Modern women seem to love wearing pants, capris and shorts  … but I hear constant complaints about finding the ones that fit and flatter.  Here are some insider secrets to help you …

Since pant fit is so complex, and our bodies so varied, you may need to give up the myth of off-the-rack fit.  Quit searching endlessly for the perfect pair, buy your most flattering style in the size that is right for your critical fit zone and have the details customized to your body.

1. If you’re an hourglass, you’ll do best with a pant that comes to (or nearly to) your waist, since that’s the figure asset you want to spotlight.   You’re the most likely to find pants that fit both your waist and hips – lucky you!
2. Triangle figures also look best in waist-high pants – but buy the size to fit your hips and have the waist taken in.  Otherwise you’re either bulging through the hip area (unflattering and uncomfortable – ouch!) or gathering in the waist with your belt and looking like a sausage.

NOTE:  “Waist-high” pants(A) come to your natural waist.  That’s a good thing for a curve-y figure. "Dropped-waist" pants(B) come 1-2" below your waist - that's a good thing for straighter figures.   “High-waist” pants(C) come above the natural waist.  That’s almost never a good thing on any figure because it shortens the torso and adds mid-body bulk – ugh!

A       B      C

1. Rectangle figures have less curve from hip to waist, so the pants that fit their hips are too tight in the waist.  A moderately dropped-waist style helps side-step this fitting challenge.  The easiest fit solution for a rectangle is to buy the size that fits that below-the-waist area and have the side seams taken in where the pants have extra poofs of fabric at the hip.
2. Inverted triangles are also straighter figures, so those same rectangle adjustments  work for you too.
3. Ovals have a waistline that is as wide as – or even wider than – their hip measurement.   A waistbanded pant just isn’t going to work for you.  Instead look for smooth, classy elastic waist finishes that fit your waist without going to a much larger size.  You may still want to have excess fabric removed from the pant legs.

Nearly any body looks best in pants with more vertical design lines than horizontal ones.  Fly-front zippers (as long as they aren’t too bulky) and leg creases are slimming verticals.  Avoid horizontals like wide-angle pockets,back yokes and cuffs.  And think long and hard about whether you want patch pockets or pocket flaps calling attention to your rear end. (If those horizontal details sound like jeans to you – you’re right.)

If you have tummy fullness, stick with sleek styling.  Look for side or back zippers.  And check carefully that side seam pockets don’t add extra bulk.  You can even topstitch them shut and trim away the actual pocket from inside the garment.

Or camouflage that tummy with pleated pants in soft fabrics.  Be sure the pleats fold out from the center - like you see in the picture below - so you get the extra room over your tummy, not puffing out at your hips.

SLICK TRICK:  If you have athletic thighs, you may find that even in the correct pant size you still get little horizontal wrinkles right at the crease of your leg.  If you have pants shortened – and many, many of us do – your tailor can use the extra fabric from the hem to create a V-shaped gusset at the top of the inside leg seam to give you extra room!  It won’t show when you wear the pants, and the fit will be amazingly improved.

If you have this problem but don't typically need pants shortened, buy Talls so you have the extra fabric for the gusset.

Keep pant legs slim - but not skin-tight - unless you want to look shorter and heavier. Take in the outside leg seam if necessary to get this trimmer shape.   It’s the same concept as  the A-line skirt example we saw last week.  And it applies double to capris and shorts, as you can see below. Even jeans are more slimming when the leg is a bit narrower, but not skin-tight.