Houston wash that ran 2 sizes smaller in the hips than the waist, so you might like these!)

◆ To be continued next week