Jeans- how tight should they be?

[Mia Bella]

OP, a good way to tell if you have the correct fitting jeans is if they're fitted enough to where you can sit and bend over without feeling uncomfortable. The #1 concern for women when it comes to buying jeans should be Muffin Top! It's the best way to tell if your jeans are ill-fitting and that's something that people can see too. If you're muffin topping in jeans (when you're trying them on) they are too small, period! I would never walk out of a store with a pair of jeans that I have even the slightest muffin top in. That'd be a sign for me to try out a different brand, rise or fit.

When you wash your Citizens do they snap right back to their original shape? Do they stretch terribly after severals wears?

 

[jordanjordan]

OP, a good way to tell if you have the correct fitting jeans is if they're fitted enough to where you can sit and bend over without feeling uncomfortable. The #1 concern for women when it comes to buying jeans should be Muffin Top! It's the best way to tell if your jeans are ill-fitting and that's something that people can see too. If you're muffin topping in jeans (when you're trying them on) they are too small, period! I would never walk out of a store with a pair of jeans that I have even the slightest muffin top in. That'd be a sign for me to try out a different brand, rise or fit.

When you wash your Citizens do they snap right back to their original shape? Do they stretch terribly after severals wears?

Citizens always stretch after like 3 hours of waering them. Also, I have no muffin top in the 25, I can pull the waist band away from me about a full inch, so they aren't that tight.

 

[jordanjordan]

IMO, if you have to suck in your tummy to easily close the jeans, they're too small--after a large meal you may have some unsightly bulges or rolls. Comfort comes first--pants aren't comfy if they're too small or if you have to keep pulling them back up (and feel the weird flappy, extra fabric sensation at the back of the thighs).

Thanks, this cements it for me I think. The 26 fall down and I have to keep pulling them up, since I don't wear belts I think the 25 will do. Also, I tried them on after a HUGE meal, like right after, and there were no bulges or rolls anywhere.

I think I'll stick with the 25, or at least get one pair, and see how they wear and wash. There is nothing more annoying than having to pull your jeans up nonstop.

 

[afsweet]

I wore the 27 when I was 20 pounds heavier. I also have a pair of 26 and they are a smidge big. The 25 seemed to fit so I didn't think changing 2 sizes after losing 20 pounds was too much. I don't mind a little wiggle room I just keep ending up with lots of excess fabric which seems weird. It has been so long since I've been this size and actually bought jeans instead of just wearing whatever I had whether it fit or not, so I am confused.

mmk 25 sounds right then. have you tried other brands besides citizens too? maybe some other brands and styles will fit nicely without being too loss or too tight.

 

[beachy10]

they are too tight if you struggle to get them on, you get muffin top or those lines of material bunching up in the back of your legs IMO.

 

[laurasdenim]

I noticed that you said your jeans become too tight after drying them. You should try either air-drying them all together or putting them in the dryer for only a short amount of time (before taking them out to air-dry). This also helps preserve the color .

 

[jordanjordan]

I noticed that you said your jeans become too tight after drying them. You should try either air-drying them all together or putting them in the dryer for only a short amount of time (before taking them out to air-dry). This also helps preserve the color .

THat is my plan for the new jeans, which is why I was thinking I need to make sure they are tight. I usually take drying into consideration so I would normally buy the 26 and shrink them, but since I don't want to shrink them it changes things a bit.

Thanks for all the tips- I think I'm going to try a pair of 25 and see how they work out!

 

[Mimster]

How about trying a different brand? Maybe one without any stretch so that you know that they will fit perfectly all day?

Like Hautemama, I usually try two consecutive sizes to see/feel which one works best. I also do the sit/lunge test.

GL

 

[jordanjordan]

How about trying a different brand? Maybe one without any stretch so that you know that they will fit perfectly all day?

Like Hautemama, I usually try two consecutive sizes to see/feel which one works best. I also do the sit/lunge test.

GL

I love Citizens. I love the washes and styles, and they fit my body shape better than any other brands I have tried (which is quite a few).

