regentrude Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Or, should I better say: attempting to buy pants, since it was unsuccessful. In case the title does not clue you in: this is a vent. I am looking for a wardrobe staple: a pair of plain dark dress pants for work. That's not an extravagant wish, is it? The average woman in the US is 5' 4 tall. I am 5'6. So why are all pants several inches too long? No, petites is not the answer; they look like slightly too long capri pants. Not the look I am going for. This is for work. And, oh, vanity sizing. I have never in my life been a size 4. After several years of not having to buy pants, I discover that size 4 is too big. Never mind my closet is filled with 6s and 8s. Smaller sizes don't exist in the store. We have two clothing stores in town. Wish me better luck in the other one. Did I mention I hate pants shopping? 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Good luck! I'm 5'2" and I can never get the right length pants either. I do fortunately live in an area with plenty of stores to choose from, but that does not always improve my chances of finding a pair that fit correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 The average woman in the US is 5' 4 tall. I am 5'6. So why are all pants several inches too long? I'm 5' 8.5" with disproportionately long legs. My whole life it's been very difficult to find pants long enough, until recently. Now it's much easier. Great news for me, but not so great for a whole lot of other people. Sorry :( 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Older dd is spending a semester in the UK. She went to London this past weekend. She said she sat in the park outside the hotel and marveled at how well everyone's pants fit. So this is perhaps a U.S. problem? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GinaPagnato Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Can you find a 4S (short)? I wear a 6, but apparently I should be 5'8" in order for the length to fit. :glare: Usually if I can find a 6S, the length is just right so long as I'm not wearing heels. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tm919 Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 I'm 5'2" and it is pretty bleak. Depending on the style you can take them to a tailor. =( I think even if they are petites, they sometimes assume that you are wearing 3 inch heels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyThreeSons Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Or, should I better say: attempting to buy pants, since it was unsuccessful. In case the title does not clue you in: this is a vent. I am looking for a wardrobe staple: a pair of plain dark dress pants for work. That's not an extravagant wish, is it? The average woman in the US is 5' 4 tall. I am 5'6. So why are all pants several inches too long? No, petites is not the answer; they look like slightly too long capri pants. Not the look I am going for. This is for work. And, oh, vanity sizing. I have never in my life been a size 4. After several years of not having to buy pants, I discover that size 4 is too big. Never mind my closet is filled with 6s and 8s. Smaller sizes don't exist in the store. We have two clothing stores in town. Wish me better luck in the other one. Did I mention I hate pants shopping? I am an even 6 feet tall, and I have a terrible timing finding pants that are long enough for me. In most lines of clothing, I wear an 18W. I can find lots of short (or petite) pants in that size, but rarely anything in tall or long. I would like three pair of basic twill slacks -- one navy, one black, and one khaki. I often end up getting polo shirts from the men's department because they are long enough to not expose my belly or back when I raise my hand to write on the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 I usually buy pants and jeans from j jill because the sizes do not vary much. Makes shopping much easier. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 I'm 5'6" and noticed that pants are now longer than they were 15 years ago. Even yoga pants are a couple inches longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Older dd is spending a semester in the UK. She went to London this past weekend. She said she sat in the park outside the hotel and marveled at how well everyone's pants fit. So this is perhaps a U.S. problem? We noticed and talked about that when we visited London too! Everyone looked so nicely put together, with clothes that actually fit! Should have done more shopping while I was there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 I'm 5'4" with short legs and I'm not petite. I'm also not a 4, even in vanity sizing. I hate pants shopping and pretty much gave up on dressier pants. When I find a style that works, rarely, I try to buy at least two pairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemiSweet Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Do you ever shop online? I have heard really great things about Betabrand and Margaret M pants. I often have my pants hemmed because I'm 5'4" with short legs. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 I agree that clothing manufacturers must consider 5'4" - 5'6" petite, because at 5'3.5" I find that most petite pants are still 1-2" longer than they should be. I don't know where women shorter than me find pants because the cheaper clothing stores rarely carry petite sizes, and even then, the petite pants are too long for most petite women. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 They need to sell women's pants like they do men's: waist size and inseam length. Perhaps add a hip size in their too. It seams like they understand men come in different heights better than they do women. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamiof5 Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Good luck!!! Hate buying pants too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 I'm 5'6" and noticed that pants are now longer than they were 15 years ago. Even yoga pants are a couple inches longer. I'm 5'10" and remember being excited years ago to find that pants started coming out in Long/Tall. I started buying Lee jeans because their talls fit me just right. But the last couple pairs I've bought have been too long. :huh: And the Average/Regular is still too short. :glare: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted September 7, 2015 Author Share Posted September 7, 2015 Do you ever shop online? I have heard really great things about Betabrand and Margaret M pants. I often have my pants hemmed because I'm 5'4" with short legs. Good luck! I shop online a lot, but not for pants because I have to try those on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted September 7, 2015 Author Share Posted September 7, 2015 All those of you who have pants hemmed: where do you have this done? The store does not offer alterations, I asked :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Ugh. I have the same issue with the height - I'm 5'5" so you'd think the pants would be about right on me, but they've been getting longer and longer, I swear. Luckily, I guess, I seem to have gained enough weight to go up a size in petites because the petites are longer than they used to be too. Still most of the proportions are all off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 All those of you who have pants hemmed: where do you have this done? The store does not offer alterations, I asked :-( At a tailor. Sometimes a dry cleaner store will do alterations, too. