If you’ve ever started to slide on your pants and felt a little friction, you may have wondered, are my pants too tight?
And believe us–you’re not alone.
Whether you’ve gained a little weight or simply haven’t committed to denim in some time, trying on pants can often have you second-guessing your size decision.
Couple those scenarios with erratic sizing and rapidly-changing styles, and it can be really hard to tell if you're wearing the right size pants.
But don’t fret.
In this blog, we break down how your pants are supposed to fit, how to tell if pants are too small, and where you can go to get the right size.
Fit
Pants are basically cut to fit one body type. If your body varies from that pattern, then you might struggle to find pants that are well suited for you. We break down four simple ways to tell if your pants aren’t quite right for you. Here are four surefire ways how to tell if pants are too small.
How to Tell if Pants Are too Small: Waist
If your pants have a button that doesn’t want to button, you are probably dealing with pants that are too small. Regardless of material, your pants should fasten comfortably around your waist, without pinching or pulling.
How to Tell if Pants Are too Small: Thighs
If you have to go through an acrobatic routine just to get your jeans up to your hips, it may be time to invest in a different size or style. Pants that are too tight through the thighs can chafe, not to mention have the potential to end in a massive wardrobe malfunction.
How to Tell if Pants Are too Small: Length
In addition to all the frustrations associated with structured pants, you also have to contend with dryers and time taking aim and shrinking your most-beloved pants. If you have a sneaking suspicion that your pants are shrinking, you’re probably right.
How to Tell if Pants Are too Small: Rear End
If your pants are making your behind look more like a pancake, it may be time to explore other styles. Pants that change the shape of your body are a clear indicator that they are incorrectly sized.
Types of Pants
Now that we’ve explored four areas that might answer the question ‘are my pants too tight?’, it’s time to explore different types of pants that might fit your body better. For longer-legged readers, a pair of ankle pants may be the solution to your styling woes. For those among us who crave comfort in all things, a pair of pull-on pants free of the painful trapping of a zipper and button may be just the trick.
Palazzo Pants
Palazzo pants are having a moment. With their wide-leg style and fitted waist, these pants are both comfortable and chic, giving the wearer an instant aesthetic boost. And while pants are undeniably having a moment now, they originally hit their popular peak in the 30s and 40s. These chic pants indicated that the wearer was a student of the school of high fashion, and notable style influences like Katharine Hepburn and Greta Garbo favored these wide-leg pants.
If you’re looking to bring some ethereal elegance to your day-to-day wear, palazzo pants can definitely help you achieve this goal.
Leggings
Leggings have been around since the fourteenth century when renaissance figures wore stretchy garments under their clothes and armor for protection and warmth. Since then, leggings have existed in a variety of iterations, with each decade re-inventing how this iconic pant is viewed.
The events of the past two years have changed the way we see these stretchy, form-hugging pants. While they may have once been viewed simply as athleisure, more and more companies and designers are taking leggings from the couch to the corporate office, making sleeker, more fashionable options of this classic pant.
Jeans
These now-ubiquitous pants were first created by Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis in 1873. Originally made to be worn by laborers to withstand the tough working conditions of the American West, these iconic pants have had quite the style evolution.
If you are a frequent jean wearer and are wondering ‘are my pants too tight?’, you may simply be wearing the wrong style for your body.
Below, we break down the four most popular styles and which body type they best suit.
Bootcut Jeans
These pants are more narrow in the knee than the leg, making them ideal for most body types. You can opt to purchase bootcut jeans in a number of different washes, allowing you to choose what works best with your current wardrobe.
High Waisted Jeans
High-waisted jeans have been having a moment. While this style works for everybody and every body, go for a higher waist if you have a mid-section you don’t want material digging into. These jeans are perfect for going out or staying in and are available in a variety of washes and styles.
Skinny Jeans
Skinny jeans have a slim fit all the way to the ankle, hugging your leg as they progress toward the ground. While these jeans have been extremely popular over the last decade, not everyone loves these fitted pants. If you’re into showing off your shapely gams, however, these may be the jean for you. Available in different rises and washes, you can definitely find skinny jeans that flatter your figure.
Mom Jeans
Originally popular in the 80s and 90s, these jeans are making quite the comeback. Mom jeans have a high waist that makes your behind look longer and larger. These pants also have excess room in the legs, zipper, and crotch. More relaxed than their skinny counterparts, mom jeans offer a comfortable alternative to figure-hugging denim.
Ankle Pants
As the name suggests, these pants are slim-cut and hit at the ankle. Commonly also called cigarette pants or capri pants, these slacks have been a staple for fashionable women for decades.
Perfect for any occasion and every figure, you can dress these pants up with heels, a dressy top, and chandelier earrings for date night, or pick up the kids from soccer in a pair of ankle pants, a t-shirt, and a jean jacket. Given their endless versatility, it’s no wonder that fashion icons like Audrey Hepburn adored these classic pants.
High-Waist Pants
While we already discussed high-waisted jeans, high-waisted pants are also an option for anyone looking for a little more support. While low-rise pants were once all the rage, higher-waisted options have definitely replaced them.
Ideal for making legs look longer and de-emphasizing mid-sections, these pants are a must for every and any wardrobe.
Pull-On Pants
One surefire way to ensure that your pants aren’t too tight is to invest in pull-on pants. Made without zippers and buttons, these comfortable slacks allow you to look chic and stay comfortable. What more can you ask for?
Available in a wide variety of colors, styles, materials, and lengths, pull-on pants give the illusion of a classic slack without any of the fuss. So if you’re in the market for a pant that is perfect for literally every body, this option is right for you.
How to Tell if Pants Are Too Small, Conclusion
In this post, we’ve explored a number of reasons why your pants might be too small, as well as different style options that may better fit your body.
If you’re in the market for a new pair of pants to add to your wardrobe, Anthony’s offers chic designs that are guaranteed to fit.
Explore our styles online or stop by one of our locations today to find your next favorite pair of pants.
We carry a variety of pant lengths, colors, and styles, find the perfect pants today!
