In search of the perfect jeans

(I decided to put this in Maintaining, since I am maintaining now, and this forum needs some more traffic!)

I have decided to make it a goal for Spring to find the PERFECT pair of jeans. Cost is no object, since I'm maintaining now. These aren't going to be "temporary" jeans while I lose more weight. These are going to be jeans to celebrate my successful maintenance since October, and to give me good reason to keep on maintaining ...

My objective is to find a pair that:

1) Is perfectly flattering for my figure.

2) Fits me perfectly (but I won't rule out alterations to make an "almost" pair into a perfect pair)

2) Has a dark wash with no whiskering, fading, etc - a pair I can wear for business casual days and dressing up

4) Mid-rise (just below the belly button - an 8-9 inch rise) to "lock and load" my tummy, which tends to be my trouble spot

5) Boot cut or straight leg.

6) MUST BE COMFORTABLE. Able to bend and stretch, eat out and not feel like I'm going to explode, and comfy enough to wear on a long airplane flight.

This is going to be quite a challenge, as I never have any luck with jeans, no matter what my weight. A big part of that is that I'm petite - only 5'0". I also have narrow hips (32 inches) but a 0.8 waist/hip ratio. And a smallish butt that isn't really all that bad, but perhaps (now that I'm in my 40s) has seen perkier days. I have a ton of "passable" jeans in my closet.... but I crave something better than passable... I crave NIRVANA!!!

I'm going to post here with my updates as I go shopping and trying on jeans. Feel free to join me in this mission, or help me out if you have suggestions!!!

For a limited time only.... check my profile for pics of my new favorite jeans. ;-)

I've test-run this week and these are the best ones, I think I will buy a second pair that I can have hemmed shorter to wear with flats! 

Let me know what you think. ;-)

Wish I still had that sewing machine... it'll come in handy when I have to start taking in all my clothes... :) I guess I'll live with the flares in this pair and get a skinny pair next time there's a deal.  (I've been impulse buying lately and have to live with what I have for the next few months until taxes are over...)

James Cured by Seun are the bestest...I swear!  Angled pockets that make your booty look perky and cute!  LOVE THEM!

I love my Gap Long and Lean jeans.  People always think I have lost more weight when I wear them.  They are also a little darker wash which makes you appear thinner as well.  The darker wash can also look casual or dressy depending what you team them with.  The added benefit of these are that I don't have to wear a belt with them to keep them up.  Most of the cute jeans are cut so that without a belt they are too big around the waist but fit every where else making it nessecary to wear a belt or pull them up all day.

Oh last thing....

on Oprah they gave tips on finding the perfect pair of jeans.  First if you have a larger bottom... you should get a pair with the split pocket or flat pocket so you don't get added bulk in that area.  If you have no bottom them a three demensional pocket with a flap that folds over and button will make it look like you do.

Second, you shouldn't have one that has a bleaching effect in your problem areas... this just pulls peoples eyes to the area that you don't want then to notice.

Third, nobody looks good in a peg legged jean... it draws your eyes up and makes you look wider in proportion to your lower half (once you start looking this is really true!  Even skinny people look terrible in these!)  A pair that has a boot cut or slight flare makes your thighs look smaller, makes you look taller, and balances you out.

Dark wash will make you look smaller than a light wash.  And if you wash them inside out, the color won't fade as fast.

Lastly, a pointed shoe With a slight heel makes your eye continue down and will make you look taller.

Jenmcc... I just looked at your new jeans.  You look fabulous in them.  Without knowing it you followed all the rules from Oprah's show.  They also showed a great pair from JcPenney's (who would have guessed) that are Levi's Classic jeans in a dark wash that looked great and they were only $44.00 but on sale right now.

Thanks Chatty! I have to say, I *feel* fabulous in these jeans!!

I've been wearing them non-stop. Finally threw them in the wash yesterday. But (and this was just an experiment!) I wore then seven days straight without them bagging out TOO terribly - pretty good!! And yet, they have just enough stretch I can sit in them comfortably, bend,  move around, etc. They feel as comfy as dress pants.

I did get a second pair that I also ran through the wash yesterday - and the dryer. I am taking them in to have hemmed for flat shoes, so I wanted to run them through the laundry gauntlet to shrink them as much as they might possibly go, should they someday accidentally get fried in the dryer. (Around here, whoever is passing the laundry room ends up "rebooting" the laundry, so you never know... )

Because otherwise I intend to baby these jeans to make them last - wash infrequently as possible, turned inside out, cold water, woolite, delicate cycle, and NO dryer.

