Ayyee Laddiieeesss!

I purchased, wrestled, wiggled, and yanked 23 pairs of jeans on and off my body all for the sake of sharing what brands worked and why! Obviously, each body is going to fit into a pair of jeans in its own unique way–but it seems us curvy girls have an extra difficult time finding a good pair of quality jeans that fit like a glove.

Here I’ll share what brands stole the show and why, which brands fell short, and wrap things up with some tips on how to make your own try-on sessions a little less painful!

A few things to note before we dive in:

1. This “tester” body of mine: I’m 5’3″, 165ish lbs (emphasis on the “ISH” HAHA), and have an hourglass figure.
2. These brands are not your run-of-the-mill brands–these are denim brands that are an INVESTMENT. I searched high and low to make my recommendations to you that way when it comes time to truly invest in a high quality pair of jeans you know where to, at the very least, start.
3. My style: I am a high-waist skinny ankle kind of gal. I want to be held in and for my legs to be elongated, so bear in mind that’s what I was primarily looking at here. However, I did also buy a couple boot-cut and flare-ankle styles as well.

Curve-Friendly Brands

If this were a perfect world, I would try on every jean brand in allllllll the land. (Wow, creative.) But unfortunately this is not the case. I was, however, able to try on a wide variety of brands, all of which have fabulous track-records and are cult classics in many people’s eyes. Each has their own unique “style”, not just in appearance, but in fit, sizing, cut, etc.

Style Recommendation: “Good Waist” (size down)

Good American $$

There are seldom times in my life when I would stand by a Kardashian, but in the jean department, Khloé is on to something. I will never, ever, ever stop repping this brand. Between the lower price for a designer pair of jeans and the way the hips were (very literally) designed for women with curves, this brand takes the cake. My ONLY beef with them is that 9 times out of 10, the standard styles have a very long leg. On the actual Good American website, many styles are available in a cropped version, which would fit us short ladies properly, length-wise. Fortunately, they are a denim that looks very nice rolled, so it’s never an issue for me. On their website you can also view the designs on three different models, each appealing to different body shapes which is very cool and helpful.Last and final note, YOU. MUST. SIZE. DOWN. Unless you’re ordering some of their very structured jeans, your normal size will feel fine when you first get it, but an hour into action they will start getting too big and feel uncomfortable. I have even gone down 2 whole sizes in the past….Also I’m embarrassed to say I had to google how to spell Khloé’s name and am laughing so hard because my auto-correct wants “Kardashian” to be “Guardian” and “Khloé” to be “Kohls”. Same, MacBook. Same. Am I even a millennial???

7 For All Mankind $$$

Style Recommendation: “High Waist Ankle Skinny Jeans” (TTS)

This brand is honestly the OG. Their denim is incredible, their brand is well established, and their looks are classic. Not every style is curve-friendly, but their “High Waist Ankle Skinny” line is fabulous. I love the fit of their jeans, the waist hits perfectly above my belly button, the booty isn’t crowded, and the length is perfect for my short legs. The only drawback is they are a prettyyyy pennnyy. BUT, I will say, of all the jeans I tried, the pair I ended up keeping was this brand and a SALE pair at that! Still expensive, but only $128.98 instead of $215. 40% off? I’ll take it. Another item that’s food for thought, if you’re on a budget, search for them on Poshmark and set an alert for new postings.

Mother Denim $$$

Style Recommendation: “The Stunner” (TTS, unless between two sizes, order up)

Alt Recommendation: For a fun flare ankle, try the “Hustler” (TTS). I’m obsessed.And finally, another fabulous brand. This one is near and dear to my heart, they insert wit, class, and humor all into their one brand and I LOVE that. The denim is again, amazing high-quality and fits like a dream. I actually ended up keeping not one, but TWO pairs of their jeans. This was a physically painful because of their cost but when a girl has 0 pairs of jeans that fit properly, you gotta do what you gotta do. And in fact, they are the two pairs I was most “giddy” about. Also, the flare ankle pair was on major sale but unfortunately is now sold out. Nordstrom has a bunch of items already discounted for their Black Friday sale, so I would hop on it if you’re in need of a new pair, don’t dilly-dally, ladies. Similar to 7 For All Mankind, there are soo so so many pairs on sale that absolutely rock. You just have to keep an eye out.

