Clothing sizes

jessicastanfill

Not sure where to put this question so it's going here. I am frustrated with work clothing shopping. Anyone face weirdness when searching for pants? can anyone recommend a pant that is comfortable for a woman with a close stomach to hip ratio

jessicastanfill

(It cut the rest of my post off) specifically, 12s tend to be too tight around my waist but if I go up, the fabric tends to be way too lose around my legs and butt. Looking for brand recommendations from anyone who suffers similarly! Thank you!

RachelElser

no recommendations, but yes clothing sizes are dumb- I've got pants that all fit me that are labeled 8 to 14!

Sunna_W

I shop on eBay based on my measurements. The clothes tend to be cheaper and sometimes I actually am able to find designer clothes that cost less than "off the rack". I like Chico's and Eileen Fisher brands. Also, if you have a pair of pants that fit you well, measure laying flat, the waist, the rise (crotch to waist), the hips and the inseam. Plug those into your eBay search and sit back and be amazed... good luck!

jessicastanfill

Sunna_w that's awesome! Will try that!

jemhh

You're talking about not having much of a defined waist? If so, I'm the same shape. I shop a lot at Marshall's because they have so many different brands to try on. It's really dumb luck when I find pants that fit well so if they have multiple colors I snap them up, but that doesn't happen often.

Since losing weight I've actually found that I am more apt to find dresses that look nice. Before losing weight I never ever wore dresses because my big stomach made me look either pregnant or like Great Aunt Murgatroyd in her muumuu.

Old_Cat_Lady

To me, it seems that the expensive stores seem to fit people with narrow hips better. I went to Kmart once and remember trying on pants with an itty bitty waist and hips size of a car.

laurenebargar

What I do for work pants (especially because im losing weight) is get pants with somewhat stretchy material. Not sure where you are but JCpenney has great pants like this, and thats pretty much where all of my work clothes come from right now until im done losing the weight

despondentdelerium

I like Ann Taylor? or Annie Taylor?
Label Shopper sometimes gets them in for 15-17 dollars, and I love them.
I'm petite, so clothes shopping is terrible! I feel your pain! Nothing works with wonky measurements like mine!

MelanieCN77

I think I'd have a tough time if I had to go out and find pants right now. I'm straight through the hips and waist so anything without stretch is either giving me muffin top or is baggy in the butt. It really is just a matter of trying on a million things. Wear your good fitting underwear and get ready for a workout

chokhas

I have most cuts in several colours. once I found a fitting one I buy one in each color

jaymijones

Have you tried Old Navy? I have the opposite problem, wide hips and a narrow waist more so than most apparently. It's also hard for me to find pants that fit. I spend a lot of time at TJ Max. And most of my pants currently came from Sam's Club, I'm still losing so I don't care. If they fit my waist there's a good chance I didn't find out because I couldn't get them over my hips, and if I can get them over my hips they probably have way too much room on my waist. I stopped shopping at Old Navy years ago because this problem was particularly bad there, they apparently don't make clothes for women with my shape. But I have several friends who have a small hip to waist ratio that love shopping there.

MoiAussi93

I have the same problem with pants. I mostly wear skirts as a result...they just fit so much better and look so much more flattering! The typical difference between waist and hips isn't as large with skirts...or at least it seem that way to me. There are also more skirts than pants that have a bit of stretch, which helps as well.

If I do want pants, I shop in the juniors section. Juniors sizes are made for smaller hips, so they fit me much better than regular sizes. And department stores as well as stores like Marshall's, TJ Maxx, etc. will have extensive juniors sections. There is some obviously "junior looking" merchandise...but ignore that because there is a surprising amount of classic looking basics in quality fabrics as well. You can find all the pants you need in juniors and not need any expensive alterations to get them to fit correctly.

animatorswearbras

I'm British so can't really help on where to shop side of things, my solution was basically having to get mostly lowish cut jeans and trousers (obviously not too low), nothing too high waisted. I remember finding a great pair of trousers one time that actually fit both my hips and waist but couldn't bring myself to buy them when I realised they were from the maternity range. Even though I've lost most of the weight, shopping for dresses can still be a pain as I'm a full size bigger on top then bottom and quite broad shouldered. Hope you find the perfect pants! x

jessicastanfill

It is comforting to know I am not alone with this problem. Some good advice here! Thanks much!

