Jeans. The American wardrobe icon that you either consider a staple or your arch nemesis. And a denim jumpsuit, even more so. On the one hand they’re insanely versatile and, when made correctly, can be like second skin. But for many of us finding the dream jeans is a complete nightmare. Why? Because a lot of us don’t fit the outdated, cookie-cutter mold used to mass manufacture jeans. Or other clothes for that matter. So you’re stuck with two options. Get your jeans custom made. Which ensures a perfect fit but costs a pretty penny. Or you learn how to evaluate the quality of jeans. That’s why I’m sharing my guide on jeans shopping when your thighs are thicker than a Snicker yet your waist is snatched, or in layman’s terms how to shop for jeans when you’re pear shaped. So keep scrolling for my secrets on scoring the best jeans for pear shaped women, and denim jumpsuits!

2. Waist Line

Since comfort is the goal choosing the right rise is just as important as the material. Being blessed with booty, high waist jeans are a MUST for me! That way I can sit and squat with peace of mind that I’m not gracing people with a plumber’s crack. I also like high waists because it helps to show off my figure instead of running the risk of muffin topping like I normally do in some mid-rise and all low rise jeans.

3. Stitch Fix

Another overlooked aspect to finding quality jeans is examining the stitching. You want to look for double stitching or chain stitching. A heavier stitch will ensure there isn’t pulling and the seams won’t rip or split under stress. An easy test is to gently pull around the seams and listen for any threads pulling apart.

5. Brand Name

If you know me there are very few brands I’m loyal to. Can you blame me, experimentation is part of my job description. But when it comes to jeans I usually stick to shopping at places I know have jeans that fit the way I like. That’s not to say I don’t try new brands but it’s very rare. Personally I love the Farleigh Mom Jean from ASOS and my Wide Leg Evident Jeans have been on repeat every week since I’ve bought them. Take time to build your brand catalog and get familiar with what stores have jeans you like and what sizes you typically are.

6. Tailor Gang

My biggest secret is that 80% of my clothes have been taken to the tailor and my jeans are no exception. My most common service is getting pants either shortened or having the waist taken in to prevent that awkward gapping in the back. While you can cuff your jeans at home and wear a belt, to me having no fuss clothes means I’ll actually wear my them more. This plays a role in how much I’ll spend on jeans since I account for the fact that I will have to get them taken to the the tailor.

1. Material Girl

For me the most important thing when buying denim is the material. While everyone boasts of 100% cotton being the bee’s knees personally I find it to be too stiff for comfort. I like to be able to pop lock and drop it at a moments notice without restriction. Personally I go for jeans that have at least 2% elastane or other stretchy material. This makes jeans so much more comfortable and spares you from the dreaded crotch rip that happens when you have thick thighs, see more on how to prevent ripping your pants here. But another thing that isn’t talked about is the weight of the jeans. Generally speaking heavier denims are more durable and will last longer. So look for medium weight to heavier jeans, the only exception is if you’re looking at summer denim.

4. Cut

After finding your rise of choice it’s time to pick your cut. Although let’s be honest when you’re pear shaped pretty much every pair of jeans is inevitably going to be a skinny jean, at least on your thighs. Right now I’m craving everything wide legged, but still find myself reaching for my straight legs or skinnies every now and then. My secret to getting the perfect straight leg or boyfriend fit is picking pants made with a small amount of stretchy material and sizing up then getting the waist taken in at my tailor.

By taking into account your preferences before jeans shopping, see material, rise, and cut above, then you’ll save so much time hunting for jeans. But remember most won’t fit perfectly off the rack so don’t be afraid to shell out a few bucks to have them tailored just for you.

If you have even more tips on jeans shopping be sure the share them with us below!