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 I just made this comment today! Bought a pair of yoga pants at Athleta and even though I am average size at 5'4", they are 3+ inches too long. It's been years since I was able to buy pants without needing to hem them. On the plus side, I can use the extra fabric I've cut off to fashion a pocket to sew inside so I can stash my fitbit. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 If anyone here wears yoga pants, Athleta hems for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 If anyone here wears yoga pants, Athleta hems for free. Are you serious??? How did I not know that? Ugh. The store is 60 miles away though so I guess it's just as easy for me to do it myself. But thanks for telling me! Next time I'll let them do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 On the plus side, I can use the extra fabric I've cut off to fashion a pocket to sew inside so I can stash my fitbit. That is very, very cool! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tm919 Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 All those of you who have pants hemmed: where do you have this done? The store does not offer alterations, I asked :-( There is a tailor in the mall where I usually shop... people buy their items, then immediately take them to a tailor. He does an amazing business, it shows how bad sizing is now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 All those of you who have pants hemmed: where do you have this done? The store does not offer alterations, I asked :-( A good tailor is your friend. Or if you can get someone to pin them for you a blind hem is quick and easy to do yourself. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 They need to sell women's pants like they do men's: waist size and inseam length. Perhaps add a hip size in their too. It seams like they understand men come in different heights better than they do women. Yes to this! It actually makes me rather ill that they don't do this. They expect my 5'0" tall MIL and my 5'8" tall self to wear the same pant length? lol. And the vanity sizing is getting out of control. I don't even know what size to pick up any more. I have a pair of Old Navy pants in my closet from a several years ago that are a size 18. I can get them on, but they are snug. I also have a pair of size 14 "skinny" jeans from Old Navy that I bought two weeks ago that are practically falling off. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 You are supposed to wear the pants with super high heels. Then they won't be too long. I hate shopping for pants. I can never find anything I like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 Ok, but how many of us wear yoga pants with high heels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 I recently discovered I've been vanity sized out of the one local store where I could usually find things because their smallest size is now too big even though I didn't get any smaller. I had luck in another town finding gently used pants that fit well at a consignment store, and one pair still had tags. I'm 5'2" and can sometimes wear petites but sometimes not. I don't know why "short" length jeans and pants can't even be consistent lengths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 I just go to the regular girls section now to buy jeans (I get a lot of strange looks though). I can do a 16/18 girls since they makes those longer now too. I used to do a 3 junior but they are getting too long and a little too loose and same with a size 1 (please don't hate me!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 My favorite way to hem jeans that are too long: http://www.sewmuchado.com/2011/06/tutorial-how-to-hem-jeans-and-keep-the-original-hem.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 I think the answer is that with pants, you are expected to have them tailored. It's annoying but if you just take it for granted that it has to be done, it simplifies things immensely. A whole new world of pants will be open to you. This is however one of the main reasons I own mostly skirts and jeans. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bensonduck Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 I think the answer is that with pants, you are expected to have them tailored. It's annoying but if you just take it for granted that it has to be done, it simplifies things immensely. A whole new world of pants will be open to you. This is however one of the main reasons I own mostly skirts and jeans. See, I get this and would accept it for nice dress pants - absolutely I am willing to take the extra steps and cost to have them fit perfectly. The $19 jeans at old navy? The yoga pants? No. Those things should not be absurdly long. It's not haute couture, old navy. I should be able to put them on and have them fit and not look absolutely crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted September 8, 2015 Author Share Posted September 8, 2015 You are supposed to wear the pants with super high heels. Then they won't be too long. which I can't because of a foot condition. Sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 which I can't because of a foot condition. Sigh. I won't because I don't do uncomfortable shoes anymore. So my search for pants continues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 See, I get this and would accept it for nice dress pants - absolutely I am willing to take the extra steps and cost to have them fit perfectly. The $19 jeans at old navy? The yoga pants? No. Those things should not be absurdly long. It's not haute couture, old navy. I should be able to put them on and have them fit and not look absolutely crazy. I guess the thing with jeans is, you get what you pay for - so if you go for Old Navy, you can't expect the best design. I actually find ON is one of the places where the jeans are usually the right length for me a lot of the time but that is just random chance. Yoga pants are interesting, because you couldn't really do yoga in them if they are too long. But, they are really a sort of sweatpant, so I can't imagine them offering inseam option. Maybe they expect people to wear them sort? I guess that might be why old style sweat pants had elastic cuffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 I am 5'4". j jill regular pants are just the right length for me. Petite would be too short. Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 It's been a few years, but I bought many pairs of basic dress pants at Talbots, usually on sale. (Because they have petites, of course. I'm only about 5' 1.5" now, so there must be something odd about my proportion, because the Talbots petite pants are often about an inch too short and yet the regular, non-petite pants are a couple inches too long.) I would have guessed that 5'6" would be ideal for regular sizes; we can't win, eh. Eta, doesn't everyone hate buying pants? Even my dd hates buying them now that she is into junior/adult sizing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 I'm 5'4" with long arms and legs. Until a few years ago, regular pants fit my length. The longer pants force me into short-length lately. I'm guessing tall girls should stock up now. My daughter is tiny. If this were the 80s, she'd wear a 2/3, but now she's in sizing purgatory where she has to seek out double zeros and xxs. If they exist, I swear the stores order only a handful in that size and you have to hover when they open the boxes. There is the one store with the 'super skinny' section where she can find pants. I've decided that size 10 must be THE best size to be because I ALWAYS see that on the rack when I'm shopping. Do you all think that middle-aged women must have come up with the nudist colony thing? Just think of it . . . no pants shopping and no laundry. And the paleo thing? Someone just got fed up with cooking and decided grilled meat and salad for every meal is the answer. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 My daughter is tiny. If this were the 80s, she'd wear a 2/3, but now she's in sizing purgatory where she has to seek out double zeros and xxs. If they exist, I swear the stores order only a handful in that size and you have to hover when they open the boxes. H&M pants and jeans are great for skinny and average hip. Armani Exchange pants is great for skinny with bigger hips. Levis jeans have a good selection for small waist and small to big hips. For pants I just hem up by hand with needle and thread. For jeans I just fold up the excess lengtb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 I'm 5'7" and don't consider myself unusually tall but I had similar complaints until I found Land's End. They hem your pants to your specifications - or at least they did so a few years back since I have not had to buy anything recently in the slacks department. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 Yes, the vanity sizing! I am not the size they say and any local store carries no women's clothing my size. Irritating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lailasmum Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 I think we have good choice in trousers here in the UK as many shops carry a separate petite range as well as short, regular and tall. The only person I know to have issues is my friend with a 36" inside leg but a lot of that is because doesn't want to spend much money and the trousers that would fit her are in the pricier ranges. Tops are another matter though. I'm 5ft 7" but I have a very long body and nothing is ever long enough unless I get it from the tall ranges and then it's only just long enough. The choice in the tall ranges in tops is not great generally. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaBearTeacher Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 Ooh, I am dreading pant shopping this year! One year I got so frustrated I went into each store in the mall and asked if they had any pants that would not be too long on me and each store said no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 What really ticks me off about the vanity sizing is when you carefully look up the size chart, measure yourself to know what size is supposed to fit, get that size, put it on and you're swimming in it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 Tops are another matter though. I'm 5ft 7" but I have a very long body and nothing is ever long enough unless I get it from the tall ranges and then it's only just long enough. The choice in the tall ranges in tops is not great generally. That is a whole other rant for me. My girls and I have the hardest time with shirts. Almost everything hits right at the top of our pants (which makes for interesting views if you have to reach for anything). We wear a lot of tanks under our shirts, but even those are hard to find that are long enough. We've actually bought things that were meant to be dresses (but apparently only for those that want to flash their undies or are under 5'5") and worn them as shirts. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 That's me for other reasons. I've got long legs and am very short-waisted. So I need the length of tall pants, but the top won't fit. Other than custom pants, it's officially a problem. I finally figured out that nurses scrubs with elastic waists work reasonably well because I can pull the waist up, so I buy black and tan ones for work and wear a top that goes over. It was actually easier when I was in a job where I wore a skirted suit every day, but now I teach and have to crawl under desks messing with cables at times. No heels here. My orthopedic doc sees enough of me trying to keep by bad ankle and knee going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 I think we have good choice in trousers here in the UK as many shops carry a separate petite range as well as short, regular and tall. The only person I know to have issues is my friend with a 36" inside leg but a lot of that is because doesn't want to spend much money and the trousers that would fit her are in the pricier ranges. Tops are another matter though. I'm 5ft 7" but I have a very long body and nothing is ever long enough unless I get it from the tall ranges and then it's only just long enough. The choice in the tall ranges in tops is not great generally. I only find evening trousers to be a real problem here: everyone assumes that one will wear heels in the evening. I don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenade Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 I read somewhere that clothing companies tend to make things bigger, hence longer, I guess, because they have fewer returns when things are bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.