Off the Rack ~ The Goal Is Not Perfection (Though These “Lady K” Curvy Jeans are About as Close to Perfection as You Can Get!)

It seems like so much of our self worth as women is wrapped up in fashion. From bemoaning ultra-thin models and excessive Photoshop, to bikini shopping and unhappy dressing room ventures, and even blogging about it (guilty!), we’re always talking about, scrutinizing, and (occasionally) loving ourselves based on how we fit into clothing.

I can’t even begin to remember all the times I’ve had a friend or acquaintance complain about her body in relation to clothes. Recently, a friend who has run multiple marathons and is in far better shape than I am despite my being thinner, stated that she was nervous about trying wedding dresses because she thinks they’re all going to be too small and will have to be held up with clips and will all look terrible on her. Instead of being happy or proud of what she has accomplished with her body, she was worrying about looking “bad.”

It seems like “perfection,” in terms of our bodies, is fitting in. It’s not clothes fitting us, but us fitting into a standard.

At 5’6” and about 145 pounds, I’m currently the heaviest I’ve ever weighed. And while I could stand to be a little healthier in terms of physical activity and eating well at home, I’ve never felt more comfortable or confident in my own body. I’ve long since stopped trying to live up to what the rest of the world tells me is “perfection,” especially if “perfection” means torturing myself to achieve some unrealistic image.

Besides, there are so many different opinions on what “perfection” looks like, that it’s literally an impossible goal. There simply is no such thing as perfection, so why bother making it your goal?

All that brings me to the second half of this post, a review of the curve-friendly “Hug Me Baby” jeans from Lady K Loves—and a contest in which you can win your very own pair!

Disclosure: These jeans were received as a review sample. All opinions are my own and based entirely on my experience.

Since I’ve stopped trying to force myself into clothes that don’t fit and flatter me, it makes it extra fun when I do find something that feels catered to my body, and those are the companies I want to support. Blue jeans are one item of clothing that I’ve just outright stopped buying in brick-and-mortar stores. Major brands simply don’t make them for curvy ladies. Yet instead of feeling frustrated or bad about myself, or buying pairs that only sort of fit, I’m just not giving them any of my money. I’m saving it for companies that embrace my shape.

So I’m sure you can imagine my excitement when I discovered Lady K Loves. A cute, rockabilly-style shop located in the UK, they offer jeans in two styles—classic and the curvy “Hug Me Baby” curvier variety—and two lengths of 32” or 36” inseams in black or dark blue denim. With sizes XS through XXL, they fit a good range of sizes.

Upon checking out the Hug Me size chart and seeing how close to my measurements it follows, I was thrilled that Lady K herself agreed to send me a pair for review, and offered a pair to one lucky reader as well. The mediums are suggested for a waist of 28” and hips from 40”–42” (they can fit a range thanks to slight stretch). My measurements are 29” waist and about 41” around the widest part of my hips. You can find a complete size chart on each item’s individual listing, and feel free to contact the shop if you’re between size and unsure which to choose.

At £65, the jeans cost about $100 US, slightly more than a typical off-the-rack pair in the US, but certainly less than “designer” denim—and completely worth the price considering how perfectly they fit, how impressed I am with the quality, and how infrequently I buy new ones!

These are true high-waisted pants, reaching past my belly button and up to my natural waist. Since I’m on the taller side of average and have a long torso, that leads me to believe they may not work for very petite or short-waisted gals. But average height or even very tall ladies will be totally pleased with them.

The denim itself is thick with a little stretch. When I first put them on, they felt a little stiff, but now that I’ve been wearing them practically nonstop for the last few weeks, they’ve softened up nicely while still holding me in. I find them a little more flattering—and flattening—on my tummy compared to my Freddies jeans.

The Hug Me Babies really nail the vintage style with modern details. There’s a nice long zipper up the front, making them easy to pull on and slide up my thighs without any struggle. They also feature dark yellow stitching, functional front and back pockets (though I wish the front pockets were deeper), a suitably wide waistband, big belt loops, and grommets on the pocket corners.

I love the sweetheart yoke stitching on the back above the pockets. Sometimes with high-waisted pants, your butt ends up looking weirdly tall and flat, but I think this extra stitch line breaks up the expanse of fabric and gives a nice, shapely appearance.

With my mini-legs (about a 28” inseam), the 32” inseam of these jeans is a bit long on me, but they’re just loose enough around my calves that I can fold them up or even fold them into ankle-length for these hot summer days. Too-tight calves is another issue I find with off-the-rack jeans, so I’m thrilled to be able to fold these up without cutting off the circulation in my legs!

Finally, these jeans solve the infuriating issue of the waist gap, which I know tons of women suffer from, including those with a smaller waist-to-hip ratio than I. When I wear normal mid- or low-rise jeans, I have to size up in the waist to fit my hips, so I end up with a too-big waist and too-tight hips. Then throughout the day, the pants slowly sink down my butt and I end up with a dropped crotch and visible underwear. With the Hug Me Babies, I can actually feel the waistband keeping its grip on me, and no amount of stretching, bending over, or sitting can manage to pull the waist down. It’s a miracle!

I’m so pleased with these that I’ve already donated a couple pairs of old, “regular” blue jeans from my drawer. I have to buy these in black when my size is back in stock so I can replace my ill-fitting black jeans as well.

Between my Hug Me Babies and my Freddies, I’ll never have to buy a badly fitting pair of jeans again!

And now the best news of all: One lucky Hourglassy reader will win her choice of Lady K jeans (you can see all the styles here. Enter with the Rafflecopter widget below. You’ll earn one entry for each activity you complete, and the contest closes at 11:59 pm ET Friday, August 7.