Are your legs smaller than your waist?
Do you find that most pants are baggy around your calves and look nothing like they do on the model you saw them on? Even when that model was similar size waist to you? You MIGHT be apple shape!
The below blog post will help you understand the importance of knowing your inseam (to ankle and the floor), your rise, planning what shoes you will wear, cuffing jeans appropriately and what styles to wear and what to avoid!
You can scroll to the bottom of this blog post or click HERE to watch my videos about styling for an apple body shape
Apple shapes are the most underserved and difficult to dress. This is in my opinion because apple shapes and clothing are a HUGE mindset shift.
The traditional recommendations for an apple shape are to hide under straight leg jeans OR bootcut jeans. But many of our customers have learned to take ownership of their frames and dress for it.
Below are the steps I HIGHLY recommend for the most successful adventure into new denim styles as an Apple Body Shape
- Measure your inseam (inside leg crotch to ankle as well as crotch to the floor). While bootcut and SOME straight leg you may want to hit the floor, most you'll want to hit at or above the ankle especially when double cuffed.
- Measure your rise. I do not care if it says mid or high rise on the tag. Rise is an opinion except when it comes to INCHES. Measure your crotch upward around the tummy to where you want the top of the waistband to hit in inches.
- Plan your shoes! If you only own chunky tennis shoes and boots, then finding denim that looks good on your frame can be a challenge. Find the lowest to the ground / low profile shoes you can comfortably wear. Bootcut jeans can obviously wear boots and booties also.
- Find your current department store size that fits fitted but comfortably to your tummy. You will ALWAYS buy the pants that make your tummy look best and work with the legs from there.
- NEVER buy slim fit jeans. Slim fit are super wide thigh jeans that don't do apples justice.
Jeans on an apple shape often need to be cuffed. I prefer a double cuff at the bottom to give them an intentional straight leg look.
Our Top Styles for Apple shapes (when cuffed) are:
1. Skinny Jeans
2. Relaxed fit jeans (relaxed are a slightly roomy skinny jean).
3. Wide Leg Crops (usually 24 inches in length and wide all the way down) are also an amazing seller.
4. Boyfriend jeans which are roomy throughout but not like a slim fit super wide thigh.
CUFFING
Cuffs do not have to be huge. A double micro cuff is what I call it when you fold the bottom hem over itself twice. But some pairs do look great with a one inch cuff rolled twice or a chunkier 2-3 inch cuff. Play around and get a long mirror.
Sizing
Once you know your preferred inseam length, rise height and department store size, you can shop. Each pair has sizing listed in the description.
If you are an 18 in regular department stores then most pairs will tell you to wear a 16w or a 14w when they run what we call, 2 sizes big.
A 20 will wear an 18w and 16w when they run big
A 22 will wear a 20w and an 18w when they run big
A 24 will wear a 22w and a 20w when they run big
A 26 will wear a 24w and a 22w when they run big
On pairs that we say run 2 sizes big, a 26/28 can wear the 24w or 22w
If you EVER have any questions, please just ask. But once you take ownership of your body shape and feel confident in your clothes, you can rule the world :-)