I love learning about the science behind denim—mostly because I always thought it was my fault (my body’s fault) that jeans and other clothes don’t fit quite right. I hold so much guilt about my body being larger. I’m working hard to let that burden of guilt go, but, man, it is so deeply ingrained. It is mind blowing to me that it’s not my body, it’s the poor design.
Ah, thanks for confirming my suspicion that brands dabbling in plus have no idea what they're doing. So many times I've been baffled by the fit decisions at brands newly pushing into the space (giant sleeve holes! Literally no space for boobs! Ridiculous distance between leg holes!).
Unfortunately it kinda sounds like we're stuck in a loop: brand covets plus money -> brand makes half-assed plus collection -> plus women recognize it's crappy and don't buy it -> brand goes "plus money is a lie" and pulls/reduces/shoves it all online.
I just came home from an hour in the dressing room at Saks off Fifth trying on jeans. I would describe myself as small fat and clearly with enough thin privilege to be in that dressing room with options so I want to acknowledge that. I tried on 12 pairs of jeans in 2 different sizes and size, description of stretch and description of rise all meant nothing. In one brand, the “smaller” jeans were big and the bigger jeans were small. The same size was a great fit in one brand (I bought them. Lets pray. They have no stretch). I couldn’t put my toenail in in another - no really - not past my ankle. So this series is so on the money. It was really a mind blowing experience.
This is so fascinating. And I call BS on the alleged good old days of 90's denim. I remember it as being stiff and unwieldy and I would usually stick to buying men's Levi's from thrift stores for the most comfort and best fit. And I was a size six in the 90's!
Thank you for writing this! I used to read and love Shapely Prose when it was being updated and now I feel like Kate Harding & Co walked so that you could run. One of the writers there made the point that going to the mall meant they could shop in 4 stores, at most, while their straight-sized friend could shop in nearly every store, while also emphasizing that the clothes themselves were the problem -- not bodies. I'm comparing the options we have now to what was available in the 90s/early 2000s. Still crappy, but so much better than before with the internet. But wow, it would be nice to just go to the store and *try something on* before I decide to buy it or not. Modcloth's review sections were really helpful for that because occasionally you'd get reviews from folks who would match your height and size, or near-ish enough to it. But even that is a workaround and timesuck compared to pulling a hangar off the rack and heading to a fitting room, the way my bf or straight-sized friends can. And I never bought jeans from there anyhow -- I kind of just gave up on jeans because *references this series*.
I also loved the jeans science! I (vid woman) remember once explaining to my male partner that I have to look at every single fabric percentage for every single color because it changes so drastically.
I've been on this journey lately. Easily 20 pairs. $50 jeans. $250 jeans. ALL TERRIBLE. So, what are we wearing to work instead? What to wear on date nights? If my jeans aren't the wardrobe workhorse they once were, what's the replacement piece?
My partner has been wondering why it took me so long to buy a new pair of jeans, and let me tell you ... there were REALLY good reasons. Thanks to this series, I realized none of this was actually *my* fault, and I ended up buying some Levi's from our local large discount department store because they were Levi's and on sale, and I'm enjoying them even though they're far from perfect. I'm ready to engage a tailor. (My mom could sew beautifully, and I SURELY WISH I had learned.) Anyway, thanks for this entire series!!
I can’t help but think of the trip we took to Italy just before the pandemic. I brought a new pair of jeans in the same size, style, and brand that I already had. Levi’s Classic Straight, 18W.
Unlike my old pair, the waist gave out mid day and I spent ten days awkwardly hiking my jeans up everywhere we went. AND (ridiculously) I was terrified of the thought of trying to purchase a larger sized belt there which could have helped!
I’m straight size, so I apologize if this is not relevant or helpful. But on the small chance that it might be, I thought I’d share this here. I loved your jean science content and have suffered many of your same for frustrations, especially with them constantly falling down and having to hike them up all day. Belts also just feel uncomfortable for me. But I recently discovered button pins. They’re little pins that look just like a jean button that you can stick right in the waistband. It lets me cinch the waist enough that when they stretch, they don’t fall down nearly so much. And you can remove the pin and adjust it easily! Just throwing this out there in case it might help anyone else. Button pins are very cheap on Amazon.
