Why I’m Not Buying Clothes That Need To Stretch To Fit Me Anymore

Being comfortable in what I’m wearing is one of the most important things to me on a daily basis. It might sound silly, but it’s true.

Comfortable doesn’t always mean leggings, oversized jumpers and slippers (although sometimes it does). Most of the time it means wearing something I feel confident in, whether that be jeans and a top or a dress and heels on a night out.

But I’ve found lately that quite a few of the things I’d choose to wear would be uncomfortable in the literal sense – particularly jeans. They’d dig into my waist, scrunch up at my thighs and would require me to hold my stomach in for most of the time I had them on.

Being between sizes, I nearly always buy a smaller size in jeans because they usually stretch. But sometimes it could take weeks for them to stretch, and sometimes they wouldn’t stretch at all. So I’d be stuck with a pair of too-small jeans that hurt and I’d continue to wear them in the hopes that they’d stretch.

You honestly wouldn’t believe how many pairs of jeans I have that just don’t fit. I have some pairs in the exact same style and size where one pair fits and the other doesn’t. I literally cannot wear half of the jeans in my wardrobe because I bought them presuming they’d stretch – and they never did.

A few weeks ago I wore a pair of jeans that I bought earlier this year and that still haven’t stretched. They were so tight that I had to unbutton them every time I sat down, and I actually had to go home and get changed after a few hours because I was so uncomfortable.

And then I realised: why the hell am I buying clothes that need to stretch in order for them to fit me? If they don’t fit me in their original state, I just shouldn’t buy them. Yeah, sometimes clothes do stretch and get baggy but, chances are, they’re not very good quality or well made if they’re doing that and you should probably spend your money elsewhere.

I would say buy them in a smaller size if you’ve bought them before and you know they’ll stretch – but sometimes they don’t. For the life of me I don’t know why some identical pairs of jeans I have stretch and some don’t, but there ya go.

Do I buy smaller clothes so I know myself that they’re a ‘smaller’ size whenever I wear them? Do I do it to prove to myself that I can? Maybe I do, I honestly don’t know. But whatever the reason is, it’s not worth it. Ignore the sizes, try a few pairs on in the shop and buy what fits. It’s simple, but surely I’m not the only one who has fallen into this trap.

About two weeks ago I bought a pair of jeans in the larger of the two sizes I’m between and, man, I can’t even describe how good it felt to put them on and not have to do lunges to get them to fit me like they should. They don’t leave marks on my waist and I can sit comfortably in them – two things that I have under-appreciated for so long.

Maybe they’ll stretch and be too big in a few weeks or months time, but yano what? It’s totally worth it for them to fit me comfortably now. Being comfortable isn’t something I want to have to wait for.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to put my leggings on.

My favourite jeans:

River Island Amelie (pictured): Mid-rise, stretchy but not too stretchy, really comfortable. These fit me in a smaller size

Topshop Straight Leg: High rise, not very stretchy. Try these on – I’ve two pairs in the same size and one fits me and the other doesn’t.

Topshop Jamie: Similar to River Island Amelie with a slightly higher waist. I always used to buy these in a smaller size, but then I bought a pair that didn’t stretch. I bought these in my bigger size a few weeks ago and I love them.