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Although denim jeans are one of the most popular pants you can wear casually at home, when walking in the park, meeting friends, and running errands, you might wonder how they will affect your shape and size. So, do jeans make you look fatter?
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Do Jeans Make You Look Fatter?
Jeans can make you look fat, depending on the style of the jeans, the thickness of the fabric, how fitting the jeans are, and whether the jeans have linings. Usually, tight jeans made from thin denim that are less than 12 ounces will not make you appear fatter like jeans made of denim that are over 16 ounces.
Sometimes even simple things like the color of the jeans can confuse the human eyes and make a person appear heavy or slender. However, the changes in appearance are minimal, so don’t expect your normal look to change significantly.
On the other hand, if you are slender, there are high chances you will still look slender even if you wear jeans with wool or fleece linings. Some of the jeans styles, body shapes, fabric, and colors that can make you appear overweight when you wear jeans include:
Style
Jeans come in varying styles and lengths, some being full length, others Capri and others cropped. The varying lengths expose the different parts of your leg differently and affect how heavy you look as follows:
- Full-length jeans: Full-length jeans fall below your ankles and cover around ¾ of your shoe, hovering right above the ground. This length obeys the rule of thirds, making you look slimmer and taller.
- Cropped jeans: The inseam in cropped jeans falls between the full-length and capri pants, with the hemline right above the ankle. As a result, cropped jeans will highlight and expose the narrowest part of the leg, making the upper part appear bigger.
- Capri jeans: The inseam of Capri jeans is usually above the ankle and well below the knee. Usually, these jeans expose the better part of your leg from the knee down, making the upper part, especially the hips and butt, appear larger.
Fit
Jeans come in different fits, with some being tight and others baggy. In most cases, the fit you choose depends on the weather condition and how flattering you want to look. For instance, tight jeans are the best choice during cold weather as they are in constant contact with your skin, holding the warmth.
On the other hand, loose jeans might be the best choice during warm weather when you want good air circulation between your skin and the fabric. However, that space for air circulation generally translates to additional thickness, making you appear wider.
This makes loose jeans the best for slim people who want to appear toned, people who think their shape is not flattering, or those who want to hide their cellulite. Many people will typically think you look heavy because of the baggy jeans, not realizing the cellulite under them.
At the same time, certain ladies will smaller frames will actually want jeans to lift their butt and add some shape. Opt for an upward-angled yoke on the backside of the jeans that sits high, which draws the eye higher on your body.
Color
Jeans come in a wide array of color treatments or washes, ranging from inky black, charcoal, and dark indigo to dove gray, pale blue, and white colors. In most cases, the darker tones make you look slim.
That means you should consider going for washes such as black denim and deep indigo if you want to look slender. The darker tones are also versatile, and you can wear jeans with a wide range of outfits.
Fabric
The denim fabric has varying thicknesses and weights, ranging from 5 ounces to 32 ounces. Usually, denim jeans less than 12 ounces are considered lightweight, 12 to 15 ounces mid-weight, and 16 ounces heavy.
In most cases, you will choose the fabric depending on the weather. For instance, you will go for the thicker fabric during winter and lightweight fabric during warm weather. Usually, the thicker jeans designed for winter will make you heavy, especially if they contain wool or fleece linings.
Body Type
Your body type plays a role in how your jeans fit, and thus whether they make you look fat or not.
- Apple shaped bodies should pick jeans that have straight legs, as this accentuates their typically skinny legs.
- Pear shaped bodies should pick wide legged jeans, as these elongate your legs and draw attention to your slimmer upper body.
- Hourglass bodies should go with high waisted jeans, as they will end right at the smallest part of the waist, which is the highlight of this body figure.
Related Questions
Can My Jeans Pockets Make Me Appear Heavy?
Yes, jeans pockets can make you appear heavy, especially the rear pockets at the butt area. The back pockets design might even make the shape of your butt distorted, especially if the jeans are tight and the pockets are large and constructed of heavy denim fabric.
Can I Use Jeans to Hide My Belly Fat?
You can use jeans to hide your belly fat by going for the high-waisted styles made of denim and elastic materials such as elastane or spandex. Usually, these jeans will have stretch properties like leggings and will cover the problem area. Can then consider wearing a long top to cover the problem area.
Final Thoughts
Denim jeans come in a wide range of styles, lengths, fabrics, and color washes, and some can make you appear slender and others overweight. In most cases, full-length jeans made from lightweight fabric will make you look slimmer than cropped jeans made of heavy denim.
