Perfect Jeans, Perfect Butt

In the 4 years before my pregnancy, I went (very slowly) from a size 32 jeans to a size 26. In US sizing, that’s about a size 12/14 down to a size 2/4. Because of this slow and steady weight loss progression and the changes to my body shape which accompanied it, I have tried on SO. MANY. JEANS. Like literally hundreds of pairs of jeans… and it sucks to try to find jeans that really work for your butt. However, there are ways to make your booty pop just by the fit of your jeans.

First things first, let’s acknowledge the fact that women have bodies. Lots of unique bodies out there, and I’ve only gotten to personally experience shopping for jeans with my body. I did however, work for a denim company which has been in business since 1981 and revolutionized how jeans fit women back in the day. As such, I’ve been able to help a lot of women find jeans they loved and that loved them back.
Now, rather than address each specific body type and how to fit that, I just want to discuss some general rules of thumb I tend to look at when fitting jeans for myself or others.

Nothing hurts my confidence more than when a pair of jeans I thought would work for me don’t fit like I hoped they would. I’m sure many women have experienced this as well… and I gotta say, what offends me the most about ill-fitting jeans is when they make my butt look bad- flat, droopy or lumpy. YUCK. I want to reassure you that there are jeans which accentuate EVERY woman’s curves properly… denim companies forget how many different types of butts have to fit their jeans sometimes, but there are some things to look for which can help you find the perfect jeans to make your booty pop.

My first suggestion is to try on the next size up. I know there’s a little bit of stigma in sizing up, but trust me. Size is just a number and nobody will know what size you’re wearing except you. The only thing a person will know is whether they like how you look in the jeans or not. I call this trick buying for wiggle room. If your butt can move, it will look better than if it’s squished- however by sizing up you lose out on tummy control in the front.

If that doesn’t make the jeans do what you want them to do for your body, the next thing I suggest is taking note of where the pockets hit you on the jeans. My general rule for this is that the side corners of the pocket hit the width that you want people to notice. Jeans that fit properly should have pockets whose bottom corners hit the widest part of your butt. Lower pockets will make your butt look smaller, while higher pocket give a lifted, rounded effect.

If you want EVEN MORE oomf from the back of your jeans, the next thing you should think about is whether the jeans are a solid piece of fabric or if they have a yoke (which is the extra piece of fabric between where the seat of the jeans is and the waistband). A construction that takes advantage of a yoke tapers up to the waist and draws the eye to the line it creates, further accentuating curves. Jeans that don’t have this construction usually take advantage of a stretchier fabric to accommodate the booty, which can do wonders for you if you are already as voluptuous as you wish to be, but can squish you down if you could use that extra lift. The addition of the yoke in your jeans can also help you avoid that gap between your waist and the jeans in the back.

My last trick is a little bit more specific and a little bit hard to find sometimes, but when you find it and try it on, you’ll thank me. Look for jeans which have darting or extra seams on the back. The darts help shape a flat pair of jeans into a round booty shape. The easiest type of this feature to find is vertical darts- they go across the yoke, from the waist band to somewhere near the center of the pockets on each side. I’ve found that the best positioning of darts on your jeans is to have both vertically and horizontally positioned darts, by the tops of the pockets. These darts not only shape the booty, they also help your jeans lift you up and draws the eye upward and outward, which further gives the illusion of a sculpted, perky butt. The final benefit of finding jeans that feature darts (specifically the vertical ones) help keep your waistband flat against your skin without having to wear a belt, which is awesome if you have trouble with a gap in the back or if you find yourself pulling your jeans up all day every time you wear them.

Armed with these tips for fit, and possibly bolstered with the confidence of a glass of wine or a margarita (I don’t judge), take your girlfriends out with you and find jeans that WORK for you. Your booty will thank you.

Let me know in the comments below who your favorite person to go shopping for jeans with is and why!