I’m a very proportinal size 12, I have hips and a butt and a waist, and damn I can never find jeans that fit me well. I’m not talking about Mom Jeans, nor am I talking about ultra-low rise, I’m talking about some nice, hip-looking, regular rise, boot cut, attractive jeans. That aren’t $150.
Jeans that have worked for me in the past: Gap, Steve & Barry’s (made like crap, but fit great).
Any others?
I love these threads because I consider myself an expert. The only problem is, I am far from a size 12. I can only offer you the expert opinion of a plus size gal like me. For what it is worth, though, these labels all offer size 12.
Lady Enyce
Baby Phat
Akedemics
Ecko Red
All of those jeans are made very stylishly. You can get them cut like ‘skinny’ jeans, and you can them in ‘low ride’ styles.
They are generally between 50 and 75 dollars and can be found at Lord and Taylor or Macy’s.
The often have 2% spandex, and they really give way for ample butt, hips and thighs.
Many of them are cut a little closer in the waist, to accomadate the plus size women that is built with more butt than gut.
I understand that you are a 12 and not an 18 or 20, but I think these styles would fit you nicely too.
Also, these styles all look great if you like to wear your jeans skin tight, as I do. I cannot predict how they will fit those that like to wear a looser fit.
I will admit that I like a bit of room in the fit, so I guess I’d better add that to my list of desires. I will check out these brands, though, Nzinga, thanks!
The new Old Navy “Sweetheart Cut.” Not too gappy in the back, not too low, not too expensive ($29), comes in like 5 washes and a couple of leg styles (I always buy bootcut but I think they also have tapered now).
The Gap curvy actually fit me very awkwardly – it was REALLY gappy in the back (like, a good 4-5 inches of space!) – I ended up buying the regular in one size up and then really regretting it after I went to Old Navy and tried the Sweetheart cut (but the Gap Jeans were already washed, tags, off, etc, so nonreturnable. alas.)
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I have gotten some jeans that I think are similar to what you are looking for from Chicos. Their size numbers are different from normal. A 12 is probably a 1.5 or 2. My tastes run a little bit to the mom jean style because I hate low rise, but these are at least “your friend’s cool mom.”
My daughter is a nice curvey size 12. She has good luck at Maurice’s for pants.
Have you seen those commercials for the new Lee jeans? Something about how they have several new fits? I haven’t tried them yet, but they look like they’re nice…
I enjoy the Levis stretch-fit boot-cut jeans very much, and I think they flatter the big hips well. I too have that whole hippy/curvy thing going on, and I think they were flattering from a size 16 all the way down to a size 8, FWIW.
After some disasterous shopping, these are exactly the jeans I bought too! I’m a size 10 or 12 (12 in these ones) and I always have problems with the old ‘butt and hips are bigger than waist’ thing. But the sweethearts are good.
Although I am quick to praise the cut, I will say that Old Navy Jeans are insanely variable in size from pair to pair. I bought two pairs in the same size – one is quite snug, the other almost too loose. So, if you go there, try on at least three different pairs in the same size & color. A pain, but for $29 jeans that fit right, you have to make some sacrifices.
What about someone with not much extra weight in the butt and hips, but a lot of belly fat? Know of any good jeans that won’t fall down if I buy them in a comfortable size, and won’t cut me in half if I buy a size that will stay up?
I wear a 14 and I really like my jeans from Lane Bryant. They fit high enough to be modest but not so high to be mommy jeans. The sizing is wierd so I had to find someone to measure me, but once they did I was able to find some that fit really well.
I know just what you need. DKNY Soho jeans . I have two pairs, myself. I wear between a 10 and a 12, and I’ve had good luck with the Gap also, but can’t find any of the current styles that fit. I usually have the problem that when they fit through the hips, butt, and thighs, they gap about two inches at the waist. The Soho jeans totally solve the problem for me, and are usually <$50.
Try the Authentic Fit jeans from J.Jill. They are 79.00/pair, but the denim is high quality, not that paper thin crap denim they seem to use for womens jeans these days.
Galena, that was a great call! DKNY are perfect. I can’t believe I forgot them. And, again, they do make plus sizes.
I have to third this. DKNY has a very nice fit and the SOHO is a good, classic jean. I always buy jeans with a touch of stretch in them as well and these are perfect.
Not to mention that they have great “vanity sizing”, I can get away with wearing an 8 
, with other brands, I’m usually a 10.
I also want to echo the approval for Baby Phat. I know I’m old but these jeans just fit too damn good. Anyway, I won’t be 40 until next year so I’m going to keep wearing them. I look younger, does that count? 
I really like Ann Taylor Loft pants in the Julie cut. They are cut for women who have smaller waists but also have hips and thighs.
Qwisp, try the Laura or Ann fit of pants at ATL. They tend to be cut straighter through the hips, not sure how they are about the tummy (they don’t work for me, I suffer from gap-itis in the waist with them).
Aw, thanks!
There’s another style by Calvin Klein that’s similar, if you’re interested. “Low-rise bootcut”, I believe. I almost didn’t try them on, because “low-rise” usually means “butt-crack” rise, but these are actually OK in that department. I also found that I had better luck with the regular length than usual. (I’m 5’6".)
I guess I’m going to be the lone voice of dissent on the DKNY Soho jeans. I tried them on recently, and found them to be waaaaaay too Mom jean-ish. The rise was nearly to my waist (and I’m high-waisted!), and the back pockets were too high on my butt. I will say though, that I tried them at Marshall’s, so there’s a chance they were irregular, though they weren’t marked as such. There’s also, of course, the chance that my body’s just weird!
I’ve had great success with the Gap’s Curvy Bootcut, less with their Curvy Flare. They have a new curvy style I’m looking forward to trying. I find the flap-pocket thing to be oddly flattering, given that usually I’d intuitively stay away from anything that adds any bulk to what is already my bulkiest area.
If you like your jeans looser, I’ll second olivesmarch4th’s Levis recommendation.
Also, try the juniors department! I did, and was very pleasantly surprised. The jeans usually have a higher lyrcra content, so they’re more form-fitting while being less “tight”, and they’re super-cheap. Also, it’s the only place I’m able to find jeans short enough to wear with flats. Watch the rise though, some of them are very low indeed.
