Wearing jeans with my fat legs!

[HappyExteriorSadInterior]

Hi everyone,

I have always had fat legs! Picture two enormous turkey drumsticks and you will have an idea what I'm dealing with!
My thighs are the worst part, closely followed by chunky calves and flabby knees. I'm in my 40's.
I always cover my legs up and my clothes of choice have always been jeans. For years and years I wore bootcut, thinking the bootcut part maybe detracted a bit from the rest of my legs.

In the past year I have lost several stone. I was previously size 20/22 in jeans and I am now a size 16. I'm also trying to lose one more stone.
Since losing weight I have started wearing slim leg jeans. I think mainly because they fit me. (My waist goes in and its so hard to find jeans big enough for my legs but not gaping at the waist). But now I'm doubting jeans altogether.

The reason for asking advice is because I recently had a bad experience at work where a group of young guys (19/20) insulted me (I have recently posted about this too!). One of the things they said was about the size of my legs. The insults have upset me and further damaged my already low self esteem.
I know I have fat legs, I don't need anyone else to comment on them!

I'm now thinking I need to try and build up my self confidence and this includes rethinking my clothes.
Please note - I have been referred for counselling because I know I need help emotionally. I am generally at a low ebb with other things going on in my life.
The jeans thing is just one thing I can look at in the meantime.
I am also really interested to hear other people's views and what they wear.

Anyway, Sorry for rambling!

YABU - Don't wear jeans!

YANBU - Keep wearing jeans (but please advise me on what style!)

Thank You for reading.

Aw OP I feel for you. In my case it would have been my mum commenting and not some cockmoles at work - not sure which is worse. I don’t have advice on a jeans cut but would tend to be in the “keep wearing them” camp. A good piece of advice I heard once, in a similar vein, is not to allow yourself to have “thin clothes” and “fat clothes” in your wardrobe if your weight is fluctuating. Only keep (or only have out) what fits you now. Better for the self esteem.

PS if I could nominate you for Queer Eye, I would

^^ PPS that was not meant as an insult in any way. I would also nominate myself!

I have massive legs too and a size 16. I just wear them, not had any comments though. Try the stretchy material jeans, I found some really comfortable ones in tkmaxx, they are actually a big baggy on my legs (dread to think what they'd look like on someone with thinner legs).

Wear whatever you like.
Report the little 19 yr old shits.

Urgh what little cunts!
I would have commented on their little cock and how it must grow a smidge insulting an innocent woman.
YABU ON YOURSELF.
Wear what the heck you want to wear and fuck other people. It's a shame you feel so down about your legs.
I think maybe a jegging type jean you might like?
Ignore the comments, you're beautiful

Ps and well done on your weight loss. Concentrate on your great achievement and ignore the people behind try to bring you down in order to big themselves up.

Hi OP

Congratulations on your weight loss! Well done.
Ignore the insults - imagine what a miserable little life someone has to make themselves feel better by bringing someone else down.

Regarding your jeans, I would say this:

• if you feel good, comfortable, and happy in them, then wear them. If you are doubting the way you feel or look in them, try something else.
• you could consider going to one of those personal styling people who work in department stores / shopping centres, and they will help you to find a look / style you love. They are usually free of charge.
• another thing is, you likely look way better than you imagine. I always think how lovely my friends look for example, and it's only when we all chat that I realise they all have their 'things' eg thinking their boobs are too big / small, tummy too round, etc. But I look at them and just don't see those perceived flaws.

Well done on your effort and progress, and remember you are so much more than what your legs look like x

Who try not behind try!

I feel your pain. I have disproportionately fat legs. I find that the only jeans that suit me are high waisted flared jeans.

What about something like this shape and sculpts but small at the top?

Hi @ForInstance
Thank you for your posts. I don’t take offence at all about being nominated for queer eye! If I didn’t have to go on tv I would nominate myself for a top to toe makeover!
I really need courage to change my hair too but just can’t seem to take the plunge. So I’m starting with clothes!

Ha! Those lads are definitely cockmoles at my work!

I’m sorry to hear your Mum is critical. My Mum can be like that too and also my MIL! Thankfully I limit my contact with both for my own sanity!

Very good tip only keeping clothes which fit me now.

Thanks again.

I like you am pear shaped and find it hard to get jeans that fit well mainly due to manufacturers only making them for apple shaped women.
Being pear shaped makes skinny jeans the enemy. Boot cut or small flairs are very flattering to pear shaped women

Horrible men at work! How dare they? Well done on your weight loss. Have you considered skirts and dresses? I'm a pear shape with large thighs (many people have commented on them over the years). I do wear jeans a lot but actually feel much more comfortable in skirts and dresses. I love the way they just skim over the thighs whereas jeans really outline the exact shape of each leg and each enormous buttock (in my case!). I lived in jeans because I thought they were comfortable but actually are they really? They always cut in to my waist, feel a bit tight on the bum and legs because I'm pear shaped. If I get a bigger size then they're too baggy on the waist. Skirts and dresses with tights and boots are so comfy.

