The Dressing Room-Free Guide to Purchasing Pants That Fit Straight Out of the Box
You’ve found pants that work for you, and, along the way, you have found even more pants that absolutely do not. What was it about the good ones that made them so flattering? No matter if you’re looking for women’s jeans in a regular or curvy fit, you can get the pants you want without spending three hours locked in a tiny dressing room. Even shopping for plus-size chino pants doesn’t have to involve cab fare to the mall. Just follow this guide to finding pants that fit and you’ll never have to return a stack of “not even close” pants to the dressing room attendant again.
Know Your Measurements
Women’s pants should fit you well around your waist, hips, and thighs. Knowing your measurements and the measurements of the garment you are interested in purchasing will make this a snap. It also comes in handy if you are one of those on the fence sizes that flirts with regular, plus, and curvy fit without solidly dedicating yourself to any particular one. Understanding waist, hip, and thigh measurements may help you finally commit to one sizing option over the other. Regardless, all pants (not just jeans) should fit you around the waist without the use of a belt.
If you don’t know your measurements, pull out your trusty tape measure. Measure around the smallest part of your waist, which is usually near your belly button, in inches. Then measure around your hips. Most size charts just call for these two measurements, but some will ask you to also measure your thighs. If so, simply wrap your tape measure around your mid-thigh, and you’ll have all of your measurements.
All About the Cut and Fit
Women’s pants tend to be form-fitting enough to hug your body without sacrificing comfort. They need to stay where you put them. Finding women’s pants you do not have to tug at every time you change positions revolves around the length of the rise. Measure yourself, but also measure your best-fitting pair of pants. Now you have a template to follow. Compare the measurements of your potential pants to the ones you already know you love before solidifying your purchase.
Pants come in many different cuts and fits, but some of the most popular jean cuts include skinny, straight leg, bootcut, high rise, and mid rise. You might have a favorite cut of jean already, but always make sure to reference the size guide on the website that you are buying pants from. There are other options besides jeans if you’re looking for something a little different. Lands' End also offers corduroy pants, leggings, sweatpants, and more. So, you’ll be able to find pants that fit and feel great.
However, the unfortunate thing about all women’s pants is that the sizes differ between brands. In one brand you might be a 10, but in another, you might be a 12. So, it’s important to always reference the size guide, especially when buying online, since you can’t try them on before you buy them. Specifically, make sure you reference the size guide on the web page of each pair of pants you are buying. The Lands’ End pant size guide can be viewed here for all clothing types for women, men, and children.
Curvy-Fit or No Curvy Fit
Are you looking for a more curvy fit? You might not even be sure what a curvy fit is, but Lands’ End makes curvy fit jeans for women with a true hourglass figure. Our curvy-fit jeans use a little extra stretch in the fabric and the proportions are balanced. The waistband won’t gap in the back which is amazing once you see it’s possible. No need to size up to fit your hips just to have your waist fit baggy. Give it a try!
No matter what kind of pants you love best, Lands' End has options for you. Be sure to check out our website for size guides, cuts, colors, and patterns.