Guide To Finding The Perfect Fitting Pant

We’ve all been there: sitting dejectedly in the fluorescent light of the fitting room with a massive pile of pants around you wondering if you’ll ever find a pair that feels both comfortable and GOOD. Here’s a guide to putting an end to the search for that elusive perfect fitting pant, because when you look in the mirror, you deserve to feel like you’ve got it.

Start By Taking Back Your Closet

According to a ClosetMaid report, the average woman doesn’t wear 78% of the clothes in her closet! Sound like you? There has never been a better time to do a closet deep dive — be decisive and donate those clothes you’ve been swearing will fit someday or have been waiting for the perfect occasion to wear…for 10 years. Nothing sets you up better for a new wardrobe than clearing space mentally and physically. And remember: you are exactly where you need to be, you deserve clothes that fit you.

Get Real About Your Fit Issues

Establish a no-judgment zone and be honest about where your pants don’t fit — do you most often experience a waist gap? Or is your problem with a muffin top? Did you have to stop wearing a pair of pants because of camel toe? Or is everything too loose in the butt?

We promise you aren’t alone in whichever of the above you fall into. The US sizing system was first standardized in the 1930s, and then “updated” in the 1940s by looking at a small, not particularly diverse group of women. And that’s not all, each designer actually creates their own sizing system based on just one single body shape that is then either proportionally increased or decreased to account for the entire size range.  But as I’m sure we have all learned at this point in our lives, women don’t just come in one shape.

In fact, recently launched clothing brand Measure & Made discovered that 94.8% of women come in 3 shapes: straight, hourglass, and curvy. This female-run company measured more than 60,000 women over the course of 15 years in order to create pants that would actually fit.

Understand Your Style

When you cleaned out your closet did you realize that you never wore all those skinny jeans that were so in? Or was it the trendy flares that just never felt right? Was the light wash denim reminiscent of the 80s fashion you’ve spent the last 40 years trying to forget? With so many options out there, be realistic about what you will actually wear. Skinny jeans can be tucked into boots, perfect for the winter months but straight leg jeans are much more timeless. Black and dark wash denim can easily be dressed up or down and bonus will hide whatever the day throws at you. Or maybe you never want to look at another pair of black pants again — a pair of burgundy trousers might be what you need to make dressing up for work feel exciting again. Regardless, one of the great things about the plethora of clothing options out there is that you are in style no matter what cut you choose. The important thing is to find clothes that fit you, not clothes that you have to fit into.

Find The Right Fabric And Rise For You

After finding the right style for you, be sure to also consider fabric, rise, and inseam to ensure the most comfortable pants possible. First and foremost, consider a fabrication with a small percentage of stretch content. No one likes the feeling of a stiff jean, so a little spandex goes a long way. As for rise, the easiest and most flattering route to go is to find something that sits right at your natural waist. A mid-rise ensures that you won’t have too much pinching at the stomach or risk exposing your undies to the entire world. Lastly, making sure you pick the right inseam is key: most women look their best when pants hit right at the ankle, as opposed to something cut too high or low.

With a few simple tricks and tips, finding the perfect pair of pants is easily within reach. And now that you have all the secrets, it’s time to get shopping! For your new wardrobe needs, be sure to check out Measure & Made—a brand with especially great options for women over 50.

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