If you have an hourglass figure, in this guide I will help you better determine which style jeans are going to be ideal for your body type. I have a clothing line for women 5’4″ and under, and one of our models, Wendy, has a very typical hourglass figure.
Hourglass-shaped women are blessed with very feminine curves, but it also comes with your own set of challenges when it comes to choosing the right jeans.
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Styling Goal
One of the main things I noticed, through stying Wendy (our hourglass-shaped model) and my customers who have an hourglass figure, is:
- Because Hourglass is known for having a small waist and full hips, it’s very common that you will notice “gaping” when you are trying jeans
- Gaping means any jeans that fit your hips will be too loose for your waist, and anything that fits your waist will be too tight for your hips
Because of that, below are the main goals for the best jeans for hourglass
- Accommodate the significant difference between your waist and hips.
- Balance your curvy figure without creating too much bulkiness
Below is a list of the best denim for your shape.
High Waisted Jeans
To be honest, high-waisted bottoms in general are always going to be a style win for an hourglass figure, especially for an hourglass with a tummy. Anytime you have a garment that highlights your naturally defined waist it’s going to further accentuate that attribute.
A high waist design can make anyone’s waist look slimmer because it reaches the smallest part of our torso. When you have an hourglass shape, this is going to bring more focus to one of your best assets, i,e, the tiny waist.
If you haven’t added high-waisted jeans to your wardrobe yet, now is definitely the time to do so. Because it’s such a flattering fit for an hourglass figure it presents itself as a classic piece for your wardrobe. Means, even though high-waisted jeans are trendy now doesn’t mean you still can’t wear them a couple of years down the line.
Regardless of the style leg in the jeans, as long as you have a high-waisted rise chances are it’s going to look really great on an hourglass shape. This fit really allows you to wear even more jean styles and still ensure they’re flattering on your figure.
Straight Leg Jeans
Another style of denim that’s become a huge trend over the past year: is straight-leg jeans.
The good news? They’re something to embrace with an hourglass figure.
Since hourglass overall comes across as the “rounded” shape, straight-leg jeans are a perfect balance of volume that is most in harmony with your shape.
Another reason to adopt straight-leg jeans into your denim collection is that they often add length to your legs. Because of the, well…straight line that’s created down the leg it instantly adds the illusion of longer-looking legs to the body. A major bonus if you’re a petite hourglass!
Straight-leg jeans are a must-have, here’s why
The reason straight-leg jeans are such a great choice is that they allow your naturally balanced shape to really take the stage.
Straight-leg jeans really balance out the curvy body shape of the hourglass, because it does not completely cling to your legs.
Make sure to favor straight-leg jeans in either a mid or high-rise fit. This will give you figure-flattering benefits all around.
Bootcut Jeans
This may be a surprising addition to the list but boot-cut jeans are incredibly flattering for an hourglass shape.
Thanks to the subtle flare that bootcut provides, it gives balance to a curvy figure.
When looking for bootcut jeans just ensure that the flared shape isn’t too exaggerated, leaning towards a true flare fit. The more subtle the flare the better.
Because your shape is already proportioned and balanced just a slight flare will add a little extra ‘oomph’ to your shape.
Just like with the straight-leg jeans, make sure you stick with a mid or a high-rise in bootcut jeans. These are the two best rises for an hourglass regardless of the style.
Skinny Jeans
Believe it or not, skinny-fit jeans are another flattering denim choice for an hourglass figure.
Of course, they’re meant to be fitted, they shouldn’t be uncomfortably snug.
More often than not when opting for the skinny fit you’ll want to focus on options that are stretchy in their material for more comfort.
How to choose skinny jeans as an hourglass
The key when wearing, or shopping for skinny-fit jeans is ensuring that they aren’t TOO skinny.
They will look most flattering on your shape, when you pair skinny fit jeans with a slightly voluminous top.
That will make sure the volume is balanced between your top half and bottom half.
Slim Straight Jeans
This is a style you may not have heard of before, but it’s one you may want to make present in your wardrobe. Skinny straight-leg jeans are pretty much exactly as they sound, they’re a combination between skinny and straight leg fit.
In other words, they’re a slimmer fit (not as slim as a true skinny) with a straight-leg silhouette. Because of the straight leg element, they don’t taper in around the ankle area the way a true skinny fit denim does.
As you can imagine, because both skinny and straight-leg style jeans are such flattering options for an hourglass shape – the combination of them is a definite must have.
Cropped Flare Jeans
Cropped jeans burst onto the fashion scene a couple of years ago and have really held their own in the trend department. They’re a great alternative to full-length jeans as the temperatures rise, or when you just want to switch things up in your style.
Cropped flare, sometimes called a kick flare, is something to give a try as an hourglass shape. Just like the way a classic bootcut jean enhances an hourglass, the cropped version does the same thing.
Because of the cropped length, the high rise will ensure your legs don’t get cut off and look shorter than they are – which is something that can happen with a cropped fit and a low rise.
Styles of cropped flare jeans to remember
When trying this particular type of flared jean out, you will want to focus on high-rise styles.
Curvy Fit Jeans
Ok, this is not a particular jeans leg shape, but a jeans fit that is specifically flattering for hourglass-shaped women.
When shopping for jeans with an hourglass figure, most experts suggest always favoring ‘curvy’ fits. More and more brands are beginning to offer a variety of different fits, including curvy, to better suit different body types.
For an hourglass, the curvy styles are often the most flattering and comfortable to wear. As you continue your jean search, keep an eye out for any brands that have this attribute included in their size ranges. It can make a huge difference!
Dark Wash Jeans
Hourglass shape women come in different sizes. Some hourglass is skinny, while others may be plus size. However, one thing all hourglass shapes have in common is they come across as “fleshy” instead of “bony”.
That means even when an hourglass shape is thin, she would always look fuller than she actually is, because of her curvy body shape.
Because of that, darker wash denim is highly recommended for the hourglass. In general, darker colors are slimming, and lighter colors are expansive.
Black is commonly considered the most slimming, but darker colors do not always have to be black. There are many different washes of jeans on the market that are dark grey, grey black, deep navy, which are also wonderful options for the hourglass shape, as they can all make your figure look leaner and longer.
The hourglass figure is more “fleshy” than “bony”.
Therefore, it is easy to understand that darker shades of denim can make hourglass women look leaner.
Jeans are a wardrobe staple in every woman’s wardrobe. Especially now that fashion has been more casual over the past couple of years. While jeans are such a wardrobe must have, they’re also one of the hardest garments to shop for in women’s fashion. With this guide, you should be able to now find the perfect pair of jeans for your hourglass shape!
