im an hourglass apple i live in leggings/ juniors jeans / dresses for this reason lol people think im fancy because im always in a dress .... i just hate the great pants struggle is all lols
Higher rise jeans/slacks are cut like this: / \ Narrow at the waist and then widening at the hips. Works for pears and hourglasses, but not me. If they fit in the waist, they're a balloon everywhere else. If they fit everywhere else, they pinch at the waist.
Lower rise jeans/slacks are cut like this: | | Pretty much a straight line from waist to hips. This works for me, because that's basically how I'm shaped - right now I have only a 4-inch difference in measurement between waist and hips. And it's not actually hips that's adding those inches, it's tummy.
Yep. Same problem here. Although I am technically an inverted triangle, I have apple tendencies. I carry the weight in my midsection, but my hips, butt and thighs are small. As a result, pants either slice into my belly or fall off as I walk. lol
Honestly, the best solution I have found to this problem is to opt for jeggings most of the time. Because they are designed to be tight fitted through the hips/thighs, I can get a pair that fits my belly without looking too big through the legs. I like Old Navy Rockstar ones, because they are darn close to being real jeans.
Another option: skirts and dresses. I am wearing more of these because of this problem.
And finally, check Juniors racks. The pants are cut for young girls who tend to be less hippy, so you might have some luck there.
i'm an hourglass apple and yep, i went to the Juniors dept and the boot cuts i got hug my butt and thighs and fit in the waist (however i hate how low cut they are ugh oh well) and i need to try jeggings!
I feel kind of funny making my first post in this thread, but I was browsing around and came across this. Anyways, I thought I was the only one with pants that fell down all the time! This has been the bane of my existence for so long. I have recently taken to finding athletic type leggings or fitted pants with a large enough waist/torso (height wise) that I can hike them up to the narrow part of my stomach (just below my ribs).
I try to wear longer, looser shirts so it isn't obvious my pants are pulled up to my ribs like Urkel, and make sure there is no camel toe happening, and I am good to go. My job involves a lot of walking, lifting, bending, etc. and this is my best solution to date.
You ladies have my empathy. I'm also high-waisted. Sometimes I wonder if God gave my torso to a supermodel and she's walking around with the equivalent of two torsos and I didn't get any!
I have a fairly flat butt and since menopause (from a hysterectomy) with weight gain, and a hernia repair from both of those things, my tummy now has its own Zip Code. And there's an extra bulge on the right side that may be the hernia repair coming undone - I see the doc this Friday to find out about that.
So I have the Steve Urkel issue with the crotch-to-waist length, wherein the waistband is mere inches from the bottom of my bra (!), and the disproportionate stomach issue. Jeans that fit in the legs don't even begin to meet at the waist. I'm just thankful it's summer and I can wear drawstring shorts or capris for now, and kick the jeans issue down the road until fall.
I've lost about 50 pounds since I last posted in here and I'm still having the apple-shaped issue. I did eventually start wearing "real" jeans again although they still didn't fit right as they pinch my stomach and float everywhere else. And in just this past week I can no longer wear wear them since they put too much pressure on my stomach (I'm eleven weeks pregnant). Just last night I found a great-looking pair of yoga pants from Old Navy; I unfold the fold-over top and they stay up really well (so far) and smooth out my front, however the waist is almost up to my rib cage. Oh well, no one's really going to notice that. And my belly's definitely going to grow, so I'm hoping I can continue wearing them until I need maternity pants.
When I finally switched to junior sizes and still had problems, I bought one of those "punk" belts that is black and has silver rivet holes all the way around it. I pull it tight and deal with the pain til surgery.
have you tried Buckle Jeans? I love them and they fit so nice. They are a little pricey but it's worth paying the extra money for a nice pair. just my opinion.
I sort of have the opposite problem... If they fit in the legs & hips, the waist is billowing about all over and they start falling down! I must be about 5-10lbs from my 16s fitting properly, I can wear them right now and they look great, but they pinch a bit. So now I'm still walking around in my stupid 18s which I'm constantly hoisting up! And I put my iPhone in my pocket to listen to music and never realised it was so heavy until I realised one of my trouser legs was trailing along the ground as my pocket had that weight in it.
