Are stretch jeans a waste of money for thick-thighed women?
Is fast fashion to blame for inner thigh rips in jeans, or should women be more picky with the brand?
Blame it on yoga, meditation or Pilates. There’s a love I have for posture that I never had while doing aerobics or just dance fitness. And it makes shopping for jeans a little difficult. Tight jeans or fitted jeans are uncomfortable almost immediately. I want to be able to sit cross-legged or hike a leg up on the footrest under my desk and feel the same amount of comfort as I would while wearing yoga pants. I'm not wearing any shoes, dresses, pants or skirt that make me have to constantly adjust them. Stretch jeans are my go-to fashion for casual attire. But are stretch jeans falling into the same fast fashion problem that is piling up in landfills? Possibly.
ADVERTISEMENT ~ Amazon
As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a percentage for every purchase with my referral link.
I found a particular brand of jeans that fit as perfectly as JLo jeans (no longer sold in Kohls), Baby Phat jeans (my go-to in the early 2000s) and Apple Bottoms (before I outgrew fruit designs on my back pockets and Nelly performed for MAGA). But the latter three brands lasted for years — even with the same comfortable grip on hips, butts and thighs. Other brands? Rips in the thigh area within a year or two. I don’t want to discard lesser-known jeans that fit perfectly in the waist, but how many newly cut jean shorts does one person need?
ADVERTISEMENT ~ Amazon
As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a percentage from purchases with my referral links. I prioritize featuring intriguing products from small businesses, women-owned businesses and Black-owned businesses. All five of my Substack publications include a MINIMUM of one product sold by a VERIFIED Black-owned business.
While the go-to excuse for thigh rips may be weight gain or thigh rubbing, I’ve observed jean tears at weight loss and weight gain with certain brands. So what gives? Are jean manufacturers skimping on quality material, specifically for stretch jeans?
What are stretch jeans made of?
Stretch jeans are usually made from a blend of cotton denim and elastane (more commonly called spandex or Lycra). Unlike traditional denim, which is woven entirely from a warp-faced twill fabric traditionally made from 100% cotton, stretch denim has anywhere from 1% to 5% of flexible fibers. The stretchy fibers allow your thighs, rear end and waist to be covered with a more flattering shape than stiff denim that too often leaves a gap in the waist. (In all fairness, utilitarian jeans were initially intended for miners, cowboys and laborers during the California Gold Rush).
How did fast fashion improve and fail jeans?
Any woman who has a small waist and wider hips and thighs knows about the relief that stretch jeans offer — and a cosign from the Commodores “Brick House” song crooning about 36-24-36. Sir Mix a Lot took that “winning hand” one step further and rapped, “36-24-36? Haha, only if she's 5'3” on “Baby Got Back.” But finding clothes for this body type can be a task.