by Amanda S.

Created on: April 18, 2008

Jeans can either flatter your body immensely or they can be the most unflattering item of clothing you wear...it just depends on what style and cut of jeans you wear. As a seamstress I know that there are so many choices available and it may seem overwhelming, but there are styles that work on pretty much anyone (just as there are styles that only work on a select few). How do you know which style works for you? Below are the terms commonly used in the fit and style of jeans and what they mean followed by a break-down of which styles work on which body-types.

RISE

Low-Rise: Sits at the hips (or just above or below this point).

Mid-Rise: Sits half-way between the hips and the natural waist (or just above or below this point).

High-Rise: Sits at the natural waist or just below.

LEG

Tapered Leg: Relaxed fit through the thigh and knee, but tapers in at the ankle.

Skinny: Tight-fitting through the waist, hips, thigh, calves and ankles.

Straight Leg: Cut straight (same width) from the knee to the bottom of the pant leg.

Boot Cut: Slight flare from the knee to the bottom of the pant leg, generally worn over boots (hence the name).

Flare: Noticable flare from the knee to the bottom of the pant leg.

Bell-Bottom: Very large flare from the knee to the bottom of the pant leg.

Wide-Leg: Fitted at the hips and waist but full through the thigh, knee and ankle (flares from the top of the thigh)

WHAT SHOULD YOU WEAR?

PLUS SIZE: The best style for the plus-size woman is either a boot cut or a slight flare with a mid-rise. It is best not to wear a skinny or tapered jean because this tends to have an "ice cream cone" effect.

CURVY: Straight leg, boot cut, flare or wide leg with a mid-rise or low-rise are the best types of jeans to wear for this body-type.

SLIM WITH NO CURVES: Any kind of jeans will work on this body-type.

SHORT: Anything but very wide legs or bell-bottoms will work (these are not flattering on very short women because they tend to make you look stouter unless you are wearing very high heels) with a mid-rise or low-rise.

WHAT YOU SHOULD NEVER WEAR

The least flattering style of jeans on any size or shape are what many refer to as "mom jeans". These are high-waisted, tapered jeans. Please avoid these at all costs!

Super-low-rise jeans are a no-no because you are physically incapable of bending over without your buttcrack being put on display.

TIPS FOR EVERYONE

1) Do NOT wear jeans that are too small. No one sees the number on the tag except you (cut it out if you don't want to look at it), but EVERYONE sees what you look like with the jeans on. If you have a muffin-top (fat spilling out over the top of your pants), get a bigger size. Would you rather be able to say that you look horrible in a size 6 but can barely get them on or that you look great in an 8?

2)Do NOT wear jeans that are too large. When jeans are too big, they sag in the rear, and they make your butt appear flat and saggy. Also, it isn't appealing when you have to keep pulling your pants up because they are falling down and when you show the world your buttcrack when you bend over.

3) Get them hemmed or buy jeans that have your correct inseam. Aside from too-tight or too-loose jeans, nothing looks worse than jeans that are too long or too short. Jeans that are too long look sloppy and the hem will get destroyed by being dragged on the ground through the mud and muck. Jeans that are too short look like floods and cut you off at the ankle, making you look shorter than you are.

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