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Original poster

If you've got 'chunky legs' what trousers do you wear that isn't jeans?

60 replies

WorzselMummage · 02/09/2011 19:53

I'm a size 14, big boobs, great waist and ok arse, massive thighs! I am so bored of wearing jeans. I bought myself some brown chino trousers today but I suspect they are supposed to be slim fitting but fit me like slightly loose leggings. Is that ok? What do other women with fat legs wear?

The trousers were These

P.s. Style is not my forté so pleas be gentle with me.

OP posts:
GiganticusBottomus · 03/09/2011 08:26

On me (also big thighs) those would make my legs look like two carrots as I (bizarrely compared to the rest of me) have slim ankles. I have a deep fear of tapered trousers and still (although I'm probably horribly out of fashion) wear bootlegs unless they are ones that you wear boots over the top of - to balance out the width at the top of my thighs. TBH I'm sighing in relief that we're getting back to jeans weather, I love mine! Sorry, that's not massively helpful.

Original poster
WorzselMummage · 03/09/2011 08:39

Lol, I love mine too but not every day! My legs are a little carrotesque too but tend to call them Ice cream cones Blush

I don't believe the rest of you have legs like Elle mcphearson, come on! What do you wear?

OP posts:
Appleton · 03/09/2011 09:26

I never even pick up something in a shop if it's slim fit or skinny fit - always has to be bootleg like giganticus, or wide leg. I've no great advice about where to get things though, as my wardrobe is all jeans for home and black trousers from Next/M&S for work. Will watch this thread with interest as I need to expand my trouser selection too!

HouseOfBamboo · 03/09/2011 09:28

I have a pair of straight M&S cords which are okay, but they are in a jeans stylee so probably don't count.

Agree that tapered is probably not the way to go if you have chunky thighs (unless wearing with chunky boots of course).

Next used to do lots of casual black thick cotton trousers in bootcut and straight styles, might be worth a look although they do seem to have stopped doing anything good recently Hmm

niminypiminy · 03/09/2011 12:22

I'm going to go against the grain here because I think that bootleg trousers are awful if you've got big thighs, you look like you've got late sixties style bell bottoms on.

I actually like tapered trousers as long as they are well cut and fit round the top properly because they lengthen your legs (esp if you wear with a heel). Also your leg is the shape of the trouser so they don't look tight in one place and baggy in another (as you do with any kind of flare).

I also like wide-legged, especially Oxford bag style trousers which have a bit of structure to them.

I personally think the key with trousers is to get a style that fits and suits round the top -- so if you have round hips as I do those side pockets that gape are incredibly unflattering. And I think with trousers as well you get what you pay for. The cut and fabric in the cheapest trousers isn't a gift to anyone except 18 year old models.

sloggies · 03/09/2011 18:26

Another vote for bootcut.

macred · 03/09/2011 18:49

I find it nigh on impossible to find nice trousers - and I have never, ever managed to get ones in M&S to fit. To get them wide enough to accommodate my generous backside and thighs, there is always miles of room left at the waist, so I get that big gap of fabric at the back.

Where else is there???????
God I hate shopping for trousers. A lot.

oohlalabonbons · 03/09/2011 19:28

niminypiminy - what are Oxford bag style trousers?

MissHonkover · 03/09/2011 19:32

niminypiminy, can you pretty please link to a pair of nice Oxford bag style ones that you have?

MissHonkover · 03/09/2011 19:35

Also, do the pleats work if you don't have a flat stomach?

feralgirl · 03/09/2011 20:11

YYY to Oxford Bags

I like M&S wide legs for my fat thighs and arse, they are the only ones that fit me properly. I also have an amazing pair of Trinny and Susannah wide leg trousers which are the most flattering things I own (shame that they are T&S though).

racingheart · 03/09/2011 20:15

Giganticus and Worzel - where do you buy your jeans please? I am also too ample of thigh and can't find jeans to fit anywhere.

I live in wide leg linen trousers (MNers can be as snooty as they like, if you had my thighs you'd wear them too.) The palazzo pants of the 1990s were great but the recent ones seem too wide and would look horrible on chunky legs.

I had two pairs of Sainsbury's straight legged cords last year. They looked good at first - very flattering - and were dirt cheap but only lasted about three months before buttons dropped off or waistband came away from the trousers.

jetmonkey · 03/09/2011 20:16

WorzselMummage thank you for this thread Grin

macred I totally agree x10 Angry

let's hope someone somewhere has the answer...

bootcut jeans = yes
tapered = I don't think so
work trousers ???

