I Sold My Soul for a Pair of Pants

Oh, yes. I totally sold out for jeans.

Background: Old Navy recently stopped selling plus-sized clothing in its stores. It touts that its plus line is an "Online Exclusive!" as if being forced to take sizes on faith and then run around returning things that don't fit is like being in a wonderful, secret club. It's not. It's a pain in the ass, and while I'm a fan of online shopping, if I have to try it on, I prefer heading out to the store to make just one trip.

Right around the time ON was exiling the fatties from stores, Lane Bryant decided that the jeans they'd been making that were perfect for me weren't good enough, and went to Wrong - oh, excuse me - "Right Fit" jeans. I heard people rave about these jeans, about how the sizing was so much better, and when my old pair of Venezias gave out, I tried them. But the rise was too high, the "petite" inseam was way too long, and there was no other option. It was X size (which wasn't even a normal number, so I had to try on like 5 pair to begin with) or nothing.

Which meant "nothing", at least for me. I need a low or extra-low rise, bootcut, short inseam jean. That's what works on me. "Petites" almost never do - the rise is always too high, and the inseam tends to be too short, as well.

So I gave in and tried Old Navy. It didn't help that I needed a new performance dress (read: Black, suitable for church, with sleeves) and ON had the only one on the internet that wasn't over $100, either. Lured in by the dress, I skimmed the jeans, and lo and behold: I could order low-rise, bootcut, short-inseam jeans, in regular women's sizes.

They fit like woah and like damn. I mean, even the Venezias I loved didn't fit this well. I'm ashamed to give my money to people who don't think I should be seen in their stores, but I have tried on every pair of plus-sized jeans in my price range, and nothing works like these do.

So. I sold my soul for a pair of pants. And I can't say I'm sorry.