My Appreciation for Jeans that Don't "Gap in the Back"

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

During a large portion of my "maturing" years, I struggled with the fact that many jeans simply refused to fit my frame without “gaping” in the back – they basically did not fit the way they did when I was young girl, or the way they did on the department store mannequins. In other words - I "curved" out (not quite like J-Lo but close enough) - and eventually had to deal with the inevitable "gap" at the back of my favorite pairs of jeans and always had to wear a belt to make sure the jeans fit properly and comfortably. Of course, exercising (particularly dancing, running or doing Tae-Bo) only made it more "apple-esque," which at the time confused and frustrated me because I mistakenly assumed exercising would minimize the curve and help me fit better into the jeans at the mall. Fortunately, fashion trends have evolved and began appreciating "the curve," even going so far as to create jeans that make one's derriere much more "chunky" looking (thanks to J-Lo, Destiny's Child's "Bootylicious" song, and Sir Mix-A-Lot's classic as well). So, ironically enough - when a woman today asks, "Does my butt look big?," she may no longer be hoping for "no" as a response. I can speak for myself and tell you that if you respond to me with a “no,” it is not only an insult – it is basically a smack in the face of my Jamaican genetics.

I will honestly tell you that I increasingly accepted my “apple curve” over time, eventually realizing how many celebrities were honored for having the "apple" (Halle Berry, Tyra Banks, J-Lo, Beyonce, etc.), and becoming increasingly aware of the extent to which people were willing to create an apple of their own (either through intense exercising, implants, or the lovely cushion pads that you put in the back of your jeans to give it a “lift,” as “discretely” advertised at the back of many fashion magazines). Should I have accepted the "apple" from the beginning? Sure. But I didn’t quite understand it or really appreciate how it looked in clothing until I saw it reflected back at me as a coveted physical asset. Looking back, I know that I should have accepted the curve before the media told me it was acceptable and desirable. Today, I embrace it but I try to be as modest as possible with it while simultaneously appreciating/acknowledging the curve. For example, jeans that are way too tight are a “no-no” for me, and I always stay away from low-riders. That’s just a personal preference though. 

So, in my renewed search for better-fitting jeans within a relatively decent price range, I have narrowed my top three jeans choices down to: DKNY Skinny Jeans (fit ok), Applebottom Jeans (fit well) and PZI Jeans (fit really well). If you know of any other jeans that really work well with curves, please let me (and my other readers) know by commenting underneath this blog post. I am in love with both collections, but I am not a fan of the more intense and fluorescent color options on Applebottom's website (I am a basic blue, gray or black jean color girl). Also, some of the PZI Jeans at the Macy's in Times Square looked a bit cheap (probably just a bad sample in that Macy's store) - but I bought a classic skinny black pair on sale yesterday that looked well-made, and fit like a glove.


Although the Macy's Time Square mall did not carry them, I'm really thinking about buying the Classic Skinny Jean by PZI, as seen below:


At the age of 26, I can honestly say I have found a nice pair of jeans that does not require a belt to minimize "jeans gaping," and felt like it was made just for my body - and that was quite a relieving thing. Better late than never, right?