Original poster
WorzselMummage · 03/09/2011 20:35

I usually buy River Island 'loose' bootcut jeans on eBay. They fit me really well, like normal bootcut would fit normal legged women. I can't afford RI jeans new so tend to by them second hand, I've had some bargains! Don't you dare all buy them now! Grin

It was alright when the fashion was boyfriend fit, they were quite easy.. This skinny/tapered look is a nightmare though. It dawned on me the other day that I am completely unfashionable Blush

OP posts:
Ephiny · 03/09/2011 20:49

I like bootcut or wide leg trousers. Just can not bring myself to wear the skinny/tapered ones you see everywhere at the moment, they just seem so unflattering on most women, and remind me of the badly fitting 'parsnip-shaped' M&S trousers my mum used to wear! I don't care if it's fashionable, there's no point wearing something just because it's trendy if it makes you look awful.

I would say avoid Next, as recently all their trousers seem to be very very tight-fitting in the leg (and big in the waist). Sainsbury's are actually quite good for this, I agree the quality isn't the greatest, but you could say the same for a lot of high street stuff these days. Gap are not bad (though I haven't bought trousers there recently so can't say for sure!).

duckyfuzz · 03/09/2011 20:58

I have chunky legs, I find Gap curvy jeans a fab fit, also Monsoon are good for heavy thighs. I love wide legged trousers too, farhi are ££ but well worth the money as they stay in shape and are fab quality

plipplops · 03/09/2011 21:06

I went with my sister when she had a personal shopper session (for her birthday) and the man got her to try on these tapered trousers. We're both pretty large of thigh and backside. I hated the fabric he made her wear but actually they were sort of the same shape as her legs which sort of makes sense? I wear Gap curvy or long & lean in a range of bluesHmm and would love to try something else. I actually liked the op's trousers, and I think it's a lot about the rest of the outfit. If you like them, put on some accessories and look like you meant to wear them and I reckon you can get away with anything. I do feel like I'm copping out a bit with my boot legs (essentially what Gap's curvys are), and would like to be brave enough to try something new.

Oh and I did buy some skinny jeans about 6 months ago to wear with boots but have been too scared to wear them. What a plonker!

pettyprudence · 03/09/2011 21:31

I too have chunky thighs and normally like straight leg jeans or trousers because they are trendier than bootcut (which I haven't worn since about 2005...) but balance the thighs out more than skinny fit. Trying to find any jeans/trousers though that fit thigh/waist nicely though is a nightmare (now made even worse by a squidgy post-partum tummy)

Right now I am wearing sainsbo's tapered blue chinos with pleated waist and they are actually almost too big in the thigh!

Original poster
WorzselMummage · 03/09/2011 21:47

I'm going to pop in to sainsbos tomorrow, on chino hunt Grin

OP posts:
GiganticusBottomus · 03/09/2011 22:00

The best fitting jeans I've got at the moment are from Matalan (bizarrely) - they are Falmer ones. I have got some Next ones but they suffer from the wide waist problem.
Wide leg trousers aren't great on me - I'm very short and I tend to just look rectangular, not good. I do have some skinny (ish) jeans but only to wear with knee length boots which balance out my thighs.

Tidypidy · 03/09/2011 22:33

Sainsburys jeans best value and fit for me, I like the bootleg ones best. Also bought pair of moleskin type grey trousers from Sainsburys recently which are lovely fit. Don't have lot of money to spend on my own clothes so tend to do supermarket chic! Also don't worry too much about being fashionable as one of my children is bound to tip something all over me within minutes of my getting dressed anyway - just like to look tidy.

fit2drop · 03/09/2011 23:28

Sainsburys are the best for fit and value in bootcut jeans and all types of trousers. both casual and smart
I am only 5ft but size 16 Blush but their short length bootcuts are the best I have found . Fit neatly on the waist and hips and do not pull tight on thighs.
I have tried Debehams, M&S, Next, and always go back to Sainsbo'

umf · 04/09/2011 13:57

OP, on the trousers you link to I'd be more worried about the cropped cut, which might make legs look shorter and therefore fatter?

I like Gap "curvy" jeans.

WhoseGotMyEyebrows · 04/09/2011 14:38

niminypiminy I love 60s style bell bottoms so to me that's a bonus!

nomorefrizz · 04/09/2011 14:42

I agree Gap curvy fit are best fit jeans for me and I can also get a shorter length in them. I asked the girl in the shop if they had a curvy fit skinny jean (a contradiction in terms I know) No luck so stuck behind the times fashionwise.