Incidentally, these cost me $150, plus $15 for hemming. Times that by two, since I bought two pairs. NOT cheap. But worth every penny - I am glad I splurged. I have spent way more $ than that over the years on less expensive jeans that:

1) didn't fit or flatter

2) shrank to become floods when I ran them through the dryer

3) stretched out to much within an hour or two of putting them on

4) were just terribly, horribly uncomfortable to wear ... so I rarely did.

I suspect in terms of cost per wear the expense for these two perfect pairs is going to be quite minimal over the long-haul!

Lucky jeans are great, because you can find the right length, the right waist, and they don't fade as fast. Some can get to be around $90 but since money is no object go for it! I also find that Silvers are very flattering, especially for hips!

So good for you for buying something that will make you feel great!

Original Post by brianna_renee:

Lucky jeans are great, because you can find the right length, the right waist, and they don't fade as fast. Some can get to be around $90 but since money is no object go for it! I also find that Silvers are very flattering, especially for hips!

So good for you for buying something that will make you feel great!

 I have four pairs of Lucky jeans, three from costco, and one from Ross.

I never paid more than $40 for them, and I love them more than any other pair of jeans I've EVER owned. 

I agree about Lucky jeans. They are so comfortable.  I got my first pair from Costco - they were about $40 and then I paid a tailor $5 to shorten them and they look great!

Try "Not Your Daughter's Jeans". We found them at Nordstrom's. About $70 but did great things for the butt and belly. Holds them in nicely without being horribly stiff.

Mom got a pair for Xmas, she looks fabulous!!!

 Oh, and your pics in the new jeans are wonderful! I am jelous. I want to get sexy new jeans now! But, alas, I must wait. Just got a new job and had to get a whole new wardrobe of nice clothes. Jeans will have to wait till summer.

hmmmmm.... I been on the Gap website (mind you I got lost in the web for 45 minutes longer than intended).  jenmmc, did you get the Gap Long and Lean ?  On the Gap website they run like $50. a pair.  Store must be more expensive if you did get Long and Lean Gap brand.  If those are the one's you got, errrr, what size ?  You can PM that.  Sorry for that personal question.  I did look at the pics and they look great on you !  So, details, details, details : )

Nope, not GAP - I got Citizens. The pair I'm wearing in the photo are called Hutton's, their darkest wash ... some premium japanese denim...

here:

http://www.bellegray.net/Citizens-of-Humanity -Hutton-High-Rise-Jeans-p/251-132.htm

Yes, expensive, but worth it. I've been wearing them constantly, they've already paid for themselves!

I also got a pair of Citizen's Amber, which are more of a boot-cut. They aren't quite as comfy as the Huttons, but a little more dressed down/casual. After wearing them about 5 times, they've become much more comfy but now I'm afraid to wash them because they're perfect. ;-)

Dope !!!  jenmcc I went back a page and read (really read) the post to figure out that you hadn't gotten the Gap jeans. Silly me.

I had a heck of a time with those Gap jeans (Long and lean style). They're really cute, but, sadly feel too "big" on me (size doesn't agree with me).  I took them and washed them in hot water and put them in the hot dryer more times than I care to disclose.  They are still too big!

On a footnote, I have found much luck with Angel's jeans and American Eagle "Favorite" jeans.  It's like the "junior" fit suits me lately.  Go figure. 

I am going to check out your jeans - they look great.

I saw your spring list - I have been working on that and summer.  I love this time of year!

http://www.applebottoms.com/
http://www.applebottoms.com/
http://www.applebottoms.com/

apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur~
these are like... seriously... the best jeans i've ever worn. most of the styles are boot cut but they may be more "casual" than "business". they're so comfortable, real soft dark blue forgiving jean as opposed to hard i-can't-bend-over-in-these jeans.

I too am on the search for the perfect pair of jeans. We seem to have a lot of the same things in common. Need dark wash no bleaching jeans. Need mid/high rise. Need jeans that HUG all my curves and allow me to stretch. Ah I'm excited.

I'm going to see if I can't find some of these Citizens for Humanity jeans you mentioned.

And my search begins..

Speaking of Chip and Pepper Jeans.....JC Penney (can you believe it!?) carries a "low-end" line of their jeans in the Junior's section. They are AMAZING.  I am a person who always invests in good jeans and I have been wearing AG's for years, but they always get too baggy in the waist. I was thrilled when I saw the brand as I was walking through from the parking lot----the Chip and Pepper's are so flattering and afforable at $50.00. I highly recommend checking them out!