Sisterhood of the weirdness of plus-size pants?

I had an experience at Kohl's the other day - one that I had never encountered before in my life.

I went to the woman's (i.e. plus size) section to look for some jeans. I picked out several options (Lee, Levi's, Gloria V.) of regular length jeans in my size. All but one pair were too short.

Now this wouldn't be weird if I any height to me, but I'm 5'4". Regular-length pants are never ever too short. Usually they are quite long and I have to wear heels with them (or have them hemmed).

Now being a 5'4" pear-shaped plus size girl, I'm used to jeans not fitting. But every single pair fit PERFECT, except for being too short. Like seriously, barely grazing the top of my foot short. Weird.

And of course, they didn't have any long-length pants - only petite. When did plus-size also mean really short? Didn't the reverse used to be true?

Is this just a Kohl's thing or has anyone else noticed?

You're sure they weren't capris? That is weird.

And see, as a 5'9" gal, I'm used to things being super short. Especially tops. :arg Maybe we need to swap the places we're shopping because I'm constantly saying that not everyone who is plus-sized is short.

Very strange. I have usually find that plus size stuff is usually super long. I am 5'4" also, and I hate that the petite is too short for me, and regular is too long. I have found one store where the pants fit me perfectly (and usually a size smaller than ever other store, which is a nice self esteem boost!) so I don't complain.

I have never had luck with kohl's jeans fitting, so I can't even remember if I noticed the length. The only jeans I have been able to get to work is the new "right fit" ones at Lane Bryant

We don't have Kohl's here, but I know when shopping for plus-size pants in the past, it would make me CRAZY...they were always so SHORT! I'm 5'10, lol...with a 33" inseam, NOT a 30" inseam like they make standard in plus size, it seems. I'm not sure when the manufacturers came up with the equation plus size = short.

It sounds like those were the short length ones. I always buy them in regular lenth (I'm 5'5"). If I buy Levi's in a regular lenght, I usually have to wear a slight heel with them or maybe have the altered. The shorts are always ankle length to me. I buy my Levi's at Macy's or at Levis.com.

Kohls usually just doesn't have a very big selection. Since you are pear shape, you can get the Levis for the more defined waist. The only problem I have with these is that the waist is so high. I don't like mine fitting AT my waist. I usually get their perfect fit or the trouser fit ones, and they hit more at my hips.

Another really great place to try is Torrid. I'm not sure where all their stores are, but they are a junior plus size shop. I don't love everything in there, but they carry the Dickies brand jeans in jr sizes, and I love love love them. They hit me at the right spot, and I can get them in flare leg or skinny jeans (gotta have a pair of skinny jeans for the season with a great tunic top or long sweater!!) I'm a pear shape too...so I battle with this all the time! I think you can find Torrid online!!

link to the Dickies at Torrid that are on sale right now
http://www.torrid.com/torrid/store/...T<>prd_id=845524442203922&bmUID=1255623957888
they are stretch jeans and I bought a size 16...they should fit snug when you put them on, or they will stretch out a bit too much. Love that they rinse is nice and dark...fabulous for fall and winter!!

Wow - I'm 5'4" too, how funny! and I have the SAME problem with length...

I love to shop at Gap and Old Navy for jeans, because they have "Ankle" length, which is just "short", not petite. It means that the fit through the butt and thighs is still the same, only the length is shorter.

Maybe you guy can check them out!? Banana Republic is also the same. I loooooove their stuff, too...but it's a little pricier.

They definitely were not capri's or short length. I double-checked all of the tags. They seemed like 29.5" inseam and not even 30. I prefer 31, but those are hard to find.

I recently had some success at Old Navy - but their pants are really hit and miss. They aren't so good about any tapering in the waist. I gave up on Gap a long time ago. Loved Gap when I was skinny, not so much anymore.

Amber - I LOVE my Right Fit jeans as well. The trouser style is great for work. I finally broke down and starting drying them though - bc I was tired of them being so stiff and crunchy.

We don't have a lot of great shopping here - particularly for pants. Tops are not really an issue. Both our Avenue and Lane Bryant stores closed. Sadly, I found the plus-sized sections in the department stores to be super tiny. Which is totally bizarre considering our eating habits here in the midwest.