WendyLeigh1119

I was a CNC Machinist and programmer for 13 years so I needed pants that were both durable, could get beaten up... but looked cute (I'm also short waisted). It sounds like you need odd sizes that are less curvy like I do. So look in Juniors sections instead of Misses.

If you're willing to spend about $22 I suggest the "Dickies Girl" sizing (it's basically just juniors styling and sizing rather than poofy "mom pants" and try the "Original Lowrider" line. I have probably 10 pairs of the Navy and they're very classic "workpant" look with a more feminine profile. They are stiff until you wash and dry them 1 or 2 times. But they're the best IMO.

http://www.dickies.com/dickies-girl/dickies-girl-juniors-original-fit-lowrider-straight-leg-pant/HH874.html

everher

I cannot recommend a brand, but I would recommend stretchy pants for your shape. Something that will give in the waist so the pants will fit without you having to go up a size.

I wouldn't recommend Junior's sizing because if I'm understanding you correctly they wouldn't fit in the waist.

beesareyellow

I have the opposite problem. Lifting has made my quads bigger but my waist smaller. Any pants that fit well over my legs/butt leave a huge gap at the waist. Like others have said, stretchy fabric all the way. I have actually found yoga pants to be a lifesaver. Costco has some that actually look very nice and if you wear a top that is a little longer, and nice shoes you can totally pass them off as dress pants, lol.

Gaia85

Try the Loft by Ann Taylor. It has three different types of fit...

Marisa = "Your perfect fit if your hips are proportionate to your waist."
Julie = "Our curvy fit – your perfect fit if your waist is smaller, but your hips are curvier."
Zoe = "Your perfect fit if your waist and hips are close to, or the same size."

WendyLeigh1119

everher wrote: »

I cannot recommend a brand, but I would recommend stretchy pants for your shape. Something that will give in the waist so the pants will fit without you having to go up a size.

I wouldn't recommend Junior's sizing because if I'm understanding you correctly they wouldn't fit in the waist.

Hmm... I took it as "small hips, short waist/not curvy" so maybe I read it wrong. My advice was based on a lifetime of not being curvy at any size....but needing pants that are flattering anyway. Sorry if that wasn't the case (those pants do look good on everyone, though).

jenniferinfl

I am apple shaped, so if the waist fits the rest of the pant looks gross and saggy. That sounds like it might be closer to your problem? My best basic black work pant is at JCPenney, the Arizona Schoolgirl Bootcut Pant in junior sizing. They are often on sale for around $20 a pair, around black friday I've bought them for around $12 a pair. They fade kind of quick, but, they have a bit of stretch to them and they are forgiving in the waist but narrower in the butt and leg. They don't run tiny either despite being in the jr's department. I weigh 221 lbs and wear a size 19 in them.

I buy them 8 pairs at a time during black friday and don't have to buy pants for another year or two.

nowine4me

Try a Banana Republic, their trousers tend to be fitted to your shape. I have a tiny waist and big butt, so they don't work for me.

macchiatto

I have the same problem. The best I've found so far were a pair of Calvin Klein trousers I got at Ross, but even they are a bit more baggy in the legs than I'd ideally prefer. (And I had to go down a size. Mostly an 8 in pants but those are a 6.)

macchiatto

Gaia85 wrote: »

Try the Loft by Ann Taylor. It has three different types of fit...

Marisa = "Your perfect fit if your hips are proportionate to your waist."
Julie = "Our curvy fit – your perfect fit if your waist is smaller, but your hips are curvier."
Zoe = "Your perfect fit if your waist and hips are close to, or the same size."

Ah, I need to try their Zoe. I've tried their Marisa and no-go; didn't know about the Zoe.

JeromeBarry1

"close stomach to hip ratio" sounds like you need men's trousers.

lichn

jessicastanfill wrote: »

(It cut the rest of my post off) specifically, 12s tend to be too tight around my waist but if I go up, the fabric tends to be way too lose around my legs and butt. Looking for brand recommendations from anyone who suffers similarly! Thank you!

I have a similar problem and am about the same size, and I have found work pants from The Gap look pretty decent on me. Banana Republic fits me but makes me look like a fat (fatter than I am) 45 year old secretary, so that's out. I have big hips/butt/belly but then my legs taper off dramatically and I have very thin calves and ankles, it's not an easy shape to fit!

RoteBook

What kind of work clothing? If you need business dress, NYDJ makes good stretchy trousers that don't look like stretch pants. They're pricey, but if you have a Nordstrom rack nearby you can often find them there.