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How do I stretch out my new Levi’s jeans? Squeezed to death here!

30 replies

OhGodImBloated · 11/05/2025 20:32

Decided to splash out on jeans that would hopefully retain their shape and look fashionable. Fab young sales assistant convinced me to buy the ribcage jeans very tight round the waist “as they stretch”. Three sales assistants all said the same to me. But the jeans are not shifting! Help!! They’re so tight I have to move the crotch seam over to one side before I sit down or I’d be in trouble! I should have cottoned on that these lovely youngsters possibly wouldn’t have known about bloat/meno belly and that my waist to hip ratio at 45 will be much smaller than a young woman’s. I’m so gutted. The jeans were over £100 and after 4 wears I'm still suffocated and ready to bin them. What can I do? There must be a secret to them stretching. Tell me your secrets please!

OP posts:
isthismylifenow · 11/05/2025 20:55

Just to add. What colour did you get? I find the dark wash not quite as forgiving in the stretch compared to the light wash.

I don't know the science behind this but assume it's to do with the darker dyed denim just being a bit stiffer...

isthismylifenow · 11/05/2025 20:51

I wear ribcage and have expanded a bit lately so mine are tighter than they were before. When I first out them on after washing, I walk around a bit with the top two or three buttons undone and then brave fastening them when I leave the house. After a few hours they fit me fine as have definitely stretched out. But the crotch is never an issue like you described.

Are you long bodied? My friend tried mine on and she found them so uncomfortable, but I think it's because she has a short torso and the cut of these are just not for her. To me they are the most comfortable out of all the jeans.

I always say they should be on the slightly tighter side when trying on, but there is a difference between this and just too small. Or not the right cut for you.

OhGodImBloated · 11/05/2025 20:48

I’m willing to try anything!

OP posts:
FishPie2 · 11/05/2025 20:35

We used to that with Levi jeans years ago but it was to shrink them to fit your body not stretch them.

Haappy · 11/05/2025 20:34

Well this is quite an annoying way, but I have personally managed to stretch jeans by sitting in the (full) bath in them so they are all wet, and wearing them until they dried. Do lots of lunges and bending while they are drying.