I'll keep an eye out for the Levi's 580s - they are sold out of my size online.

Hopefully I'll get preggers soon enough and then Emmy can tell me where to shop for maternity clothes!

Just wanted to say I'm glad someone else has this problem :thumbup: I'm tall and have a hard time with my plus size jeans being long enough - or the only ones that fit good are the boot cut and I want to wear them with flip flops which looks funny! The other problem I have is all the low-waist jeans. What's up with that?

I usually get my jeans from Old Navy and I'm between a regular length and a tall length. Drives me CRAZY. Regular are too short. Tall are way too long. I'm 5'10".

Have you checked out the Silver brand jeans? Those are my faves right now. They're pricier than some but they come in women's sizes and in inseam length which is hard to find. For example, I bought a size 14 - 34" inseam that are perfect with my heels and boots. Seems like they had 31 and 32" lengths on the rack too. :thumbup: And they're not super high-waisted but they're not low rise either.

LOL... I hate... no loathe shopping for jeans! Too short, too long... too short in the crotch... too much fabric sticking out the back and everyone sees my undies when I bend over.. UGH!!! I cheat... I shop clearance/sales at Lands End.com and tell them how long I want them...

HeatherKS said:

And see, as a 5'9" gal, I'm used to things being super short. Especially tops. :arg Maybe we need to swap the places we're shopping because I'm constantly saying that not everyone who is plus-sized is short.

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Hear! Hear! I'm so tired of too short shirts!!

HeatherKS said:

Have you checked out the Silver brand jeans? Those are my faves right now. They're pricier than some but they come in women's sizes and in inseam length which is hard to find. For example, I bought a size 14 - 34" inseam that are perfect with my heels and boots. Seems like they had 31 and 32" lengths on the rack too. :thumbup: And they're not super high-waisted but they're not low rise either.

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I am on the site and some of those look awesome! Wish I could try them all on first.

I'm 5'4" or 5'5" depending on whether gravity is particularly strong that day or not...

I don't think it is our "height" but the "length" of our legs that is the issue....I am very short waisted (i.e. remember the one piece jumpsuits? ...if I pulled the waist to where it should have been...my shoulders should have been about 4" higher than they were)...my legs are as long as my husband's...and he is 6'1" tall!!!

....but yes...plus sizes seem to drive me nuts...too short in the length. When I was in misses sizes I bought talls if I was going to wear ANY kind of heel.

I've always had trouble with jeans, until recently someone recommended I try Nordstrom. I ended up trying on a pair of Jag brand jeans there, and they fit FANTASTIC and were so comfortable. They were pricey, but Nordstrom hemmed them for me for free. And, pardon me for saying so, but they make my @ss look fantastic!!

We had an image consultant speak to our moms of multiples group recently, and she gently suggested to me that I'd probably have an easier time finding cute clothes that stay looking good for the long haul if I shopped at a separate store from where I bought my groceries. LOL!

lalatwinmama said:

We had an image consultant speak to our moms of multiples group recently, and she gently suggested to me that I'd probably have an easier time finding cute clothes that stay looking good for the long haul if I shopped at a separate store from where I bought my groceries. LOL!

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Bwha, ha, ha. I could so picture someone saying that to me!


Last pair of jeans I liked I found at Catherines -- but that wasn't this season if there is some new wonky trend with too short legs.

I love the look of Jag jeans, but they don't fit me well. The waist is always too big, so they're not really great for the pear shape!

pkstew2 said:

Just wanted to say I'm glad someone else has this problem :thumbup: I'm tall and have a hard time with my plus size jeans being long enough - or the only ones that fit good are the boot cut and I want to wear them with flip flops which looks funny! The other problem I have is all the low-waist jeans. What's up with that?

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I don't want my jeans really really low...but I certainly don't want them at my rib cage, which is where most jeans fit me in womens sizes!! That's why I love the Dickies, Seven 7, and some Levi's.

I think I have a long torso.... because I never have felt that high waisted jeans were too high (and low are always tooooo low). They're definitely not under my boobs. Sometimes I like the feeling of being held in to my natural waist. As long as the pockets on the butt are flattering and I wear a longer top, you can't tell the difference.

But being that my torso is on the long side, its surprising that the pants were short. Maybe my body is changing from old age (29, almost 30).