MelissaEsplin.com

Refashion: Darts + Jeans

August 27, 2012
I have this regular problem that I can't seem to find pants that fit in both the waist and the legs. I don't feel this way, but according to most clothing stores my legs are disproportionately large compared to my waist. I think my legs are fine the way they are, so I've been trying to figure out easy ways to alter my jeans. I've taken jeans in from the back seam, but it always looks glaringly noticeable. Susan took some jeans in at the side for me, but I'm too lazy for her sewing skills and for jeans that were only $10. I've also tried the elastic approach and making my jeans bigger, but I wanted something easier. Yes. Even easier. Then I had this genius thought while Chris was complaining of the same thing with his pants. I was pinching and thinking of how to take his pants in, then it dawned on me. DARTS. It's virtually invisible and takes less than 5 minutes. That's my kind of fix! I was so proud of my original idea, then I remembered that I saw it somewhere else way before I thought of it. Liz has two tutorials on how to take in pants with darts. You should check them out. Doing darts is super easy. It's a little less noticable on pants that don't have decorative top stitching, but I'm more concerned about the fit and the fact that I didn't have to do any unpicking in order to get the right fit. Much better silhouette. See, I smile when my pants fit right. Also, I smile when I've just gone clothes shopping. I went on a bit (for me) of a clothes shopping binge last week. It feels so nice to have new duds! Outfit Details:
  • headband: handmade
  • necklaces: handmade, c/o Tai Pan Trading
  • top: Forever 21
  • cuff: handmade
  • jeans: Forever 21 (I love their $10 jeans)
  • shoes: thrifted
Do you have a magic brand of denim that fits you perfectly, or how do you alter jeans to make them fit you?