35 years and 3 kids has not been kind to my midsection. I may be within five pounds of the same weight I was before my body bore any children, but the weight is not distributed in quite the same way.
This becomes most bothersome when trying to fit into pants. In other words, my waist is a full size larger than my hips and legs. Now I know Clinton and Stacy say to fit the largest part of you and then make friends with a tailor, but really, that’s so impractical. To say nothing of expensive.
Usually I try to put on my jeans when they’re not quite dry so that they stretch out, but what I find is, they stretch out in the right places AND the wrong places. So the waist might feel better, but then I get Baggy Butt Disease.
Oh the trials!
Then last week I was reading the comments on one of Big Mama’s Fashion Friday posts, and someone mentioned using a spray bottle to wet the back of her jeans so they would loosen up. Now this sounded like a grand idea!
For one thing, my method, already flawed, also posed another problem. Invariably, I found that when the jeans were at the perfect degree of dampness to put on and stretch out, it was not always a most convenient time to wear the jeans. So I would try to coordinate my daily schedule and the drying cycle so that the jeans were ready to put on when I was ready to wear them. Clearly this was quite a production.
Can we say high maintenance?
So when I read Big Mama’s comment, I wasted no time running out to CVS and purchasing a pretty pink spray bottle for the express purpose of dampening the waistband my jeans.
Now whenever I go to put on a pair of jeans that have been recently laundered (read: shrunk back to their original dimensions), I take my handy dandy pink spray bottle and give them a good dousing right around the waistband area. Then when I put them on, it only takes about five minutes of regular wear (and perhaps a few deep knee bends) to stretch the waist band to the desired circumference. (Incidentally, this also works if your pants are tight in the tushy area, or any other area for that matter.)
Voilà! Pants that fit comfortably. Without a tailor.
Works for ME!
23 Responses
I’m the exact opposite of you…my thighs are a full size bigger than my waist. You’re right about the impracticability of a tailor, though my single friends disagree. Love the spray bottle idea!
Now why have I never known about this whole wet jeans stretch easier thing? Awesome tip! And very funny visuals to start a rainy Monday morning. You with your pretty pink spray bottle in your hand, doing deep knee bends. Hee hee. (hugs you)
wow — genius!
LOL for some reason you standing around spraying your jeans has me ROTF.
I have never heard of such a thing, well hadn’t heard of the wet jean wearing either. Personally that damp jean out of the drier feel drives me up a wall, I have had to do it a time or two because i needed my jeans before they were completely dried, but it is not something I would set out to do.
Then again I have the the reverse problem. Thighs and butt alot bigger then my waist.
Oh what a FAB idea! and kudos for staying fit 3 kids later! Last year I vowed to give up on jeans altogether because I could no longer fit into my favorite pair, but now with wide leg jeans back in style I might be able to manage it (I have the reverse problem as well).
PS- I don’t know how to reply to your comments via email, but I love that we have so much in common esp. the animal one. Everyone thinks I’m nuts for that one.
THAT is sooooo cool. I’m sure I could get Mr. Hot to spray my butt.
And it really does work! I do this all the time. I forget where I saw it – some tv show, but I don’t remember which one, and I’ve been doing it ever since. I need it for the tushy area myself – and it works wonders! Glad to know I’m not the only one who does this!
I just typed a whole comment of the wores of how jeans fit me, but it turned into a great big ole essay, worthy of university caliber research, so I’ll just say: This is a great idea.
I’ve got the same problem that you do… and I’ve solved it by wearing low waist jeans… not “ultra low” mind you… but where the waist band sits right at my hip bones… no more tight waist!!!! Now I can’t stand when I put on pants that come to my waist…
Teri in CO
Tamara – You spray your bootie with water! Simple! 🙂
Nicki – The Jane Fonda. Hilarious.
Teri – my complaint with the ultra low rise is that the bread dough around my middle spills out over top and then I look really lumpy and bumpy. But I do find that a semi-low rise is better than an at-the-waist rise.
I had not learned this trick either and picturing you doing deep knee bands brings up a memory. Growing up, I remember my mom calling these movements and actions to get into a pair of jeans—Jean Fonda. I think about it everytime I struggle to put on a pair of jeans.
You crack me up and I love the idea! Now I want a suggestion for when the waist of your shorts is TOOOO big but your booty is WAY too big to go down a size in shorts?????
Wow! That sounds a whole lot better than trying to diet and exercise my way into my “thin” jeans. Thanks for the tip!! 🙂
Jane, Pinks & Blues
Wow! That sounds a whole lot better than trying to diet and exercise my way into my “thin” jeans. Thanks for the tip!! 🙂
Jane, Pinks & Blues
Wow! That sounds a whole lot better than trying to diet and exercise my way into my “thin” jeans. Thanks for the tip!! 🙂
Jane, Pinks & Blues
Wow! That sounds a whole lot better than trying to diet and exercise my way into my “thin” jeans. Thanks for the tip!! 🙂
Jane, Pinks & Blues
Wow! That sounds a whole lot better than trying to diet and exercise my way into my “thin” jeans. Thanks for the tip!! 🙂
Jane, Pinks & Blues
Wow! That sounds a whole lot better than trying to diet and exercise my way into my “thin” jeans. Thanks for the tip!! 🙂
Jane, Pinks & Blues
Wow! That sounds a whole lot better than trying to diet and exercise my way into my “thin” jeans. Thanks for the tip!! 🙂
Jane, Pinks & Blues
Wow! That sounds a whole lot better than trying to diet and exercise my way into my “thin” jeans. Thanks for the tip!! 🙂
Jane, Pinks & Blues
Wow! That sounds a whole lot better than trying to diet and exercise my way into my “thin” jeans. Thanks for the tip!! 🙂
Jane, Pinks & Blues
You are so funny!
Interesting. That never would have occurred to me.