Q. I would like to invest in one or two pairs of high quality pants that will last me for years. Are there designers out there who make styles that won’t look silly when altered for a short (and admittedly not tiny-hipped) person? I’ve never bothered to try on anything fancier than Banana Republic level because I assume they won’t work for me, but I figured it was worth asking.
-College Alum
A. We all have our body “faults” no matter our size or shape that we can be a bit obsessive about or notice regularly. With that in mind and knowing all women think about their bodies, there is no reason why you shouldn’t have already tried on multiple designers to see how they cut and fit differently. I find that a way to lessen the stigma of curvy hips or butt is to find pants that have a wide band around the waist. It seems to minimize the area. I am a fan of Alice + Olivia pants for just that reason. I also like the new trouser jeans style and Anlo for their flattering fit for most body shapes.
Costly designers don’t always mean a better fit or fabric since some designers gain status and suddenly quality seems to go out the window. I would suggest trying Donna Karan as she is famous for cutting a slightly curvier fit. And choose boot cut or even a slightly wider leg to balance out the waist to foot proportions. Only consider wearing skinny jeans tucked into knee high boots paired with longer length tunic style tops or sweaters. Avoid pleats and straight vertical pockets on pant seams since they’ll just poof out. And if any pockets do poof out, then consider having them sewn closed.
Head to a good department store and enlist the help of a salesperson or, better yet, set up an appointment with the store’s personal shopper (it’s free). Tell her what you are searching for and let her do the work of finding you the right fit you’ll splurge on. She’ll pull the pants from various designers and you can get comfortable in the dressing room trying on multiple pairs until you hit clothing “gold.”