I ve worn jeans from size 18 to an 8 and inbetween and i say keep wearing them. There are so many different styles, give yourself an afternoon at the shops trying them all on maybe with a friend to swap opinions?
Well done on your weight loss. Ignore the little twerps at work. I actually found people could be more nasty the thinner I got, like I was invisible at size 18 and not even noteworthy of comments.

Hmmm they are dickheads and agree with @PixieDustt comment.
Stick with skinny, get a loose tunic which comes to at least half way down your thigh, if you can wear a top under that which will show then do. Add a necklace, earrings whatever. All of this attracts attention to your top half. Get your hair done? You deserve a treat, you've done bloody well!!
I'm not suggesting you should do this for anyone's benefit but your own, you may feel more confident. Good luck.

Oh and another one with a hyper critical mum who sizes me up in seconds 🙄

Have you tried jeggings? I love them because they're a bit more forgiving than jeans and often softer. M&S ones aren't bad, you could order in a couple of sizes to see what you're more comfortable in.

Might also help to go online (Instagram is usually a good spot) to get some inspiration. There are super stylish women of every size and shape out there and it might help you find styles that you hadn't previously considered.

@ChristmasSweet - Thank you, I will definitely look in TKMaxx. I’ve always gone for comfort!

@OverUnderSidewaysDown - Thank you for your kind posts.
Re: Reporting them I feel I can’t for this instance because the nasty comments were said behind me and they could easily say I misheard them / they weren’t talking about me. Plus I don’t know which one said it. But I definitely will if it happens again.

@PixieDustt - Ha! I wish I could have turned round and said something like that! Instead I just walked as fast as my fat legs would carry me and wanted to cry!
Thank you for your kind words and advice.

@SunnyCoco - Thank you so much for your post and advice.
I was so pleased to finally lose the weight. Just as I was starting to feel better about my appearance these comments drag me back down. Plus the irony is my fat legs were much fatter a year ago!

@Reginabambina Thank you for your reply.

I wear leggings, I'm a size 16, gone from a 18 and still sticking to the diet.

People say leggings look shit, but nothing else I try on looks any better at my current size (I'm also 5'2"). So I'm dressing to suit my lifestyle. I provide child care for my pre school grandchildren.

There's a section of men, particularly young men who view us solely as something to fuck. They are in that category. They didn't even see you as a person, referring to you as 'it'. Mentally you can work through this, before counselling. So such people's opinions are easier to dismiss. Would you want to have sex with any of them? If they found you attractive then you'd be sexually harassed by them. In reality you'll be having a better sex life than them, with your DH.

I like Buddhist stuff. It looks at us and our place in the world. It discounts the physical. I say this as someone who was considered beautiful but didn't appreciate the hassle that caused. I feel sorry for the contestants on Live Island etc, they suffer with a disproportionate amount of MH issues and there's been a few suicides.

You start to realise that your appearance to your happiness is irrelevant. It you can get yourself to a good place.

Wear what fits into your lifestyle and your budget.

Re fat legs, you probably now have the legs you could only dream about last year.

Replay, over and over, in your mind, around people like this how far you've come.

Please, wear whatever the fuck you want! Be comfortable, and don’t pay notice to the little shits who have nothing better to do than to bring someone down.
Working on your self confidence is good, but make sure you are doing it for yourself and not because you feel you have to

Matalan do some 'relaxed skinny' jeans thats are amazing. Your body shape sounds similar to mine. Size 16 but with a slightly smaller waist, large thighs and wide calves (I have to buy extra wide fit boots thanks to my calves) and the Matalan jeans are the only ones that I have found that fit my waist and are not stretched to hell by squeezing my legs in like an overstuffed sausage. They give the appearance of being skinny jeans but stay nice and comfortable around your legs. I'd highly recommend them. It's not just the clothes style we were but whether they fit well. It's amazing what you can get away with it it's a good fit.

Keep wearing your jeans!

My colleague is a similar shape to you and I always like her trousers. She wears ones that have a similar cut to skinny jeans but in print fabrics - not loud prints but like little white dots on black, that sort of thing. I think if you wear something a bit unusual people are more likely to notice the trousers themselves than what your legs look like in them, if you see what I mean?

That's if you want to change your style up a bit - if you like wearing jeans then keep wearing them!

I prefer flares to skinny fit I think skinny jeans can make your legs look bigger than what they already are.

You need to get yourself some tesco jeggings. They are amazing and so comfortable. Wear with tunic or long time like PP has said. Treat yourself to some lovely new accessories.

I also like tesco contour jeans (can’t remember the style)! I have massive thighs but a small waist and they fit like a dream. I even wear shorter tops in them! I have embraced my figure now and just own it to be honest. Jeans and a nice top is a look I don’t want to give up no matter what my size is!

If you’re on Instagram start following some body positive accounts, I really like Bodyposipanda

Also I hope you went to HR on those brats at work!