The Best Jeans to Wear if You're Pear Shape

Curvy woman wearing jeans and a sweater
Flatter your pear shaped figure in jeans. Matthew Sperzel/Getty Images
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Jeans That Flatter a Bottom-Heavy Figure

Curvy woman wearing jeans and a sweater
Flatter your pear shaped figure in jeans. Matthew Sperzel/Getty Images

If your body is full through the hips, rear, and thighs, and smaller above the waist, you're a classic pear shape. Even if you've learned how to dress to show off your curves beautifully (and camouflage your less favorite features) in other clothing, you may find it a challenge to find the right jeans for your shape.

The real secret to flattering a figure that's heavier on the bottom is to know which denim styles will help to visually elongate your legs and streamline your curves. Here's our practical guide to the jeans that make the most of a figure that is curvier below the waist, including the best denim styles for your shape, and outfit tips for getting dressed.

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Wearing Jeans: Fashion Tips for Pear Shapes

Girl With Curves - dark wash jeans outfit
Girl With Curves - dark wash jeans outfit. GirlWithCurves.

Choosing the rights jeans for your pear shape body is just part of looking amazing in jeans. The other essential, of course, is knowing how to style your jeans right.

When it comes to buying jeans, beyond our tips on brands and styles, it's good to keep in mind that dark wash jeans are most effective for making your bottom half look slimmer. This doesn't mean always wearing dark indigo jeans, though. You can look great in trendy black jeans, including leather-look coated jeans, and other saturated colors, such as deep burgundy, smoky grey, or dark olive.

A good rule of thumb to follow, when wearing colored denim, is that you will look slimmest when your jeans are darker than the top you are wearing.

Drawing attention to your top half is a fabulous fashion trick, when you want to look slimmer, and balance a bottom heavy figure. Tops in bright or light colors, eye-catching patterns, or details like jewels and ruffles will pull the eye upward, putting the focus on the slimmer half of your figure.

Well-fitting tops that skim your upper body and hit just below the widest point of your hips are also great for pears. If you feel too boxy in a tunic shirt, you can always add a belt to cinch your waist over your top and accentuate your slimmest point.

Experiment with accessories, too! A statement necklace, or a brightly patterned scarf looped a few times around the neck, are fashionable touches that pull attention upward, helping to balance your overall look.

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Straight Leg Jeans

Lucky Brand Plus Size Emma Straight Leg Jean
Lucky Brand Plus Size Emma Straight Leg Jean. Lucky Brand

If you love the look of skinny jeans but have never felt comfortable wearing them on your pear-shaped figure, you can fake a skinny jeans look with trendy straight leg jeans. These jeans are cut to have a slim silhouette, which will look "skinnier" on a pear-shaped body.

Tips for Buying Straight Leg Jeans

To look your best in straight leg jeans, shop for a quality pair in a heavier denim weight that skims over your thighs and calves, rather than squeezing them tightly. A darker wash will flatter your body best.

How to Wear Them

Get inspired with our must-have guide to how to wear straight leg jeans now

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Skinny Jeans

Levi's Plus Size 311 Shaping Skinny Jean
Levi's Plus Size 311 Shaping Skinny Jean. Levi Strauss & Co

Who says curvier women can't rock a skinny jean? If you love this denim style, there's absolutely no reason you can't wear it and feel fabulous. You'll just want to put the time and effort into shopping for that perfect pair you can feel confident in, so you can proudly show off your curves.

When it comes to skinny jeans for pear shapes, a dark stretch denim jean is going to be your best friend. Look for stretchy jeans in a heavier fabric and a medium rise, that will help to contain your curves. The fabric wash should be densely dark, such as a saturated indigo or an inky black, to minimize lumps and bumps and help your curves look smoother. You can also shop for a jean with a contoured waistband (higher in the back than in the front), designed to manage a middle and prevent troublesome gapping when you bend or sit.

How to Wear Them

Look fabulous every day with our essential guide to how to wear plus-size skinny jeans.

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Bootcut and Flare Jeans

Lucky Brand Ginger Bootcut Jeans
Lucky Brand Ginger Bootcut Jeans. Lucky Brand

Bootcut and flare jeans are great for streamlining the look of a pear shape body. These denim style features a straighter leg fit that widens just below the knee, belling out into roomier hems. The fuller shaping at the bottom helps visually to offset wider hips and thighs, providing balance for your pear shape proportions. These jeans are also a cinch to wear over tall boots, or for stylish wear with high heels and flats.

Tips for Buying Bootcut and Flare Jeans

Always choose a dark wash jean to minimize your lower half, no matter which style you choose. When shopping for bootcut and flare jeans, avoid a too-snug fit. Look for jeans that skim smoothly over your hips and thighs, as styles that squish your lower half too tightly will accentuate its size. If you like stretch denim jeans, be sure to look for higher quality, heavier weight fabrics that don't cling too tightly to your beautiful curves.


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Trouser Jeans

Plus-Size_Michelle_Trouser_Jeans-NYDJ.jpg
NYDJ MIchelle trouser jeans flatter a bottom-heavy figure. NYDJ

Trouser jeans — so-called for their tailored look and design that's similar to traditional trousers — are a great fashion choice for women who are larger on the bottom. These sophisticated jeans usually have a broad waistband, are fitted in the rear and feature seamed back pockets and wider legs. Trouser jeans flatter a pear shape figure because they skim over full hips and larger thighs and fall in a straight line from waist to hems, giving you a continuous line, without any squeezing. The wider hems on these jeans also help to visually balance a thicker middle and hips.

Tips for Buying Trouser Jeans

Buy this versatile jean in the darkest wash you can find, for a slimming style you can wear to work, or as a sophisticated option for casual wear. You'll look best in a mid to high rise style of dark wash trouser, that sits at or just above your natural waistline and gives good coverage for your behind. Be sure to avoid pleated "mom jeans" like the plague, and stick to flat front trousers that streamline your mid-section.

A Word About Pockets

Many trouser jeans have angled front pockets or side pockets that can gape open, which doesn't look good on your shape. If this problem occurs on otherwise perfect-fitting trouser jeans, consider sewing a few hand-stitches to keep pockets in place.

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Jeans With Large Back Pockets

Levi’s Plus Size 314 Shaping Straight Leg Jean
Levi’s Plus Size 314 Shaping Straight Leg Jean. Levi Strauss & Co.

When you have a bigger backside, you can balance it by wearing jeans with large back pockets. These will minimize your rear end, by filling up most of the real estate there. (Smaller pockets, by contrast, leave too much open space around them, making your butt look bigger and wider).

If you're a pear who loves her curvy backside, show it off with flap pockets or embellished back pockets that draw attention to your best asset. On the flip side, if you'd rather distract attention from your behind, keep pockets simple and skip the elaborate details and stitching.

Learn more about which jeans back pockets flatter your butt shape.