The Journey to Finding Jeans That Actually Fit

Francesca, how many more times are you going to talk about denim you might ask? As much as I want to! This time, we're talking about the fit of denim, something I've had major struggles with since I was a young teen. We're going to try to navigate this conversation without bringing up and ~ body issues ~ aside from the fact that my body just has weird measurements and that's totally normal! I just got fitted for a dress this past weekend and it was no surprise to me that two parts of my body (ahem, namely my chest) are in a completely different size than the part of my body that doesn't lie (thank you, Shakira).

For about seven years of my life, none of my jeans fit me right. I was athletic and my thighs have always been and always will be "bigger." That's just life, I can accept that. My hip size reflects that, but my waist sort of missed out on the memo, leaving me with jeans that look like they were my jeans two sizes ago while my thighs are threatening to break free from the denim. Anything that fit me in the hips and thighs would be gaping at my waist. On the other hand, any jeans that would possibly fit my waist wouldn't budge past my knees. I consistently sucked it up and accepted that I was just going to have to live the rest of my life wearing belts or constantly pulling my pants up so I wasn't showing my butt off to the world.

In middle school, the only jeans I would wear were Bullhead jeans from Pacsun or BDG jeans from Urban Outfitters. Both of these jeans not only didn't fit me in the hips, but they were also way, way too long for me. My aunt had to hem all of my jeans for about four or five years because I didn't know where else to look. I didn't have much of a need for jeans because I wore a uniform, but still, it would've been nice to have a pair that like, you know...fit. Sometime either during my senior year of high school or soon after, I discovered that American Eagle jeans kind of worked for my wonky measurements. Sure, they weren't perfect, but the high-rise skinny jeans were the closest thing I had to being "my" jeans. 

To this day, my American Eagle high-rise skinny jeans are my tried and true affordable pants, the jeans I would buy in a pinch if all of my jeans disappeared. I didn't think there were any other options for me. I knew Target jeans didn't fit me and I wasn't even going to attempt to mess with H&M's screwed up sizing (I  have a pair of jeans from them now and I have the same waist issue, which is a bummer because they're really cute but I hate pulling them up every five seconds).

And then I started working at the consignment shop and was introduced to the world of Rag & Bone, Paige, and Hudson jeans. Denim brands that I dreamed of affording but would never splurge for until I realized I could get a pair secondhand for the same price or less as a pair of my trusty American Eagle jeans. It really annoys me how well some of these jeans fit me. And not even just in the waist, but in the thighs, the length, and just all around comfort. Ugh.

It would be wrong not to mention the tried and true denim brand, the one that is beloved by almost everyone for being a true classic: Levi's. And my god, do Levi's fit and wear like a dream. There's a reason these jeans are mega-popular and will never go out. They're structured but comfortable, there's no fuss, nothing extra to them. They're just denim that are made well and fit even better. I have a vintage pair that I DIYed and a newer pair that my aunt graciously gave me. Then, most recently, I picked up a pair of the 'Wedgie' jeans on Poshmark (new with tags for $25, I don't want to toot my own horn...) and they are, hands down, the most comfortable and well fitting jeans I have ever slipped my legs into. 

So yes, maybe it took me 22 years on earth and over a decade to find jeans that suit my body shape. It's been a long road full of bulky belts and constantly having my fingers hooked onto the belt loops to hike my jeans up, but damn, does it feel good to not have to have your jeans altered by your aunt every time you want a new pair.

What denim brand is your all time favorite?