Petite and Plus Sizes archive

Finally - Plus Sizes are Here at TrueJeans!

You've commented, you've emailed, and we've listened! TrueJeans is now branching into plus sizes! We're starting out with two main brands - Svoboda and Jag - and are looking to expand once we get some feedback about the other brands people are interested in. We're also offering free shipping, exchanges and returns to all plus size customers, and are offering a special 15% off coupon by entering "PLUSPROMO" in the code box during check-out for the following styles: Svoboda - All Styles, Jag - Gordon Plus, Madison Plus and Lucy Flair Plus. 

Since we're just starting out with this new venture, your feedback is even more important to us in order to help us make our services even better for you. Now, more than ever, we encourage you to contact us to let us know what's working for you, what isn't, what you'd like to change, and what brands you'd like to see in the future once we're able to expand even more. 

We hope that this is the start of something great for us, and it's because of the feedback of our customers and blog readers that we've been able to provide new offerings to better suit your needs. Thanks to everyone for helping us and continuing to get the word out about TrueJeans. Happy shopping! 

Julie: Where are your Plus Sizes?!

I just received a comment from one of our readers who was having trouble with finding a pair of jeans in her size on our site. 

"Hey Julie:
I guess us chunky gals don’t quite cut it on your computing.  I can wear Lane Bryant jeans, but your calculations didn’t come up with even one suggestion for me?  whats with that?  please get in touch with me - if you are truly interested in fitting everyone in custom jeans!  thx! - Anita"

Dear Anita,
We regret to hear that you were disappointed by your visit to truejeans.com. We completely understand your frustration! We, too, have been frustrated by how few plus size premium denim brands there are. We do realize that we currently have some limitations in the selection of jeans that are featured and profiled on our site. Luckily, we have two plus size brands that will be featured on the site this week, ranging in sizes from 14-26.

In order to predict fit and size accurately, we have to do extensive testing, so creating a deep product mix takes some time, and since we study the brands so closely we only give predictions for the brands that we carry. Many jeans brands cater only to “certain” body types.

Unfortunately, there are many body types which are underserved by the apparel industry in general. It is our goal to represent and serve a wide variety a body types on our site, therefore we appreciate your help, feedback, and ideas! Please accept our deepest apologies and we thank you for your patience as we strive to make the jeans buying process effortless for you.  I would encourage you to re-visit truejeans this week.

Best,
Julie

Boot-iful

There is no denying that skinny jeans are continuing to rule the denim scene this fall. One of the biggest trends this fall and winters is jeans and boots. Skinny jeans paired with boots are the perfect stylish duo to step out in as the leaves fall and temperatures drop.

Find the perfect coat for your shape -- Under $300.00

The winter season (at least on our side of the coast) is underway.  I woke up to a bit of frost on my car, and there is no denying that there are some cold mornings to come.  Having lived in New England all of my life, I know how hard it is to find a flattering and fashionable coat that meets my winter warmth standards.

To my delight, I found some great hints in this months Issue of O Magazine.  The article, entitled ‘The Right Coat For Your Body’ gives readers tips on just that—finding the perfect fitting, flattering winter coat.  Now, a few of the price points in the coats featured in the article are a bit high, so I have put my own twist on the piece.  I’ve found the same styles in the suggested coats online, all priced$300.00 or less. So here we go…

 

Problem: Some coats are bulky, taking away from our natural curves.  For women that want the look of softer curves, a jacket with side button closures and tailored lines is suggested.  I found a great jacket from Revolve Clothing. This is a lighter jacket spinning off from what is shown on Oprah’s magazine, but should create the desired effect of softer shoulders and a more pronounced, but soft waist.

 

 

 

 

Problem: Do you have a great waist, but a weaker upper half?  Many women experience the same problem and would like to find a coat that, by the jacket’s style, accentuates their shoulders.  Draping around the neck and shoulders is the best way to show off your upper half.  This gorgeous wool coat from Marc Jacobs on Bluefly is a perfect fit.  Wrapping around the waist still shows off your natural waist line, but the open v-neck and draping around the shoulders will help you with your fit needs. 