 

[jordanjordan]

Here is a pair of 26 Citizens that have been dryed a couple of times. I tried to show my concern areas. In the back my concern is up at the waist (you can see in the top right) there is some bunching, as well as a lot of bunching and excess fabric just beneath the butt pockets. In the front there is a lot of creasing. I used to think this meant something was too small but even a pair of 28s does this, I think it is just extra fabric bunching up.

 

[Mia Bella]

Ohh I see...hmm...judging from the top picture the jeans look like a great fit but I see the concern with the sagging underneath the butt pockets. It sure looks like it's just from wear and tear from repeated sitting and bending. Maybe Citizens just don't bounce back into shape after a wash like most jeans do?

As for the front by the crotch....that shouldn't happen if the fit is correct. It's strange because you have a sleek figure and I'd imagine they'd gather like that if you have wider hips or thicker thighs. Do most of your Citizens fit like this? I'm almost tempted to try on a couple pairs of my own jeans to showcase the fit...

 

[jordanjordan]

Ohh I see...hmm...judging from the top picture the jeans look like a great fit but I see the concern with the sagging underneath the butt pockets. It sure looks like it's just from wear and tear from repeated sitting and bending. Maybe Citizens just don't bounce back into shape after a wash like most jeans do?

As for the front by the crotch....that shouldn't happen if the fit is correct. It's strange because you have a sleek figure and I'd imagine they'd gather like that if you have wider hips or thicker thighs. Do most of your Citizens fit like this? I'm almost tempted to try on a couple pairs of my own jeans to showcase the fit...

I don't think the sagging is from wear and tear because these jeans are practically brand new. I have worn them less than 5 times and they have only been washed probably 2 or 3.

The crotch creasing thing happens no matter what size I try... from 25 to 28, but it is the least pronounced in the 25, so I assume it has something to do with there being too much fabric so it gets all bunched up when I walk/sit and therefore causes creases that become permanent looking over time?

 

[girliceclimber]

I would just stress that you should NEVER put jeans that have spandex (essentially any pair that isn't "rigid") in the dryer. The heat breaks down the spandex and the jeans stretch right back out again after you wear them for an hour or two. Ironically though, lots of people put jeans in the dryer to shrink them--it's only a quick fix and will actualy make things worse.

 

[girliceclimber]

Here is a pair of 26 Citizens that have been dryed a couple of times. I tried to show my concern areas. In the back my concern is up at the waist (you can see in the top right) there is some bunching, as well as a lot of bunching and excess fabric just beneath the butt pockets. In the front there is a lot of creasing. I used to think this meant something was too small but even a pair of 28s does this, I think it is just extra fabric bunching up.

Hmm.. to me, it doesn't look that bad--it's not a skintight look, but I wouldn't think it looked weird if I saw you walking down the street. You could keep these as your "bumming around" pants that are more comfortable, and then get a pair of 25s when you wanted a more sleek look.
Also, I know you said you like the Citizen's cuts the best, but you did lose 20 lbs.. there's a chance that your body changed and now they're not the best fit for you. The reason I say that is because it looks like they are tight in some places but bunching in others.. so you're clearly wearing the right size. Maybe some day when you're feeling ultra patient you can go to a big department store and try on some other brands to see if something else fits you differently?

 

[jordanjordan]

Hmm.. to me, it doesn't look that bad--it's not a skintight look, but I wouldn't think it looked weird if I saw you walking down the street. You could keep these as your "bumming around" pants that are more comfortable, and then get a pair of 25s when you wanted a more sleek look.
Also, I know you said you like the Citizen's cuts the best, but you did lose 20 lbs.. there's a chance that your body changed and now they're not the best fit for you. The reason I say that is because it looks like they are tight in some places but bunching in others.. so you're clearly wearing the right size. Maybe some day when you're feeling ultra patient you can go to a big department store and try on some other brands to see if something else fits you differently?

I have LOTS of bummy jeans because I have so many pairs of shrunk 27s that now fit like the 26 or bigger, so I am in the market for actual fitting, sleek looking jeans for when I want to look put together.

I have tried lots of brands and none of them look any better, the citizens look the best of what I've tried. 7 For All Mankind looked about as good, but I prefer the butt pockets on Citizens. All the other brands are just a little too out there for me with contrasting stitching and stuff all over the butt OR they just didn't fit at all.