women's pants rant

[roadie gal]

&^%$^&*((^%^ !!!!!

We're going on a trip this summer and I'm shopping for pants that look nice but you can wear all day and walk in but aren't jeans. There isn't much around me in the way of shopping, so I'm trying to shop online.

FEH! Trying to buy women's pants online is impossible. Every store has a different name for their style of pant. What the h*ll is a " barkley" style pant? Or a "holly style" pant? Or even a "natural fit" pant? Just tell me where the waist fits, and if the thigh is a relaxed fit or not and if it's tapered or straight or belled below the knee. WHAT is so difficult about that? Then give me INCHES or centimeters for the waist and length. A medium in for one company is a small or even a large for another.

AAAAaaaaarrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhh!!!!!

[bmccasland]

You might look at LLBean or Land's End. I was pretty happy with doing mail-order from them.

Got to love my flannel lined LLBean jeans. Many thanks to the biologist who told me about them. Keeps one warm and toasty while doing field work in the lovely PNW weather.

[Irulan]

Target!! I've been going crazy pants shopping. I have curves (small waist) and have tried on everything everywhere. Target has 4 different cuts, labeled 1-2-3-4, and two of them fit me without gaposis at the waist. The best part is the have jeans, causual trousers, and dressier trousers, all very affordably priced. I have had such a hard time with pants that I would never do mail order on something I hadn't purchases before.

[bmccasland]

Target!! I've been going crazy pants shopping. I have curves (small waist) and have tried on everything everywhere. Target has 4 different cuts, labeled 1-2-3-4, and two of them fit me without gaposis at the waist. The best part is the have jeans, causual trousers, and dressier trousers, all very affordably priced. I have had such a hard time with pants that I would never do mail order on something I hadn't purchases before.

oooh I'll have to look there. Thanks.

[Penny4]

I feel your pain Roadie. While I live in an area where there are a million stores around, being tall requires me to order most of my pants on line. For some reason, many stores that do carry talls, only carry them up to a size 12 or 14. (I am usually a 16T). So I am constantly ordering on line and returning because the "Blakely" or "Modern" or whatever cut is all wrong for me. Oy.
Good luck with your shopping. It's such a pain

[murielalex]

Target!! I've been going crazy pants shopping. I have curves (small waist) and have tried on everything everywhere. Target has 4 different cuts, labeled 1-2-3-4, and two of them fit me without gaposis at the waist. The best part is the have jeans, causual trousers, and dressier trousers, all very affordably priced. I have had such a hard time with pants that I would never do mail order on something I hadn't purchases before.

^ This. I have four pair. I'm curvy with small waist and big bum, and the cut looks great and they're around $20, if I remember right. I don't think the quality is the best, and they wear out easily, but for the price, I just pick up another pair.

Also, check out ExOfficios. They are made for travel: light weight, wrinkle resistant.. I like their Nomads. A bit pricey, but really hold up. I've worn and washed my pair probably around 100 times. Still look great.

[Owlie]

&^%$^&*((^%^ !!!!!

We're going on a trip this summer and I'm shopping for pants that look nice but you can wear all day and walk in but aren't jeans. There isn't much around me in the way of shopping, so I'm trying to shop online.

FEH! Trying to buy women's pants online is impossible. Every store has a different name for their style of pant. What the h*ll is a " barkley" style pant? Or a "holly style" pant? Or even a "natural fit" pant? Just tell me where the waist fits, and if the thigh is a relaxed fit or not and if it's tapered or straight or belled below the knee. WHAT is so difficult about that? Then give me INCHES or centimeters for the waist and length. A medium in for one company is a small or even a large for another.

AAAAaaaaarrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhh!!!!!

And sometimes even if they give a size chart, it doesn't necessarily actually correspond to any particular garment. I hate buying clothes. Gap has been nice to me thus far, even with non-jeans. Of course, now that everything's gone skinny...

[Crankin]

Gap jeans fit me well, too. I just started buying them in the past year. I also bought a pair of really nice black stretchy pants for work.
Loft and J Crew petites fit me well, also, but you need to know which style is best for you. With J Crew, I can't try on in the store, since they no longer carry petite sizes in the store. But, I generally stick with one style, once I find one that fits.

[roadie gal]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I hadn't thought about Target. And I'll check out Athleta.

We ended up at Kohl's where we found some good stuff all on sale. Yay!

[Veronica]

I like that a lot of Athleta bottoms have an interior drawstring and that gets rid of the gap at the back.

My biggest problem with pants is I am too tall for petite and too short for regular in most styles.

Veronica

[indysteel]

I like that a lot of Athleta bottoms have an interior drawstring and that gets rid of the gap at the back.

My biggest problem with pants is I am too tall for petite and too short for regular in most styles.

Veronica

Me, too! It's such a drag. I hate having to get pants altered. I mostly wear skirts for this very reason.

[Penny4]

I see your steep ravine pants are on sale Mureinn, you should stock up!
I've ordered a few pairs of shorts from Athleta, and they seem to be hit or miss for me. Not quite curvy enough for me most of the time.

Gap is probably my favorite for ordering pants. And I think they have changed their lengths a bit...I believe the Regulars are now closer to 33" or 33.5". I've actually been able to buy a few Regulars, that i can wear with flats. I have no idea why they won't caryy 16T in the store. I provide that feedback everytime I order a pair on line :-) but they have yet to listen to me. Sometimes i can get in a 14, but even those in a T are rare.

Reading this thread just confirms to me that no one seems to have it easy clothes shopping...tall, short, average....

[Pedal Wench]

I like that a lot of Athleta bottoms have an interior drawstring and that gets rid of the gap at the back.

My biggest problem with pants is I am too tall for petite and too short for regular in most styles.

Veronica

I always wondered why my Athleta Whatever skort has a drawstring! That's for that!

[Veronica]

Blakely and Mercer are Eddie Bauer fits. If you click on a pair of pants and then click on fit, it describes it.

Blakely
Proportioned for a curvy figure
Sits just below waist
Shaped through hip
Trouser leg


Veronica

[PamNY]

If I suddenly became wealthy, I would look into having pants custom made. Considering the variety of body types, it's not surprising that we have trouble finding the perfect fit.

I have skinny legs and not much of a rear, and everything is baggy on me. I think part of the reason leggings are popular is that they eliminate fit issues. Not that I am going to start wearing leggings at age 61, but I can see the appeal.