 

 
Problem: Some women try to hide the area between their hips and knees in heavy ankle length coats.  Well, O Magazine provides a solution: find a peacoat style more fitted around the upper waist, which forms into a a-line towards the bottom and make sure the coat is tailored to end above the knee.  I would also suggest wearing this coat with slimming clothes, like a high waisted but fitted pair of jeans like Kasil Jean's Tribeca, or a pencil skirt with herringbone leggings.  I found the perfect coat on Bluefly again.  A DKNY wool pea coat with extended collar, drawn in waist and a lower cut to end right above or at your knee.  

 

 

Problem: Need space for a bigger bustline, but still want room to move?  A cocoon shaped coat is perfect for this fit battle.  The coat’s shape allows for a full range of motion without looking like you’re swimming in the jacket.  In fact, this style of coat which is lightly gathered at the bottom is coming back into style.  Back in the 20’s the cocoon shape substituted for capes to offer better protection in the winter months.  Because these coats are so popular, it was really hard to find them within our 300.00 budget, but I did get lucky on Oasis a great black and white wool blend with fashionable buttons and a funnel collar will do the trick!

 

 

Problem: In the 50’s A-line swing coats came into style, and let me tell you, it simply isn’t old yet!  Every season new A-lines appear in better wool blend and colors than before.  If you have a pear shaped waist line, which many of us do, this is the coat for you.  Of all the coats suggested here, this is the easiest to find at your local department store.  However, if shopping on line is more your style, check out this coat on BlueFly by Adam Meets Eve.
 

 

 

 

Problem:  As a petite woman myself, I look for a coat which will give me a little more height.  This great coat from La Redoute is just what I’d purchase.  It has a wrapover look to give my torso a longer look and a partial funnel neck to give me more height up top around my neckline.  The coat shows more leg, which also gives the desired illusion of height.  Match that up with a great pair of heels and fitted bottoms and you’re ready to go!

 

I hope this helps you all either when browsing online or during in-store shopping trips!  

If you have any other fit problems we can help you out with feel free to leave a comment and I’ll work on finding the right coat for your body.  If you have any other favorite styles or stores online for coats feel free to share it in a comment as well!  Happy Shopping!

Back In Skinny Jeans

 

While recently surfing the net, I came across a great blog that I just had to share.  Back in Skinny Jeans is a blog full of information about fashion, beauty, celebrities, dieting, and other trends.  I was particularly drawn to the site because the information is useful to women (and men) of all ages and sizes.  

Back in Skinny Jeans is written by a woman named Stephanie who lives in San Francisco, CA.  She is by trade a marketer who has worked most recently at Microsoft as a Enthusiast Evangelist, a job she left on her own accord after not being happy with the work she was doing.  In her bio, Stephanie describes her motivation for writing ‘Back in Skinny Jeans':

"Back in skinny jeans started as a personal rant about my own struggles with beauty and losing weight, the unrelenting fashion industry, and Hollywood. I wanted to share my experiences to help others, and to help heal myself. My desire here is to help other women (and men) feel good about themselves and their lives no matter what our culture "says" we have to look like. To help give perspective when we have lost it. To look at how we can grow and live in a beauty obsessed world without it making us crazy, sick, or feel unworthy. The word "skinny" also means "news, lowdown, and information". Throughout the blog, I'll also use the word skinny, depending on context, as a reference to being "in the know."

If you have any free time I think you should definitely check out this blog. To read a little more on the topic of vanity sizing check out “Vanity sizing Size 0: From 00 to 0”.

Julie: What are the most flattering jean stlyes for different body shapes?

Kathy Asks Julie: Women come in all different shapes:  long legs, short waist, athletic thighs, classic hourglass, a little tummy, more than a little behind, and so on. 

Jeans come in equally numerous varieties:  different cuts, washes, and details.  Button-fly, flap pockets, tab closures - you've got them all!

What are the most flattering jean styles for different body shapes?  Who should avoid cropped jeans, for instance?  And who would look fabulous in an ultra low rise?  Are some colors/washes more flattering for hourglass shapes than others?

Thanks!
Kathy

Julie's Answer: Hi Kathy!

Shorter legs should stick with a shorter crop, preferably a knee length, to make your legs appear longer. 

An ultra low rise is the most flattering on a flat stomach, and better on a shorter torso. If you have a long torso it may make the jeans look and feel too ultra low. I have seen a lot of women try on the Red Engine Super Sexy Mid-Rise Boot cut, and the Gold Sign Desire, and these are great jeans for women with curves.  It is important to keep in mind that we need to flatter the assets we have, and find the best way to accomodate our not so flattering areas.