I love learning about the science behind denim—mostly because I always thought it was my fault (my body’s fault) that jeans and other clothes don’t fit quite right. I hold so much guilt about my body being larger. I’m working hard to let that burden of guilt go, but, man, it is so deeply ingrained. It is mind blowing to me that it’s not my body, it’s the poor design.
Ah, thanks for confirming my suspicion that brands dabbling in plus have no idea what they're doing. So many times I've been baffled by the fit decisions at brands newly pushing into the space (giant sleeve holes! Literally no space for boobs! Ridiculous distance between leg holes!).
Unfortunately it kinda sounds like we're stuck in a loop: brand covets plus money -> brand makes half-assed plus collection -> plus women recognize it's crappy and don't buy it -> brand goes "plus money is a lie" and pulls/reduces/shoves it all online.
I just came home from an hour in the dressing room at Saks off Fifth trying on jeans. I would describe myself as small fat and clearly with enough thin privilege to be in that dressing room with options so I want to acknowledge that. I tried on 12 pairs of jeans in 2 different sizes and size, description of stretch and description of rise all meant nothing. In one brand, the “smaller” jeans were big and the bigger jeans were small. The same size was a great fit in one brand (I bought them. Lets pray. They have no stretch). I couldn’t put my toenail in in another - no really - not past my ankle. So this series is so on the money. It was really a mind blowing experience.
This is so fascinating. And I call BS on the alleged good old days of 90's denim. I remember it as being stiff and unwieldy and I would usually stick to buying men's Levi's from thrift stores for the most comfort and best fit. And I was a size six in the 90's!
Thank you for writing this! I used to read and love Shapely Prose when it was being updated and now I feel like Kate Harding & Co walked so that you could run. One of the writers there made the point that going to the mall meant they could shop in 4 stores, at most, while their straight-sized friend could shop in nearly every store, while also emphasizing that the clothes themselves were the problem -- not bodies. I'm comparing the options we have now to what was available in the 90s/early 2000s. Still crappy, but so much better than before with the internet. But wow, it would be nice to just go to the store and *try something on* before I decide to buy it or not. Modcloth's review sections were really helpful for that because occasionally you'd get reviews from folks who would match your height and size, or near-ish enough to it. But even that is a workaround and timesuck compared to pulling a hangar off the rack and heading to a fitting room, the way my bf or straight-sized friends can. And I never bought jeans from there anyhow -- I kind of just gave up on jeans because *references this series*.
I'm excited to read the last installment.
I also loved the jeans science! I (vid woman) remember once explaining to my male partner that I have to look at every single fabric percentage for every single color because it changes so drastically.
This series is like a good therapy session.
I've been on this journey lately. Easily 20 pairs. $50 jeans. $250 jeans. ALL TERRIBLE. So, what are we wearing to work instead? What to wear on date nights? If my jeans aren't the wardrobe workhorse they once were, what's the replacement piece?
My partner has been wondering why it took me so long to buy a new pair of jeans, and let me tell you ... there were REALLY good reasons. Thanks to this series, I realized none of this was actually *my* fault, and I ended up buying some Levi's from our local large discount department store because they were Levi's and on sale, and I'm enjoying them even though they're far from perfect. I'm ready to engage a tailor. (My mom could sew beautifully, and I SURELY WISH I had learned.) Anyway, thanks for this entire series!!
This is all so illuminating.
I can’t help but think of the trip we took to Italy just before the pandemic. I brought a new pair of jeans in the same size, style, and brand that I already had. Levi’s Classic Straight, 18W.
Unlike my old pair, the waist gave out mid day and I spent ten days awkwardly hiking my jeans up everywhere we went. AND (ridiculously) I was terrified of the thought of trying to purchase a larger sized belt there which could have helped!
I’m straight size, so I apologize if this is not relevant or helpful. But on the small chance that it might be, I thought I’d share this here. I loved your jean science content and have suffered many of your same for frustrations, especially with them constantly falling down and having to hike them up all day. Belts also just feel uncomfortable for me. But I recently discovered button pins. They’re little pins that look just like a jean button that you can stick right in the waistband. It lets me cinch the waist enough that when they stretch, they don’t fall down nearly so much. And you can remove the pin and adjust it easily! Just throwing this out there in case it might help anyone else. Button pins are very cheap on Amazon.