Know Your Measurements: A Tale of 4 Pants

I recently thrifted a pair of high waisted Everlane black jeans, which proved to be something of a unicorn in my world. For that reason, I thought they were worth a review on IG, in case others had similar jean requirements and could find it helpful; and from there, this post evolved as I started to jot down all the specific ways in which these Everlane jeans were perfect for me even though they might not be for others.

It all comes down to body shape and fashion industry sizing.

I’m going to include a trigger warning here because, while I won’t be discussing weight (which is largely irrelevant in this context), the rest of the post is going to include references to measurements and sizing. If this is something you would prefer to avoid reading, you may wish to skip this post.

I want to start by saying that, quite apart from its wild inconsistencies, fashion industry sizing rarely accounts for body shape. Or, rather, sizing is based on some generalized “average” body shape which, more often than not, will bear little resemblance to one’s own body (unless one happens to be very lucky, I suppose). For example: I’m 5’7, wear straight sizes and have a general shape that is considered relatively easy to dress. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. I’ve learned over time that my actual body, once you get down to details, has certain aspects that need to be accounted for when I buy clothes. To be clear: we are not talking about flaws. These are not good or bad things. It’s just how my body is, but it does impact how clothes will fit me. To avoid disappointment and frustration, I need to keep them in mind when choosing clothes.

So, let’s dig a little deeper into it. I said I was 5’7, which is just slightly above average height for a woman in N. America, I believe. But I have a long torso and short legs. My inseam is only about 28 inches; for pants to fall to a good length for me, I need either petite or cropped inseams. Consider that most regular jeans have a 29 inseam or longer; regular length skinny jeans often end up bunching unattractively around my ankles.

I also mentioned that I have a long torso, but that’s only part of the story too. I have a high waist, and sort of high-set hips, plus I carry most of my weight in my bum and thighs. There is a significant difference between my natural waist (26 inches) and the widest part of my bum/hips (39.5 inches). The top of my hips act as a kind of “modified” waist (29.5 inches), which falls more in line with the sizing of my hips. What this means is: (a) I need at least 11 inches of rise for pants to be high-waisted on me, (b) anything that’s truly high waisted will either fit my waist or my bum, but not both, and (c) I usually compromise by buying pants that fit my bum and wearing them lower on my torso (around my “modified waist, aka top of my hips). Don’t worry, photos are coming to illustrate.

Now, you may think this is all fine and good, but what relevance does it have for anyone else? Admittedly not a lot (unless you happen to be my body twin), but it’s merely an example of the kinds of things you probably should consider when taking your measurements and choosing which clothes (and sizes) to buy.

As promised, I took some photos that will hopefully illustrate what I’m talking about. Apologies in advance: these didn’t turn out as clear as I would have liked for a variety of reasons, but hopefully you get the gist.

First, for reference, here are my measurements as discussed:

Below is a pair of Gap culotte jeans that I quite like, despite the fact that the fit is a compromise. These are the “High rise wide leg crop” in size 6/28 Petite. These have an 11 inch rise. The waist, measured laid flat, is approximately 15.5 inches; hips are about 18 inches, and the inseam is about 24 inches. The material has a fair about of stretch to it.

Above, I am wearing them at my natural waist (as intended). The length is perfect, and they fit my bum/hips well (with wiggle room, I hate too-tight pants). However, you can see that the waist gapes quite a bit. As a result, I tend to wear them lower on the torso, like so:

Luckily, the crotch doesn’t sag too much even though I am wearing them lower than intended, and they still look somewhat cropped on me (though I prefer wearing them with heels).

Here is the same (I think?) style of culottes in black – also by Gap and called “High rise wide leg crop”. I thrifted these because I thought it was the same pair as my blue one, but I messed up the sizing (and there are no changing rooms). These are a size 8, regular. Measurements are: waist – 15.5 inches; hips – 20.5 inches; rise – 13 inches; inseam – 26 inches.

You can see how much they gape at the waist (worn at my natural waist). The hips fit pretty well, with a bit more room to spare than in the size 6. However, they are also too long on me. Here they are pulled down (side by side comparison with natural waist on the left):

Because of the higher rise, the crotch sags quite a bit more when I wear them lower. And the length is no longer remotely cropped on me. Sadly, these are a no-go for me.

By further comparison, before we turn to the magical Everlane pair, here is a Madewell “Cali Demi boot” cropped pair. I like these ones because they have a LOT of stretch, and somehow manage to fit both the waist and the hips, albeit they’re not quite fully high rise on me. Measurements are: waist – 15 inches; hips – 18 inches (stretchy, I tell you); rise – 10.5 inches; inseam – 24 inches.

They fit pretty well, mostly because they’re a lower rise and very stretchy. The lower the rise, the better off-the-rack jeans fit me, on the whole (again, because the waist-to-hip ratio becomes more in line with the “average”). There is a tiny bit of gap at the back but nothing major.

Finally, here is the Everlane pair. I can imagine that, for some people, these could be nightmare jeans. They are a size 8 but fit … in a very strangely specific way. The measurements are: waist – 14 inches (this is the smallest of the lot); hips – 19.5 inches (but no stretch); rise – 12 inches; inseam – 24 inches.

They fit me PERFECTLY. There is just enough wiggle room in the waist for them not to pinch, but otherwise there is no gaping. Magically, my hips have room to breathe also, despite the fabric having almost no stretch. It’s almost like they were tailored for someone like me … which, I don’t think they were? (Being thrifted, who knows but I doubt it.) Conversely, for a person with a different body shape, these jeans would be terrible. Possibly the reason why they were donated in the first place.

Also, can we just take a moment and appreciate how deep these pockets are? I can stick my whole hand in there, comfortably.

If there is one thing I hope you take from this post … well, actually, it’s 2 things. One, measure yourself and know what you’re working with when looking for new clothes to put on your body. Long torso. Short torso. High waist. Low waist. Long inseam, short inseam. Big bum, little bum. You get the picture.

And two, the body is not the enemy or the problem here. Clothes need to fit your body, not the other way around. The fact that modern clothing fits so poorly — so often and for so many of us — is (I think, though I am no expert) a side-product of the whole “fast fashion” cycle. Things are made without much regard for the variety of shapes that bodies come in. Which, not to minimize the issue, sucks big time. But, again, it’s not our bodies that are the problem so always be kind to yourself.