I have just enough fat in the exact wrong places (but it's shrinking, thankfully) to make wearing pants unappealing unless i'm under 150. My belly and hips have just barely enough chub to prevent me from wearing anything close to jeans right now. Which is fine, because it's too effing hot for that lol. I have a pair of yoga-esque pants with a fold over waist (worn unfolded), but I have to hike them up every three steps due to my my thighs rubbing and pulling them down.
Aside from that, I have a pair of wrap pants that I love, even though they're almost too loose now, and I absolutely LIVE in my wet seal second skin jeggings for the other 3 seasons.
I feel your pain. The only thing that works for me is high-waisted pants. Unfortunately, they're not always easy to find, as they go in and out of style.
I hear you, I was just thinking about getting suspenders!
I don't think there is a solution but wanted to share two jeans that I like. Lane Bryant Straight Fit are regular jeans with a good fit, high waisted, works best with a belt though. Also Jag Jean, fits perfectly, slightly higher in the back so this helps stay up a bit, but still some slippage, no belt loops. The band is really wide so it's nice a smooth, no bulges.
I also just ordered an Invisibelt which is a low profile belt.
Ugh, I was starting to think I was one of the only women with this issue. I can only wear leggings or a version of leggings. I have no hips but my butt pops out and my thighs are getting a bit more shapely so any denim I wear does not sit right. Hard to get over the thighs, baggy on the lower stomach/hip area but then it sits weird and cuts the mid/upper stomach... or they're to big in the stomach area and they just look wrong thank goodness leggings come in so many different looks or I'd be screwed. I think once I hit a certain weight it'll even out and denim will be an option again... I hope anyways
Last edited by Diamondonalandmine; 12-30-2013 at 12:37 PM.
Posting in solidarity - I HATE pants shopping as an apple shape.
Like others have said, I, too, feel most comfortable in yoga/athletic type pants. Basically pants that have no defined waistband and are stretchy. I have shorter legs and a longer torso, so a straight leg as opposed to a leggings-style leg looks best on me. I use these style bottoms for both dressy and casual wear. I wear this style pants the most often for sure! Wearing black yoga pants gets super old, but, honestly, it's the most flattering style on me so I just roll with it.
As far as jeans, ugh. I am not a junior size (and never will be,) but I need a juniors proportion jean with the skinnier legs and straight waist. After trying on a bazillion different pairs, I've settled on some size 16 Rock & Republic jeans. They are stretchy and have a generous waist with give, while being slim throughout the thighs and legs. I, too, have heard great things about the jeans at Lane Bryant, but I haven't tried them.
I am only just now small enough to fit into Misses Department size slacks. I am currently wearing Apt. 9 brand. These are my least comfortable pants option - I can barely button the waist, but the legs part is not too billowy. If I am feeling even slightly bloated, I do not opt for slacks, lol, too painful!
No matter what pants option I choose, having a shirt that covers up the tummy situation entirely is a must! Previously I wore empire-waisted shirts that sort of flared out, but recently I have opted for some new shirts that are rather clingy all the way down. Even so, they have to be long enough to go past my hip bones to help camo the apple shape issue.
I lost quite a bit from my stomach when I went gluten free but I'm still finding it hard to find pants I like. Everything is tight in the waist while the butt and legs look like clown pants. I'm not shopping for anything but thrift store wear until I'm done losing weight though. Even then I will probably keep shopping at my local thrift store.
I did eventually start wearing "real" jeans again although they still didn't fit right as they pinch my stomach and float everywhere else. And in just this past week I can no longer wear wear them since they put too much pressure on my stomach (I'm eleven weeks pregnant). Just last night I found a great-looking pair of yoga pants from Old Navy; I unfold the fold-over top and they stay up really well (so far) and smooth out my front, however the waist is almost up to my rib cage. Oh well, no one's really going to notice that. And my belly's definitely going to grow, so I'm hoping I can continue wearing them until I need maternity pants. 
Maybe someday. 