I myself have average hips, and seat, and typically have problems filling out jeans.  To make my seat look perkier and give me the lift I’m looking for , I focus on pocket placement, and details.  My favorite jeans that help me achieve this look are Hudson’s Deluxe Wide Leg Trouser and Blue Cult’s Kate Butt lifter, which do wonders for lifting my behind!  A dark wash is the most flattering on all body types, but it is always good to have a lighter wash to mix up your wardrobe! - Julie

 

 

What is an Orginial Hem?

Have you ever wondered how to get your jeans to be the perfect length and still preserve their unique styling details and leg opening?  Well, the answer is simple.  An original hem (sometimes called a tricky hem or European hem) maintains the integrity of your jeans because the original hem of the jean is kept in tact. Original hems can be done be cutting the jeans or by following the  uncut method.  Daily Denim agrees that original hems may change the common misconceptions people have about hemming jeans.  Jeans, just like almost every other item of clothing, may need a bit of tailoring to achieve a perfect fit.  It just so happens that length is the easiest alteration you can make to help you achieve a perfect fitting pair of jeans.  Original hems are the perfect solution for anyone who does not want to loose the signature look of their jeans.

Sure, there are some common misconceptions about what an original hem may do to hurt the look of your denim.  In a great post on DailyDenim a few of these were mentioned, such as: The flare is lost once hemmed, getting clothing hemmed is a hassle, even issues having to do with stitching and destruction on the hem being lost once hemmed is discussed.  Many of these common assumptions are disproved in this blog post.

True Jeans is now trying to take some of the hassle out of getting your jeans hemmed; we are offering original hemming service for $15.00 per pair.  Good tailors are usually able to alter jeans using the original hem method for a slightly higher cost than a regular hem.  To learn more about various hemming methods, check out Dacia Ray.  This post has great instructions and visual aids to guide you through the hemming process.

Don't let the inseam length dictate which pair of jeans you wear. Choose your fashion, don't let fashion choose you!

Julie: I'm looking for plus sized premium denim

Dawn-Marie Asks Julie:  Why are there no plus sizes for jeans?  I was very excited to hear about your site, hoping it would help my jeans problem.  Alas, I find yet another site that talks the good talk, but when I went through and input all my data, there were *no* results whatsoever.

Also, on one of the pages, when it asks about the jeans you "usually buy" I could not input what I usually buy because the waistband is typically 10 or so inches bigger than my waist, and my waist size was the largest you could input as a jeans waistband size.  What's up with that?  I typically have to take the waist of my jeans in 10 inches or so, which results in a large dip in the backside; I've eliminated some of this problem by taking up some of the fabric as a dart into the front pocket.  The jeans fit, but they are unattractive at the waist, so I have to make sure my waist area is always covered.  (My waist is 34 inches, my hips are 56 inches.)  Got any advice for me, or am I doomed to look like a lump in my jeans forever?

- Dawn-Marie

Julie's Answer: I can assure you that you are not doomed forever!  In the field where you enter "usual size", that is typically the size jean usually worn, and not your actual waist measurement.  It is extremely important to us to provide great brands to plus size customers. The plus size community has long been underserved by the apparel industry in general, and we're trying to change that.  We are currently doing a lot of research in this area.  We are dedicated to helping all body shapes and sizes, find great fitting jeans, all while maintaining superior quality and style. 

As for your gapping issue, there is a solution in the works!  One of our brands, Little in the Middle (LITM), is a brand that is dedicated entirely to solving this problem for women. They make their jeans a size smaller in the waistband than the hips to accommodate and hug your curves and eliminate the gapping issue.  We have been working very closely with the LITM founder and pattern maker to include up to a size 22 (and above if we find that there is enough demand).  Within the next month, we will also be adding two new premium plus size brands, JAG jeans and Svoboda, which will go up to size 24 and size 28 respectively.  We will be sending out a newsletter, when these new brands are added to the website, so please don't give up on us yet!

Julie

Julie: How Do I Eliminate My Jeans Zipper Bulge?

