rant by request: clothing

[keryx]

This is cavlec's rant. She told me to talk about clothing.

So let's talk about pants. I know I've said before that I hate trying to find pants, but I continue to not get why like no one on the planet can figure out how to make a pair of pants to fit me. And anytime I get into a discussion with other women about clothing fit, this one comes up more than any other.

It's the waist-hip differential, isn't it? That must be why women's pants suck so immensely. Pants are designed around the idea of suspenders, and modified for the use of belts - but on men, whose butts are usually similar in size to their waists. I can only wear pants if I get them super-tight in the butt or much too loose in the waist and force them to cling just above my ass with a belt. And pants for young women? Designed currently with the low-waist thing that means my big bootay is hanging out. Pants for les fat ladies? Waist up to my freaking eyebrows.

There's a really simple solution to the whole pants-fitting problem, too: the draw-string or wrap waist. Just make a variety of pants, including dress pants and jeans and whatever, in styles that can flex a bit to accomodate shape. Of course, then you'd have to make it acceptable to wear pants that tied with a suit jacket - but why not?

It would be a hell of a lot better than the usual stretch thing that the stupid Lane Bryant does with my dress pants. Stretch has its place, mind you, but when it involves a pair of pants, especially the usual LB belt-hating pant, which is about half way down my ass about half way through the workday. And I just don't think "my clothes are falling off me" is going to catch on as the latest in workplace hipster any day soon.

Also, the words for "pants": "trousers", "slacks", etc., they all sound kinda rude and icky. I don't like to say these words. Someone else pointed this out to me years ago, and I haven't been able to forget it.

Also also... I think most everyone has already heard of it, but fatshionistas is the bomb and a fun place to talk about just such things, but in a meaningful way.

I could just wear skirts all the time, but sometimes it's cold, and tights and socks just don't cut it. So I put up with crap-fitting pants. What crap-fitting clothing item do you hate most? Share. I like the sharing.

Comments

[snidegrrl.livejournal.com]

wearing skirts hinders me physically. if i am trying to jump over something, i could get constricted or tangled. they can ride up. sans tights, the thighs rub... there are just so many, many disadvantages to skirts.

there are lots of problems finding pants that fit well, but skirts are just impractical for me.

[keryx.livejournal.com]

I guess you and I move very differently, because I have pants get in my way more often than skirts. I feel like in a comfortable skirt (probly an oxymoron in your mind ;)) I could kick someone's ass if needed, but an awkward pair of pants will inhibit my kicking and running away.

It's still much too cold to wear skirts without like 10 layers of socks right now anyhow, though.

[snidegrrl.livejournal.com]

funny you should mention that, because i wore a skirt with just knee socks to work the other day, and people were freaking out, like, "your knees! agh!" and man, i gotta admit, that was a dumb idea.

i have a few long (straight) linen skirts from old navy i really like, i admit. they at least had enough give that i could climb over the baby gate we use for the dog in the office, but it still was kind of awkward.