I’ve been wanting to make a how to measure inseam video for months now, and finally got around to it! Since it’s summer, both my kids are around during the day and I needed their extra hands to film and edit this video. My husband also helped with the editing, so it was a whole family project. 🙂
So, why does inseam matter? Knowing the length of your legs is one of the most important measurements that will help you find a great fit. Just like waist and hip measurements, inseam length determines whether you’ll wind up with highwater pants, hemlines that drag on the ground, or a perfect fit. While you can buy jeans and pants that are too long and take them to the tailor for professional hemming, shopping for your exact inseam length will save you time, energy and money. Who doesn’t want that?! If you’d like more information about tailoring, check out this post about how to find a good and inexpensive tailor. But if you’d like to find the perfect length for you without dealing with a tailor, keep reading.
As this how to measure inseam video shows, you want to start with a pair of jeans or pants that fit you well in length. You’ll also need a measuring tape. Any kind will work, but the flexible sewing measuring tapes are easiest for this task. Here’s a cute pink sewing measuring tape on Amazon, if you don’t already have one. Now take the jeans and lay them flat on a table or the floor. Smooth them out and turn them so you can see the inside seam on one of the legs. Use the measuring tape to carefully measure from the crotch seam to the bottom of the leg. This number (in inches) is your inseam length. After you know this important number, use it to shop for your exact inseam length at SearchByInseam.com.
It’s rainy and 42 degrees here in Seattle right now, but it’s time to shop for shorts! 🙂 Early spring is the best time to shop for shorts because stores are stocking up for Spring Break and have a great selection. Some stores are even running sales on their shorts to get their inventory moving! I’m seeing lots of colors and trends, and wanted to share those with you. I’ll also tell you how to figure out which shorts inseam is best for you.
I love all the colors I’m seeing in shorts right now, and I wanted to see if I could make a rainbow of shorts for this post. It was tough to find purple, but red through blue was pretty easy. 😉
First up, we have a red bike short from Old Navy. Bike shorts are great for biking (duh), but they also work well for yoga, running, or wearing under a skirt. Bike shorts tend to have a longer inseam length, and this pair comes in 3 different lengths: 7.25″, 8″ and 9.25″. They are often made from compression material and are great at holding you in. Look for features such as tag-free and moisture-wicking.
Athletic shorts have also been a trend in recent years. Wear these for anything athletic, or simply to hang out in when the weather warms up. I wear shorts like this daily in the summer because they are so lightweight and comfortable. These bright orange shorts from Buckle are a bit longer in the back, which is super nice for extra coverage when you’re active.
For yellow , I found this cheery pair of Juicy Couture Yellow French Terry Sweat Shorts from Nordstrom. These shorts show off the high waist trend we’ve seen a lot in the last couple years. Sweat shorts are also making a comeback, with their soft lining and laid back vibe. With a 7″ inseam, these shorts fall in-between Bermuda knee-length shorts and short athletic shorts, which might feel too modest for some, but perfect for others who want a bit longer coverage.
Green is my favorite color, and I love the tie waist on these paperbag shorts from Buckle. To wear the paperbag shorts trend well, it helps to have a defined waist and be comfortable tucking your shirt in. Tucking your shirt in allows you to really show off the cute waist details. Many shorts in this trend feature very short inseam lengths, like this 2.25″ inseam below.
These teal shorts from Eddie Bauer are great for outdoor adventures or casual pursuits close to home. They offer sun protection and are made from stretchy nylon with a little bit of spandex. The regular inseam length is 7 inches; the petite inseam length is 6.5 inches; the tall inseam length is 7.5 inches, and the women’s plus inseam length is 7 inches. This is a good length for casual shorts and hiking shorts.
Jean shorts are always in style, and this year is no different. This medium indigo wash jean short from Silver Jeans has a shorter 4″ inseam that’s perfect for hanging out. It features a mid-rise which is good for either tucking your shirt in or leaving it out. Distressing is fairy heavy on these jean shorts, making them good for casual days.
And finally, we make it to the end of the rainbow with purple shorts! 🙂 These high waisted purple shorts from Express have a short 3.5 inch inseam length and look best with a tucked-in top. Their shape and tailoring make them a dressier option, and they’d be great with heels or wedge sandals.
Which colors and styles are your favorite shorts to wear? If you’re not sure about what inseam length would be best for you, follow the steps listed in how to measure your inseam length and just use shorts instead of jeans. The same rules apply. Now that you know early spring is the best time to shop for shorts, get shopping at SearchByInseam.com where you can find the exact inseam length you want!
Are designer maternity jeans worth it? I mean, you only wear them for a few months, maybe longer if you’re pregnant more than once… But the price tag is steep – usually around $200. That’s a lot when you’re looking at setting up a nursery and acquiring all that necessary baby gear.
When I first started Search By Inseam, it was about 2 years before I was pregnant. I wasn’t shopping for maternity jeans for myself yet, but I was adding them to the site. I was also shopping for tall women who needed extra long maternity jeans. It was tough to fill their requests, as there just wasn’t much out there in longer lengths. There were usually a couple options of long maternity jeans in a 34″ inseam, but not anything longer. What I noticed then was that anything longer than a 34″ inseam tended to be a designer maternity jean. And the price jumped by at least $100 on average to move into that designer jean category.