Faith, Asks Julie: Hi Julie... I am an asian chick with a wide hips, but a small waist... Which is hard to find a good pair of jeans to fit into, because I have to have a bigger size for my hips, but then a belt to not crack the world! Anyway... I found a pair of jeans at a Vanity store. They are called Sparrow... They are a boy cut jeans which fit me rather nicely, however I have been having a problem... Whenever I sit down the zipper part tends to lump up... Not too attractive... And now I've been noticing that that little lump is still there even though I am standing! Would a different pair of jeans fix the problem?? What to you suggest? I wear 31x29... And I am 5'3", longer legs, short torso... What do you suggest? Faith.

Julie's Answer: Hi Faith, First off, thanks for being the first person to Ask me a fit question. The cut of a boyfriend jean is typically relaxed and tends to have a little extra room all around, which is what is creating the extra bulk around the zipper.  Also, this excess fabric may be due to a higher rise.  For those of us with a shorter torso, jeans with a higher rise can sometimes create unflattering fabric bunching.  To eliminate this problem, a lower front rise with a higher rise in the back to accommodate your curves may be the answer.  A bit of stretch in the fabric will help maintain your jean's shape when sitting and standing.  I would suggest you try for a not too low-rise option, which also happens to be my favorite, the Red Engine Super Sexy Boot Cut in Midnight Vintage wash.  Another option is the Gold Sign Desire,  which is made out of a beautiful fabrication and will hug your curves just right.  Because of your shorter 29" inseam, it may be helpful to opt for an original hem from truejeans.com or your local tailor to help preserve the original detailing of your jeans. I hope this helps your search for the perfect pair of jeans!

Best, Julie

Vanity Sizing - Alive and Well

Have you ever heard the rumor that Marilyn Monroe was a size 12?  Well, it’s no rumor.  Back in the 1950’s Marilyn was actually a size 12.  By today’s standards, Marilyn would be a size 6.  Why does this large discrepancy between sizes exist?  Two words – vanity sizing: the apparel industry’s dirty little secret.

Vanity sizing, or “size inflation, is the phenomenon of ready-to-wear clothing of the same nominal size becoming larger over time”.  Vanity sizing is certainly alive and well, and many American apparel companies use this sizing technique to seduce their customers into purchasing jeans that appeal to the “small body” aspirational archetype that society embraces .  Vanity sizing occurs when clothing companies cut their products larger while labeling them with small size tags.   In this way clothing companies are persuading women everywhere into believing that they haven’t gained pounds or inches in years.  A 2006 Good Morning America segment, found here on YouTube, highlights how three separate women fell victim to vanity sizing.

Why does vanity sizing seem to be less prevalent among men’s clothing?  Although vanity sizing certainly occurs in men’s clothing, it is definitely not as dramatic as the sizing discrepancies we see in women’s clothing.  Men’s clothing sizes have been standardized since the government, needing to outfit Civil War soldiers rapidly, found consistencies among men's measurements and labeled them with sizes that corresponded.  Those sizes, based on exact measurements, are still in use today by men’s clothing manufacturers.  That is why it is much easier for men to buy clothing off the rack without always needing to try things on.  

Women’s clothing on the other hand has not been standardized in almost fifty years.  The last time there was any standardization of women's sizes was in the 1940’s when the U.S. Department of Agriculture did a large-scale study of women's measurements, urged on by the mail-order clothing industry. This standardization was extremely short lived, many garment manufacturers instead developed their own sizing scales using measurements that suited them.  Today, it is becoming more and more common for manufacturers to create various sizing scales, even within their own brand.  Few companies are motivated to conform to a sizing standard because vanity sizing is a source of competitive advantage whereby companies can cater their sizing scales to flatter those who they view to be their “core customers” and influence more frequent purchases.

The vanity-sizing phenomenon has now begun to make its way overseas.  A recent Times article, “Revealed: The Jeans that Tell a Sizeable Lie,” exposes several brands, including H&M, Gap, and French Connection, who have begun practicing vanity sizing.  According to Time’s findings, French Connection seems to be the most embellished brand, with some of their pants being up to six inches larger than what was actually stated on the tags.

Because there is just no standardization in sizes, True Jeans takes the time to collect data and sizing information on every jean we carry.  Thus helping you to determine which size your unique measurements match up with for each style of denim we carry.

Our reviews thus far have been great, and everyone at True Jeans wants to continue to offer premium and niche denim brands to suit every need.  So I guess the question is now, does vanity sizing really change how you purchase clothes?  Or is it just a trend you think will eventually work itself out?  Should apparel companies standardize their sizing scales or continue to diverge?