Honorable Mention: Madewell $$

Style Recommendation: “The Roadtripper” or “Curvy High-Rise Skinny” (Size down in both)

This brand deserves a mention for a few important reasons: A) Prices are much more reasonable than #2 and #3 above. B) Their jeans look like structured denim and fit like jeggings, it’s magic. Definitely worth giving this brand a try if you haven’t already, they have quality denim options that won’t break the bank–and frequent sales too! The only reason I don’t feel they are worthy of the official list is because they don’t meet my very personal expectation of jeans. I want a pair of jeans to be comfortable, don’t get me wrong, but I also want them to be real, somewhat structured denim. Especially if I’m spending $100 or more. I own a pair of Madewell jeans that I wear regularly, but I always get frustrated with them because they just won’t “stay put”! They wiggle and jiggle and slide and I’m constantly yanking on them, just like a pair of leggings. That’s not what I want in pair of high-end jeans. However, that is not to say they aren’t EXACTLY what so many people are looking for!

Here’s a few shots of the jeans I was most impressed by:

Brands That Didn’t Make The Cut

Joe’s

I was REALLY excited to try this brand as I have never put a pair of their jeans on my body before! Unfortunately, I was disappointed. Their price point is extremely high–comparable to 7 For All Mankind yet providing only half the quality, in my opinion. I will say, I tried a pair of their coated jeans and I was BLOWN AWAY at how soft they were. Even now, 3 days later, I am still shook. And yet, for $139, I’m gonna opt for a Target pair every time. But if you’re in the market for a pair of coated jeans and willing to drop the dough, these are a solid contender.

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Citizens of Humanity

For skinny bitches. That’s all I got.

PAIGE

I liked this brand a lot and was very impressed by the overall quality. My only thing is that in all the pairs that I tried, my ass was squished in there. It was very uncomfortable and I have no doubt if I bent over I would have a some plumber action going on back there. I would describe the fit as “comfortable but I WILL rip these belt loops off before long”. IYKYK

I will say, if you are a PAIGE fan, you have to peep the Nordstrom sale stuff, there’s a bunch marked down for Black Friday! Here’s a link to this pair specifically.

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J Brand

Good but not good enough. Again, I just did not feel like any of the styles I tried were worth the money. Another brand that if laid next to a target pair, I’d vote Targét all day.

However, if these are your bee’s knees then here’s the link to check em out!

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Reformation

Ehh, I don’t know what was up here but I just was NOT vibing. The fit was all off. Looking in the mirror was like looking at one of those memes where its a side-by-side of what it looked like online vs you IRL. Yikes.

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Tips to Making Your Jean Try-On Sesh Less Miserable

1. Get in the right head space. If you’re having a shitty day, spare yourself the agony of a fitting room mirror and wait until you’re feeling good in your skin. The following tips are ways you can help yourself get in that space:
2. BRING HEELS. This is my tried and true method to making any try-on session a tinge more bearable. It’s a classic high-end retail trick. Elevating yourself completely changes the way you look in the mirror and can help you really assess how things are fitting without being stuck on staring at your own thighs for an hour. I put the jeans on, take a peak in the mirror, and then throw the heels on to compare.
3. Look decent. This seems silly, but if you’ve ever gone prom dress shopping right after a sports practice, you know full and well that if you look and feel like a thumb, a foreign pair of jeans and fluorescent lighting is not going to help. Set yourself up for success and just make sure you pulled yourself together at least slightly.
4. Wear a comfy, versatile shirt. Nothing fancy, something that’s easy and comfortable, yet doesn’t steal the show. You want to be able to really assess the jeans, the last thing you need is some crazy ass blouse all up in your business every time you’re trying to put on a new pair.
5. Take them home, if possible. I knew going into this project that I would be totally overwhelmed if I pilled myself and 23 pairs of jeans into a Nordstrom fitting room, and I wanted to have access to options that weren’t available in-store. I am fortunate enough to be able to order like a mad-woman and try on in the comfort of my own home, but I realize that’s not always realistic. Of course, you also won’t be investing at 23 pairs of name-brand jeans all at once so it’s not totally out of the question. If you can, I would pick a style you like and order a couple sizes/washes of it. Try them on at home, in your own lighting, staring into your own mirror that loves you (most days) AND, added bonus! you can walk around in them for a while and really get a “lived-in” perspective of how they fit. Many stores are very cool about online returns, assuming you abide by their requirements of course. Nordstrom, especially, they have a VERY flexible return policy and essentially only turn items away if you’re clearly trying to work the system.

Thank so much for being here! If you’re new around here, take a look around and get to know me in my Welcome post!

As always, God bless those bad hair days, ladies!