Why are designer maternity jeans so expensive? It’s simple: you are paying for quality. In many cases, you are also paying for USA craftsmanship as well. The denim is high quality, the buttons are high quality and the big thing – the elastic belly panel – is much higher quality than a non-designer maternity jean’s belly panel. If you try on regular maternity jeans and designer maternity jeans, you’ll know right away that the belly panel on the designer pair is going to stay up. It’s not going to fall down on you and it’s not going to stretch out like a regular maternity jean panel will. It hugs your baby bump and provides so much support that you’ll want to wear that panel all. the. time. I’m  not kidding. Designer maternity jeans fit in the butt and the gut. They flatter your shape and the denim is soft and comfortable.
I have a 35″ inseam, so when I was pregnant my only options were designer maternity jeans. That was just fine with me, because I loved my Citizen’s Bootcut Maternity Jeans so much! They made any outfit flattering. I only needed to add a pair of comfortable flats and a maternity top, and I was good to go. I wore them for about 8 months total over two pregnancies. My belly never got very big. I think that was because my torso was so long and both boys were so low in my uterus that it took forever to really look like I was pregnant.
I paid about $180 for the jeans and wore them for about 8 months, which comes to $22.50 per month for a great pair of jeans. To me, that price was totally worth it. If you’re unsure if designer maternity jeans are worth it for you, I’d encourage you to do the math. Figure out how much they cost, how many months you think you’ll wear them, and what that works out to per month of wear. I only needed one pair of maternity jeans (no other pants, skirts, or dresses were needed) and a few tops, so I actually spent very little overall on my maternity wardrobe.
Paige Denim ‘Transcend – Manhattan’ Bootcut Maternity Jeans in a 35.5″ inseam
Whether you are going to splurge on designer maternity jeans or save on regular maternity jeans, you can search by your exact inseam length and price range here or at https://searchbyinseam.com. Please leave a comment on this blog post and let us know if you think designer maternity jeans are worth it or not. You’ll find other jeans, reviews, and helpful articles at blog.searchbyinseam.com.
I’ve been looking for a tall women’s fleece pullover that’s super soft and I found a good one!
After a really long winter spring has finally sprung in Seattle. I haven’t put away my winter clothes just yet, though! I get cold easily and I love to be warm and snuggly when I’m at home – or really anywhere I guess. My two sweet boys each have a fuzzy children’s fleece pullover from Hana Andersson that they love and affectionately call their “Fuzzy.” I kept telling them, “I want my own Fuzzy!” 🙂 This Women’s Patagonia ‘Re-Tool’ Snap Pullover in coral fits the bill for a fuzzy tall women’s fleece pullover. I’m crazy about the vibrant coral color which is perfect for spring and makes me think that it’s not too late to be buying a warm, cozy fleece pullover – even though it IS April after all…
The details: This pullover has a kangaroo hand-warmer pocket in front that is similar to the front pocket on a hooded sweatshirt and is great for feeling snuggly. The snap pocket is a bit retro and the neck snaps all the way up to keep you even warmer. While it’s not marked as a women’s size tall, the body and sleeves fit my long arms and long torso on my 6-foot tall body, so I think I can safely say that this is approved for tall women out there like myself! Hurry, run – get your own Fuzzy before it’s too late! 🙂
Can you believe the first quarter of 2017 is already in the books? Crazy. I thought it would be good to check in with myself and see how I’m doing on my new year’s resolution. How’s that for accountability? 🙂
My goal for 2017 was to review more products for my customers and readers. So far this year, I’ve posted 14 reviews. Last year, I wrote 4 reviews total. Yay me! The thing that’s been most surprising to me is how fun it is to do the reviews. Yes, I get to try out new clothes and I knew that would be fun, but I’ve really enjoyed writing up the reviews, having new and interesting content, and working with my friend and husband who’ve both been photographers for me. It’s really nice working face-to-face with people when the majority of my work on the site is just me and my computer.
Expect more reviews in the next three quarters because it’s fun for me and I’ve seen positive feedback and site traffic trends. Thank you to reader Carol for contributing her review in the first quarter, too!
Photo credit: Amber Wimber Photography for the top left 2 pictures and Jason Henderson for the rest.
How to find a good and inexpensive tailor, plus why you need one.
When I find a pair of pants that fits in the hips, inseam, and thighs, they’re often too big in the waist. For years, I dealt with this by just cinching my belt and hoping the bunched fabric at the top wasn’t too noticeable. Then I found a great, inexpensive tailor, and my life changed! I no longer need to wear a belt if I don’t want to; I can pick up bargain pants that are too big for a song, and then pay a little to have them fit perfectly; my expensive designer jeans now fit like a glove; and, my tailor has even made pants for me (like when I wanted a lightweight pair for a trip to Africa when all the stores were stocked with the fall staples instead of the linen-cotton blend I needed to stay cool in 100-degree temps). The benefits of a having an experienced tailor are many, and I think everyone needs one on speed dial.
How then, do you go about finding yourself a great tailor who doesn’t charge a bundle? My advice is to ask people you know who work in formal office settings, but for non-profits. These are people who wear suits and need to look nice, but don’t usually have big budgets for clothes and alterations. My tailor was referred to me by a friend who works in the development (fundraising) office for a local university. She and her coworkers all use the same tailor, who is located just a couple blocks from campus.
When you call the tailor, ask how much she/he charges for the work you want done. They should be able to give you a range, and not surprise you at the end. During your first visit, I’d start with just one article of clothing so you can test their work and see if this will be a good relationship. Of course if you’re having trouble finding the right length of jeans or pants, measure your inseam and shop for your exact inseam length at SearchByInseam.com.
