Jeans have been a life long ‘on-again, off-again’ love affair for me. I Love jeans. When I was younger I lived in jeans. I love the way jeans look on people, and love their versatility to be worn casually or dressed up. But over the years I have found it extremely difficult to find the perfect pair of jeans for me especially as I have grown older and moved up and down in sizes.
My major concerns with jeans has always been the cut of the jeans and the fabric that always felt stiff and hard to move in, these two aspects always led to discomfort and pain; specifically around the top of the jeans where they dug into my stomach. So even though I possess this extreme love for jeans, I hardly ever wear them.
Well it’s now 2012, and it is time to break old habits and thought patterns. It is time to discover a new world of jeans. With retailers like Addition Elle reinventing their own line of plus size jeans, as well as launching many designer brand names (including DKNY, Levi’s, Buffalo, Parasuco, Apple Bottom, Suko, Second Yoga and many more) they have completely changed the plus size jeans world. I don’t remember ever having so many jeans options available at my disposal! I have been so excited to discover jeans again, try on brands that I have never been able to wear before, and finally find a pair of jeans that fit and that are comfortable to wear all day long. It is with this that I am making a vow to wear jeans at least once a week for the next 12 weeks as we move into Fall.
In a recent trip this past weekend to Addition Elle I tried on and actually purchased a few pair of jeans. I was overwhelmed with excitement over how well they fit. Unlike the jeans that I remember from the the past, the fabric was not tight nor stiff. Rather, plus size jeans seem to have been reinvented with a stretch type fabric making them easy to put on and more comfortable to wear. I also found the fit around the waist to be much different than I remember, built with the bigger girl in mind. And lastly, with all the new options available to us this has provided plus size women with more stylish options to try than ever before.
During my time shopping for a brand new pair of jeans I discovered a few things (and I know that there are many more plus size women out there who feel the same way I do about jeans) so I thought I would share a few of these handy tips that may help you when going out to find a new pair of jeans or any new item of clothing for that fact.
Remember these few simple things:
1. Jeans that are trendy and in-style at the moment may or may not look amazing on you. And if the later is true this may leave you feeling disappointed after trying them on (believe me I’ve been there). But don’t stop there! Try on all the different cuts to find which one looks amazing on you!
2. Like the old saying goes “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”. Seriously, try on as many pairs as you can. Every one is built differently and every cut of jeans is going to fit differently too. You will get a sense for the fabrics you like and don’t like and for the cuts that make your curves pop!
3. At retailers like Addition Elle, there should always be someone to help you determine your body type and find which jeans will fit you best. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You may be pleasantly surprised and happy that you did.
4. Don’t fuss about the size! Try on a few sizes and buy the one that fit you best! My dress size is a 16/18 but my new jeans on the other-hand are a size 20. But I didn’t let that hold me back. A size 18 would have been much too tight, so to avoid feeling like a squished sausage, I went a size larger and feel amazing in them.
5. Technology, design and fashion is ever changing. Jeans designed in 2012 are not the same as they were in 2002. So let down your guard and give them a try again. Who knows, you may find your new fashion go to!
6. Don’t be so hard on yourself! You probably look way better than you think! 
Happy shopping!!! I will update over the next few weeks and show off my new favourite pairs of jeans with you!
xo Karyn
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